 Change is never easy. Even good change can take us by surprise. And bad change leaves us feeling insecure and uncertain about the future. But sometimes change isn’t about what’s good or bad- it’s about growth, opportunity and realising that God plants people in a certain place for a certain time. As you all know, change will be happening next year. Pr James and his family will be leaving- as will I. This means that there will be a time of transitioning and an element of uncertainty as the new pastor takes his place here in Geraldton. But let me assure you, that this is a time to be encouraged by all the great things God will do. Just as God did an amazing work in the past, and just as God has done a good work this year- He will continue to do a great work next year. I’m reminded of a story in Scripture where there was a major transition between the leader who had died and the one who would take his place. In Joshua 1 we find the story of Moses and Joshua. Moses had served the Lord and His people faithfully for 40 years until his final end at 120 years of age (Deuteronomy 34:7). But with his death came the dawning of a new era for the Israelites under the leadership of Joshua. To make the transition easier, God made Joshua a promise and that promise was not dependant on who Joshua was- it was dependant on the nature of God and His love: “No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you”- Joshua 1:5. God blessed Joshua. In a similar way, God will bless the new pastor who comes. So this is a time to be strong in faith and understanding. Let’s do what we can to make the transition for the new pastor a smooth one and let’s remember that God has a plan for those who go, for those come and for those who stay. His promise is to all. Leticia :) Thought for the week... Leadership and Training CornerSome books that will help in various areas of leadership such as: how to gain decisions for Christ when giving Bible studies; vision casting, church growth, evangelism, and how to be a humble leader, etc. Recommended Books - Gaining Decisions for Christ by Louis Torres (A How To Manual) - The Big Four by Joseph Kidder - Humility by Andrew Murray - Creating Healthy Adventist Churches through Natural Church Development We wish to thank...Thank you to our team of elders. Elders are very important when it comes to the life, health and growth of the church. So thank you for all that you do in leading meetings, visiting church folk, preaching, teaching and more. May God bless all your efforts as you continue to lead our church. 
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 When some people think of greatness they automatically think of power, strength, influence or money. In society at large greatness has much to do with what you have or what you can do. But in the eyes of Christ He sees greatness in those who are humble. Bible verse after Bible verse tells us the importance of humility. Such texts include: “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5). It seems that the more we read Scripture the more we understand that God is not looking for competence or ability. Instead His invitation is that of humble dependence on Him. If you look at the text above in its context, humility is preceded by an acknowledgement of who we are as sinful human beings in need of Jesus and His grace. The New Living Translation puts it this way: “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs” (Matthew 5:3). Another translation says: "Blessed are those who recognize they are spiritually helpless. The kingdom of heaven belongs to them”. It makes sense that humility can only be gained when we understand the greatness of God- because it is only then that we see our own sinfulness, our own mistakes and are willing to accept God’s grace and His leading in our lives. But there is a second aspect to humility. When we are humble we not only see our need for God, we see others differently too. We see others as equally deserving of grace, considering God’s grace extended to us. We stop competing with others and we are more willing to lift others up and exalt their good qualities rather than our own. As you go about your day today, contemplate Christ’s goodness and His humility. Remember this and follow His example- for “the only greatness is the greatness of humility”[1] God bless, Leticia. Thought for the week... Leadership and Training Corner We wish to thank...Thank you to everyone who led, participated or attended the evangelistic program with Pr Barron. It was a team effort and we are grateful to God, first and foremost- but we are grateful to you all, the team, who made it happen. Many thanks to Pr Barron for coming to preach the word.      As a worldwide church, small groups is something we recognise as an important strategy to developing healthy churches. Not only does it serve as a great method of discipleship, but it often serves as a great method of evangelism too. Church members have the opportunity to grow, share their faith and nurture those who are new in the faith. While people who are new to the church can learn and grow in the study of God’s word as they build relationships with church members in the comfortable, non-threatening environment of someone's home. With all the benefits of small groups, what about us? We have one small group that meets on a Wednesday, but is this enough? Let me share a story with you. There’s a church over east called Kingscliff SDA Church. This church once was a dying church that had a fair bit of issues. Since leaders and the people of the church have been spending meaningful time in Bible study, prayer, and now with their consistent small group focus, the church has not only become significantly healthier, it is now one of the healthiest, most vibrant churches in the NNSW Conference. Their small groups range from Bible study groups to interest groups, and relationship/marriage enrichment focused groups- and with this focus their numbers are growing. They’ve had significant amount of baptisms, particularly over the last couple of years and they have created a culture of love for Scripture, love for each other and love for the community. They summarise their focus in their mission statement “Knowing, Growing, Going”. Another more familiar story of small groups can be seen in the success of the early church in the book of Acts. Let me quickly remind you of the Biblical and relational culture they fostered: “Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers”- Acts 2:41-42. So, what will our story be? Will our church be known for our small group culture? God bless, Leticia. Thought for the week... Thank you to all our helpers in the outreach program. We value your contribution, leadership and willingness to help make this program a success. And thank you to Bill for recording all the programs with Pr Barron and for his photos which appear in the header of this newsletter :)   Over the last couple of weeks I’ve shared some thoughts with you regarding Natural Church Development. I’ve touched on loving relationships and passionate spirituality. Today I’d like to share some practical thoughts on empowering leadership. First of all, empowering leadership best defines those leaders who don't do everything but give ministry away. They give power, autonomy and opportunity to others to lead and serve. In addition to that, we understand that delegating is not enough when it comes to strong leadership. Leaders need to be trained and equipped to do their work successfully and according to their giftedness. In Burrill’s words: “….Empowering leaders spend time delegating AND discipling other people. Thus the energy that they invest in others is multiplied many times”[1]. According to the Apostle Paul, empowering leadership could be measured by how well a leader could not only train others, but more than that, could they train others to train others? In 2 Timothy 2:2 he says these words to young Timothy: “And the things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, these entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also”. As we wrap up, take the time to answer the following: 1. Do you feel equipped to serve? 2. Would training in areas such as: spiritual gifts, giving Bible studies or leading a small group help you in your ministry? 3. If you are in a position of leadership, how many people are you training currently to take over your role/s in the future? 4. Are you actively involved in visitation and giving Bible studies? 5. Are our young people given enough participation in church? As I close, I want you to seriously consider the fact that God does not want spectators- He only calls workers. Will you take your place as a leader and serve with Him today? Much love, Leticia. Thought for the week... We wish to thank...A big thank you to all people who have helped with the running of the evangelistic program. Thank you also to those who have hosted Pr Barron and have prepared meals for him. Well done, church! :) Please also continue to serve and pray as we reach out to the community.  |
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November 2015
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