A local church in a globalised world

Where: City North Baptist Church

When: 18 & 19 May 2013

What can God accomplish in the world through our church?

• a basic issue of our identity
• a divine perspective for our life
• a clear foundation for our partnership

Dr Rev Bruce Dipple, former SMBC Director of Cross Cultural Mission will be joining us on 18 and 19 May to challenge us with a three part message on God’s role for our church in His world.

Saturday 18 May

International pot luck dinner from 6:00pm

Followed by Bruce sharing from 7:00pm

Please bring a dish to share.

Sunday 19 May

Bruce will also be sharing at both services on Sunday 19 May. There will also be the opportunity to hear from others who are reaching the nations and to chat with representatives from different mission organisations.

For more information, please contact Kerri B.

Dr Rev Bruce Dipple

Life for Bruce has involved some years as a NSW Baptist minister, some years as Principal of a French Bible College in Niger, West Africa, ten years as Australia/East Asia Director of SIM, and fifteen years lecturing in mission at Sydney Missionary & Bible College, where he continues his association as a Ministry Associate. His ministry over the years has taken him to more than 35 countries. He is a graduate of Glasgow Bible College (Scotland), Morling College (NSW), and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (USA). Writing, preaching, lecturing & consulting fill his time at present. He and his wife Sylvia live at Waterfall, NSW.

Videos of the keynotes from the Women of Purpose conference 2013 are now available for viewing here.

There is plenty happening for young adults in the first half of 2013—so get your diaries out and save the dates! The theme for YAs this year comes from Hebrews 10:24-25 which says:

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

So let’s remember to do these events with purpose! Spurring one another on and encouraging one another in Christ! These events are about far more than filling a calendar and giving us something to do.
Let’s be a group of YAs that are serious about seeing one another grow in Christ!

April:
Saturday 13th AM – Men’s breakfast (S. Schroder)
Saturday 20th PM – Gospel Feast (J. Lean)

May:
Saturday 4th AM – Jump Start (W. Henderson)
Wednesday 15th PM – A Night with Rob Benson (J. Lean)
Saturday 25th PM – Drive In Movies (M. Higgs)

June:
Saturday 8th PM – Prayer (D. & S. Fyfe)
Friday 28th PM – Possible event coming…stay tuned

July:
Saturday 13th AM – Jump Start (W. Henderson)
Saturday 20th PM – Prayer (D. & S. Fyfe)
Saturday 27th PM – Women’s dinner
Wednesday 31st PM – Training Night (W. & C. Klein)

For the average Aussie any excuse for a long weekend is a good one.  The fact that it happens to be a religious reason doesn’t make much difference to most people.  And when it generates a lot of goodwill, especially the sharing of Easter eggs and other expressions of friendly kindness, well, that’s even better!

But there’s something that puzzles many of us who think a bit more seriously about Good Friday.  Why should a day that marks the martyrdom of Jesus Christ, the only perfect man who has ever lived, come to be regarded as “good”?  You’d think that it should be the opposite.  The answer, however, goes to the very heart of the Christian message.

The enemies of Jesus at that time thought that they had scored a crushing victory over him, once and for all.  Nailed to a cross….pronounced dead….body wrapped in heavy bandages…..buried in a tomb guarded by Roman soldiers…..it was all over for Jesus.  But it wasn’t!  Not for Jesus and not for us!

Some time prior to his death Jesus said:  “I am the good shepherd …….and I lay down my life for the sheep……No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.  I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again” (John 10:14-18).   The death of Jesus was not simply an unfortunate accident of history but an event in which God was always in control.  When Jesus died, God was placing upon his own sinless Son the sins of the world.  “Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God” (1 Peter 3:18).

Do you see it?  What seemed to be a tragedy, God turned into a triumph.  The death of Jesus actually became the very means by which people can be brought into a personal relationship with God.  Jesus died in our place.  He paid in full the punishment for our sin.  Do you really believe that?  Because if you do, the message of Good Friday is the very best news you could possibly wish to hear.

If you are a Christian, take time out today to personally thank the Lord for his saving death on the cross.  If you are not yet a believer, why not take the step of putting your trust in Him today.  What better way to celebrate Good Friday 2013?

Happy Easter!

Pastor Murray

PS.  Though truly dead on that Friday afternoon, God raised Jesus back to life the following Sunday morning.  He is alive today and is coming back again one day.  Will we be ready to meet him when that day comes?  Now that’s a question worth thinking about.