April 2010 - Baptist Churches Western Australia

Church storm damageNew facesat BUWARowingfor goldand GodtheadvocateWESTERN AUSTRALIA’S NEWSPAPER FOR CHRISTIANSApril 2010theadvocate.tvPerth’s mighty menChurchesgo iTechPhoto: Andy LimAngus Buchan from Shalom Ministries in South Africa was a key speaker at the Mighty Men Conference.In February, Perth played hostto a special men’s gathering –where blokes from all aroundthe country came to learn moreabout themselves and to grow asChristians.The Mighty Men’s Conference(MMC) was organised to stimulateand promote spiritual growth andpassion for Jesus in the lives ofChristian men. On the last weekendof February, that is exactly whathappened. More than 4,000 mengathered with one thing in common— a desire to hear from God.MMC Australia organising teamchairman, Pastor Craig Lydonexplains making it to opening nightwas a feat in itself. “In the weeksleading up the event we had anumber of major issues that werereal threats to the conference goingahead. As a team we continued topray and commit everything to God,praising Him for the work He wasgoing to do in the lives of the menwho were to attend.”Inspirational speaker, AngusBuchan from Shalom Ministries inSouth Africa was the key speakerat the conference. “Angus is afarmer with a simple message offaith repentance and passionatedevotion to God. He calls men backto daily bible reading and prayer, andobedience to God’s word.”Although primarily targeted atChristian men, at the fi rst meetingmany men found Christ for the fi rsttime. “Many recommitted their livesto Christ while others came forwardfor prayer and healing. On theSaturday morning, Angus preachedon freedom in Christ. The men sattransfi xed for more than an hour anda half as God worked on their heartsthough Angus’ words,” Pastor Craigexplained.Organisers and participantsdescribed the worship over theweekend as extraordinary, thevolume from thousands of mensinging praise to God threatening todrown out the musicians.“I was especially encouragedthat the non church guys I invitedseemed relaxed and inspired bythe conference. While confronting,the message touched their hearts.It is a great conference to get yourmen fi red up for God,” InglewoodCommunity Church Pastor, MarkEdwards said.Pastor Bruce Chant fromNorthshore Church said, “Angushas a ministry that challenges thestatus quo. In our church’s group,a number of guys have testifiedto having experienced signifi cantpersonal breakthrough becauseof Angus’ ministry. We’ve seenrecommitments to Christ, increasedpassion for God, and those takingbold steps of faith. It has beeninspirational to see.”And in another letter of thanks,the writer described the MMC effecton her husband, “It has defi nitelychanged my husband’s life, loveand faith for God. Although not aChristian he is growing spirituallyday by day and turning to God morefrequently. I look forward to our newfound inspiration and journey ahead.A big ‘thank you’ to Angus and theorganising team. God Bless.”Clearly, the men had come todo ‘business’ with God and they didjust that as Angus exhorted themto continue in that spirit as theyreturned to their homes, churchesand workplaces.A company in Seattle, Washingtonhas hit on the idea of an iPhoneapplication that gives users theability to stream sermons — live —straight from the pulpit.“We realised that iPhone appswould be a great tool to get Gospelcentredcontent into the hands ofpeople everywhere. SaddlebackChurch approached us to develop anapplication specifi c to their needs,”Matt Repucci from Subsplashexplained.So how does it work?“Anyone can download theSaddleback application for freefrom the iTunes App store and haveaccess to all of Saddlebacks Sermoncontent — along with blogs, calendarevents, live streaming of sermons andso on,” Mr Repucci said.“Making the truth of Jesusaccessible to anyone, anywhere,anytime is really in our hearts. TheiPhone is revolutionising the wayunder 40s view and share media.People use the app to watch andrewatch sermons (equipping thesaints), share sermons with theirfriends and family (evangelism,out-reach) and people are using theapps to check out a church beforethey come visit for the first time (agateway to the church and a gatewayinto Gospel Community).”Subsplash is currently looking intopartnering with Australian churchesto provide similar services for iPhoneusers.The Saddleback iPhoneapplication.

newstheadvocate April2010Mark Wilson meets PMbriefsBaptist Churches of Western Australia Director of Ministries Mark Wilson and wife Karen meet Prime Minister Kevin Rudd during Australia Day celebrations in Perth.Mark Wilson, Director of Ministriesof the Baptist Churches of WA andhis wife, Karen, were guests at anAustralia Day event hosted by thePrime Minister, Kevin Rudd, atPerth Town Hall on 21 January. ThePremier of Western Australia, ColinBarnett, joined the Prime Ministerto greet more than 100 guests asthey arrived at the elegant TownHall venue.Each year the Prime Ministerhosts Australia Day events inall states and territories aroundthe nation, personally invitingChurches battle storm damageOminous grey-green clouds builtup across Perth’s northern suburbson Tuesday 22 March. Just after3:30 pm the storm unleased fiercewinds, enormous hail stones andheavy rain in a swathe throughcoastal regions and the city centre,causing chaos on the roads andcarnage through the suburbs. ThreeBaptist churches reported damage.At Woodvale the storm rippedthrough the grounds of the churchdestroying trees. It tore the front doorsoff the church building, smashedwindows and soaked carpets.“I’d love to say the communitybroke the doors down, wanting tocome in but they didn’t,” Pastor ColinLituri said. “We put the doors back,and they blew in again, so we stackedfurniture behind them.”Further south at Mt Hawthorn,Executive Pastor Eugene Ashewatched in amazement as waterfl ooded through light fi ttings abovehis desk and made a waterfall onthe inside of the windows in hisoffi ce. Carpet in the foyer was alsodrenched.At 4:00pm Pastor Phil Smokerwas working on the roof of ComoBaptist helping a tradesman positioninfluential community leaders fromreligious groups and not-for-profi torganisations, educators, those inservice industries and long-servingvolunteers to join the celebrations.“Being invited to attend thereception for Australia Day 2010 isa fantastic opportunity to meet withkey people from all walks of life inWA and it is a pleasure to representthe Baptist Churches of WA in mycapacity as Director of Ministries,”Mark Wilson said.After the formal speeches andgreetings, the Prime Minister andComo Baptist Church was one of the church buildings damaged in Perth’s wild weather.the last of several trusses needed forrenovations to the church’s roof asthe menacing clouds approached.“We were tying down tarps toprotect the open roof when the windand hail bombarded us,” he said.Premier mingled with the guests.While refreshments were served, theytook the opportunity to speak withmany individuals.While talking with the PrimeMinister, Mr Wilson commented thathe had met Mr Rudd at the 2009Australia Day celebration in Perthwhere Mr Rudd had said he wouldgreatly appreciate prayer for wisdomand courage. Mr Wilson said thatthe Baptist churches of WA hadbeen praying for the Prime Ministerover the past year. Mr Rudd greatlyappreciated this and asked for them“We even tried to hide under a tarpup there.”Volunteers arrived during theevening to help secure the fl oodedbuilding as rain brought ceilings downand flooded sections of the building.to continue to pray during 2010.In his speech the Prime Ministerspoke of his optimism for Australia’sfuture. He predicted the Australianpopulation would grow to 35 millionby the end of the millennium. MrRudd also highlighted WesternAustralia’s unique contribution tonational economic development andthe nation’s strong recovery followingthe global downturn.Premier Barnett also addressedthe guests. The program included theNyoongah welcome to country led byMs Marie Taylor.Como planned to celebrate thecompletion of renovations over theEaster weekend. Now, like Woodvaleand Mt Hawthorn churches and manyother people in Perth, they await thearrival of an insurance assessor.Photo: Jill BirtVose SeminaryBook SaleIf you want the pick of this year’sbooks, be at Vose Seminary (formerlyBaptist Theological College), 20Hayman Road, Bentley for the grandopening on Saturday 10 April from9.00am to 2.00pm. Thousandsof books displayed under broadcategories including general nonfiction,fiction, Christian books, andchildren’s books are ready for newowners. There are also CDs, DVDsand magazines to buy. Proceedssupport the Vose Seminary Library.The sale continues Monday to Fridayduring business hours until 23 April.For more information visit www.vose.wa.edu.au/view/library/booksale orphone 6313 6200.BaptismsRichard and Karena Joyce werebaptised at Parkerville Baptist on27 December 2009. The story of Godintervening in their lives highlightedthe crucial part Karena’s sister, Michaland the people of PBC, played indemonstrating God’s love and grace.DiamondanniversariesRoss and Joan Chatfield (MandurahBaptist) celebrated their 60th weddinganniversary on 11 February 2010. Theymarried at Guildford Methodist Churchon a day that reached 115 degreesFahrenheit. Their children, Sue Ash,Jill and Peter Birt and Graeme andHeather Chatfield (Sydney) organisedcelebrations with family and friends tomark the milestone.Mick and Norma Motteram (MaidaVale Baptist) celebrated their 60thwedding anniversary on 18 February2010. They celebrated the event withtheir sons Perry, Ian, Wayne andBrett and their families and a groupof friends at a luncheon.The Motterams and Chatfi elds wereneighbours in High Wycombe foralmost 30 years.Malawi Carver diesInnocent, a talented wood carverfrom the Mangochi region ofMalawi, died suddenly in mid-March. He studied wood carvingfrom an older man in his villagethen built a small business,often creating unique worksfor international visitors. Manypeople who visited Malawi onGlobal Exposure trips purchasedInnocent’s work. Innocent was inhis mid-30s. The life expectancyin Malawi is 35 years.2

April2010 theadvocatenewsBaptist Care ConferenceWhat does the rest of the Millenniumhave in store for aged and communityservices? Speakers and discussionat the annual Baptist Care AustraliaConference on 21 and 22 April atthe Esplanade Hotel, Fremantle, willaddress this vital subject.The conference is designed forinfluencers, decision-makers andoperators who deliver services tothe community. Baptist Care WA isorganising the event.Dr Lucy Morris, CEO of BaptistCare in WA, sees the conference asa time of learning, networking andconsidering the future.“As people of faith, we have somuch more to offer our communitythan functional assistance. Weoffer care and support to the wholeperson,” she said. “We want peoplewithin the Christian family who deliverservices to our community to comeand explore with us.”Keynote speaker John Cleary willaddress the topic of society and faith.Professor David Gilchrist will speak on‘The future of Charitable Organisationsin the 21st Century: social enterpriseand business models.’ Elena Douglaswill consider strategic planning andestablishing business.There will also be presentations bypeople working in disability servicesand mental health, discussionDr Lucy Morris, CEO of Baptist Care WA checks the program for the national conference in Fremantle this month.panels, electives and an open spacetechnology event. Topics includeEnd-of-life ethics and human rights(Dr Anne Zubrick); Finding fundingsources (Pascoe and Kearney); andBrokering Services in Aged Care(Chris Coughlan).Sue Ash is CEO of the WA Councilof Social Services (WACOSS) whichLtoR: Alan McGrechan, Ryan and Donna Lupgens and Ben andSamantha Good will be working in Mozambique.aims to improve the quality of lifeof people disadvantaged by theinequities of our society. She willaddress some of the emerging issuescare providers are facing, considerthe issues of people needing servicesand the organisations that providethe services.“This conference is a greatopportunity for people to comeand listen to what we’re seeing (ishappening) in society,” she said.People involved in relatedvolunteer programs are also invitedto attend. Registration forms areavailable from www.baptistcare.com.au or by calling Yvette on9282 8664.West Australians to MozambiqueFive West Australians were recentlyaccepted to work with GlobalInteraction (GiA) in Mozambique.Ben and Samantha Good fromGosnells, Ryan and Donna Lupgens(and their children, Caleb (5) andEden (2)), from Mt Pleasant andAlan McGrechan from Parkerville areexcited about heading to Africa.They have all spent time inAfrica visiting GiA’s teams workingwith the Yao people in Malawi orMozambique.As well as building their teamsof prayer and fi nancial supporters,GiA’s new workers are studying atVose Seminary.Mozambique team leader JonnoCrane, currently in Perth with hisfamily, sees the new team membersas answers to pray.“It’s exciting to see young peopleso passionate about sharing Jesuswith the Yao and putting it all onthe line to do so,” he said. “Theyhave all been to visit (Africa) andeach of them is at least somewhataware of the huge challenges thatlay ahead.”Alan McGrechan finishes hiselectrician apprenticeship soon.He plans to work in Mozambiquefor two years from early 2011. Hewill complete some study at VosePhoto: Ben GoodSeminary this year and is searchingfor a Portuguese language tutor toget a head start on language learningbefore he leaves Perth.The Goods and Lupgensare planning longer sojourns inMozambique, so they will completetheological studies before they returnto Africa in the second half of 2011.“I’ll do at least two semestersthen review,” Ben Good said. “I diddeputation before I went to Malawithe first time so I would like to thinkthat we can re-energise some oldconnections and get the network upand running again.”Photo: Jill BirtChristian Superrecognised fordoing “all thegood it can”Christian Super has beenawarded the Infinity Award bySuperRatings, a superannuationbenchmarking company thathelps consumers choosebetween superannuationfunds. “Receiving this awardis a great recognition that ourfocus on environmental, social,governance, ethical and climateissues in our investment policyhas been recognised by theindustry,” said Christian SuperCEO, Peter Murphy. “Our Trusteeand staff are inspired by JohnWesley’s mandate to ‘Do all thegood you can, by all the meansyou can, in all the ways that youcan, in all the places that youcan, at all the times you can, aslong as you can’”. Introducedin 2008, the Infinity Awardrecognises the superannuationfund that demonstrates themost genuine commitment toaddressing its environmental andsocial responsibilities. ChristianSuper has also just been rankedsecond in the second annualAsset Owners DisclosureProject, part of the ClimateChange Investment Initiativerun by the Australian Institute ofSuperannuation Trustees.More IranianChristiansdetained, tworeleasedMore Iranian believers havebeen arrested in recent weeks,including Reverend Wilson Issaviof the Assyrian EvangelicalChurch in Kermanshah.Authorities arrested the pastortwo months ago while he wasvisiting with a couple nearIsfahan. The couple and a womanwho was visiting with them werealso seized. One month ago,officials searched the pastor’shome while he was absent andconfiscated his personal items.They also sealed his churchbuilding. In the city of Karaj, aChristian couple who convertedfrom Islam was arrested in midFebruary. The wife was releasedtwo days later but the husbandremains detained, reportedly onaccusations of “proselytism.”Meanwhile, two of the IranianChristians arrested in the cityof Shiraz have been released.The two believers, both convertsfrom Islam, were released on bailwhich was lower than the amountordered for the five who remaindetained. The released Christianswere required to submit workcontract documents detailingtheir salaries with the impliedthreat that their salaries willbe withheld or reduced if theyare perceived to cause furthertrouble.3

opinionOn Air with Graham MaburyWhen it comes to Christmasappeals young people are oftenover-looked. The public are alwaysenormously generous but almost allthe presents donated are for veryyoung children. There’s very little fortwelve to seventeen year olds. This isunderstandable enough. They’re atthat “awkward age”. Call one of thema “child” and you’ll discover they arechildren no longer. Equally, however,they’re not yet fully adult and theycrave love in the form of a Christmasgift as much as any tiny tot.I recently discovered that thisoccurs beyond Australia. I spokewith Professor Jill Klein on Nightlineabout her research into the reliefeffort in Thailand following thetsunami. It showed that youngpeople were, as she put it, ‘theforgotten victims.’ Very little camein for them. What did was generallyof very poor quality and often quiteinappropriate. What’s more the wayit was delivered was often lacking inempathy or even consideration.I discovered that she was anauthority on the relationship betweenpeople and their possessions. Herinterest in this began as a younggirl listening to her father’s story.He was a Holocaust survivor,imprisoned in Auschwitz at theage of 16. She vividly remembershim describing the experience ofstanding in the yard there, strippednaked. Like his fellow prisoners,all his hair had been shaved off.Staring down at his clothes lyingin a crumpled heap at his feet herealised that they were the fi nal linkto the world he had always known.Once they were taken away, thatworld would be gone.In her research, ProfessorKlein asked the Thai teenagerswhat possessions they regardedas irreplaceable. I decided to askthe Nightline audience the samequestion in a different guise. It wasin the midst of bush fi re season soI asked listeners to imagine theirhome was about to be engulfed.Their pets and family were safe, andthey had only a couple of minutes toget out. What would they grab?One of the many callers was ayoung man. He had a voice thatresonated with sincerity, utterlywithout guile. “If I had momentsto escape a fi re,” he said, “I’d grabmy backpack. In that is my Bible,my CD’s, my flute and some ofmum’s jewellery, and I’d probablygrab my guitar.” Without pausingfor breath, he went on “But theabsolutely essential thing in all thatis my bible.”“Why is that?” I asked“Because my life is aboutto become very uncertain. Myenvironment is about to be destroyed,and I’m going to need a lot of supportand help. The bible is my life line,that’s what gives me perspective andstrength. I’d be lost without that.”His words communicated withpowerful effect. In fact, when hefi nished, I added no words of myown. Like any good commercialradio presenter, I “went to thebreak.” It was arresting because hewas so transparently authentic – Isuspect he would have said, “fairdinkum”. There were no clichés,no running the party line. He saidthe Bible was his lifeline. It wasobvious that for him it was. He wasspeaking truth, without adornmentor embellishment. His relationshipto God was the defi ning reality ofhis life.He challenged me – though I amsure that was not his intention. Somuch of what demands my time, somuch of our culture, even within thechurch is about doing rather thanbeing. Yet I know that followingJesus is not about relationship – notreligion. That young caller remindedme of a telling phrase from anotheryoung man, Mark – in his descriptionof Jesus calling the twelve. “ThenHe appointed twelve that they mightbe with Him and that He might sendthem out to preach” (Mk 3:P14NKJV emphasis mine) Listening totheadvocate April2010him gave me a new perspective onthe reaction of people later to thosesame disciples. Having quoted thenew King James version, let meconclude with “old” “They marvelledand they took knowledge of themthat they had been with Jesus.”(Acts4:13 KJV emphasis mine)Graham Mabury is a broadcasterand pastor at Mt Pleasant BaptistChurch. You can hear Graham onRadio 6PR (882AM) every weeknightfrom 8:00 pm to midnight.My ThoughtsEaster with head and heart...WHAT PEOPLE ARE BLOGGINGI was a guest preacher last night(well, no longer last night bythe time you read this), and hadbeen asked to speak on whatJesus accomplished at the Cross.So how do you fit that in to 20minutes? I went a pretty traditionalroute, unpacked the reason forour creation (relationship withGod, if you haven’t yet done theintroductory theology unit at Vose),followed it up with the problem ofour alienation from God and thenexplored how and why the Crossovercomes the barriers our rebellionagainst God has built. Even if I sayit myself, it was solid stuff – albeitthe 23 minute version.And yet as I drove away, I feltthat I had said so much less than Iwanted to. No, heresy hunters wouldnot have had a fi eld day. True, thereis only so much you can say in 24minutes (OK – 25 if you throw inthe prayer at the end!), but the bigblocks were all there, even if capableof further expansion. So why theniggling unease?Hard to articulate, but it’s thesense that no matter what you sayabout the Cross, it’s incomplete. Atanother level, it’s the fear that you’llexplain things so clearly that peoplewill say, “Thanks, I’ve got it.” As ifwe can ever really understand theCross. God forbid that we shouldreduce the mystery of the Crossto a set of propositions that peoplesign up to – a kind of tick the box ifyou agree.How do you explain that theCreator of the Universe loves Hiswayward rebellious creation to suchan extent that He came to this planetto live amongst us and ultimatelydie for us. And that the death Hedied was not an ordinary clutch atchest and die of heart failure fi veminutes later death, but a death ofunimaginable cruelty. Why wouldGod put up with such indignity?The quick answer rolls offthe lips. “It’s because He lovesus.” “And why does He love us?”“Well it is because God is love– love is what He instinctivelydoes. It’s God’s speciality.” Asif that’s an explanation of thisstubbornly persistent love, a lovethat transcends one rejection afteranother...Ah, Easter. Each time it comesaround it’s a scratch the head andstand in silent awe season. Thisis logic from a dimension otherthan our own. It’s the logic of lovedemonstrated in sacrifice. Wehear the 1 John 3:16 insight, “Weknow what real love is becauseChrist gave up his life for us.” Paulpushes it a little further in Romans5:8 “God showed his great love forus by sending Christ to die for uswhile we were still sinners.” Whilewe were still sinners ...Perhaps a beginning responsecould be that of Isaac Watts, “Loveso amazing, so divine, demandsmy soul, my life, my all.” But that’sonly a start ...Dr Brian Harris is the Principal ofVose Seminary and Senior Pastorof Carey Community BaptistChurch. He can be contacted atbrian.harris@vose.wa.edu.au17/03/2010Todd Rhodes: mondaymorninginsight.com“How many of the people at your church just thinkheaven WILL look like your Sunday morning?I know,I know... we can’t even imagine what heaven will belike. But don’t most of us, at least on the surface, thinkit will be just like what we want it to be? People wholove traditional worship dream of a great organ (maybewith golden pipes or something)...People who lovecontemporary worship dream of the ultimate worshipband and experience. Like maybe all the Rolling Stoneswill get saved on their deathbed and be the headlinersor something. Preachers dream that heaven will be filledwith great sermons (mostly made by themselves) andthat people will actually stay awake and listen.Kids thinkthat heaven will somehow be made of candy, puppydogs, and ice cream. If heartfelt worship and a realencounter with Jesus is what people are thinking heavenwill be like, that’s awesome. If music and goodies arewhat people are envisioning when they think of heaven,then we’re not doing a very good job of explainingthings while we’re here on earth.So... when you thinkof heaven, what do YOU think of first?”18/03/2010Phil Cooke: www.philcooke.com“In the past, “media” was mainly TV, the newspaper,or the radio. It was pretty limited. But today, media hasbecome culture. It’s the web, email, our mobile phone,our Facebook page, Twitter - all the ways we connectin this media-driven, digital culture. As a result, leadersof the future need to know and understand how mediaworks, and it’s impact on people and communities. Forinstance in business - last generation leaders encounteredmedia only when they did an advertising campaign orshowed a training film to employees. But today’s leadersencounter media in every aspect of the business - fromsales, to supply chain management, production, or at theexecutive level. It’s about accounting, communication,presentations, leadership, and more. Media makesbusiness work, and without realizing all the ways it canimpact your business or non-profi t organization, you’remissing a huge part of the puzzle. In the 21st century,you simply can’t avoid the digital world. If you want tosucceed in business or ministry, avoidance may not bean option anymore.”17/03/2010Dan King: bibledude.net“Easter is THE defining event in Christianity.Without Easter, Jesus was just another great teacher.But apparently some recent Barna research shows thatmany CHRISTIANS don’t fully understand the meaningor reason for this celebration. Uh… what? So, whatdoes Easter mean to you? How do you celebrate it?How does your celebration of Easter connect with the‘reason for the season’?”21/03/2010Corey Mann: www.mynameiscorey.net“Could any 2 things be more different than a wormand a threshing instrument with teeth? A worm isdelicate, easily bruised, crushed by a passing wheel.A threshing instrument with teeth can cut throughrock and not be broken, also leaving its mark on thatrock. Our God can convert one into the other. He cantake an individual with all the weakness of a wormand transform it into a person with enough strengthto make a profound mark on the history of theirtime. Therefore, my fellow “worms”, take heart. Godcan make us stronger than our circumstances, Hecan turn each situation into our good. He takes thedarkest disappointment, cracks it open, and discoverssomething special inside. When God gives us an ironwill, we can cut through any diffi culty. Jesus builds Hiskingdom with the broken things of the earth. God is aGod of the unsuccessful – the God for those who havefailed. Heaven will be filled with earth’s broken lives,and there is, like Isaiah 42:3 says, no “bruised reed”that Jesus cannot take and restore. He takes a lifecrushed by pain and sorrow and can make it a musicalinstrument whose music will be total praise. Jesus liftsearth’s saddest failure up to His Glory.”Digital Church is Perth’s own online lookat all aspects of digital life in the church.www.digitalchurch.com.au. Proudlysupported by The Advocate.4

April2010 theadvocatenewsNew faces at BWAChris Green, Claire Martin and Steve Ingram have joined the team at the Baptist Ministry Centre.Photo: Ben GoodPakistaniChristian beatenby MuslimbrothersPakistani Christian, Riaz Masih(26) was brutally beaten by hisfour Muslim brothers in Punjabprovince, Pakistan after herefused to give up his faith.Riaz, whose Christian parentsdied when he was a boy, saidthat his continual refusals toconvert infuriated his brothers.The Muslim cleric who raisedthem after their parents died hadreportedly lured Riaz’s brothersinto embracing Islam by offeringthem a large plot of residentialland and 500,000 rupees. In asimilar manner, Riaz’s brotherstried to entice him to convert byoffering him 1 million rupees, alarge residence and a woman ofhis choice to marry. However,Riaz stood firm and declined.Riaz’s brothers then ransackedhis house and told him thatthey would kill him if he did notconvert to Islam, saying, “Killingan infidel is not a sin, insteadit’s righteousness in the sightof Allah almighty.” Riaz beggedthem to give him a few minutesto consider their offer and thentried to escape, but they grabbedhim, beat him with bamboo clubsand left him for dead. At lastreport, Riaz was hiding in fear forhis life.The corridors of the Baptist Union ofWestern Australia (BUWA) in Perthare filled with a sense of excitementfollowing the addition of some newfaces to help develop the church’sministry programs.Three new team members havejoined the Baptist Ministry Centre tohelp further the programs that will helpthe state’s Baptist churches to reachout to the people in their communitiesmore effectively. On average, BaptistChurches in WA minister to over 3,400children, 2,000 youth and 100 youngadults each week.Broome Pastor taps local mediaDarrell McKerlie is Broome BaptistChurch’s newest Pastor and he’salready making a splash in thespiritual waters of the state’s tropicalNorth West.Darrell and wife, Pam recentlymoved from their home in Melbourne’seastern suburbs for the past 18 yearsafter a life-changing telephone call.“We were not considering or thinkingabout a move at this time of our lives– with retirement in a few years, newgrandchildren and my ageing 90year old father to consider. It didn’tseem sensible but God gave us manyundeniable confirmations - from HisWord, circumstances falling intoplace and we had a real peace aboutit all. It is clear God has a special workfor us to do in Broome.”Since Broome is a smallcommunity with a large transientChris Green has taken on the roleof Children, Youth and Young AdultsConsultant – recognising an on-goingneed to resource churches and theirPastors who work in these areas.“Chris brings a unique set ofskills to his new role. He is knownfor his passion for people, especiallyteenagers and we’re stoked abouthaving him as part of the teamhere helping to serve local Baptistchurches in WA,” the Baptist MinistryCentre said.Steve Ingram, who recentlyconcluded his ministry as Seniorpopulation in the summer holidaymonths, Pastor Darrell hit uponthe idea of using the local mediato reach out to local people. Hisaim is to connect with the averageAussie who is not really interested ingoing to church. “With a marketingbackground I decided to target thecommunity through the local paperwith an advertisement that presentsthe new minister as a typical Aussiebloke who uses humour, talks abouthis dog and about issues that resonatewith the sorts of concerns that weighheavily on people’s minds.”The advertisement introduces theMcKerlie’s and lists sermon topics forthe coming months.“Our first priority is to bond withthe church in readiness for God’sspecial plans for the Broome BaptistChurch.”Pastor at Parkerville Baptist Churchhas taken up a new post of ChurchLiaison Consultant. “I am passionateabout helping our churches becamemore effective in fulfilling their mission.It makes sense for us as a familyof churches to help each other bycombining our wisdom and what weare learning so that we are not allconstantly ‘re-inventing the wheel’ asindividual churches. I hope to be part ofsharing that knowledge and support.”Claire Martin has also joinedthe team as the Baptist MinistryCentre. She is the friendly firstpoint-of-contactfor anyone callingor visiting the centre’s reception.“It’s so great to be involved in sucha comfortable and Christ-centredenvironment where the main aim ofyour work is help and support othersin their everyday needs. It’s such apleasure to be able to be a part of thisteam and meet so many lovely andinspirational people. I praise God forthis opportunity he has given me.”Claire has taken over the rolefrom Priscilla Innes who has takenon the job of looking after BaptistInsurance.New Broome Pastor Darrell McKerlie and his wife Pam.Christian youthstortured byEgyptian officialsChristian youths who werearrested without warrantsfollowing an attack on believersleaving a Christmas Eve midnightmass service in Nag Hammadi,Egypt, have reportedly beenseverely tortured at the handsof authorities. 15 of the dozensof Christians arrested remain indetention and have been chargedwith ‘rioting and resisting theauthorities.’ Several youthswho were released stated thatthey were severely torturedby officials and were orderedto falsely testify that BishopKyrollos, the Coptic Bishop ofNag Hammadi, had incited themto make demonstrations. One ofthe released, Bola (18), stated,“We had to take our clothes off,and we were electrocuted withelectrodes in our private partsfor eight hours. Electric shocksonly stopped when we could takeit no longer - only to be resumedagain.” A 17-year-old, Reziky,added, “We were threatened bysecurity that if we disclosed whatwent on, we will be re-arrested.”According to a family member ofanother released Christian, manyof the youths have been madeinfertile because of the torture.The majority of the releasedteenagers are undergoingmedical treatment, includingbeing fitted with catheters inorder to urinate.5

newstheadvocate April2010Discovery of Nazareth houseIsrael’s Antiquities Authority workers at the excavation site of the remains of the fi rst dwelling in Nazareth that can be dated back to the time of Jesus.More clues about life in the timeof Jesus have come to light.A recent report in the USA Todaynewspaper has highlighted thework of archaeologists who believethey have unearthed remains ofthe fi rst dwelling in Nazareth thatdates back to Jesus’ era. Nazarethis where Jesus grew up and wherean angel told Mary she would bearthe child of God.“It is a simple structure of tworooms and a courtyard. Previousdiscoveries suggest it was probablya hamlet of about 50 poor Jewishfamilies. It is now the largest Arabcity in northern Israel, with about65,000 residents,” Israel AntiquitiesAuthority excavations director,Yardenna Alexandre said.“Archaeologists are not claimingit is the house where Jesus livedbut a young Jesus may have playedaround the house with cousins andfriends. It’s a logical suggestion,”she said.Alexandre’s team foundremains of a wall and a systemthat appeared to collect water fromthe roof. Based on clay and chalkshards, the dwelling appeared tohouse a ‘simple Jewish family’. Inthe New Testament Times Jewsused chalk vessels to ensure theritual purity of the food and waterkept in them.University of North Carolinaprofessor of archaeology and earlyJudaism, Jodi Magness said thefinding wasn’t a groundbreakingarchaeological discovery but addedcontext to Jesus’ life. “Like all of us,From cop to inmateto God’s manJohn Burgess, a man who upheldthe law as a former policeman,ended up behind bars as a convictedprisoner and now tells his story asa committed Christian.John recently shared hisexperiences through the AussieHarvest ministry tour, in a uniquehospitality evangelism setting, withmen across outback New SouthWales.Aussie Harvest is a nondenominationaloutreach ministryto men.John Burgess came to faiththrough the witness of a fellowpolice offi cer but at the age of 25his life was turned upside down.“I was entertaining a fellow policeoffi cer from another state. We wentout drinking and I offered to drivehim back to where he was staying. Ihad had too much to drink and wasspeeding and lost control of the carand hit a tree. I walked away fromthe accident but my fellow offi cerwas dead.”Jesus was a product of his worldand that’s important for people whowant to better understand Jesus’teachings.”Stephen Chapman, who isassociate professor of the OldTestament at Duke Divinity School,agreed. “It’s good to rememberthat Jesus grew up as a poorJew in a poor town. His life wasnot about having great materialpossessions, but about livingfor God in this humble andmodest way.”He was charged with culpabledriving and sentenced to 18months in jail. He looks back atthe accident as God trying to gethis attention. “I think God allowedit to happen to get my attention.He didn’t want it to happen, hedidn’t plan it, I caused it, I made ithappen. As a police officer, I knewthat the three biggest killers onour roads were drink, speed andfatigue. I was playing with themall and was a time bomb waitingto go off. I knew better, but didn’tact,” said John.Aussie Harvest tour organiser,Rod Cuthbertson said over 150men heard John’s story on therecent tour. “John shared how Godhas remained faithful to him in the16 years since the accident andthe lessons he has learned fromhis experiences. It’s great to seeGod using this ministry to bringa spiritual awakening in matureAustralian men that the churchhasn’t reached.”Photo: Dan Balilty APNew chargesagainstEthiopianChristianAuthorities in Ethiopia areattempting to file a terrorismcase against Bashir Musa Ahmed(39), who was arrested withoutformal charges in May 2009for the ‘malicious’ distributionof Bibles. According to localChristian leaders and a stateofficial, Islamist pressure haskept Bashir in detention in spiteof the state’s failure to findany legitimate charge againsthim. Police have submitted theterrorism charges to prosecutors,who last month requested policeto find some evidence for theaccusation. Bashir has reportedlybeen beaten in jail and has beenrepeatedly denied bail. Meanwhile,A hearing for an Egyptian convertto Christianity from Islam, whohas long been seeking legalrecognition of his faith, has finallybeen scheduled after three yearsof courts dismissing his case. Thehearing for Mohammed Hegazy(27) is scheduled for April 27. Hislawyer said of the hearing, “Thisis a good step. We have presentedall our documents and I thinknext time he might be grantedapproval.”Copt killed asalleged shootersplead not guiltyin EgyptThree men accused of killingsix Coptic worshipers and asecurity guard pleaded notguilty as the Coptic communitymourned the loss of yet anothervictim of apparent anti-Christianviolence. The three men allegedlysprayed a crowd with gunfi reafter a Christmas service inNag Hammadi on 6 January.On the evening of 9 February,Malak Saad, a 25-year-oldCoptic carpenter living in Teta inMenoufi a Province, was walkingoutside a meeting hall that policehad seized from Christians whenhe was shot through his chest atclose range. He died instantly.Offi cials at the Interior Ministrysaid Saad was killed by mistakewhen a bullet discharged whilea police guard was cleaning hisweapon. The Interior Ministry saidthe shooter has been detainedand will be tried in a militarycourt. One of Saad’s cousinsdisputed the Interior Ministry’sversion of the incident, sayingthe guard had used the bathroominside the meeting hall and hadcome outside of the building whenhe exchanged a few words withSaad and shot him at close range.The building in question had beenCoptic-owned for 16 years, buttwo days prior to the shooting,police seized it after a group ofMuslims started a rumor that theowners planned to convert thehall into a church building.6

April2010 theadvocateAbbott homeless for a week?In a ‘dare’ with a difference,Federal Opposition Leader, TonyAbbott has been challenged to‘rough it’ on streets of Canberrafor a week.UnitingCare’s ExecutiveDirector, Reverend Harry Herbertwants Mr Abbott to live onthe streets for seven days tobetter understand the hardshipsfaced by the nation’s homeless.The challenge came after theOpposition Leader stated thatthe government “…can’t juststop people from being homelessif that’s their choice or if theirsituation is such that it is justimpossible to look after themunder certain circumstances.”“It was glib. The word choiceis completely inappropriate inthis context. There is a very smallpercentage of the population whomay choose, for lifestyle reasons,to be homeless. However, for thevast majority the factors leadingto their situation are beyond theircontrol.”“The opposition leader wouldbe less inclined to make suchstatements if he had a betterunderstanding about the difficultiesof everyday life for Australians atrisk of homelessness or alreadyhomeless. Mental illness, addiction,domestic violence, an inability tomeet basic living costs and issuesrelated to employment can be allcontributing factors,” ReverendHerbert said.The ‘homeless-for-a-week’challenge was made a littleover a month ago, on the eve ofWorld Day of Social Justice. TheDevastation in ChileIt was a little over a month ago that amassive 8.8-magnitude earthquakehit central Chile.More than 700 people died inthe quake which happened duringthe early hours of 27 February,causing damage throughout theSouth American country.Chilean President MichelleBachelet declared a ‘state ofcatastrophe’ in her country. “We’redoing everything we can with all theresources we have.” The Presidentinitially said international assistancewas not needed but asked for helponce the full level of the devastationto her nation became apparent.Church World Service (CWS) wasone organisation quick to respond tothe call. “Chile has a pretty strongnational emergency managementsystem in place and has dealt in thepast with a number of catastrophicdisasters,” CWS emergency responsecoordinator, Donna Derr said.“The needs are greater thanthe Chilean government initiallybelieved, and they began appealingfor international help in respondingto the humanitarian needs causedTony Abbott has been challenged to ‘rough it’ on the streets of Canberra for a week by UnitingCare.UnitingCare leader said it wasimportant to remember there werestill many issues that needed tobe addressed to close the gapbetween disadvantaged Australiansand the rest of the population.by the earthquake, as well as theresulting tsunami that wiped outvillages along the coastline.”The destruction of infrastructure,including homes, hospitals andbridges was shocking. CWS isworking with local and internationalpartners to help meet some of thepriority needs. That included aninitial grant of US$15,000 to partnerthe Methodist Church of Chile foremergency needs. “There was aninitial shipment of food, hygienekits and water sent to 300 familiesin Concepción. The Inter-ChurchEmergency Committee then followedup with shipments for 500 families inthe Maule and Biobío regions,” MsDerr explained.A second, rehabilitation phaseof between two months to a yearwill potentially involve cash for work,small economical initiatives, repairand rebuilding of houses, capacitybuilding, advocacy, training in riskmanagement and psychosocialassistance in Santiago, Concepción,Talca and Curico.To find out more, visit www.churchworldservice.org.“While Mr Abbott acknowledgedemergency accommodationis required, it’s only a bandaidsolution. Homelessness issymptomatic of a variety of causesand addressing these causes willEmployment opportunitywith SU WAensure you are helping people attheir most vulnerable to achieve abetter life.”Mr Abbott is under pressure tomatch the government’s promise tohalve homelessness by 2020.In order to continue to facilitate it’s mission of Introducing young Australiansto Jesus, the Bible and the local church, SUWA is seeking to fill the followingstaff position.Camps Coordinator (2 days per week)This role will join the existing Camps Coordinator in coordinating, managingand growing SU’s camping ministry. The chief tasks involve working with andsupporting volunteer team leaders to run quality camps in two School Holidayperiods of the year.The successful applicant will have the following competencies:• Ability to work in a self-managed way• Good organisation and administration skills• Experience in Christian camping• Ability to relate to a variety of people• Ability to develop, mentor and support leaders• Ability to understand and implement policies and practices in the field• Ability to identify and follow up new opportunities and interested individuals• Ability to network and connect with people, inspiring them to action• An understanding of mission practice and theory and the ability to relate thisto SU’s camping contextFor further information or an Application Pack, please contact Kent Morgan at SU,on 9443 5055 or kentm@wa.su.org.au. Applications close 5pm on Friday April 30th.newsUzbekistanBaptists forcedto pay massivefines, ‘taxes’ andremoved frompostsUzbekistan continues to attack thecountry’s registered Baptist Union.Local Christians said one Baptist,Valery Konovalov, was been forcedto pay a fi ne imposed in his absence,after he was forced to appear as awitness in the trial of three leadersof the Baptist Union. The three havethemselves been forced to paywhat the same court claimed wasunpaid tax and two were removedfrom their posts. Uzbek state TVhas broadcast a program focussingon the Baptist trial. After theprogram, parents whose childrenattended Protestant churches weresummoned to schools and warned.“The children were made to writestatements promising that theywould stop attending churches,” aProtestant who wished to remainanonymous for fear of statereprisals said. “People are afraid totalk to us when they fi nd out we areChristians.” This is part of frequentstate-sponsored media attacks onreligious believers of all faiths andfreedom of religion and belief.Doubt onMorocco’scommitment toreligious freedomMorocco, one of the most moderateArab Muslim countries, has sentshock waves throughout theexpatriate community there. SinceMarch 6 more than 40 foreignerswho have been living in thecountry have been unexpectedlyexpelled or deported. Many weredetained and questioned beforetheir expulsion. This happenedin a variety of places throughoutthe country, to people of at leasteight different nationalities.Those who were expelled werenot given reasons for the actionstaken. They were all told simplythat their residence permits werebeing revoked. On 11 March, theMoroccan government made apublic statement that they wereguilty of proselytizing. Some ofthose expelled were engaged inhumanitarian work, such as theorphanage workers in Ain Leuh.Others were there engaged inbusiness. Many worked withMoroccan partners and werehighly respected in the Moroccancommunities where they worked.The accusation of the governmentthat these people are guilty ofproselytism came along with anassertion that Morocco toleratesall faiths and upholds “freedomof religion.” The accusationof proselytism indicates thegovernment believes that thesepeople violated the law by usingenticements or pressure toinfl uence Moroccans to changetheir religion.7

featuretheadvocate April20108

April2010 theadvocatefeatureClair and Ado have a heart for the people of Southeast Asia – especially the children.She is from Tennessee and he is fromSydney. Together they operate a not-for-profitorganisation offering a range of social servicesto local communities. As you read their story,you will understand that, for security reasons,we can only use their first names and we can’treveal their exact location because they aresituated in a predominantly Muslim setting.Clair is a dance therapist who works withchildren with disabilities. “Mostly kids withautism, cerebral palsy and learning disabilities.My husband and I also work within the surfingcommunities providing social and educationdevelopment. We have a youth centre that is likea drop in centre for local young people. We offerrecreational activities such as skateboarding,basketball and soccer.”For Clair and Ado it is not only about givinglocals a chance to do the fun stuff. They alsohave educational classes. “We do classesin computer, English, fi nancial planning andhealth awareness (HIV awareness, the riskof drugs and alcohol and sex education).Our focus is on surfers and their families. It’sall about facilitating emotional, physical andspiritual healing. The programs are mostly forteenagers but we also try to reach out to theparents and young siblings,” Clair explained.Clair first began working in Southeast Asiawith an organisation focussed on communitydevelopment through the arts (music, danceand drama). “We would create works of artbased on biblical text and then perform it inthe community. I also would teach ballet andcontemporary dance to local underprivilegedchildren. I have always danced and wanted toshare my talent in a place God would use it. Ifelt Southeast Asia was the ideal place becausethey share their spiritual stories using the artsand I wanted to use creative approaches toshare the truth.”Dance therapy services are offered ata local autistic clinic, a government schooland to individual clients at the Centre. Partof Ado’s work involves organising a surfcompetition series. “As for the surfi ng eventswe run fi ve competitions a year for the localsurfers. Then at the end of the year there isa big presentation night. We also run threeskateboarding competitions a year too. Thisis all to give the local teenagers healthyopportunities and outlets to improve theirskills,” he said.It is clear that the work being done throughthe NFP is having lasting effects. Clair andAdo believe the services they offer are veryimportant. “There are not many providersof recreational educational and healingopportunities for children and youth. Manyof the youth are bored — so the youth centreis very important to give them a safe place tohang out,” Ado said.“Many of the services are offered in a veryrigid and harsh environment. They believetheir approach allows the children to developtheir creative skills and feel successful evenwhen they are not high achievers in theiracademics.”For Clair and Ado going to work each dayhas risks. They need to be careful about whatthey say and how they it so as not to attractunwanted scrutiny from authorities.“We have good friends that we’ve sharedwith – who don’t fully understand the truth.It’s sad when your good friends don’t enjoythe wonderful relationship with Jesus andexperience the life he has to offer. We don’t feelthat the people make it diffi cult but we have tobe wise how we interact and share our faithbecause of the religious system,” Clair said.“Yeah, there are certain areas that thereligious system and community are really strictso we have to think about how to show the loveof Jesus. We find if we have good relationshipswith the locals in it is very helpful but it is thewarfare in the spiritual realm,” Ado said.Both Ado and Clair are convinced God hasblessed their work despite the diffi culties ofbeing unable to express their faith fully. Theyhave persevered and the social services beingoffered to local families are having impact.There are positive results like the story of aboy who has learned to walk. “I had beenworking with a nine year old boy from ourcommunity who was born premature withcerebral palsy. We helped him with his motorskills and did several activities to help himwith his concentration over the last year. Hehas just learned to walk! I did dance therapywith him, combined with intensive physicaltherapy (four hours a day for three months).Working so closely with him allowed us tocreate a relationship with his parents andfamily and share the Truth with them inmany ways.”Clair believes the key is to live amongstthe people, trying to be like them withoutcompromising the gospel. “We really valuetheir culture and believe that God wants toredeem it. That’s why we try to be creativein the programming we offer and the way weteach them to live out their faith — to makesure it is an expression of their traditionsnot ours.”An interesting footnote is that one ofClair’s co-workers, helping children withautism is a devout Muslim.“She has a very social heart and is morelike Christ to the kids than many Christiansare in our area.”Advertising inThe AdvocateIf you would like to spreadyour message and advertisein the next edition of TheAdvocate, simply emaileditor@theadvocate.tv fora rate card9

conversationtheadvocate April2010Bebo NormanUS singer song writer Bebo Norman has been an influentialcontributor to the Christian music scene since the mid 1990s.Kerryn Bricknell chatted with him about how life has changedfor him over that time and the battles he has faced balancingcareer with family.Bebo, can you share with me how you startedt out on your journey as a singer song writer?It definitely wasn’t my plans by any stretch.I was going to University and studied biologyand chemistry. My plan was to go medicalschool. During that time I wrote songs whichwere my own private, personal therapysessions I guess. A long story made very short,I had some friends who encouraged me to atleast see what would happen with music soI took a year off before applying for medicalschool. I made an independent CD during thatinvolves someone like David Gray or PattyGriffin who are songwriters. Actually, thetruth is occasionally there are a lot of bandsthat tend to strike me as well but they comerandomly. I got into a big ‘Killers’ phase for alittle while. I’m always defi nitely infl uenced bymy peers who write music and independentmusicians. Matthew Perryman Jones’ recorda couple of years ago just completely blew meaway. My friends from the band Jars of Clayare always infl uential for me. It depends whatI end up absorbing around me.Sorry about that t – itcould be a number onetime. And that year has turned into 14 yearsnow so it’s a kind of crazy thing. One of thosethings that I didn’t anticipate but it just tookoff and had a life of its own.Was music in your family upbringing?Yeah it was in my upbringing but not reallyin the Christian music sense even though Igrew up in a Christian home. My Dad reallyloved old American folk musicians like JoniMitchell and Joan Baez. He had this big ‘uke’which was like a guitar sized ukulele withfour strings. He would play us old songs andmake up some songs, nothing fancy. That wasmy earliest memory of music. When I was athigh school, the music that I got into was notnecessarily what was being played on the radioin the late 80s and early 90s. I got into JamesTaylor, Jackson Brown, the American band‘Bread’ and a number of random acousticrock bands. I started playing guitar around thatsame time when I was 17 and writing songs asa product of listening to that kind of music. Thesongs that those folks were writing and playingwere songs written out of real life instead ofpop songs for fun. That pretty much heavilyinfl uenced me right away.So these song writers would definitely be yourmajor influences when it comes to your songwriting and singing?In the beginning - for sure – no question.And now?It’s across the board now. The thing thatis hard with my life now is when I get off theroad and away from music I spend a lot oftime of listening to either nothing, reading agood book or just occasionally I come acrossa record that knocks me out. Usually thatWhen you think about song writing andconnecting with people what is your first love,the song writing or performing it?For sure the song writing; not thatperforming is some horrible thing. By natureI am not a performer. Although, I certainly feelGod has given me certain gifts to do that, topull that off. My favourite place to experiencemusic is in a room by myself with a guitar andjust writing stuff. That is what I do and that isall I really know. It was almost by default thatI played for friends of mine who asked me tocome and play for them on campus or at acoffee shop.Have you ever had a dry season with yoursong writing and how have you got throughthat to write fresh material?I think the hardest thing in the world is tobalance everyday life with art and realisingthat I have responsibilities to my family, wifeand kids and also to my community and theother people in my life that know me. For a lotof years that community sort of got robbed ofme; I was sort of robbed of community as Iwasn’t very present in community for a numberof years. Song writing is one of those thingsthat I need to be disciplined about. Typicallyideas for me come on a regular basis butvery randomly. I don’t know if I’ve ever had aseason of not having ideas but I’ve defi nitelyhad seasons where it was really hard to sitdown and fi nish those ideas.What is the process you go about when youwrite a song?It’s interesting that you ask, primarilybecause I’m literally working on a song aswe speak.hit song and I’ve interrupted it!Exactly – now it is all ruined! (laughing).No, I actually was recording a little work paper.The inspiration part of the process feels veryuncontrollable for me. I don’t feel like I can sitdown on any given day and say I’m going tocome up with a song today. Even though thereare times where I do that when I co write withpeople and we bounce ideas off each other. Forthe most part, the ideas tend to come when theycome and I keep handy my little voice memo thatI have on my phone or I call myself on my phoneand leave myself voice mail with song ideas.Also, I have tons of little notes that I jotted downon pieces of paper or on my computer. That iswhere initial ideas for songs come from. Thething that has usually bought me out of dry spellshas been the need to be very disciplined aboutgetting alone, quiet, sitting down and bringing thesongs to completion. Taking the ideas and goingthrough them, sorting and organising them and,actually finishing them. The ideas come as a littlemelody with maybe one line of a lyric. Typically,I iron out where the melody is going to go. Thething that takes the longest is getting the lyricsfinished and complete.How do you balance your normal everydaylife with the life of an international Christianartist?My goal is balance but I don’t know if Inecessarily achieve that goal all of the time.Usually, and this is going to sound odd, thesedays the thing that gets the short end of thestick tends to be the music. I don’t want thisto sound wrong but I’d rather it to be that waythan the other way around. I feel like my life hasbeen really full, rich and it has been in definedseasons. My 20s and my coming out of collegewas travelling the US and around the worldplaying music, meeting people and being single.My 30s is being married and having kids anddiving into community in a very real way. This isthe first time in my life where I’m really battlinghow to balance life. The thing I feel called tomost in terms of priority is to my wife, my kidsand to my community, realising that music hasto come out of that. I have to live life in orderto write songs about life. Certainly it is a verydiffi cult thing to leave home and get out on theroad again. It ends up being quite a battle.Now recently you responded to the Haitidisaster in a unique way and the responsetotally blew you away. Can you share with methe story behind this?It actually started all because of Twitter.My wife, Roshare and I decided to make amatching pledge offer to my followers on twitter,mostly just to raise awareness. We had hopedto have a response of 200 to 300 fi guring acouple thousand bucks is about all we couldmanage to give right now. Long story short, werealized pretty quickly that we had GROSSLYunderestimated the power of social networking,especially in light of the events going on in Haiti.Within a few hours we had over a thousandretweets, and it just skyrocketed up from there.Cool as it was, we were freaking out because weknew there was no way we could afford to matchall that. So in an effort to at least try to honourour commitment and maybe raise a little moreawareness in the process, we decided to put oneof my personal guitars up for a 7-day auction oneBay with 100 percent of the proceeds going toCompassion’s Disaster Relief Fund for Haiti. Onthe last night of the auction with less than an hourleft, about five or six bidders were still fighting itout and had the bidding up to $20,000. In thatlast minute and a half of the auction, the last tworemaining bidders took the auction payout upto $51,100. The best part was that the winningbidder’s only request was that I keep the guitar.They want me to either keep writing with it, orput it back up for auction and see if we can’traise some more money.My final question Bebo is I’m intrigued as towhy you are called Bebo when your name isJeffrey?I wish I had a really great story to tell but Idon’t. People ask me if it’s a stage name that Imade up and I tell them all the time ‘seriously,I can promise you if I was going to make up astage name it would sound less like a clown’.The deal was my little sister couldn’t say bigbrother so started calling me Bebo instead andit stuck in a huge way. I’m glad it is mine butit’s definitely not normal.Thank you for clarifying that. It has been adelight to talk to you Bebo and all the bestwith what is happening in your life and themusic scene.10

Photo: Fusion CanadaApril2010 theadvocateOlympics with Nett KnoxAustralia’s only full time female Chaplain Nett Knox says there were significant ministry opportunities at the Winter Games.Nett Knox has been a Sports Chaplainfor 12 years and is the only full timefemale Chaplain in Australia.She has recently returned fromministry at her fourth Olympic Gamesin Vancouver, Canada — describingher experiences as nothing short ofamazing. Arriving a few days priorto the start of the Games, Nettdiscovered immediate opportunitiesfor ministry as the first athletes beganarriving in the Village.“I can’t name athletes but therewere significant ministry opportunitiesto share the message of Christin an open and tangible way. Ipersonally had a number of momentsthat were what I like to call ‘divineappointments’. It is those momentsthat were the highlight of the Gamesfor me. Those moments remindedme of how important it is to buildrelationships with athletes — not justat the Games — but at home too,Fusion Canada partnered with local churches to host open crowd festivalsat the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada.when real life is experienced a littlemore concretely.”Nett said the Lord had preparedher and the way before her to ministerto the people she would meet. “Biblestudies and services held three timeseach day were a time of connecting– with God, with the other chaplains,and with athletes. A number of villagevolunteers also found these times ofgreat benefi t.”Since coming back to Australia, NettFuse at Winter OlympicsWhile many of us watched theWinter Olympic Games action onour TV screens, a team of morethan a hundred young people fromacross Western Canada and theworld set about reaching Olympiccity people with the gospel.Coordinated by Fusion Canada,teams partnered with local churches tobuild bridges into the local communitythrough ‘Open Crowd Festivals’.Fusion team member, HeatherRobertson said the festivals aresimple — intended to rebuild bridgesin communities. “Canadians arebecoming more and more isolated.I love the festivals because they putthe church where it belongs in theheart of the community.”Jason Uher from World Harvestchurch in Vancouver agrees. “I lovethe way that Fusion has helpedchurches in our area work together.We are connecting like we neverhave before and I hope we can keepworking together like this.”Fusion originated in Australia andhas been operating in Canada forseven years. The organisation recentlypartnered with Taylor Seminary inEdmonton to deliver its training in theAmericas. Seminary president, DavidWilliams says he is impressed with theunique nature of what Fusion does.“It’s practical and integrated approachto faith helps the church engage withits community in ways that bring hopeand lasting change.”Matt Garvin from Fusion’sInternational leadership team saidhas had the chance to connect withnew friends from Vancouver and catchup with some who were at the Games.“I have been asked what I had learnedfrom my experience in Vancouver. Iwould have to say that is was very clearGod went before me. He was aheadof me in those divine appointmentmoments. He was with me every stepof the way, and never left my side,even though at the time I may not havenoticed Him walking beside me.”world-focussed events such asthe Olympics are always a specialopportunity for Churches to haveimpact. “Many congregations tookadvantage of the moment and havebuilt significant connections with theircommunities in lots of different ways.Our experience in other Olympicsis that there will be a danger thatchurches will retreat back to thestatus quo and that the fruit of thework will diminish. Hopefully theenergy will continue.”Fusion is part of the More thanGold network of ministries whopartner at major sporting events.newsLao officialsvisit expelledChristians, giveassurancesOfficials in Laos’ SaravanProvince have visited 48Christians expelled from Katinvillage and assured themthat they had the legal rightto embrace the faith of theirchoice, according to advocacygroup Human Rights Watchfor Lao Religious Freedom(HRWLRF). During a 30-minutevisit the delegation, provincialGov. Khamboon Duangpanya,read out June 2002’s Decree92 on the Management andProtections of ReligiousActivity in Laos and assuringthem that they could freelybelieve in Christianity ‘if theirfaith was genuine.’ HRWLRFreported that the officialsalso said the Christians hadthe right to live anywhere inthe district. However, Ta-Oyldistrict officials had expelledthe Christians from Katin villageat gunpoint in late Januarywhen they refused to give uptheir faith. The Christiansthen built temporary sheltersat the edge of the jungle. Thedistrict head, identified onlyas Bounma, summoned sevenof the believers to his officeand declared that he wouldnot tolerate the existence ofChristianity in areas under hiscontrol. The group must eitherrecant their faith or moveelsewhere.Christians’world-wideprayer for BurmaChristians all around the globeresponded to a world-wide callto prayer for Burma in lateMarch. It was part of a ‘GlobalDay of Prayer for the Nation’.The prayer day was held asreports filtered from Burmathat thousands of predominantlyChristian Karens fled theirhomes amid fresh attacks bygovernment backed troops ontheir villages. The Global Dayof Prayer for Burma first beganin 1997, initiated by ChristiansConcerned for Burma at therequest of Burma’s democracyleader, Nobel Peace Prizerecipient Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.“It has since become aninternationally recognised eventattended by those strugglingto see an end to suffering inBurma,” said Britain-basedChristian Solidarity Worldwide(CSW), which constantlyinvestigates the situation ofChristians in Burma, also knownas Myanmar.11

leadershiptheadvocate April2010Create a maelstromBy Monica O’Neil, Vose LeadershipEvery now and then, I have a disagreementwith someone. I know that may be a rarity forsome, but in the worlds of thinking, breathinghuman beings, it is not so uncommon. I candisagree with people I like and don’t like oneverything from paint colours to how to solveworld hunger, or even what a worship serviceshould consist of.We are all so very different and so it is nosurprise that we should fi nd a few minor andmajor points on which we would disagree.The disagreements we have are vital forchange and growth. James Macgregor Burnsin Transforming Leadership states that thosecommunities which transform those aroundthem “mix collegiality and collaboration withcompetition and combat. Confl ict,” he says,“is crucial to creativity.” The New Testamentexpects we will have disagreements and givesus values and guidelines for such times.Some disagreements, however, turn froman opportunity for growth and creativity intoan all out brawl which may take hours, daysor years to settle. Some become so bad thatthey never repair. For an insight into how thishappens read on.Here are 16 ways to turn a potentiallyuseful and healthy confl ict into a destructivemaelstrom.1 Generalise. Use words and phrases like‘everyone else’.2 Name call. Use derogatory names and labels forpeople, their argument or their contribution.3 Be absolute. Phrases such as “You always”,“We never” and “Every time” are especiallyuseful.4 Ignore what the other person has just said.You can use the time they are talking toprepare your answers and arguments.5 Polarise. Allow NO middle ground bytaking an extreme position and interpretingeverything opposed to it in its most extremeform as well.6 Make sure you are tired and/or hungry. Formost people this ensures you will be moretouchy than normal.7 Humiliate the other. Bringing up old failuresis always a winner here!8 Be aggressive in your body and tone of voice.Make sure you are standing up and leaningover your opponent. Under no circumstancesshould you sit down and offer them a seat.This could tone everything down.9 Enlist the help of bystanders. Rope othersinto the argument to support you, or simplyto witness the rightness of what you aredoing. It is a sure way to humiliate youropponent or to scare them, provoking themto fi ght back.10 Make everyone involved choose a side earlyin the debate. This guarantees that mostpeople will have to defend their positioninstead of seeking to understand the others.They will harness their energy for fighting notpeacemaking.11 Draw conclusions quickly from anysupporting data available to you. Do not tryto verify the accuracy of the data or to seekout expansive or contradictory data.12 Storm out of the room angrily when it suitsyou. Leaving the argument on your ownterms is a very powerful move, especially ifyou give no indication of when you might beavailable to re-engage on the issue at hand.It can help to prolong the argument by manydays, or even better, send it undergroundwhere it can grow and fester in the absenceof a reasonable discussion.13 If you are in charge of a gathering whereconflict is in play, allow bullying behaviour,domination of the discussion by a fewand the introduction of loosely associatedinformation which infl ames the argument.14 Use the word “but”. This small word caneffectively negate everything that a personsays prior in any sentence. For example,“You look lovely today, but you have a smallpiece of parsley stuck on your front tooth”.The compliment is dismissed because it isfollowed by ‘but’. The same goes for “I hearthe things you are saying today, but...”.15 Use ‘either’ and ‘or’ when looking forsolutions. If you accidently use the geniusword ‘and’, you may quickly need to startthe fi ght again.16 Behind all of this, you need to be determined tohave your own way and to remain right at anycost. You would need to avoid any attitudesof honouring or serving the others involved.I hope you have had fun reading this list.Perhaps you may catch yourself doing some ofthese and choose a higher path that leads to peacerather than winning your own way. More than that,I hope that if you desire a creative and growingcommunity which impacts our society with thegreatness of the gospel, you will choose honourand service, especially in conflict times.For more information on VoseLeadership, please call MonicaO’Neil on 6313 6200.12

April2010 theadvocateadvertisementsDistributionAgape Baptist Church (08) 9332 8572Albany Baptist Church (08) 9841 8699Armadale Congregational Church (08) 9497 1444Armadale/Kelmscott Baptist Church (08) 9495 1067Atwell Baptist Church (08) 9397 2147Australind Baptist Church (08) 9725 8492Ballajura Baptist Church (08) 9248 7037Baptist Investment and Finance (08) 6313 6301Baptist Care (08) 9282 8600Baptist Ministry Centre (08) 6313 6300Beaumaris Community Baptist Church (08) 9404 7664Bellevue Baptist Church (08) 9250 1439Bentley Baptist Church Incorporated (08) 9458 1628Bethel Village (08) 9482 3263Boyup Brook Baptist Church (08) 9765 1452Bridgetown Church of Christ (08) 9761 4311Broome Baptist Church (08) 9193 6135Bunbury Baptist Church (08) 9721 3700Busselton Baptist Church (08) 9754 8001Carey Community Baptist Church (08) 9394 9155Chidlow Community Church Incorporated (08) 9572 4455Claremont Baptist Church Incorporated (08) 9385 2607Collie Baptist Church (08) 9734 1272Comet Bay Baptist Church (Golden Bay) (08) 9537 4870Como Baptist Church (08) 9450 5328Coolbellup Charismatic Baptist Church (08) 9331 3510Craigie Baptist Church (08) 9307 7509Cranbrook/Frankland Baptist Church (08) 9826 1038Dalkeith Baptist Church (08) 9386 6374Denmark Baptist Church (08) 9848 3229Derby Baptist Church (08) 9193 1551Dowerin Church of Christ (08) 9681 1132East Fremantle Baptist Church (08) 9339 2610Eaton Baptist Church (08) 9725 1793Ellenbrook Community Baptist Church (08) 9296 8194Esperance Baptist Church (08) 9071 2315Esperance Church of Christ (08) 9071 7173FootHills Christian Centre (08) 9354 3023Geraldton Baptist Church Incorporated (08) 9921 3356Girrawheen Baptist Church (08) 9343 1537Gnowangerup Baptist Church Incorporated (08) 9827 1134Golden Mile Baptist Church (08) 9091 5423Gosnells Baptist Church Incorporated (08) 9398 4191Graceford Hostel (08) 9526 2898Gracehaven Village (08) 9527 3535Gracewood Baptist Fellowship (08) 9365 2537Hedland Baptist Church (08) 9140 1962Indonesian Family Church (08) 9218 9809Inglewood Community Church (08) 9370 1135Kalgoorlie Baptist Church (08) 9091 4222Karen Baptist Church (08) 9495 1496Karratha Baptist Church (08) 9185 4008theadvocateEditor: Terry HicksManaging Editor: Brad EntwistleSub Editor: Allan SchintuProduction: Thea IbbsGraphic Design: Phil de GlanvilleAdvertising: Priscilla InnesDistribution: Thea IbbsEditorial deadline: 5 th of each monthEDITORIAL AND ADVERTISING:Email: editor@theadvocate.tvMail: Baptist Churches of WAPO Box 57, BurswoodTel: (08) 6313 6300Fax: (08) 9470 1713Katanning Baptist Church (08) 9821 1922Kojonup Baptist Church (08) 9381 0002Kununurra Baptist Church (08) 9169 1980Lake Joondalup Baptist Church (08) 9400 2310Lakeside Baptist Church Incorporated (08) 9310 7111Leslie A Watson Nursing Home (08) 9450 5744Lesmurdie Baptist Church Incorporated (08) 9291 9866Maida Vale Baptist Church Incorporated (08) 9454 4626Mandurah Baptist Church (08) 9581 1980Manjimup Baptist Church (08) 9777 1042Margaret River Baptist Church (08) 9757 3881Maylands Baptist Church Incorporated (08) 9471 1433Melville Baptist Church Incorporated (08) 9317 2006Moonya Hostel and Nursing Home (08) 9771 8100Moora Baptist Church (08) 9651 1846Morley Baptist Church Incorporated (08) 9276 1568Mount Hawthorn Baptist Church Inc (08) 9444 1171Mount Pleasant Baptist Church (08) 9329 1777Mozaic (08) 9370 6067Mukinbudin Church of Christ (08) 9047 1046Mundaring Church of Christ (08) 9295 3339Narrogin Baptist Church (08) 9881 4164Newman Baptist Church (08) 9177 8890North Beach Baptist Church Incorporated (08) 9448 7018Parkerville Baptist Church (08) 9295 6789Perth Baptist Church Incorporated (08) 9328 6507Powerhouse Church (08) 9439 4555Quinns Community Baptist Church (08) 9305 8882Ravensthorpe Baptist Fellowship (08) 9838 3208Riverton Baptist Church (08) 9457 6135Rockingham Baptist Church Incorporated (08) 9527 7544Scarborough Baptist Church (08) 9245 1491Serpentine Camping Centre (08) 9525 5135Slavic Baptist Church (08) 9407 7000Somerville Baptist College (08) 9314 7754Sorrento Christian Church (08) 9401 7039South Perth Baptist Church (08) 9368 1479Sunshine Park Hostel (08) 9221 6100Tabernaculo Biblico Bautista (08) 9206 3059Tom Price Baptist Church (08) 9189 3454Toodyay Baptist Church (08) 9574 4546Vose Seminary (08) 9361 9962Waratah Christian Community (08) 9582 2002Warwick Church of Christ (08) 9447 7877Wembley Downs Baptist Church (08) 9446 7448William Carey Court Village (08) 9752 2073Winthrop Baptist College (08) 9314 7722Woodvale Baptist Church Inc (08) 9309 4044Yangebup Baptist Church (08) 9417 2135Yokine Baptist Church (08) 9344 7132The Advocate is published on behalf of theBaptist Churches of WA by Image 7 Group.Tel: (08) 9221 9777 Email: info@image7.com.au.Publishers General DisclaimerAll the articles, comments, advice and other material containedin this publication are by way of general comment or advice onlyand are not intended, nor do they purport to be the correct adviceon any particular 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entertainmentmusiccompetitionBebo NormanBebo Norman was an independent artist before that tag was even cool- playing coffeehouse shows, selling CD’sout of the trunk and then online. Bebo is now scheduled to release his new album still rooted in the tunefulsensibilities of artists like James Taylor and John Mayer, he is confidently stretching the musical arrangements tohis often worshipful melodies. “Stylistically it’s a bit more modern, keeping melodies real simple and focusing oninstumentation… experimenting with different sounds.” An amazing career so far, Bebo delivered his seventh studiorelease with singles ‘Pull Me Out,’ ‘Britney,’ and ‘Here It From Me.’ Listen http://www.myspace.com/bebonormanThe Advocate in conjunction with Crossroad Distributors is giving you the opportunity to win one of three copies ofBebo Norman’s self titled album. To win simply answer the following question:What did Bebo Norman auction for the Haiti Relief?Answer:Name:Postal Address:Phone Number:Please complete this form with your details and post it to:Bebo Norman CompetitionThe AdvocatePO Box 8303 Perth Business Centre WA 6849The three correct answers received will win the CDs. Entries close 18 April 2010,and all winners will be announced in the May edition of The Advocate.Switchfoot Competition winner: Kylie Readtheadvocate April2010webreviewcollidemagazine.comCollide Magazine is a relatively new voice in the conversationtaking place where media, culture, and faith converge. CollideMagazine is designed for church leaders and dedicated toexploring the use of visual media, music, technology, andthe web to communicate God’s Truth. Collidemagazine.comprovides many thought provoking articles which supplementtheir print magazine and are categorised into general, music,visual and technology & the web which offers an insightinto the breadth of areas covered. In addition there is anexcellent blog which keeps you in touch with media and howit is being used in the church and wider. Collidemagazine.com is an excellent resource for pastors and those involvedin media in the church.cdreviewas taken from sockspider.combookreviewBook reviews kindly provided by Koorong online.rating: 4/5rating: 4.5/5rating: 4.5/5Nothing Short of AmazingStaci FrenesStaci Frenes breaks the mold of the norm and is quite confidentin her God-given abilities. Her experience is evident in NothingShort of Amazing, her fourth CD. This bay-area marvel haswritten with Margaret Becker and other notables, so the term“professional independent” is Staci in a nutshell.Amazing starts out with the title track. It has a Jaci-Velasquezgrows-upfeel to it, poppy and begging you to move. Right off thebat, you know this is an album you’re going to like as the hookgrabs you and has you singing along. ‘Safe Place to Land’ is thesecond of several radio-ready tracks. This is probably a classicconcert tune, with backups and a live band behind Staci as ithas that anthem feel to it.When the Moon CriesRhonda MackertRhonda Mackert is a musician/pianist from Washington state, andthis solo piano project is the first of many promising CDs. Whenreviewing piano albums there are technical aspects that can becommented on, yet it’s the heart beating behind the keyboard thatmakes her music special to any listener of Moon Cries.Few play a piano CD and read the titles on first listen; it’s theimages that dance in the listeners’ minds that really matter.Yet When the Moon Cries is accurate as the listener gets animmediate soothing feeling similar to that felt by looking to thesky on clear nights. You feel there is so much more beyond themoon which is directly in front of us, and the music reaches outto a better place that awaits us.Every Minute MiraclesDave PettigrewOne listen to his sophomore effort should be enough to convincemost listeners that the decision was a wise one. The stimulating‘What Would I Do’ finds him taking on gospel and blue-eyed soulwith similarly convincing results. Perhaps the best showcase forhis talent, though, is the exquisite, piano-led ballad, ‘The BestThat He Can Be,’ which allows the purest look at Pettigrew’scrystalline singing voice and, in itself, justifi es the price ofadmission for the album.Battlefi eld of the MindIf you’re one of millions who suffer from worry, doubt, confusion,depression, anger or condemnation, you are experiencing anattack in your mind. Overcoming negative thoughts that comeagainst your mind brings freedom and peace. Find out howto recognize damaging thought patterns and stop them frominfluencing your life. In this powerful book, best selling author andconference host, Joyce Meyer, guides you through an honest selfappraisalby sharing the trials, tragedies and ultimate victoriesof her own marriage, family and ministry — including the truthshe learned about what she was thinking and feeling every stepof the way. Don’t surrender to misery another day.The Twilight GospelThe blockbuster Twilight Saga is being read by teenager and adultalike. These powerful novels are getting even more popular as themovies hit the theaters. But what should a Christian response be?And is there a helpful way to approach a teenager or young adultcaptivated with the books without alienating her? Dave Robertsread The Twilight Saga and while he appreciated the literaryqualities, there were also parts that troubled him. In The TwilightGospel Dave brings to bear a Biblical lens, showing that whilethere are important moral and spiritual lessons to be learned,there is also a promotion of a non-Christian worldview.Due To Rising Energy Costs, The LightAt The End Of The Tunnel Has BeenTurned OffEveryone experiences those days when it seems like nothing isgoing right. When things in our relationships, careers, finances,environment, and even our bodies aren’t going as planned, ouremotions follow. How can we get back that inner peace weso desire? With her signature wit, Karen Scalf Linamen helpswomen put it all into perspective. She shows how to feel aliveand vibrant despite our circumstances. With hilarious true storiesand plain-sense practicality, this book is just what women needwhen life seems to be falling apart at the seams. After all, life onthis planet is bound to make us crazy, but, as Karen says, somedays it’s just not worth chewing through the restraints.14

April2010 theadvocatespotthedifferencePoema is our artist of the month. Can you spot fi ve differences between the two pictures below?entertainmentbiblestoryDavid andGoliath1 Samuel 17The Philistines and Israelites gotready for war. The Philistines wereon one hill and the Israelites wereon another.A champion names Goliath cameout of the Philistine camp. He wasover nine feet tall. Goliath shoutedto the Israelites “Give me a manand let us fight each other.”All the Israelites were terrified.For forty days Goliath comeforward every morning and everyevening.David’s three older brothers hadfollowed King Saul to the war.David was the youngest, he tookcare of the sheep. One day hisfather said to him “Take thesetens loaves of bread to yourbrothers. See how they are.”When David reached the camp, heran to the battle lines and greetedhis brothers. As he was talking tothem, Goliath shouted his usualthreat and David heard it.David said to Saul “I’ll fight him.”Saul replied “You’re only a boy.”But David said to Saul “I’ve killedthe lion and the bear. God willdeliver me from the hands of thePhilistine.”Then David choose five smoothstones from the stream. With hissling in his hand, he approachedGoliath. Goliath looked David overand saw he was only a boy and hehated him.He said to David “Am I a dog, thatyou come at me with sticks?”David said “You come at me withsword and spear. But I comeagainst you in the name of theLord Almighty.”David ran out to meet Goliath.Taking out a stone, he slung it andstruck Goliath. The stone sank intohis forehead and he fell facedownon the ground.When the Philistines saw theirhero was dead, the ran away.Reproduced by kind permission of Candle Books/Angus Hudson Ltd.10 Things You Didn’t KnowResearch indicates that plants grow healthier when they are strokedIn an average lifetime a person will walk the equivalent of three times aroundthe worldAnteaters prefer termites to antsApproximately one-third of the population can’t snap their fingersA ball of glass will bounce higher than a ball made of rubberA mole can dig a hole 300 feet deep in one nightIf you yelled for eight years, seven months and six days, you would have producedenough sound energy to heat one cup of coffeeThe Earth gets heavier each day by tons, as meteoric dust settles on itFlamingos can only eat with their heads upside downCoca-Cola was the first soft drink to be consumed in outer space15

theadvocate April2010sport&youth‘Rowing’ for gold and GodPhoto:Australia Sprint Kayaker Libby Le Coultre is aiming to compete in the 2012 Olymipics games in London.For Sprint Kayak champion,Libby LeCoultre (24) there is noquestion that she is destined forthe next Summer Olympic Gamesin London.While she’s giving it all she’s gotin local, national and internationalcompetitions – Libby has her eyesfirmly on God in her quest for a placein Australia’s Olympic team.She has always loved sport,competing at WA and national levelsin many different fields includingswimming, running, rowing, canoepolo, surf lifesaving, adventureracing and, of course, kayaking. “Idiscovered kayaking during the offseason from rowing when I was inYear 11. It was something I only didfor fun.”In 2004, Libby received a phonecall that would change her life. “I wasasked to participate in the nationalkayaking marathon championships,being held in Perth, to bump up thenumbers in the U18 category. It wasa 24km paddle and I don’t think I hadever kayaked more than about eightkilometre at one time, I did howeverhave a good fitness from all the othersports that I had been doing so thoughtI would give it a go — for fun.”Libby said she was “pleasantlysurprised” when she won her firstevernational gold medal. She wasencouraged to join up with TriggIsland surf club and give surf skipaddling a go. She loved that and atthe same time started playing canoepolo. “I competed in national andOceania competitions then I tried outfor the ‘Surf and Kayak to London’program in 2008. It was a programdesigned to convert surf ski paddlersto sprint kayakers, giving us theopportunity to get into a disciplinedrun at the Olympics, I was successfulin making it into the program and thisis where my sprint kayaking careerbegan.”So far Libby LeCoultre hasachieved a string of wins includingthe Avon Decent, Surf LifesavingChampionships and other high profilecompetitions. She’s happy about herachievements but mindful that Godis with her every step of the way— especially when things don’t goaccording to plan. “We were aboutto head to Europe and I was havingtrouble with my team boat paddling.I was paddling well to start with butthen I went through a phase wereI was struggling to sit and paddlecomfortably in a team boat. My coachat that stage just ignored the problem— I could not. God played a big rolein helping me stay focused. With myeyes on him, having faith and notgiving up — the problem got sorted.Within the first couple of trainingsessions when we got to Germanyone of the coaches on the tour cameup with a solution to my problem andI was like a transformed paddler! Itlead to very successful results andwe performed way above what thecoaches had expected.”Libby credits the Lord for helpingher stay on track and strengtheningher faith during the down times.“Sometimes you feel like things aregoing backwards. It’s so awesomewhen you come through and see theup sides. It really makes it so worththe perseverance just to experiencethe improvements. It’s also good tolearn how to lose gracefully and towin humbly. It makes winning andachieving the goals so much morespecial.Speaking of winning, Libby is nowfirmly focused on London 2012. “Ihave great Olympic dreams, I havealways wanted to make it to the toplevel of sport, however there are somesports I’ve tried that I know reachingthe highest level is not a reality, I havetried many different sports and foundthat kayaking is the sport that I havethe potential to make it to the highestlevel. God has opened up the doorsaccordingly and placed people in mylife who have been instrumental inmaking this dream achievable.”Advertising inThe AdvocateIf you would like to spreadyour message and advertisein the next edition of TheAdvocate, simply emaileditor@theadvocate.tv fora rate card16