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Feature How the north was one How do you grow a church? Over many editions Focus Magazine has been asking the question of our most successful parishes. In this edition, we travel to the North Pine Parish, north of Brisbane, where The Venerable Chris Johnson is Rector. Focus Magazine: The number of worshipers in your parish has grown over the last three years. What is going on? Chris: The growth at North Pine has been all of grace. There is a mystery about how this works. It requires hard work but hard work doesn’t oblige God to act. He pours out his grace in building his church when and how he chooses not according to our plans and timetable. There have been times when lots of hard work produced little apparent fruit. There have been times when God worked in spite of us rather than because of us. There have been times when God worked through the natural rhythm of planting the seed, watering it, tending it and seeing it grow into a strong plant that produced much fruit. It is all of grace and to God be the glory. The key turning point for us was setting up of lay Leadership Team separate from Parish Council. Ministry gifts were discerned in particular individuals and they were invited to lead in their area of gifting. I meet with the Leadership Team four times a year and regularly keep in touch with them and the ministries they lead. Focus Magazine: What are three factors that have contributed to the growth to date? 1. The GOSPEL People get excited about belonging to the church and offering for ministry when they grasp the magnitude of how much Christ has done for them. This involves a realisation that they are undeserving sinners saved by grace. Jesus’ enormous sacrifice on the cross and victory over the grave produces grateful servants. Gospel hearted people are people who have a heart to serve. 2. VISION At North Pine our vision is to Love Jesus, Grow Disciples, Serve and Change the World. The vast majority of people who attend North Pine Anglican Church are committed to this vision in their personal lives as well as wanting to make it happen for their church. It is all about getting a group of people excited about a vision together. 3. LAY MINISTRY Every member having a ministry and working together in teams are principles highly valued at North Pine. Focus Magazine: Have you run an introduction to Christianity/Disciple program? Have you found them successful? One program that has been particularly fruitful for us is the Alpha course. Once we got over the hump of just parishioners doing the course after about seven Alphas, we started reaching out and inviting non-church goers to do the course. The most important thing is to build an invitational culture in the Church. Focus Magazine: What advice would you give your brothers and sisters in other parishes? Pray and trust God, lift up the vision, try new things, bring people with you, preach the gospel, love and serve the Lord. Thoughts of a new parishioner Liz Hobman has been worshipping at North Pine Anglican Parish for six months. Focus Magazine: What drew you to the parish and what has helped you stay? I have known about North Pine Anglican Church for a long time through various Christian friends and I knew it had a reputation for lively worship an Biblical teaching so when I moved into the area I tried it out. It was such a warm and welcoming church I felt at home straight away. Focus Magazine: What is the growing edge of your life? How does belonging to the church give you life? The Church inspires me to give more and to be more open to ways to serve and help others. I love that NPAC is a place that encourages each of us to use our gifts to serve. Focus Magazine: What prompted you to start attending? Were there any teachings that you found particularly helpful? I have found the clarity of the vision and goals at NPAC to be very helpful in guiding my personal growth. It’s nice to know we are all on the same page. Focus Magazine: What three things could be improved? I’m enjoying it all too much to think of anything! A word with a long-term parishioner Peter Rawlinson has been worshipping at North Pine Parish for six years. 18 | <strong>FOCUS</strong> | February/March 2017
The Church inspires me to give more and to be more open to ways to serve and help others. Focus Magazine: What keeps you worshiping at North Pine Parish? I believe it is important for a Christian to be part of and actively involved in a local church. I have a sense of connection, of belonging, I enjoy the worship, I enjoy the fellowship, I look forward to each Sunday, I get a strong sense of community just participating in and watching people go forward to communion. I care about the people I have come to know at North Pine and I have had opportunity to be actively involved in ministry through Alpha, through a growth group, and through opportunities to provide practical help in many other ways. Focus Magazine: Have you noticed any positive turning points in the life of the parish? When I started attending NPAC six years ago it already seemed to be a healthy place for me to be. I met a lot of friendly people, active in the church and very welcoming. The gospel was preached, great importance was placed on prayer and God’s praises were sung and I love the evangelical outlook of the church. Not long after I started attending NPAC began preparation of a new Parish Plan – Vision 2015, under that plan the church has appointed a Youth Minister (the culmination of many years of prayer and preparation), commenced a Men’s Ministry, a furniture ministry, it regularly participates in NCD surveys followed by a process of self-reflection, it has a regular and ongoing Alpha ministry which builds community and encourages an invitational outlook towards friends and family. The Rector has long been supported by good Wardens, Parish Council and a Leadership team all of which meet regularly to pray over, discuss and plan for the life and ministries of NPAC. In 2015 NPAC prepared a new plan - Vision 2020, which has emphasised the importance of personal growth, active involvement of lay people in the life and leadership of the church, pastoral care and outreach. The Men’s Ministry and Furniture Ministry in particular have grown from strength to strength. Parish Plans; • Emphasis on prayer before taking decisions and actions; • Ongoing encouragement and equipping of lay members to ministry leadership roles; • Emphasis on, and modelling of the importance of each member taking responsibility for personal growth; • Infectious passion for people to come to know Christ and to build Christian community. Focus Magazine: What are the turning points that can be attributed to the lay people? • the establishment and growth of the Men’s Ministry; • the Furniture Ministry; • the willingness of lay people to take on leadership roles; • pastoral care of members for one another. Focus Magazine: What has helped you grow in the faith? • becoming actively involved in church ministries; • being invited to take on a ministry role and being willing to say yes to that invitation; • taking on a leadership role in a growth group; • gaining a better understanding of the history of the church and of God’s progressive revelation and intervention through the ages as told in the scriptures; • being part of a group of committed and active Christian people. Focus Magazine: What three things could be improved? • That would have to begin with myself, if I could be more diligent in my prayer time, in my private Bible study, and in my being attentive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit in my daily dealings with people within and outside the Church; • if many more people in the church who are not actively involved in ministry could become more involved, particularly people in a younger demographic to build greater depth into the lay ministries and leadership in the church; • if we could better share the load so that ongoing ministries were not just dependant on a small group of committed people but there was a broader shared ownership of and capability to lead so people had opportunity to rotate and rest sometimes and try new things. North Pine Parish • Location: Metropolitan • Church Size: Medium (100-200 people) • Key point: The key turning point for us was the setting up of a lay Leadership Team separate from Parish Council. • Key Point: The vast majority of people who attend North Pine Anglican Church are committed to this vision in their personal lives as well as wanting to make it happen for their church. Focus Magazine: What were the turning points that can be attributed to the Parish Priest? • Leadership in the preparation of subsequent <strong>FOCUS</strong> | February/March 2017 | 19
Page 1 and 2: February/March 2017 No. 416 FOCUS O
Page 3 and 4: Your View Your view Have your say v
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Page 29 and 30: The root of the word authority is r
Page 31 and 32: Reflection The voice of the prophet

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