Posted by the rev What a week, we hit the ground running and really didn't stop. The first three days we did some touristy stuff. A trip up the coast to Bells beach. The bush was beautiful, the water was clear, the waves weren't up to snuff, but I don't surf so who really cares. We spent some time with Nick's parents. Raquel and I really got to encourage them. We expect them to be starting a house church soon. Visited a golf course swarming with kangaroos. Actually stood about fifteen feet away from a semi wild kangaroo, with a joey in it's pouch, while cockatoos and kookaburras flew over and sent out there calls. Very surreal! We briefly toured Melbourne. Very western, but a bit more like back east in flavor. It reminded Raquel of some parts of Glasgow and Edinburgh. They are struggling through many of the same issues our cities are, gentrification, immigration, drug use and prostitution. We then went to a zoo. I got to pet a wallaby! Saw a real live platypus, and an echidna, and a bunch of other crazy animals. A falcon that wouldn't come back at the live bird show. We ate at this bizarre German restaurant in the mountains, liderhousen and everything. Then a night in the downtown for dinner, I made an embarrassing cultural foux paus. I guess slipping the door man a bit of cash for a faster seat is seen as bribery, and elitism there. Live and learn. Sunday we switched from working vacation to just working, not that we didn't enjoy it. Sunday morning I spoke at South church. South was wonderful, really reminded me of The Belonging and Icthus during healthy times, but with a more people. It was national AIDS awareness day, and some people shared about their experiences with friends struggling with the disease, very powerful and emotional. Not exactly easy to follow. My talk went well, just sharing stories of my life, and The Breakfast Club and how this little house church has become a caring community. It seemed to be really helpful as they are beginning to emphasize house churches in their church planting efforts. We had a barbecue with Nick's church, Matthew's Party. What an amazing ministry! They live amongst the prostitutes, homeless and those struggling with drug addictions. We were very moved, and felt a real desire to come along side Nick and Anita. My conversation with a homeless, slightly crazy, eastern European man was very comical, ask me for an impersonation next time you see me. Then Raquel and I spoke at Suburbia, Mark's church plant. Again we were really moved. We shared again about the house church movement, but mostly just answered questions. Then went to eat with them. What an amazing group of young men and women. I would expect two or three church plants out of this one in the next couple of years. The rest of the week we spent the days at FORGE. This was an intensive conference about missional church planting. It is accredited and is quite possibly the best postmodern church planting seminar/conference in the world. Again I was really moved. We got to meet the denominational president, and the denominational church planting leader, as well as many church planters, and future church planters. It really seems as though Melbourne, and Australia are poised for a major church planting movement. One of the speakers became very ill and I was asked to replace him leading one of the sessions. Again I spoke about house churches. It seems as though everyone was wanting to do the same thing, but lacking the experience of Raquel and I. We both answered questions for most of the time. I know the question most of you are probably asking, Are you going to Oz or not? Well, we were really moved by the intense need there. The church is just about non existent with only about six percent of the people in churches, and many of them are not healthy churches. It was also apparent that there is a real need for leaders to help the emerging church planters, which has always been a real strong desire on my part. There also is a movement around South church and FORGE that could provide us with spiritual support and leadership within our experimental church focus. We felt very at home there as church leaders, as opposed to being the weirdoes here. But most of all, we feel amazingly linked together with Mark, Trudi, Anita, Nick, Jen, Al and Deb. They have become soul mates. We didn't hear an audible voice from heaven, nor have we received a letter special delivery, but at this time our feeling is that it is a strong possibility we are to go. Our children are exited about this. We will begin to move in that direction, including doing some fundraising, getting Visa's, determining ministry roles and developing a strong prayer support team. We will trust God to continue to lead us as we work, and either confirm our plans or re route us. We believe God prefers to steer moving cars. Please pray for us. We are ready for your questions, so fire away. We will deeply miss you guys, and expect you all to take your vacations down under while we are there. John
on 12/8/2001, 7:20 am
This was our letter to friends, which I know consider you all.
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