Brisbane Christian News - Brisbane Christian Chat


	11.05.02 - Churches join for convention service at Chinchilla. From Royce & Heather Perkins. For the first time in half a century of 'Keswick' conventions at Chinchilla, on Queensland's Western Downs 300 kms west of Brisbane, the Baptist Church, the Church of Christ, and the Christian Outreach Centre joined with the convention for Sunday morning worship and filled the cultural centre auditorium, the convention venue. Queensland's Labor Day weekend provided fine, warm weather - good, if you're not on the land; splendid for the outdoor activities of the 170 or so involved in the convention youth camp on an out-of-town property. "We are all special people; we are all creatures of dignity; we are all made in the image of God, and here is the secret of self esteem", declared the convention speaker, Dr. Ivan Bowden. "Every sin is against someone made in the image of God. The tragedy of human beings is that the image of God is so marred that theologians call it total depravity, but God is in the restoration business". Dr. Bowden, whose varied presentations impacted powerfully, is Principal of Mueller College of Ministries, a ministry of Redcliffe Christian Assembly, on the coast just east of Brisbane. The College, with 45 students, is in its second year of accredited courses. The Assembly, a congregation heading for 400, also has 1000 students in its primary and secondary schools, a retirement village with about 60 residents, and will open in September a 48-room low-care centre overlooking Deception Bay. Dr Bowden in his six sessions preached from Genesis, Romans (justification; sanctification), Hebrews (Life seems so unfair), and Matthew (Salt prevents the spread of corruption, and adds flavour to the unpalatable). Noting that it is costly to be holy, Dr. Bowden said, "But it is ultimately infinitely more costly to be unholy. Holy people are happy people. Joseph wasn't dejected in gaol. The unhappy people were Potiphar and his wife. Joseph's motto was 'anything is better than sin'". "Don't ever think that God doesn't heal illnesses because of a lack of your faith. Job did not suffer because he was bad but because he was good!" At Saturday night's youth rally 25-year-old Todd Langford, speaking from Haggai 1 and supported by a powerpoint presentation, challenged the predominantly youthful audience who listened intently. Marshall Muller, youth pastor at White Hill Church of Christ, Ipswich, led the youth camp, while Eddie Free conducted children's sessions concurrent with convention meetings. The featured soloist for the convention was Anita Thomas, music director at Brisbane's Ashgrove Baptist Church. She and her accompanist Jenny Callan made a major contribution to the worship.
	08.05.02 - The Queensland Church with the invisible congregation. From Royce & Heather Perkins. I attended a church service the other Sunday morning. Couldn't see a soul, but I shared in communion, heard a children's talk - though not a child to be seen - responded (as did others) to the pastor's questions, listened to a message on Mark chapter 3, and thoroughly enjoyed it. I was sitting alone at the time in my home office, clutching a telephone. The rest of the congregation were in diverse and distant parts of outback Queensland conferencing with speaker phones. The Church of the Outback had met again for Sunday morning worship. Congregational participation included prayer and praise points. The need for rain figured in the first and "We thank You that we can worship together by phone" in the second. Practical prayer needs were covered - a pregnant mother with sugar problems; safety in travel across long distances; computer hassles; land care difficulties. At communion time, one gave thanks for the bread, and another, hundreds of kilometres away, gave thanks for the cup. Altogether it was an enthralling and inspiring experience. Click here for more...