Brisbane Christian News @ Brisbane Christian Chat (Queensland, Australia)


	27.02.04 - 96five’s Passion of the Christ Impact Line. From 96five. Have you seen this amazing movie by Mel Gibson yet? "The Passion" continues to leave everyone who sees it absolutely speechless. This vivid representation of Christ’s greatest sacrifice is having a major impact on Brisbane. For this reason, 96five is setting up a "Passion of the Christ Impact Line". From Monday March 1st you'll be able to tell us how "The Passion" has affected your life or the life of some one you know. Stay tuned for details. Phone AMC on 1300 36 63 39 for Session times, or email groupbookings@iconfilm.com.au.
	27.02.04 - 96five’s Network Breakfast. From 96five. At 96five, we are commitment to building and strengthening relationships with the Christian and business leaders in Brisbane. Wednesday March 10th from 7.00am-8:30am is 96five’s first "Network Breakfast". Held in the ‘Murrayfield Room’ at Ballymore Qld Rugby Union Club, Network Breakfast participants will be treated to the Inspirational story of Mr Bruce Kiehne – inventor of medical inventions such s the automatically retractable syringe and the free access valve. Tickets are $29 a head or $25 for a booking of ten. Call 96five within office hour on 3217 5999 and make your booking today.
	23.02.04 - Reading for Life! - Bible Week, 9-16 May 2004. From Bible League. Coming Soon! An opportunity for Christians all over Australia to develop a lifestyle of daily Bible reading, to be encouraged, refreshed and prepared for action. The Bible is the living, powerful Word of God, and when Christians read it, their lives are transformed. They become active in praying and giving, to send Bibles to Christians and seekers who do not have access to God’s Word. "This is what Australia needs today! It’s time for Christians to read and study the Word of God for themselves. I urge all who read this to pray that the Bible League’s planning will result in an awareness of the Word of God in our nation as never before!" says Rev. Hon. Dr. Gordon Moyes, AC, MLC, Patron of Reading For Life! - Bible Week. Already, churches and believers around Australia are partnering with Bible League, wanting to be involved in Reading for Life! - Bible Week. Bible League is delighted to announce the Salvation Army’s support for the program. "We are very happy to align ourselves with the Bible League of Australia and its worldwide Bible outreach. We hope that there will be great enthusiasm for the ongoing reading of the Word of God," Commissioner Les Strong, Territorial Commander Australian Eastern Territory, The Salvation Army. "I am pleased to offer my wholehearted support for the work of Bible League and in particular Reading for Life! - Bible Week," Commissioner Ross Kendrew, Territorial Commander Australian Southern Territory, The Salvation Army. "Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the rule of Christian faith and practice for The Salvation Army. We recognise in the pages of the Bible the words for eternal life and we constantly seek for ways to encourage our people to be readers of the Scriptures. We therefore plan to partner with Bible League in promoting Bible Week with the intention of seeking to encourage the depth of understanding of the Scriptures in our people." In addition, Rhema FM 91.9 will be holding a Mayoral Prayer Breakfast in Gladstone on 7 May, to launch Bible Week. "I was so excited to read of the proposal for Bible Week," said Vicki Buchanan, Gladstone Radio Rhema operator. "For ages I have wanted to see a public reading of the Bible in one session, in our town." To join with churches around Australia in participating in Reading for Life! - Bible Week, please contact Bible League and ask for your free resource pack as soon as possible. Bible League, a worldwide ministry, has placed over 650 million Bibles and Scripture portions into the hands of believers since 1938. Last year, a total of 17,106,623 Scriptures were provided and 3,660 churches were planted. Reading for Life! - Bible Week is part of Bible League’s vision for ministry in Australia - to see here the same wonderful transformation God’s Word is bringing into the lives of people in over 78 countries today. May Australians say with this Central Asian Christian, "The Bible is a life changing book. It is a book of God’s salvation found only in His Son Jesus. That is why I am dedicated to taking the Bible to as many as I can."
	20.02.04 - First Expo Day update. From Wells O'Neil, Awakening. It's shaping up to be an exciting and stimulating time. Here's just a few of the festival-type activities that you'll be able to sample: Balloon sculpturing, Clowning, Macramé Jewellery, Bubble blowing, Face Painting, Juggling- making as well as doing juggling, Spinning tops, Diablo, Acrobalancing, Break-dancing, Giant games- eg Jigsaws, stilts and geetahs, Water balloon volleyball, Dot painting, Friendship bands, Foot washing, Sunflower craft and more. Sounds like a lot of fun? You'll be able to learn the secrets of how to do them too! As well as that, there's lots of elective workshops, hearing Mal Garvin as we take the pule of the nation, and specific Awakening, Schools in Harmony and Fusion opportunities proven as very effective over the years. That includes Christmas, Easter, Pilgrimage to Uluru, Olympics in Athens - which we'll tell you more about in the next Expo Day Update. For more info and to register to come, visit our web site. It's on Saturday 28th Feb at the Gateway Centre, 1052 MtGravatt-Capalaba Rd, Mackenzie, from 9.30am to 4.30pm. Hope to see you there.
	20.02.04 - Australian Christian history website launched. From Graham McLennan, National Alliance of Christian Leaders. During the National Day of Thanksgiving Launch in Canberra last week, the Christian History Research Website was also officially launched to give Australians a better understanding of their heritage. The website www.chr.org.au will have several sections including our Christian heritage and history of revival in Australia, as well as articles on our relationship with Israel and on Aboriginal Christianity. For those interested in reasons behind early Australian non settlement by Hindus, Buddhists or Muslims go to Manning Clark's extracts in chapter 1 part 1 of "Understanding our Christian Heritage".
	20.02.04 - Family Day - May 8th 2004. From 96five. The goal of Family Day is happier, healthier, stronger families and that’s exactly what’s on offer! Held in sheds 8, 9 & 10 at the RNA showgrounds, Family Day 2004 will provide resources and practical advice for parents on how your family can be happier, healthier & stronger. Drop the kiddies off in the Kids Zone and cruise through 100 exhibitors committed to helping your family; participate in practical seminars on topics such as single parenting, nutrition, and financial planning; visit the Family Play Centre, a specially designed interactive area for parents & kids to play together; Australia’s favourite praise kids entertainer Colin Buchanan will be live on stage; plus the kids get in free! Look out for further information on a kids colouring competition with an awesome Kids pack to be won!
	18.02.04 - Passionate about 'The Passion'. From Alister Cameron, The Australian Passion Network. I have just returned from the Melbourne pre-release screening of Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ. I wasn’t sure how I would react to it, and in a very real sense I am still working out how I feel. I concur with one American audience member who described the movie as more of an experience than a film. At the very least, my love for the Lord has deepened after this fresh and stark reminder of the passion of His obedience and sacrifice. If you too have had the privilege of attending a pre-release screening, then I trust this film has also in some measure drawn you closer to the Lord. It is now time to introduce you to the Australian Church’s official online outreach resource: www.thepassion.org.au. This website is the initiative of the Bible Societies of Queensland and South Australia, and developed and managed by the Australian Passion Network - a collaboration of Aussie individuals, churches and ministries committed to making the most of this tremendous outreach opportunity. (You may have seen this website address promoted in various outreach materials prepared by the Bible Society - for example, the Hoyts souvenir programme.) And you have a place on the team too! Please spend five minutes to visit www.thepassion.org.au and sign up as a member of the Network. It will take just a few moments to ensure you’re in the loop! We’ll be keeping you posted on all the developments Australia-wide, related to the release of this film, and the activity of Australian churches in undertaking effective outreach alongside the film’s screening. Note that you will NOT receive future correspondence from us unless you are signed-up on the website, so please visit www.thepassion.org.au now and register! In return for your small effort, you will immediately have the opportunity to add your church or ministry to our Community Directory - a growing resource for Christians and non-Christians alike, to help them find you and understand what you do. That’s yours, just for signing up. From the official release date of the movie - Ash Wednesday, February 25th - this website will change its appearance somewhat, and become an online outreach tool, receiving non-Christians who have seen the movie. As such, you have between now and the 25th to become acquainted with the features of the site - both those provided to help you as a Christian leader promote this evangelistic opportunity, and those provided to help non-Christians deal with the questions raised after seeing the movie. On Wednesday 25th, people across this nation will begin streaming out of movie theatres, powerfully impacted by this graphic presentation of the sufferings of our Lord. Please think carefully about what you would like your congregation, agency, ministry or family to do, to engage the lost in meaningful conversation about Jesus! And www.thepassion.org.au is purpose-built to help you do just that! www.thepassion.org.au is, even as I write, being loaded up with a range or resources, articles, links and other features to provide non-Christian seekers with a number of different ways to make contact with you and your church or ministry. Did you get that? It’s about you and your church or ministry making real and substantial contact with non-Christian movie-goers who have found the site and want to ask questions. So check out the FAQs, the discussion forums and online calendar, where you can list upcoming outreach events your church or ministry is planning. Our primary means of promoting this website is... wait for it... you! We would appreciate it if you would circulate this email (unchanged) among your key Christian contacts in Australia. This way, all leaders in the Australian Church will receive this email at least once, and the Australia Passion Network will grow rapidly, ready for the arrival on the 25th of non-Christians ready to find out more about Jesus. Again, this is not even a five-minute exercise, but immeasurably effective in ensuring that by the date of this film’s public release, enough committed Christians are ready and "manning the fort" at www.thepassion.org.au. The Australian Passion Network is an ever-growing "virtual team" of committed Christians all over Australia, working to "partner" informally with Icon Films, to help meet non-Christians at the point where they want to know more about Jesus. The Network needs you and key members of your congregation or agency, to get on board and share in the work, as well as the reward! In particular, if you have within your reach Christians with a heart for online evangelism, forward them this email and encourage them to join the Network as well. However, like most online projects, www.thepassion.org.au remains a much-loved work in progress, and you will no doubt find pages and areas of the site that can be improved. This site has been created solely to help you get your Kingdom-work done, so why not lend a hand? If you have written, seen or read something that you believe should be on the site, there’s probably a way for you to put it there all by yourself! Indeed, many sections of the website are accessible to you as a contributor, not just a visitor. That’s how www.thepassion.org.au works!
	16.02.04 - The Passion Of The Christ. From Bible Society in Australia. "..a $32 million dollar gift to the Christian church around the world." "It's profoundly moving." "The violence is confronting." "Nothing prepared me for this - I need time to process." "I came out of the theatre to find several of my colleagues on their knees in tears. I've never seen anything like this before." These are just some of the comments from church leaders in Sydney as they exited the cinema at Fox Studios on February 12th. They were among the 2500 senior church leaders who have been given the opportunity to preview Mel Gibson's film The Passion of The Christ as the result of a partnership between The Bible Society in Australia and Icon Film Distribution. The rolling series of previews will be held in capital cities and some regional centres prior to the film's release on February 25th. As well as arranging these film previews, the Bible Society has provided church leaders with a number of resources to help them make the most of this mission opportunity. A free resource pack has been given to people at the previews and has also been mailed to 9000 churches across the country. The pack includes a CD-ROM with mission ideas, small group discussion ideas and promotional trailers to help churches reflect together about how they want to respond to the film. Contents of the CD will also be available at www.thepassion.org.au. Kevin Bird, State Director for the Bible Society in Queensland, commented: "This film represents a $32 million dollar gift to the Christian church around the world. Many Australians who have never read the gospel accounts of Christ's death and resurrection will see the film, feel its impact, and wonder about its meaning. We need to be ready to help these people make sense of our story." In an effort to do that, the Bible Society has printed an 8-page Souvenir Program, using images from the film to highlight simple statements drawn from the gospels. The Souvenir Program will be made available free of charge to churches wanting to distribute these to guests at theatre parties or follow-up discussion groups. Hoyts has also agreed to give one to each person who buys a ticket at their box office. This arrangement is exclusive to Hoyts. Also in theatres, the Bible Society has arranged for a 30 second cinema promo to be screened prior to the film in all cinemas with a Val Morgan advertising contract. It features Jason Stevens (Cronulla Sharks NRL) Shaun Hart (Brisbane Lions AFL) & Paulini Curuenavuli (runner-up Australian Idol). They talk about the impact of the film and suggest people read the Bible to discover the story behind the film. They then point people to www.thepassion.org.au which will direct seekers to resources to help them understand the Gospel. Further information about ordering resources can be obtained from State Bible Society offices.
	16.02.04 - Hymns of the Forefathers II. From Bredon Hill Film & TV Productions. Bredon Hill Film & TV Productions announces a new series of stunning music documentaries on ABC TV, 'Hymns of the Forefathers II', presented by Christopher Lawrence, commencing Sunday February 29, 11:30am for six weeks. Also available on soundtrack CD, DVD & VIDEO. A collection of history's greatest stories and the magnificent music they inspired return to ABC TV on February 29th for six weeks in Bredon Hill Film & TV Productions' Hymns of the Forefathers II. The new series was inspired by the success of the first Hymns of the Forefathers special on ABC TV at Easter 2002 (since screened several times) and the impressive sales of the companion CD soundtrack and DVD/video editions through ABC Classics and ABC Video. Executive producer Peter Beveridge led his film crew to spectacular locations in the UK and the USA, discovering the histories of some of the world's most beloved and influential music - the majestic hymns of the English and American church. The featured hymns include Abide With Me, How Great Thou Art, Nearer My God To Thee, It Is Well With My Soul, and - the centrepiece of the dramatic first program of the new series - Amazing Grace. All of the programs combine brand-new stunning footage of England's most historic places of worship and beautiful countryside with new symphonic and choral arrangements of the hymns created by Paul Terracini. Terracini conducts the Prague Symphony Orchestra and the choirs Vox Ecclesiae and Cantillation in two new recordings soon to be released by ABC Classics. 'This is a long way from the well-meaning congregational voices and electric organ in the local church on a Sunday morning,' explains Peter Beveridge. 'There is such an epic quality to these texts and melodies - think of Amazing Grace! - and their place in history, as well as the dramas and tragedies in the lives of those who created them. They literally sing out for the big treatment. When our camera is gliding about inside places like Westminster Abbey or Lincoln Cathedral, staring down at Ground Zero, or setting sail with nineteenth-century fisherman across a stormy English Channel, there is only one way you can match that visual grandeur in sound: with a full-size symphony orchestra. Paul's arrangements are as uplifting as the stories and images they illustrate.' And the stories are heroic. There's the tale of reformed slave trader John Newton, who influences Parliamentary reform becoming a major figure in the abolition of his former profession and writes the words of Amazing Grace; the former successful Chicago businessman Horatio Spafford, whose text for It Is Well With My Soul is composed after his four daughters are drowned during an Atlantic crossing; and the astonishing Fanny Crosby, blind from the age of six weeks, who proceeds to pen more than 8,000 hymns, including the classic Blessed Assurance. As the programs explain, many of these hymns have transcended their denominational origins to become famous as songs in their own right. They describe the feelings of millions, and are often chosen for performance at major public events: Abide With Me, written by the humble early 19th century English rector Henry Francis Lyte, has been sung at every FA Cup final since 1927, originally at the request of George V. O God Our Help In Ages Past is still heard every Remembrance Day at the Cenotaph in London. And as we learn in the moving first program of the series, after the devastation of 9/11, one song came spontaneously to the voices of thousands of rescue workers and victims - Amazing Grace. 'Amazing Grace must be one of the best-known tunes in the world, when you think about it,' explains Christopher Lawrence, the series presenter. 'Once sung or heard, it sticks in the memory for the rest of your life, as do so many of the tunes we'll explore in Hymns of the Forefathers. I sang Amazing Grace as a kid without thinking too much about what it really meant. But take a closer look at those words and life of John Newton: they are extraordinary. Here is an expression of gratitude that the writer knows will never be enough. He's telling us that he was pulled out of the deepest of holes, deeper than most of us will ever experience. Hymns of the Forefathers begins by taking us down there at the beginning of Newton's amazing personal journey, and then upwards with the music and exquisite architecture that shaped an entire culture through a millennium of English history. A highlight is Christopher Lawrence taking us inside Newton's attic study in his former home in Olney, Buchinghamshire where Newton penned those loved words in 1771; complete with his hand written sermon notes on the text. Log onto our NEW web site @ www.hymnsforefathers.com for a full overview of the series, the six TV episodes with video samples of each episode. Hymns of the Forefathers II will be available from February 25th in double DVD and VHS video formats at all major retailers containing the complete 3 x hour TV series with Extras. The expansive DVD has almost two hours of extra Special features not seen on TV. The two soundtrack CD'S, featuring the Prague Symphony Orchestra, Vox Ecclesiae and Cantillation conducted by Paul Terracini will be also released on February 25th on the ABC Classics label distributed in Australia by Universal Music.
	11.02.04 - Awakening Expo Day - preparing to reclaim community. From Fusion Aust - Qld State Office. Here in our own land, this week 96 young people will make attempts on their lives this week, while 1,000 marriages will break down. Let’s ask ourselves, will the Easter Message go missing right at the time when it’s most needed? You are invited to the Awakening Expo Day, where there will be workshops on: - The Easter March on Easter Sunday to publicly witness the resurrection - Bringing the churches together to transform their region. - Running Festivals, Prayer Vigils, drama, clowning, puppetry, balloon sculpture, face-painting, juggling, simple jewellery, acro-balancing and more - Using the Schools in Harmony programs: Advent Pageants, the Pilgrimage to Uluru, and other schools programmes. - Connecting young people into Statewide Day Trips and using them to motivate and train church youth groups. - A range of valuable tools for outreach. Awakening Expo Day, at The Gateway Centre, 1052 Mt Gravatt-Capalaba Rd Mackenzie, Qld. Saturday 28th February, 9.30 to 4.30pm. Cost is $22.00 incl lunch (conc $11). Call Wells or Jenny O’Neil at the Awakening office on 07 3287 7960, or email qld@fusion.org.au.
	11.02.04 - National Day of Thanksgiving Launch today. From National Day of Thanksgiving organisers. Today, 11th February 2004, the Governor General will officially launch Australia's inaugural National Day of Thanksgiving to be held on Saturday 29th May 2004. One hundred Christian leaders, representing every state of Australia and almost every Christian denomination, will gather at 5 pm in the grounds of Government House to hear a speech from His Excellency Major General Michael Jeffery AC CVO MC Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia. The Hon Bruce Baird, Chairman of the Parliamentary Christian Fellowship, will read an official letter of endorsement from the Prime Minister Mr John Howard and Aboriginal Elder, Rev Cedric Jacobs, WA, will give his support for the National Day of Thanksgiving. Rev Jacobs will share his vision to encourage the indigenous people to rise up and thank their fellow Australians for coming to Australia. Mr Brian Pickering of the Australian Prayer Network will share how the dream for a National Day of Thanksgiving, to honour God, began in the hearts of the Australian Prayer Network many years ago. That dream has become a reality today, thanks to the prayers of faithful Christians from churches of all denominations across the nation. The Christian faith claims approximately 70% of the Australian population according to the last census. The National Day of Thanksgiving heralds a groundswell of support for the restoration of Christian values in Australia today. The decision to hold a National Day of Thanksgiving was confirmed at the inaugural meeting of the National Prayer Council at Parliament House Canberra on the 17th June 2003. The National Prayer Council voted unanimously to support Brian Pickering and the Australian Prayer Network in their initiative to establish a National Day of Thanksgiving for Saturday, 29th May 2004. Over time this day of thanksgiving, held every Pentecost weekend on an annual basis, will become part of our national calendar. Perhaps this National Day of Thanksgiving was birthed by one of the Southland's early explorers who called this land 'Terra Australis del Espirtu Santo' or, 'The Southern Land of the Holy Spirit'. This proclamation was declared by De Quiros on the day of Pentecost 14th of May 1606. After the muskets were fired the men shouted with joy 'Long live the faith of Christ'. The National Day of Thanksgiving is a celebration of the joy of that moment. The first message preached on Australian soil by Rev Richard Johnson, chaplain to the First Fleet on 3rd February 1788 was on the theme of thanksgiving, using Psalm 116:12 as the text. The launch of the National Day of Thanksgiving in Canberra by the Governor General will be an historic milestone in the spiritual development of Australia as one nation under God. The Rev Richard Johnson, Chaplain to the First Fleet, will be glad his message on the theme of thanksgiving was not in vain. (The Governor General's speech can be read at this location.)
	09.02.04 - It's your Bible calling. From Bible Society in Australia. The Bible Society's Scriptures Division, has launched its latest version of the Word of God. It is a software program for use on computers. Called the SMSBible, it will allow church workers, youth leaders and pastors to send Bible verses in SMS text, with their personal messages, to today's generation of mobile phone users. The verses are in the Contemporary English Version, but in abbreviated form. There is no change to the Scripture as found in the complete Bible. The verse 1 John 4.19 ("We love because God loved us first") is shown as the text message "We luv coz God luvd us 1st". The software is free for downloading. Those interested can obtain the program through www.biblesociety.com.au and follow the link to the SMSBible. The whole purpose of the SMSBible is to provide a tool to the Christian community which will assist and encourage engagement with the Word of God. Verses of encouragement, reminders of Sunday sermons, themes for Bible Study groups are some of the ways in which the SMSBible can be used, as the whole CEV Bible is available from the software. On the website there is information "About" the project; "Instructions" as a help; "Download" facilities and "Contact us" for further answers, feedback and comments. For further information about the SMSBible, visit our website.