Tension within Ministry!

 Feeling stretched to breaking point? Or are you experiencing the ‘Goldilocks zone’ of ‘just right’?

There will always be a degree of tension that will need to be accommodated within ministry. For example, if we had more time and resources we could all probably preach a ‘whiz bang’ message each week. However, for most of us we are not afforded such luxury. We all experience competing time demands around ministry, family, etc. with the accompanying tension of decision making. Is it any wonder that at times we can get stretched way beyond our comfort level? It can be a delicate balancing act. I also know that without the tension of deadlines and ‘due by’ dates, my work ethic would become slack.

Traction for Transformation

Digging below the surface to what makes mentoring work

You are invited to join us in Melbourne on Wednesday 17th and Thursday 18th April for the 2013 Christian Mentoring Network Forum.  Following the interest in last year’s forum we decided to focus on this year on specific skills and equipping for mentors to deepen their mentoring relationships.  Some of the highlights will be: Graeme Cann reflecting on the practice of mentoring, Keith Farmer and Mark Conner sharing insights from their mentoring relationship, Sandy Jones teaching on effective mentoring arising from appraisals, Rick Lewis and Tim Dyer teaching from their experience on practices and skills to give mentoring traction in the lives of others.

Click here for more information.

Administration Assistant for

The Mission and Ministry Department

(Churches of Christ Conference, Vic-Tas)

Full-time casual 12 months position.

An exciting opportunity exists for a casual Administration Assistant to support the Mission and Ministry team (M&M) with the Churches of Christ in Victoria and Tasmania while our current Administration Assistant is on maternity leave. This is a key role for the effective operation of the Mission and Ministry Team. The position requires a highly organized Administration Assistant with outstanding administrative and communication skills. This position is offered on a full-time casual basis from May 2013 until April 2014. Applications close 17 April 2013.

How has 2013 started for you? – What is unfolding in your life and world ... for sports, health, education, politics, religion, church, for the Kingdom of God?

Are you a minister, minister’s spouse, board/leadership team member, church member? Transform 2013 may be for you!

Transform will be an opportunity to share stories, support each other and be resourced. We’re particularly going to focus on sustainable ministry and maintaining healthy relationships.

This earth is important to God

The resurrection body and the empty tomb point to an important truth about God’s commitment to physical matter. Jesus is the only example that we have to examine the resurrection body which is promised to each of us. His resurrection body is not entirely new, it is his original body renewed. The original body has not been discarded, irrelevant and left in the tomb. It is recognisable from the life he lived before death, still bearing some scars, but it is also a new creation.

How do you understand Doing Justice, Loving Mercy?
I’m no expert in the area of justice and mercy, I do however endeavour to understand in order to act. I heard it said last week that ‘charity is not justice’. This was a great reminder to me that the nature of justice is more than a ‘helping hand’, justice is an act to make things ‘right’, yet outside of ‘love’ justice could be an act of revenge. I also heard it said last week that ‘God acts outside of love, there is more to God than just love’, the more I thought about this quote, the more I disagreed. God is love, love (God) is not limited to a ‘act’, Love is who God is, therefore can he act outside of love? Therefore justice is founded on the love Jesus has for people, all people. I don’t think you can understand love and justice outside of his love.

Within the church of my birth, we had a boys and girls club. The boys were called Cadets and the girls Calvinettes. (You guessed it, named after John Calvin!) Both clubs had different memory verses that were supposed to act as guides for our formation and living. The boys was John 14:15 “If you love me you will keep my commandments”. The girls was Micah 6:8. “What does the Lord require of you? To act justly, love mercy and to walk humbly with your God”. I know it is all connected, but in my mind as a young person, I always thought the girls got the cooler verse.

 Justice and mercy are linked together. In tension they form a bond of effective engagement and transformational ministry. Justice and mercy, when bound together keep us focused on not being people of talk but also of action, of receiving but also giving, listening and also engaging across the fullness of our lives and ministry.

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