“Amongst all the huff and puff, wailings and gnashing of teeth about the state of the Church, one central fact has been overlooked… the bulk of church-generated initiatives have nothing to do with the way people spend the bulk of their waking hours. That’s why over 50% of evangelicals have never heard a sermon on work… not one. How can we possibly pretend that the Church is supporting its people where they are when the vast majority have no support whatsoever for the way they spend 60 or 70% of their waking lives? And if it’s true that most people think their work is spiritually inferior to the pastor’s and the missionary’s, if it’s true that most people have very little idea why their particular work as secretary, bricklayer, stockbroker, housewife, engineer might be of significance to God, then it’s also true of evangelism.”

“For many Christians the highlight of their week is the Sunday service. Sadly many believe this is where the Kingdom of God is primarily expressed. Ministry is confined to that which is done within the church.This is demonstrated in the true story of a young lawyer who was asked what her ministry was. She replied “I teach Sunday school at my church” What a travesty!! Nothing she did during the week in bringing justice, compassion and resolution to the world in which she worked counted, in her mind, as having any spiritual value. How can we change people’s thinking to break free of this Sunday/Monday dichotomy?”

It was a great privilege to meet Bronwen Healey last year when she came to attend our first BAM Course. Bronwen runs a ministry in Brisbane called the Hope Foundation which seeks to bring hope and salvation to women who are victims of the sex trade or addiction. Hope Foundation offers connection groups for women and practical and spiritual support for women in crisis.They have developed a drop in centre called ‘Hope Haven” that is a safe place for the women they are connecting with. Hope Foundation is also developing a school program called ‘Every Choice has Consequences” which seeks to empower young people to make positive choices and to resist the destructive path of addiction and therefore reinforce their understanding of their worth, significance and ability to bring something unique and valuable to their world.Next month they are holding a fundraising event to support the work Hope Foundation is doing in the community. Here are the details if you would like to attend and support this expression of the Kingdom of God at work.When: Tuesday 5th June 2012
Where: Hillstone, Carawa Street, St Lucia
Why: We have been coming alongside women wanting life change from addictions and/or the sex industry for 5 years and we want to celebrate all that’s been and all that’s yet to come
Tickets: $75 each or $700 for a table of 10
Contact:Hope Foundation

Last month we had a very successful visit from Darrow Miller. Darrow spoke in several centres on themes from a Biblical World View, Restoring the Dignity of Women and Life Work – the value of what we do every day. The impact of these meetings will spread as key leaders from Japan, the Philippines, Vanuatu, Fiji and Papua New Guinea were participants.Darrow has just completed a new book called Emancipating the World: A Christian Response to Radical Islam and Fundamentalist AtheismThis book encourages the church to rediscover a comprehensive understanding of her mission to disciple nations, and the urgency of this need in light of the serious challenges posed by militant Islamism and fundamentalist secularism.If you would like to receive a copy of this new book please get in touch with us and we can send one out to you.I would like to order a copy of Emancipating the World