Even though we are blessed at our church with great gatherings around God’s word each Saturday night and Sunday morning, there are still many excellent reasons to be a part of a small ‘growth’ group.

Most obviously, a weekly or fortnightly group offers the ability to sit down with a few other people to carefully examine God’s word, looking deeply into the scriptures and sitting under his loving leadership by his Spirit.

But another, important reason to join a small, midweek group is that as our church grows in size, it becomes harder to know everyone really well.

And so being a part of a growth group means that you can get to know a small number of people a lot better… and be known and loved by them, too.

It’s a hub in which you can listen to others and pray for them, as you also show genuine care and community, and a group you can be a part of, even at the other times of the week when it’s not actually meeting.

It’s also a terrific ‘front door’ for people who are interested in finding out more about Jesus but perhaps don’t feel ready to come to a main service on the weekend.

The groups are also places where we can all show practical, genuine care for each other’s needs, as we hear from each other as we gather in Christ’s name.

These groups are great for growing personally in our knowledge and love of God, and growing together as a community around his word… and all this happens as our church and our small groups grow bigger in number.

These ‘growth groups’ are great connections for both believers and unbelievers alike to grow in their understanding of God and to prayerfully encourage each other in glorifying God through our humble service of him.

And as our church grows, may our growth groups help us grow in many small communities, as our larger community keeps growing together.

JODIE McNEILL

Confirmation is a special event in our church which gives people an opportunity to say as a grown up what was promised on their behalf as a baby.

Our church believes that the promises of God apply to whole households… which means that babies of Christian parents are also Christians.

My kids have been Christians since they were in Mandy’s womb, and we baptised them as babies as a way of showing our trust in God’s promises.

But there comes a time in our life when we need to grow up and take responsibility for our own decisions, and that’s what confirmation is all about.

It’s about offering people who were baptised as infants the opportunity to answer for themselves about their own belief in God.

So, if you were baptised as a baby, and are now old enough to answer for yourself and own your own faith, then you should get confirmed.

Normally it’s around Year 9 that this happens, although exceptions are possible for people a little younger, if appropriate.

So, if you’re keen to be confirmed then let me know, and we’ll sign you up for a short course in July, which will be followed by a special service with our bishop on Wednesday 18th August at 7pm.

Plus you should be aware that we’re not able to run this every year, so sign up this year or miss out for a few years.

One more thing… if you’re the age to be confirmed but you’ve never been baptised, then if you trust in Jesus we really should organise for you to get baptised soon.

It’s such a great thing to do, and we’d love to offer this great, Biblical way to show our trust in God’s wonderful promises to us.

JODIE McNEILL

(Photo Credit: Jay Hsu via Flickr.com)

When a newspaper article this week ran with the headline, ‘Scripture used to justify violence’, it was a sad reminder that some Christians have distorted the meaning of the Bible to serve their own sin.

The Bible is very clear: we are to love one another, and that there is no place for any abuse of anyone, in any situation.

In the letter to the Galatians, there is a stark description of the results of the life that come from the sinful nature: 

“sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.” (Galatians 5:19b-21)

Furthermore, the clear word from God is that husbands are to love their wives as sacrificially as Jesus loved the church, which means:

“…husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself. No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church.” (Ephesians 5:28-29)

It is only in this context that Christian wives are told to submit to their husbands (Ephesians 5:22) in recognition of the weight of the responsibility given to the man to sacrificially love and lead his wife and family.

And, again, it is vital that we hear God’s word clearly: the husband’s role is to love his wife sacrificially… which means there is no place, ever, for any abuse, whether physical, verbal, or otherwise.

I strongly encourage all of us to visit the website knowdomesticabuse.church which has been produced by our own Anglican Church Diocese of Sydney, and in particular, please have a read of the ‘Use and Misuse of Scripture’ booklet.

And if you, or anyone you know, is experiencing domestic abuse of any form, please act to bring safety immediately… seeking the help of a trusted Christian leader or friend.

JODIE McNEILL

(Credit: Nenad Stojkovic via Flickr.com)