What is happening at Burnside in October?

1 October  //  Guest ministry  //  Pastor Jeremy Steel

After spending his childhood living in aboriginal communities in the far North-west of South Australia, Jeremy moved to Adelaide to start high school and attended the Christian Family Centre Seaton.  With a strong desire for service and calling, Jeremy was invited to be youth pastor and commenced ministry studies. In 2006, Jeremy and Sonya answered a strong call to the mission field, moving to Port Moresby Papua New Guinea for 10 years with their three children.  Jeremy served as on the pastoral team at Bethel Centre, overseeing the Bible College, and Outreach activities into the inland areas. In 2016, the family relocated to Cairns where their two older boys had already commenced their secondary schooling.  Since that time, Jeremy travels out of Australia into the mission fields working for Pastor Barry Silverback who is the International Missions director with CRC Churches. Jeremy and Sonya are passionate the Lord’s work in the nations. They have three children - James, Benjamin and Alyssa.

8 October  //  Guest ministry  //  Pastora Lorna Lumba (Philippines)

In 2016, a team went for a ministry trip to the Philippines to both Manila and Cebu areas.  Manila, the most densely populated city in the world!  Pastora Lorna pastor’s a Church in Taguig City.  Taguig City has over 800,000 residents.  They have an amazing story of God’s provision and ministry, especially amongst children, youth and young adults.Lorna is visiting Australia with her daughter Raine and while in Adelaide, they are staying with Ben & Bec.   And needless to say there will be a team reunion at some stage!

24-29 October  //  Guest ministry  //  Pastor Rob & Liz Bailey

Take a moment and reflect on the number of times someone has encouraged you.  We all need to be encouraged and it is up to us to accept it.  God clearly uses people to speak His purposes, to encourage us in our faith in Him, and to be open to new possibilities and directions in life.
Pastor Rob and Liz Bailey through their God given ministry gifts are a proven and experienced couple to facilitate a week of ministry with us.  We were blessed with the Bailey’s being with us in March 2016 and we look forward to this coming October.  The plan for the week is:

DATE    DESCRIPTION
24/10 Tue  //  9-11am    Extended prayer sharing some stories of prayer, and taking time to pray for and encourage us
24/10 Tue  //  7.30-9.00pm    Meeting and sharing with Young Adults
25/10 Wed  //  6.30-9.00pm    Shared Meal & Small Group Bible Study @ Alf & Ally’s
27/10 Fri  //  6.30-8.30pm    Encouraging the Next Generation to hear from God
28/10 Sat  //  7.00-8.30pm    Worship and prayer, praying for healing and words of encouragement
29/10 Sun  //  10am    Sunday Service

The Bailey’s are also available for individual pastoral sessions.  As experienced pastors, they offer encouragement and the wisdom of the Word that we need in the many situations across areas of relationships, life choices, family, children, worry and faith.  Please email the Church Office on info@burnsidefamilychurch.com to book a time.

In Genesis chapter 2, God declares it is not good for Adam (the first man) to live alone. All the animals are there, but none of them are a suitable partner for Adam. God, therefore, in a special act of creation, makes a woman. Just a few verses later, the woman is called “his wife” (Genesis 2:25). Eden was the scene of the first marriage, ordained by God Himself. The author of Genesis then records the standard by which all future marriages are defined: “A man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24).  Jesus’ words are clear where .He says in Matthew 19:4-6 (NIV), “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female’ (Jesus accepts the authority of the Genesis record), and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? (Jesus then adds to the Genesis statement reinforcing heterosexual marriage by saying) So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.”

Jesus’ positions can be difficult to understand, hard to follow, incredibly inconvenient and even unpopular. However, if we really believe that as God’s Son, He is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6), we must align ourselves to Him and His authoritative words in all matters that have to do with our beliefs and practices. This is the essence of Christian discipleship and we will never move from this.  As Christ followers, our conviction is that marriage is to be only between one man and one woman for life and in spite of its imperfections, heterosexual marriage is the healthiest place to raise children of the next generation.  We believe this without being unkind or in any way hateful towards people who have committed adultery, or are in defacto relationships, or engage in homosexual activity. They are all loved by God and Jesus died on the Cross to save them as well as ourselves. We must remember that we are all made in God’s image but we have also all fallen short of God’s ideal (Romans 3:23). The truth is, all of us are broken to some extent in the area of our sexuality, and for all of us, this is an area where we need to follow and trust Christ. We hold to the biblical teaching that God’s ideal is for sexual activity to be between a man and a woman in a lifelong committed married relationship. This has been the teaching of the Church since Jesus and the Apostles.  As complex and broken human beings, we all struggle with weaknesses and temptations. All people within churches and broader society who are attracted to people of the same-sex are no different. The call for all of us is to follow Christ in the midst of our struggles, and to pursue his radical call for our lives.

It is important to remember the need for compassion and love for our neighbours in this debate.  While we have strong biblical convictions, we must always respect the right of others to disagree with us and we need to model the radical kindness of Jesus to people we disagree with. This is the essence of civility.  Let’s remember this not just in our interpersonal relationships, but also from our social media platforms. We should be mindful there is a world watching the way we engage in these conversations and the Gospel of Jesus should always be central.

The below is a growing list of resources, creating a single place where you can read, watch, review and be supported in a biblical view of marriage.

Government Process on the postal vote - ABS Information

Stay up to date on what the church around Australia is saying - Eternity News Review

Burnside Family Church - Marriage Debate Booklet

Papers

Anglican  //  Comprehensive Christian View on Marriage Debate

Baptist  //  Pastoral Response

Barry Chant  //  Homosexual-Practice-in-the-light-of-the-Scriptures

Nashville Statement  //  Biblical Sexuality

CRC  //  Responses to Homosexuality

Websites & Blogs

Australian Marriage Forum

Marriage Alliance

Australian Christian Lobby

Australian Family Association

Blog - Conjugality

Blog - Ask the Bigot

Blog - Thembeforeus

Blog - Living Out

Focus on the Family - Jim Daly's Blog

Video Clips to help engage with others

Katy Faust on Same Sex Marriage, Her Story & Gender  - Youtube Clip #1 & Youtube Clip #2 & Youtube Clip #3

Ravi Zacharias on Christian View of Homosexuality - Youtube Clip #1 & Youtube #2

Gospel Coalition on Sexuality/Identity & LGBTI - Youtube #1 & Youtube #2

Ben Witherington on Homosexuality & Sexuality - Youtube #1

Tim Keller on Homosexuality - Youtube Clip #1 & Youtube #2

Rick Warren on what God says about Homosexuality - Youtube Clip #1

NT Wright on gay marriage & Homosexuality - Youtube Clip #1 & Youtube #2 & Youtube #3

Francis Chan on surrender/identity (Homosexuality) - Youtube Clip #1

The message of the gospel is intrinsically connected to the mandate to:

"make disciples of all nations"

as commanded by Christ.

( Matt 28:16-20 ; Mark 16:15-18 ; Luke 24:46-49 ; John 20:21-23 ; Acts 1:8 ).

Mark says it like this – to go into ‘all the world’ and preach the gospel to all creation. These words provide our series title – ‘all the world’.

The feet in the series promo picture on the front cover reflects the need for our proactive and meaningful response – to step out, to go, to take steps, to move, to get up, to look ahead, to play a part…

All the World series is about our mandate to take steps each day and each week in sharing the gospel to all creation - in all the world!

Without being proactive to the mandate, our Christian lives can become a bubble where we are captured by the needs of ourselves. But be encouraged in that as you ‘step out’, you share in the mission of Jesus, the great co-mission He has invited us into. And only in sharing in this mission does this life really make sense, have true purpose, and honour our Lord.

Series Breakdown

‘All the World’ comprises 6 messages exploring three core concepts:

• world missions (3) – our mandate to participate in global missions and make a difference in our world
• community connection (2) – our mandate to connect with our community in projects outside our church, and activities within our church, connecting with our local community
• neighbourly witnesses (1) – our mandate to be a witness of the life of Jesus and what He has done in our lives, and sharing this story and reality with our neighbours

Reading & Reflection

The Book of Acts records Christians who witnessed the life of Jesus, and the beginnings of the early Church, taking the mandate to share the good news of salvation, and live as Jesus commanded following Him in discipleship and going into All the World.

Our hope is that as a Church, we would all take time to read the Book of Acts and capture the heart of those who determined in their hearts to be witnesses of the gospels in every aspect of their lives.

Why not read a chapter of Acts and be inspired each day!

Download the Series Booklet Here

Resources for the Book of Acts

• Read online

Check out the website for some ideas on exploring what it means to be generous.....www.burnsidefamilychurch.com/generous

And check back here for resources and materials to further study the biblical mandate to live generously.

123 John is a three week series looking at the three letters written by John.  During this series, we hope to explore the sharing of joy.  We all have an understanding of joy but joy is designed to be shared.  The gospel message in us creates joy.  It is important to remember the gospel message and its saving power and experience joy again.  And this joy is what is to be shared.

So starting 11 June, each Sunday we will explore a letter of John.  Take time to read John and come with an expectant heart to hear from the Lord and be reminded of His joy, and our role in sharing joy!

Download the series booklet here.