A Short Break

Kirsten and I are off to Melbourne this Sunday evening. We are going over there for some Pastor's Meetings and a much needed break. Kirsten will be working pretty hard during the meeings (Tuesday to Thursday). She's part of a team of interpreters for the deaf and will be signing quite a lot during the week. After that we're staying in Melbourne for a few days.


Let me encourage you once more to plan on attending the "That I May Know Him" meetings. We will be! Here's the details:


Place: Willetton Bible Baptist Church
Dates: Tuesday Oct 9 - Thursday Oct 12
Address: cnr Vahland Ave & Kielman Rd Willetton
Time: Morning sessions start at 9:00 am
Evening session starts at 7:30 pm


I won't be posting next week while we are away but we'll get back into it next week.


Have a great week. I plan to!


Pastor Brian

That I May Know Him

I've been asked to speak at some meetings next month where a large part of the audience will be Pastors. That's always a daunting task. I remember one of the first times I "preached" was while my family and I were in the USA. I was about 19 at the time. We were attending the church my parents grew up in and I was asked to speak to one of the young adult classes which was scary enough but made even more scary by the fact that the Pastor's wife was one of the leaders of the class. I can't remember what I talked about and I doubt anyone that was there can either (and that's probably a good thing) but I do know I was seriously nervous.

Since then I've had a lot of opportunities to preach to pastors but it's still daunting to share the Word of God with men that spend their lives studying it. I'm less daunted this time though, partly because of experience but mostly I'm excited about the topic. The theme is "That I May Know Him" based on the verse from Philippians 3:10. We've all been asked not just to speak on the topic of knowing Jesus but preach Christ out of the Psalms. Awesome!

Let me give you some reasons why this is awesome. These are true not just for some meetings but also for your life.

1. Christ is EVERYTHING (Col.1:14-18)
2. Christ is in EVERY PART of Scripture (Jn. 5:39; Heb. 10:7)
3. Christ is REFRESHING (Jn. 4:13,14)

I'll be honest with you (not that I'm not normally honest with you!) but the last few months have been tough. Like everyone I've had a lot on my mind and all sorts of things going on in my life and the lives of those around me. Quite frankly, I'm getting tired and I'm looking forward to my holiday. In God's timely manner, though, He arranged for me to preach at these meetings. My preparation for my sermon has been to spend my devotional time in the Messianic Psalms. If you have never spent time in the Messianic Psalms I would encourage you to do so. As a result I'm still physically tired but my spirit is refreshed.

I know life is busy, crazy and tiring. I know everybody wants a piece of you and your time. I also know that time spent getting to know Jesus and contemplating His character and nature and learning what it means to be like Him is the most refreshing thing you will ever do. The "Living Water" is truly regenerating, refreshing and revitalising. He doesn't just give life but sustains it.

I'm looking forward to attending these meetings. I'm looking forward to attending them because other godly men can tell me more about Jesus.

I'm going to encourage you to go to these meetings because you can NEVER hear Christ preached too often. Pray with me that Christ will be exalted over all else not just in those meetings for that one week but in our church every week.

Pastor Brian

I Can Eat It All by Mark Lowry

It has been a busy couple of weeks lately so I haven't been able to post much. There is useful things coming believe me. For now, I couldn't help but post this. It makes me laugh every time. Even if you're not familiar with the original song that's being parodied I think you'll get a giggle out of it.

Pastor Brian

Monday Morning A-Musement

Last week was a busy and unusual week for us and as a result I didn't post much at all. We do thank you for you prayers and support, the funeral service for Kirsten's grandma was very good and the Gospel got prominence of place.


So back to our usual programming. Calvin and Hobbes has got to be my favourite comic of all time. They are very funny and often quite thought provoking. So here's one for you today.


Pastor Brian

Funeral Tomorrow

Thank you all for your prayers, support, cards and gifts over the past few days. We have been greatly blessed and encouraged as a result.

Amy's (Kirsten's grandma) funeral is tomorrow (Tuesday) at 10:00 am. Could you please continue to keep Kirsten and her family in prayer during tomorrow. Kirsten will be sharing the Gospel as part of her memories of her grandmother and Pastor Larry Nelson will also be sharing the Gospel. Please pray that as a result of this service God will bring healing to broken hearts and spiritual healing to those separated from God by sin.

Once again, thank you and God bless you.

Pastor Brian

Inspire part 6 - Tackle Your Character

See previous posts - Previous instalments of Inspire- part 1; part 2; part 3; part 4; part 5

This series of thoughts has taken me longer than I'd planned but here we are at the last one (probably). Here's what we've pondered so far. To be an inspiring person I need to:

Learn from God

Infectious Attitude

Focus on the Basics

Tackle your Character

In part 2 we took some thoughts from the first part of 1 Corinthians 11:1 (Be ye followers of me). We really need to complete that verse. The whole verse says, Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. We've been talking about inspiring others for God but to inspire others we must be following the right leader.

Prepared to Enlarge

Just because you want to inspire doesn't mean you're ready for it. Remember our first thought was Learn from God. There's always work in my own life that needs to be addressed. I need to be inspired to be inspiring and the greatest, deepest source of inspiration is God, Himself. Having a desire to enlarge others is great but not much good unless I'm being enlarged myself. I say all of this from experience. I spend a lot of time each day and week reading and studying the Bible for my personal growth. Most weeks I'll listen to 3-5 sermons so others can teach me the Word of God. When I'm doing this I find my sermons and devotions are easier to prepare. I also find spiritual conversation easier. There are times when I am, let's say, less than diligent in my devotions and it's then I find I have less useful stuff to say.

The great secret of success is to go through life as a man who never gets used up - Albert Schweitzer

You can teach what you know, you can reproduce only what you are.

Some men have thousands of reasons why they cannot do what they want to, when all they need is one reason why they can. - Willis R. Whitney

We need to pursue hard after Christ, be His disciples. Let's learn to LIFT people up.

Be inspired then inspire!

Pastor Brian

A Prayer Request

I just received a call from Kirsten to tell me that her Grandma Amy has passed away. We knew it wouldn't be long but it hurts even when you're expecting it.

Kirsten and her grandma had become very close, especially over the last 5 - 6 years when Amy started coming to church with us. We praise God for those special and precious moments and glorify God for His mercy and grace which paved the way for her to be in heaven as I write this.

So that we can be with the family I am cancelling our Bible Study this evening (October 5th) but I look forward to worshipping the Almighty with you on Sunday. As His providence would have it our topic for this Sunday's sermon is "Why do bad things happen? Where is God when it hurts?".

Please keep Kirsten in prayer as well as her parents, Peter and Judy, and her two younger brothers, Paul and Luke. We thank you for your support and prayers.

Pastor Brian

Danny Boy

I know I've posted the Muppets before but its Monday morning so its ok. Just beware you may need a box of tissues with you for this one. It's very touching.

Pastor Brian