01/06/2026
Here is a bit I wrote for another page - thought I'd share it - apologies - I haven't posted here for a while .... forgive me -
BTW - next Sunday 7th June - we have a special Missionary visit - Join us - be good YES !
here is the other blurb ... it's longish ....
........ I've been in formal ministry for quite a number of years, Before, accepting the role here as a Pastor at Heathcote Engadine Baptist Church I was in a rural Baptist church for 27 yrs. I am quite amazed that I have survived as well as I have. God is good, faithful and merciful.
What I am keen to champion is the importance and relevance of "revitalising" existing churches. Churches that may be struggling and in decline. I loved my time in the rural context and there was a uniqueness about that & in my time it seemed to go OK and function well and fairly healthy (I think). Now I'm at HEBC and it too is quite good. It was a BIG church way back, but for a number of reasons it is not as "big" or as "strong" as it once was. That is not to say we are dead in the water as it were, not at all. Indeed, to liken the church to a body does seem appropriate in so many ways (it's biblical); & some of us as we get older are not able to do exactly the same things we used to do; we are slower, we are restricted by our capacity and sometimes help is needed. So it is in many church bodies. They maybe smaller "less attr-active". Yet the desire remains, the Kingdom heart still beats.
Here is the thing, I don't want to be the guy that poo poos church planting altogether; I think it is a great thing to advance the Kingdom, the Apostle Paul was pretty big on it; & it does seem to be the flavour of our time now. Plant! Be a church planter, they are the ones that are growing making an impact and that's where the action is! & Yes, by all means - may God bless & build those who under Christ go & build new healthy churches.
But I've been working thru 1 Corinthians (again) - such a good & challenging book. I've called the series, Messages of hope to help a messed up church ...& people. BUT what I am so amazed about is that the same church planting Apostle was also so invested in writing, serving, loving, building and helping the Church at Corinth. If you didn't realise it; it was a church that had "issues"! Division, dysfunction, prideful boasting, immorality, lovelessness, and so on. Yet Paul & the Lord - speaks into this space, He is convinced that the Gospel is good and it works.. and so He pours His heart and his mind and writes ... and he sends Timothy along to help as well. (If you are Timothy, would you not consider this a hospital pass?) Would you/we/I ever feel called to such a church as this? So often I here of people asking for recommendations of good church to send a Christian friend to; & certainly, I think there is wisdom in thinking about appropriate matches with maturity & grace. Yet, we as Christians often have the best people in the most blessed places. I recall a wise man (Alan Catchpoole) saying; "we ought to send the best people to the worst (Hardest) place". It appears to me that the hard place and struggling churches are like "the Battlers", often over looked and forgotten.
The truth is, not all the smaller overlooked churches are "unhealthy" (some are, But even Corinth got letters and Timothy ), These churches may not "offer" all that we would desire. There is a subtle consumerism in the context of Church life, in both the pews & the pulpits.
It's my prayer that the smaller churches will be healthy and strong and grow to their potential under Christ. To become all that He has promised & called them to be. Please be prayerful for such as these. The noise of church plants, increase in baptisms (with numbers attached) of bigger "stronger" churches with stories of great growth & "success" can in fact be a "discouragement" to those that are not in that space; for whatever reason. I realise that it is very true that there is some ecclesiastical jealousy in me & I confess it now. Yet, I also believe that there are issues for us all to face: pride, ecclesiastical consumerism, idolatry and selfish ambition. 1 Corinthians still preaches; God be merciful to us all.
& by the way - if you are interested in connecting to a smallish church - (average 70-75 each week) with good people - OK bible teaching and probably a few opportunities to grow & serve - we / I would love to hear from you.
Blessings - Fix yours eye on Him - don't loose heart ... preach it!
ag
