MetroWest Community Church, Brisbane

Moogerah Passion Play

admin — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 09:50:39 +0000

Come and join us on the backs of Lake Moogerah while we watch the Moogerah Passion Play. The Moogerah Passion Play is a dramatic account of the Passion of Christ (His life, death and resurrection).

We will be going to the Saturday 31 March performance at 5pm.

More details: http://www.moogerahpassionplay.org.au/

Sermon – 1st January 2012

Brendon — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 10:36:54 +0000

New Opportunities: Repenting of Past Failures; Deciding to Grow

Sermon from Luke 13:1-17

Preacher: Ian Spence

Service: 01 January, 2012

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Hopes and Dreams

Ian Spence — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 05:22:47 +0000

What would you like to see happen in 2012? “We just pray for the safe arrival of our baby.” I would like to do well at school… pass my exams… meet a nice guy.” These will be just some of our hopes and expectations for the coming year. But what about the church… what are your hopes for MetroWest? Let me share with you some of my dreams in this regard, in no particular order.

First of all, I would like to see us developing further that sense of us as family… brothers and sisters in Christ. There is something really powerful in a community of believers learning to really love one another. That’s not to say that the love is not already there… it is. But we have so much more to experience in this regard. So, a church where love grows.

Then secondly, it would be so lovely to have some new people join us… people who will inspire us, revitalize us, breathe fresh life into our fellowship. We have seen what a great catalyst for change new people are and how they bring a new dynamic into play and as a result we are all the better for it. Well I personally would like to see much more of that.

And then thirdly, I would love for us to be a church where people find Christ. How thrilling that would be! Not that people have not come to faith at MetroWest… but it would be good to see much more of that… people transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of Jesus in increasing numbers. Nothing glorifies God more than the reconciling of his enemies through his Son.

Then fourthly, I would like to see us engaging more meaningfully with God in prayer, praise and worship. It is so easy for people who have been Christians for a while to grow stale, to let those times of intimacy with God slide, to become connoisseurs of good theology but neglect personal engagement with the God that they study. How many of us pray regularly, read God’s Word daily, are expecting God to hear from God? Too few of us I fear. So a church with a personal, engaging faith….

And then lastly, I would like to see us excited by what God is doing amongst us so that we can’t stop talking about it… a faith that is infectious… a joy that is overflowing… so that we are always looking for opportunities to share it with others. So a faith filled Church, where people are confident that God is more than able to do more than we can even imagine.

These are just some of the dreams that I have for our church.

Christmas Pageant

John Hamilton — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 12:17:49 +0000

We will be having a Christmas pageant at 5.00 pm on Sun 18 Dec – this will be a fun, family time reflecting on the Nativity story – please be creative and come dressed (grown-ups and children!) as shepherds, wise-men, sheep, animals, angels and stars. Also, please bring a plate of Christmas food to share for supper.

Sermon – 10th December 2011

Brendon — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 10:32:41 +0000

An Invitation You Cannot Refuse

Sermon from Luke 14:15-24

Preacher: Ian Spence

Service: 10 December, 2011

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Confident in Christ

Ian Spence — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 21:16:48 +0000

The Church which is addressed in Hebrews finds itself in a crisis of confidence and faith. Its members are in danger of backsliding and falling away. In similar situations, some church leaders seek to encourage commitment… we have all heard of congregations being encouraged to sign up to some “covenantal” agreement, agreeing to fulfil certain responsibilities. For others it’s a case of tweeking one’s theology, of restating certain doctrines. The writer of Hebrews has a much bolder approach… he calls on his readers to believe the message that they received at the beginning and to be, unhesitatingly, what they were called to be.

From the outset he seeks to place the church’s faith on the firm foundation which is God’s decisive and surpassing Word in Jesus Christ. Bockmuehl, in “A Vision for the Church”, expresses it this way:

Their calling is to be the people of God, the inheritors through Christ of the `better hope’ (Heb 7:19) and the `better country’ (Heb 11:16; 12:18-24) that was promised to believers of old. On the one hand they are to see themselves on a journey to that better country, but at the same time to understand themselves as already citizens of it.

To be resolutely Christian, however, the Church must at the same time also follow Jesus in leaving behind other loyalties and to join him who was put to death outside the gate of Jerusalem. This is part of what it means to belong to the `city to come’ (Heb 13:11-14).

The challenge for us then from Hebrews is to be utterly confident in Christ, and to heed his call to be the people of God…wherever this might take us….

Where do you find warmth?

Ian Spence — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 09:58:54 +0000

Paul asserts in his letter to the Colossians that, as Christians, our lives are hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3). One of the reasons why we are so easily offended and knocked down by criticism and disappointment is because we haven’t really integrated this great truth into our thinking. Tim Keller makes the point that our identity, our feeling of self worth, is tied up with a hierarchy of layers, some, at the top, less important, others, lower down, more important. You are a husband, a father, a Red’s supporter, a Christian, a connoisseur of good wine, a computer wiz. If being a Red’s supporter is really important to you, you will be feeling really good about yourself at this time. If your appreciation of good wines is not that important to you, you won’t be fazed by someone critiquing your favourite wine. If your technological know how is fundamental to your sense of self worth, being made redundant will be devastating for you. And Paul’s point is that each one of us needs to come to the place where the base layer to our identity is that our lives are hidden with Christ in God. When that happens, the Red’s can lose, my favourite vintage can run out, someone can make a careless comment, I can fail to achieve some target I have set for myself, and none of these things will significantly affect my equilibrium… because my life is hidden with Christ! My security, my sense of self worth, my value as a human being, is tied up with the fact that I am forgiven, loved and valued in Christ.

So think about it for a moment…. Where does your sense of worth come from? Which fire do you warm yourself by? Is it your good looks, your kid’s achievements, your ability to excel at work, the appreciation of others…? Not that there is anything wrong with these things in themselves. But when anyone of them becomes the base layer to your identity, it will inevitably fail you. Only Jesus can give us that constant warmth that we all crave.

Looking for a church?

Ian Spence — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 05:25:47 +0000

Around this time of the year, for various reasons, people are looking for a church to join. If you fit into that category and you are wanting to “check us out”, please know that you are welcome and we trust that the Lord will guide you in your search. It is such an important decision….

One of the questions uppermost in people’s minds as they search for that ideal spiritual home is, “Will this church meet my needs?” If you have children, you will want to know about the Kids’ Church and Youth Group; if you are a young mum, you will want to know what’s on offer for preschoolers. Whilst concerns such as these are understandable, can I humbly suggest that a different question might be more appropriate… not, “How can this church meet my needs?” but “How can I meet this church’s needs?” If you, and others like you, would begin with this premise how different things would be. Upon identifying a hole you would seek to fill it…: “They need someone to help with the Youth Group… I can do that… it would be nice to have a life group in our area… let’s have one in our home.” It would only need a few like-minded families and a great church would be in the making.

But can MetroWest provide the context in which such things could happen, where authentic community could grow? I believe the answer is, “Yes”. We have many of the right fundamentals in place: a thoroughly biblical foundation, a spiritually minded eldership, amazingly talented musicians, a young congregation, and lots of freedom to be creative. But we could really do with your involvement, with the wealth of experience and enthusiasm and energy that you as a newcomer would bring… that cross pollination from which we all will benefit.

So I do hope that you will find a church where your gifts and abilities will be utilized, and where you will be valued for the contribution that you can make. If you would like to chat more, I would love to hear from you.

Blessings

Ian

The Marriage Course 2012

admin — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 15:02:24 +0000

The Marriage Course:
How to build healthy marriages that last a lifetime.

The Marriage Course is held over eight evenings and offers any married couple the tools to build a strong and healthy marriage that lasts a lifetime. During each evening couples talk about important issues that can get swept under the carpet in the rush of daily life. While the course is based on Christian principles, it is designed for couples with or without a church background.

When: we run courses at various times through the year; email us if you are interested in attending.

Sermon – 4th December 2011

Brendon — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 10:07:52 +0000

Bright and Tasty

Sermon from Mathew 5:13-16

Preacher: Ian Spence

Service: 04 December, 2011

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What do you need to grow?

Ian Spence — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 23:50:15 +0000

What do you need to grow? One of the questions that we need to be thinking about is. “What is our core business at MetroWest?” It’s an important question, because if we are not careful we will find ourselves being pulled in a hundred and one different directions at the same time. So allow me an opportunity to suggest the way that I see things. It goes without saying that our ultimate objective must be God’s glory… this is what we are about as followers of Jesus: to act and plan and behave in such a way that we bring him glory. How does Paul express it: “Whether you eat or drink, whatever you do, do it all for God’s glory.” And that thought must always be at the forefront of our minds.

But beneath that, and yet serving that same purpose, our objective must be to grow God’s Kingdom. Let me explain: Jesus is the king, and his kingdom exists wherever he has subjects who are living under his rule. So, when thinking of God’s kingdom, don’t think in terms of earthly kingdoms with titular heads and physical boarders. Instead think of Jesus as the king, the King above all other kings, who is ruling over his kingdom, which grows and extends as more and more people accept Jesus as their king and submit to his rule.

So, if we are to be faithful in extending God’s kingdom, two things must happen: first of all, we must be introducing people to the king, in the hope that they will come to believe in his work on the cross and submit to his rule.

But we must not stop there. The second and equally important objective is to teach, train and disciple people to live as active citizens of God’s kingdom. This is about much more than merely possessing a membership card. It’s about learning to live out the values of the kingdom…, to be growing in our awareness of the greatness and goodness of God, to be learning to live with less and to be generous with more, to be implementing what we have learned and to love as we are loved.

So, from a leadership point of view, our core business must be to train the trainers, to equip the evangelists, to resource our members, so that everyone is adequately equipped and involved in growing the kingdom and promoting the gospel.

This raises two questions, which you may need to reflect on: “How can we help you to grow?” And, “What are you doing to grow God’s kingdom?”

What’s your beef with church?

Garth Niethe — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 13:17:27 +0000

“What’s your beef with church?” - It’s a question I’ve found myself asking a number of people lately, although perhaps not quite in those terms. But it really intrigues me why many people who believe in Jesus and take the teachings of the Bible seriously aren’t regularly participating in a local church. There are obviously numerous reasons why people aren’t committing themselves to churches anymore. For many of the people I’ve interacted with it generally starts with a bad experience. This may be due to conflict within the church. Perhaps they’ve been through a difficult period and their church has been insensitive to them. They may have had questions that the church has been unable to answer. Or they feel that church members have judged them and been hypocritical. Perhaps the problem is not with the church, as such, but they feel like spiritual failures and that they are putting on a façade when interacting with other members. Whatever the issue is, many people leave churches feeling bitter or disillusioned.

Yet for many who leave the church, they still see their faith as important and consider that what is most important is their own private relationship with God. Some people manage to foster their faith through books and recorded sermons, while others increasingly fill their lives with other activities such that they no longer have time for church. They still consider themselves Christians, but church is to them either irrelevant or unimportant.

If this is you, then you may like to consider the following.

Firstly, you were made to be part of God’s chosen people. From the very first pages of the Bible, we see God creating both man and woman to live in perfect harmony both with Himself and with the world. God commanded the man and woman to be fruitful and multiply, to fill the earth and subdue it. God’s plan was not simply to create one person to live in right relation with Him, but to make a people who would know Him and love Him. From beginning to end, the Bible tells about how God is drawing a people to Himself from among all the peoples of the earth. As Peter says, “you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9, NIV).

Secondly, you may not feel it, but the church actually needs you. In 1 Corinthians 12, the apostle Paul speaks about the church being the body of Christ. The body is made up of many members and each part has a role to play in the body. God has given you special gifts and talents he wants you to use in the building up of others within the church. At times that may seem difficult, especially if you’ve been marginalised or made to feel inferior or unimportant. However, your contribution to the body, no matter how insignificant in your eyes, matters to God.

Thirdly, not only is your contribution necessary for the building up of those already in the church, it also forms a vital witness to those who don’t yet know Christ. On the night he was betrayed, our Lord prayed that His people might be united in love so that the world would believe in Him (John 17:20-24). There is no greater witness than when Christians truly love and care for one another. We can display the love of Christ by showing our love to unbelievers, however a lonely voice crying in the wind is often ineffective compared to a choir of voices singing in joyful harmony.

Furthermore, although people in the church may sometimes cause you pain, the church actually exists to help you grow and mature in your faith. The New Testament is full of exhortations to nurture, encourage and challenge one another in the faith. Therefore a healthy church is one where members regularly keep one another accountable in the faith, encouraging one another but also rebuking and disciplining each other if it is required.

When thinking about church we must remember that church is not for the perfect but for the broken. God is in the process of transforming us, but that means there is also going to be pain and frustration along the way. Although we are saints in God’s eyes, in reality we are also still sinners. If church was only for the perfect, there would be no one in it.

If you’re at the point of giving up on church, then for the above reasons I’d encourage you to stick with it. Sometimes it is best to persevere with the local church you are already familiar with. However at other times this may simply not be practical or beneficial.

So what should you look for in a church? Some people say that you need to go to a church where there is great teaching. Some recommend churches with vibrant worship. Others suggest that you just need to go to a church that accepts you for who you are. Yet if we look at what church was given for – the building of the body and all its members – then it becomes pretty obvious that you need to be part of a church where you’ll be built up in your faith and where you can use your gifts to build up others.

Whatever your beef is with church, I implore you to give it another chance. After all, Christ Himself thought it was worth dying for.

Sermon – Sunday 27th November 2011

Brendon — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 10:18:59 +0000

Sermon from Revelation 8

Preacher: Ian Spence

Service: 27 November, 2011

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Gospel Coalition

John Hamilton — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 06:08:55 +0000

Looking for some great sermons, messages, resources and online books to enhance and deepen your Christian life. Then you might want to consider the gospel coalition website. There are resouces there from some of the great modern day thinkers and leaders including D.A. Carson, Mark Driscoll, Chuck Colson, John MacArthur, C.J. Mahaney, Mark Dever, D Martyn Lloyd Jones, J.I. Packer, R.C. Sproul, C.H. Spurgeon & John Piper to name a few!

Hours (Months? Years?) of resources … Highly recommended.

Sermon – Sunday 20th November 2011

Brendon — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 10:23:12 +0000

A Great Multitude

Sermon from Revelation 7

Preacher: Ian Spence

Service: 20 November, 2011

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Sermon – Sunday 13th November 2011

Brendon — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 10:26:16 +0000

Spiritual Leadership

Sermon from 1 Timothy 3:1-7

Preacher: Ian Spence

Service: 13 November, 2011

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Sermon – 6th November 2011

Brendon — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 11:18:13 +0000

Contributing to the Team

Sermon from 3 John

Preacher: Ian Spence

Service: 6 Novmber, 2011

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Sermon – 30th October 2011

Brendon — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 11:13:23 +0000

The Seven Scrolls

Sermon from Revelation 6

Preacher: Craig Johnson

Service: 30 October, 2011

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Sermon – 23rd October 2011

Brendon — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 11:09:26 +0000

The Scroll and the Lamb

Sermon from Revelation 5

Preacher: Ian Spence

Service: 23 October, 2011

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Sermon – 16th October 2011

Brendon — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 10:26:51 +0000

The Throne in Heaven

Sermon from Revelation 4

Preacher: Ian Spence

Service: 16 October, 2011

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Evening Sermon – 2nd October 2011

Brendon — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 10:13:41 +0000

Sermon from Mathew 21:33-46

Preacher: Blake

Service: 02 October, 2011

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Morning Sermon – 2nd October 2011

Brendon — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 10:03:42 +0000

Love for the Unlovely

Sermon from 1 John 4:7-21

Preacher: Garth Niethe

Service: 02 October, 2011

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Sermon – 25th September 2011

Brendon — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 10:03:47 +0000

Messianic

Sermon from Psalm 110

Preacher: Ian Spence

Service: 25 September, 2011

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Sermon – 18th September 2011

Brendon — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 09:58:43 +0000

Give Thanks

Sermon from Psalm 100

Preacher: Ian Spence

Service: 18 September, 2011

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Sermon – 11th September 2011

Brendon — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 10:04:12 +0000

City of Our God

Sermon from Psalm 48

Preacher: Ian Spence

Service: 11 September, 2011

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Sermon – 4th September 2011

Brendon — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 09:58:01 +0000

Abide in Me

Sermon from John 15:1-11

Preacher: Ian Spence

Service: 04 September, 2011

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Sermon – 28th August 2011

Brendon — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 09:51:05 +0000

My Deliverer

Sermon from Psalm 40

Preacher: Ian Spence

Service: 28 August, 2011

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Sermon – 21 August 2011

Brendon — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 09:26:14 +0000

Who gets the Gospel?

Sermon from Luke 7:36-50

Preacher: Jayesh Naran

Service: 21 August, 2011

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Sermon – 14th August 2011

Brendon — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 10:01:58 +0000

Sermon from Psalm 95

Preacher: Ian Spence

Service: 14 August, 2011

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Sermon – 7th August 2011

Brendon — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 09:31:23 +0000

The Victorious King

Sermon from Psalm 2

Preacher: Ian Spence

Service: 07 August, 2011

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BBQ:Sunday (7 August)

Ian Spence — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 07:27:14 +0000

NOTE: No evening service this week.

MetroWest will be hosting some US navy and marine personnel at our Service of worship this Sunday, 7 August. Their ship will be in port until Monday. It will be a great opportunity to welcome them and to hear their stories. With this in mind we are putting on a BBQ after the service at which people will be able to personally engage with the servicemen.

We would like to take this opportunity to welcome you and your family to join us for the morning. The service is from 9.30 am and the BBQ will be at 11.30 am.

Sermon – 31st July 2011

Brendon — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 09:24:34 +0000

Sermon from Colossians 3:18-19

Preacher: Ian Spence

Service: 31 July, 2011

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Sermon – 24th July 2011

Brendon — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 10:06:03 +0000

Sermon from Colossians 3:1-17

Preacher: Ian Spence

Service: 24 July, 2011

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John Piper at QTC

admin — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 10:40:00 +0000

Special Event: time is running out to take advantage of the early-bird registration for this event. There are two sessions, morning and evening. The evening session which is for the general public is $30 (early-bird).

Leading Bible Teacher John Piper is coming to Brisbane as part of QTC’s Centenarian Celebrations. With one daytime session and one huge night-time event, Piper will challenge you like never before to live a Christ-centred life!

Morning Session – Proclaiming Christ
A seminar that’s open to everyone, but ideal for pastors, church leaders and theological students. No matter who you are or where you preach, make sure you’re proclaiming Christ! Book now, just $30.

Evening Session – Don’t Waste Your Life
We’re planning to fill the huge Convention Centre with thousands of Queenslanders – and friends from northern NSW – to hear John Piper stir us with his famous catch-cry, “Don’t Waste Your Life!” Seats are $35, with early bird and group bookings at $30.

You can visit the site at http://www.bcec.com.au/whats-on/event-details.aspx?id=683

Centenary Rocks! Festival

admin — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 10:18:03 +0000

Church on Sunday 24 July will be at 9am to 9:55am at the Rocks Riverside Park at the main stage.
Entrance off Counihan Road, 17 Mile Rocks (turn off from 17 Mile Rocks Road)

MetroWest Community Church has a 3mx3m stall…please come down & show your support for our church. The festival is an awesome way to let people know who we are as a church & where we meet etc. As much as is achievable in the given space, we want to make this a bit of a chill zone. We will have a bookstall. But also a small kids play space & a couple of beanbags/carpet. Scheduled throughout the weekend will be “mini-events” such as puppetry shows, free face-painting on Sunday, free henna application on Saturday, free balloons…And of course, MetroWest DL flyers to give out. There are also some yet-to-be-confirmed surprises like possible charactertures on blackboard by Kathleen, learn how to juggle by Bo, “race the tri-champ” bike pedalling competitions with Matt (bicycle wind trainers), maybe some jam sessions on stage 2 with our music team (with audience participation). And I am still open for ideas before I finalise the full program 100%. Please see Angela.

Festival Details:
12:30pm to 6:30pm Saturday
10am to 4pm Sunday

http://www.centenaryrocks.com/

Aside from these, “special events” we are still in need of people to sign up for manning the stall throughout the day. These stall manners will play a VITAL role simply chatting to people who come up to the stall, or encouraging people to come over & look at our stall e.g. “free face painting right this way” etc, handing out flyers, selling books, setting up, packing up. It is these people who will engage the community members and be the ones who leave the best impression of our church which encourages the people to take the step of walking in our church doors. Please see Angela if you can assist in this way. And not forgetting there is PRAYER – PLEASE PRAY FOR THE WEEKEND! I am certain there is no need for me to stress how important this is…not in our strength but that of the Lord.

More information about the festival: http://www.centenaryrocks.com/index.html

Sermon – 17th July 2011

Brendon — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 08:48:54 +0000

Holiness, What’s That?

Sermon from Colossians 3:1-17 Part 2

Preacher: Ian Spence

Service: 17 July, 2011

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Sermon – 10th July 2011

Brendon — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 09:48:55 +0000

True Faith

Sermon from Mathew 21:28-32

Preacher: Jayesh Naran

Service: 10 July, 2011

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Sermon – 3rd July 2011

Brendon — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 10:07:13 +0000

Holiness – What’s That?

Sermon from Colossians 3:1-17 Part 1

Preacher: Ian Spence

Service: 03 July, 2011

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Sermon – 26th June 2011

Brendon — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 10:58:24 +0000

Closing the Back Door to Legalism

Sermon from Colossians 2:5-15

Preacher: Ian Spence

Service: 26 June, 2011

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Brisbane Flood Response

John Hamilton — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 07:35:42 +0000

...as the Brisbane River receded the massive cleanup began. In some of these houses, the people had to throw the entire contents of their home out onto the street. The amount of mud, silt and filth that inundated their homes meant that nothing was salvageable. Thousands of Brisbane residents who were unaffected by the flood descended en masse to these streets with shovels, mops, buckets and a genuine desire to offer help and assistance. The two young men on the left were lending a helping hand to whoever needed it and there were many, many such volunteers. As we scooped and shoveled mud it was uplifting to see how such a tragedy was bringing out the best in some people.

The 13^th of January 2011 saw the biggest floods in Brisbane since 1974. Approximately 33,000 properties were fully or partially flooded. MetroWest meets in the Centenary suburbs of Brisbane which is one of the main areas that was badly damaged by flooding (suburbs such as Jindalee, Mt Ommaney, Westlake, Riverhills, Jamboree Heights, etc). A couple of families in our congregation lost their homes (one with water right through the house, and the other with water up to the second storey window), but graciously the majority of our congregation were spared. A number in the congregation were without power for several days.

The church meets at Mt Ommaney Special School and while the road entrance was flooded for a period, the water subsided sufficiently for us to access the venue and to hold regular Sunday services there and to start our flood assistance for the community.

Our flood assistance in the area underwent a number of different phases. Initially the congregation assisted directly helping the clean up (assisting members of the congregation, neighbours, and workplaces). We joined the Brisbane ‘mud army’ as thousands of Brisbane residents assisted in the massive cleanup effort.

We have a lot of young families in our congregation who couldn’t directly clean (mud and flood water are not a good place for young children), so we began organising BBQ lunches for the local residents and volunteers. This continued right through the week after the floods. We met lots of people on the streets and went door to door. As time progressed, we interacted with different types of people. Initially, lots of volunteers then the next few days lots of council workers (many from neighbouring shires) and then more and more residents. As well as the food, people just wanted to tell their stories.

After the BBQ phase we made lots of contacts in the area and became aware of many needs in the community. We have also assisted flooded families that have remained in their homes with beds, dishwashers, microwaves, washing machines and other practical assistance. Here are just a couple of the stories:

Helping out with clean-up work at the house of one the local residents. He has no insurance or job since his tools for his business were all lost in the flood.
Providing a washing machine to a family with two young children, the mother was thrilled to bits with the Church’s love and generosity, she wrote up a thank you card with a gift to the church which we shared on Sunday.
One family, has a seriously ill mother and the flood has severely damaged their home. They have two daughters. We have assisted with two queen ensemble beds and a queen mattress.

At MetroWest we have been very thankful for the generous gifts that have been passed on to us from churches around Australia to distribute. It has been great to be able to partner with others providing gospel ministry with practical assistance. The signs around the area, the thank-you letters and the heartfelt thanks that we have received from those in the area demonstrate that they too are extremely thankful for the support and assistance that they have received.

Please continue to pray for us and those in our local community because while the flooding is over, the rebuilding of the community is going to take many months and probably years before it is fully restored. Pray also that the Lord would bring good out of the suffering by turning people’s hearts to Him.

Photo Stories:

…evacuate!!

The whole street was evacuating and people from higher ground were coming around offering a hand…

(This is the house of one of the young couples in our church. The photo was taken the day before the flood. The next day flood waters were up to the windows on the top level)

A road much less travelled…

Pastor Ian Spence in the middle of the Centenary Highway. The school where the church meets is directly left of where the photo is taken (behind the sound barricades). The school buildings were unaffected with only the front driveway of the school being inundated.

Click the rotate button on the images below to view the story:

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Sermon – 19th June 2011

Brendon — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 10:03:03 +0000

The Pain of Pastoring Others

Sermon from Colossians 1:24-2:5

Preacher: Ian Spence

Service: 19 June, 2011

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Sermon – 12th June 2011

Brendon — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 11:33:11 +0000

Hold on to Christ

Sermon from Colossians 1:15-23

Preacher: Ian Spence

Service: 12 June, 2011

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Are we all sinners?

Garth Niethe — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 20:39:53 +0000

In Romans 5:8-9 the apostle Paul describes people (all of humanity) as being sinners. In the surrounding context he equates that with being ungodly (v 6) or even as being God’s enemies (v 10). Yet what does this mean or what does this imply about us? Does it mean we are inherently evil? Does it imply that we are incapable of doing any good at all? Is that what Paul is suggesting in Rom 8:8 when he says, “Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God”? What about all the good things that people do such as building orphanages, giving money to charities or risking their lives to save others?

Some psychologists are now saying that people’s dispensation to do evil is more situational than it is personal. That is, it is not only psychopaths that commit unbelievable atrocities but given the right external pressures “good” people will also commit heinous crimes. Like many areas of human interaction there is debate over whether our condition is the result of nature or nurture. The Bible seems to affirm both. We are all born with a propensity to do evil (Ps 51:5) and that propensity is nurtured by our fallen society.

Yet the Scriptures also bear witness to another sense in which we are sinners. According to Romans 5:12-21, we are all sinners on account of our common forefather Adam. As our representative head he broke God’s commandment and as a result God accounts all of us as guilty. At first this seems unjust, especially to Westerners, yet we must bear the following in mind. Firstly, at one stage in life our parents act as our legal guardians and make decisions that we have to bear the consequences of. Secondly, if we reject the headship of Adam and his intercessory role then it is inconsistent to accept Christ and his intercessory death on the cross. You can’t have your cake and eat it too.

So we are all sinners: by nature, by nurture and by association. To this we may ask the question “what is sin anyway”? Some say that sin is breaking God’s Law or standard. Yet how can we be guilty of breaking the Law if we don’t know what the Law is? It’s interesting that while Paul holds the Jews accountable to the Law he describes the sin of non-Jews in a different way. They are guilty of both forsaking the truth of God revealed throughout creation (Rom 1:18-32) and also breaking their conscience (Rom 2:14-15; Cf. Rom 14:23). We are sinners not just when we murder or lie or steal, we are sinners because we don’t worship, serve and give thanks to our Creator.

These are just some of the issues we will be thinking about this week as we launch into a new series of discussion groups on Thursday night. Leave your comments here, or if you can make it join us at 6pm on Thursday night at the school for a meal and further discussion.

Sermon – 5th June 2011

Brendon — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 11:30:54 +0000

Normal Christian Living

Sermon from Colossians 1:1-14

Preacher: Ian Spence

Service: 5 June, 2011

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Sermon – 29th May 2011

Brendon — Sun, 29 May 2011 11:28:37 +0000

All for Others

Sermon from 2 Corinthians 12:11-13:10

Preacher: Ian Spence

Service: 29 May, 2011

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Sermon – 22nd May 2011

Brendon — Mon, 23 May 2011 11:24:12 +0000

Strength Flows Out of Weakness

Sermon from 2 Corinthians 12:1-10

Preacher: Ian Spence

Service: 22 May, 2011

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Sermon – Sunday 15th May 2011

Brendon — Sun, 15 May 2011 09:54:51 +0000

Jealous of God’s People

Sermon from 2 Corinthians 11:1-6

Preacher: Ian Spence

Service: 15 May, 2011

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Sermon – Sunday Evening 8th May 2011

Brendon — Sun, 08 May 2011 09:49:04 +0000

Let God Arise and His Enemies Be Scattered!

Sermon from Psalm 68

Preacher: John Coulson

Service: 08 May, 2011

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Sermon – Sunday Morning 8th May 2011

Brendon — Sun, 08 May 2011 09:40:39 +0000

Our Weapons Not of This World

Sermon from 2 Corinthians 10:1-6

Preacher: Michael Bennet

Service: 08 May, 2011

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Children

admin — Thu, 05 May 2011 06:40:55 +0000

The children in our congregation are valued members of our community. We love the energy that children bring to our services and consider it important that they are taught about Jesus. For this reason our Kid’s Church (Sunday School) is specially designed to ensure that our children enjoy coming to church while ensuring that they develop their own spirituality by learning about Jesus and what he has done. A special children’s talk is incorporated into our services for the children before they go out to their own time while the adults message is being delivered.