Engage Care | Karen Garage Sale 2010

Yearly there has been a "Giant Garage Sale" in Brisbane to raise money for the work on the Thai-Burma border. It is happening again this year on Saturday 2nd October, 7am to noon. Please come along and spend up big!!!

Also, we need your goods. Toys that now sit lonesome, that breadmaker you swore would come in good use, that lamp you bought on impulse, anything you think is worth selling we would love to have at our garage sale. If you have things to donate to the garage sale you can leave them at Creek Rd Presbyterian Church building Monday 27th to Thursday 30th September (9am-4pm) or Friday 1st October (9am-9pm).

All the money will go towards education in 3 primary schools in Mae Hla Refugee Camp and 1 high school (Noh Bo Academy). This will help fund teachers' salaries, uniforms, health, toiletries, education needs, building maintenance and travel. Brochures will be available at Engage on Sunday explaining the work at the border. The funds will be distributed by our partner church, Christ Church Bangkok.

If you've got any questions contact me (Tim) on tim at engagecitychurch.com

This is just another great way Engage City Church can partner with God's global work!

Written by Tim Iedema

Engage ate it’s way to educating a child in Zambia

It costs $12.50 per month to educate a child in Zambia.

That’s AU$150 per year.

With that in mind Tash, Dora and others set out on their great adventure to raise some, if not all the money required to help educate a child trapped in poverty. With help from many, and a cast of post breakfast stomachs they set out to see what they could do. There was little notice but a fair amount of “gusto”, Engage ate enough chocolate crackles/coconut slice/date slice/ chocolate slice/baklava/cheese cake (I think you get the picture) before lunch to raise AU$180.00 from the slice sale on Sunday, the 19th Sep. But wait, there’s more. Tash went to a desert night later that same night and sold some more, raising a total of AU$281.65. Nice!

So what happens now?

This is all part of Tash and Ryan’s efforts to raise funds for Eagle Wings (http://www.ewafrica.org), which includes their 1500 km pushbike ride from Brisbane to Canberra.

Eagle Wings, founded in 2003, is a Zambian based organisation that builds schools and educates children in Zambia. Started by Lackson Matolokoshi, a church planter, who realised that there were many Zambians who could not read the Bible because they had never attended school. Lackson started teaching adults at his Grace and Truth Baptist Church, but quickly realised that many children wanted to learn, and started to attend. These children were learning so fast that he had to separate them from the adults.

Seeing a growing need to educate these children trapped in poverty, Lackson started Eagle Wings. And now with the contribution of many like Tash, Ryan, and you, Eagle Wings Australia is hoping not only to help build schools, and educate children, but are working towards sending two 20 foot containers, one from Brisbane and one Sydney, filled with educational resources to use in the whole School from Grades 1-12.

So well done Engage. With your stomachs full you can be content in the knowledge that you have helped educate a child and possibly help break their poverty cycle in Zambia!

Written by Rob Boynton

The Measure of a Man

"The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good."
Samuel Johnson, 18th-cenutry British author.


Naw Eh Khu Moo, an ethnic Karen refugee boy waits for treatment with his father, a landmine victim at a refugee hospital in Mae Sot, Thailand, Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2007. (source)

Church planting in Northern Thailand

Peter, writing to the church persecuted and scattered throughout Asia, encourages them by saying, “Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God.”

Over the past ten days an Elder of my church plant and I had the privilege of visiting and spending time with the leaders of the Karen people, 200,000 of which are living as refugees on the border between Thailand and Burma. Brutally oppressed by the Burmese army as 'insurgents' and rejected by the Thai authorities these people live in appalling conditions, and yet are some of the most generous, faithful and joyful people I have ever met!

After arriving on the border, we were chauffeured around in a 4x4 by the personal body guard of one of the Karen leaders. It was weird being driven around the beautiful countryside by a professional body-guard bearing the nickname 'skinhead'. We visited christian orphanages, schools, churches and church plants scattered throughout the jungle, however the majority of our time was spent teaching the leadership from 1 Peter and Acts. We sweated, laughed, cried, ate and prayed with our brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ. And when we had to come home a bit of our heart stayed behind with these beautiful people.

Peter's message of joyfully standing firm in the amazing salvation of Jesus Christ in spite of cruel and oppressive persecution remains a message for the church today, especially for our brothers and sisters amongst the Hill Tribes of Northern Thailand. Please pray for them. They are oppressed on every side and yet joyfully standing firm in Jesus. If you would like to find out more about supporting the work of planting and nurturing churches amongst the Karen people please email me at will@engagecitychurch.com

Thai Border Trip Training

Greetings from the Border from Will Henderson on Vimeo.

Thai Border Trip Day Two

Chatuchak Weekend Market in Bangkok is the mother of all markets... There was everything there. Overwhelming, exciting, amazing and sad at the same time. And the smells... Wow I thought working in a feedlot was bad...

Thia Burma Trip 2010 Day 2 Markets from Will Henderson on Vimeo.

Thai Border Trip Day One

Thai Burma Trip Day One 2010 from Will Henderson on Vimeo.

Last night in Bangkok it was encouraging to chat with Peter, a local Pastor, who together with his wife had moved from the UK to see good news of Jesus shared in this region. Though my eyes felt like they were falling out I was intrigued by their vision, passion and heavy burden for true discipleship. As we sat over coffee and filtered water our discussion focused on the need for long term investment in the lives of the people. Yes it is important for men and women to come and visit and see for themselves that “the fields are ripe for harvest,” but what is imperative is that some then prayerfully commit to return and make disciples over a period of three, five or longer years. It is only as deep relationships are built around Jesus that a movement will be unleashed... And for those who come for a visit and return to Brisbane, the challenge is the same. Will you commit to a community for 3, 5 or longer years? Will you commit to intentionally building and nurturing relationships centred around Jesus? Discipleship is not only powerful, it is Jesus' chosen way of transforming the world. Jesus told His disciples,
“O have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disiples to obey all the commands that I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)

Tony Morgan on why churches fail to grow

Tony Morgan - author, church strategist, and pastor of ministries at West Ridge Church in Atlanta - recently remembered a conversation he had with a denominational leader about the attributes of a declining church. Morgan remarked, "When I work with churches for the first time, sometimes they're frustrated with me because I'm not willing to help them fix something specific...Churches can become convinced they know why their church isn't growing."

Morgan said these five foundational aspects need to be addressed first:
• Lack of mission and vision clarity
• Failure to define a concise strategy to help newcomers become fully devoted followers of Christ
• A complex structure
• Inward-focus with little connection to the community
• Weak leadership, especially in the senior pastor role

Morgan also said he was surprised by the number of churches that "would rather close their doors than make the necessary changes" to avoid decline. He concluded by saying churches unwilling to address these elements will not shift their decline, no matter how hard they try.
(TonyMorganLive.com 7/15/10, via Church Leaders Intelligence Report)

Also here is a interview Tony had with Will Mancini regarding 5 questions to clarify vision.

Engage City Church 6 Month Celebrations

Wow I can't believe that it is 6 months since Engage City Church launched publicly in Norman Park.
Here are a couple of videos that will paint the picture as to the journey that Jesus has had us all on together.
Thanks Rob for your work on the videos, you're help has been tremendous!

Engage's 6th Month Anniversary from Will Henderson on Vimeo.

Engage City Church 6 months celebrations from Will Henderson on Vimeo.

Acts 29 Sydney Bootcamp 2010

Been great to spend the past few days with some exceptional men and women in Sydney. It has been fantastic to gather around our Lord and celebrate the work Jesus is doing in and through us.



From Left
Andrew Heard, Dave Taylor, Donna & Mike Gunn, Wilma & David Fandey, Jeff Vandersteldt, Adam & Amy Witanowski, Steve Addison, Will & Nerida Henderson.

Engage Mission Teams - Engaging Brisbane

Since the launch of our Mission Teams I've been really excited about the impact that we're going to have on the people of Brisbane. Not only are our Mission Teams intent on reading and applying the Bible together, praying and encouraging one another, but our Teams will be intentionally serving the people of Brisbane and engaging them with Jesus. Here are just a few ideas we brainstormed how we can intentionally share the love of Jesus with our community:
* Give away free bottles of water
* Run a free BBQ at a local kids sporting event
* Host a block party for your street
* Buy boxes of chocolates and drop around to elderly shut ins
* Visit a nursing home and just listen
* Help out other like minded community based groups

Can you think of others?

Six Month Anniversary - Engage City Church

I'm so pumped up about Celebrating this Sunday our six month anniversary at Engage City Church!
Jesus has done so much amongst us since we launched publicly on Valentines Day past.
* Our launch team of 23 has grown to around 65 adults and 20 kids!
* We've launched four mission teams intent on engaging the people of Brisbane with Jesus.
* We had a blast with our first annual Easter Egg Hunt at Norman Park State School.
* Building renovations were unanimously approved.
* Men have been chosen for our Leadership Team; Rob, Sam, Tim and Ian.
* We've had our first baby born!
* We've been gifted with playground equipment by Norman Park State School.
* We've grown in our relationship with Jesus as we've worked through the books of Ruth, Luke, Psalms, 1 Thessalonians and now James.
* Had a mission team from Georgia visit and serve.
* Ran a bible camp for 200 Karen Refugee children.
* Rachel visited and served the Karen people for four weeks.
* Approved our first annual budget and building renovation plans/budget.
* Donated piles of blankets to refugees throughout Brisbane.
* and the list goes on...
Join us this Sunday and better yet bring a friend as we share some key announcements that will change everything as we seek to push forward in seeing people far from God engaged with Jesus and the life He offers.

Will Jr meets the Hon Kevin Rudd

So pumped for little Will. Last night he received his award for excellence in Art, Ernie Adsett Award, by the Hon Kevin Rudd.
The initiative's aim is to encourage children to remember those who laid down their lives in war for the freedom we enjoy in Australia. Well done Will!

Acts 29 Partner shot dead in Pakistan

Please pray for the family and congregation of Pastor Rashid Emmanuel who was shot dead in Faisalabad, Pakistan, yesterday. Pastor Rashid, a partner of the Acts 29 Network, was shot leaving court after being exonerated from accusations of blasphemy against the prophet Muhammad. Pray for God's grace, comfort and peace.

Click here for BBC Newsreport.

Please also pray for those involved in murdering Pastor Rashid and the nation of Pakistan which is 97% Muslim. Pray that the love and grace of God will be revealed to them in the good news of Jesus Christ.

Pakistan’s blasphemy law has been critiqued for being vague and subject to exploitation by those hostile to Christianity:
Section 295-C: Use of derogatory remarks, etc; in respect of the Holy Prophet. Whoever by words, either spoken or written or by visible representation, or by any imputation, innuendo, or insinuation, directly or indirectly, defiles the sacred name of the Holy Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) shall be punished with death, or imprisonment for life, and shall also be liable to fine.

Julia Gillard - Forward, Upward, Twirling

Prime Minister Julia Gillard's election slogan "Moving Forward" sounds suspiciously like alien Kang's election slogan from the Simpsons... Hmmm

Engage Church - Refugee Care Push

It was fantastic to see the people of Engage come together yesterday to serve Refugees in Brisbane. It was so encouraging to see the pile of blankets growing at front of the room. If you missed out on being a part of it all yesterday and want to express your love for God by giving to those less fortunate, why not bring along a blanket to Engage City Church this coming Sunday.

Will & Fergus Refugee Care from Will Henderson on Vimeo.

Sunday Reflection

Today was amazing.
- We launched our brand new series 100% James. I talked about how everyone will face trails and temptations, what makes the difference is our decision to either trust Jesus and lean into Him OR disengage from Him and embrace sin. I think it went well. There was a fair bit of positive feedback and I'm pumped to preach again next Sunday on James' letter to the Church.
- Tim, Yoriko, Sam and Jess did a great job on music and Steve as usual made everyone sound sweet.
- There was a huge pile of blankets at front of the room as people kept bringing in blankets for our Refugee Care push.
- I got to have lunch with a visitor and it's always great to hear people talk about Jesus stretching and growing them
- My beautiful wife played the piano for the early service, she still has got it :)
- The kids had a great time in Engage Kids. They especially loved the game Lauren had them playing where they got to read out sentences from the Bible. It was cool to go and pick them up and they were all still sitting around in a circle quietly praying.
- Looking forward to Tuesday night and our first ever Mission Team get together. Exciting times.
- Archie wore his Pirate hat to church, he so wants to be a Pirate. So do I.

Hindu God's Can't Trade

I couldn't help but laugh when I read this article today that describes a recent Indian Court ruling. The ruling declares that Hindu God's including Ganesha are unable to trade in shares because according to Judges P.B. Majumdar and Rajendra Sawant "Trading in shares on the stock market requires certain skills and expertise and to expect this from deities would not be proper."

Duh, of course they can't trade. They're just statues and pictures... Good luck talking much less trading the stockmarket. Anyway the Judges go on to say, "Gods and goddesses are meant to be worshipped in temples, not dragged into commercial activities like share trading." Sound's like they're pretty impotent 'gods' really.

I'm glad that the Bible teaches us, "The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man..." Thank goodness for that :)

Engage Mission Team Launch

Been up early this morning thinking and praying for the brand new Engage City Church Mission Teams that were launched last night. These groups of people are going to love and serve the people of Brisbane with Jesus in amazing ways.

Our Mission Teams are the 'Studs' of small groups. They are open welcoming groups scattered throughout the city. Each team gathers together during the week to encourage one another in Jesus and to engage together with Him. They also are intentional about serving and loving the people around about them and seeking to engage them with Jesus.

Fergus defeats the CLAW

It was great to spend a few hours with the boys at DREAMWORLD on Saturday.
The boys wanted to ride the CLAW, and how could I chicken out if they wanted to ride the feakingly scary mind bruising stomach churning ride of pain. So we rode it. I had my eyes open for the first half but then squeezed them firmly shut only to open them at the end. I looked over to Will who was smiling. Turned to Fergus and his head was hanging down, eyes closed and spit dribbling out of his mouth. I said "You okay mate?" To which he slowly lifted his head, opened his eyes and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "Yeah Dad" he mumbled. We got off the ride and started shuffling around to meet Nerida and Arch.
Now this is the crazy part. As we turned the corner Fergus ran ahead and started punching the air whooping, "Yeah, that was awesome! That was awesome MUM!" Will and I looked at each other, we weren't one bit convinced, he is his mothers boy though.