Have you ever called a company or business or government agency and been put on hold for so long with a soothing repeat message saying “your call is important to us” interspersed with nondescript mind numbing music. Then 90 minutes later when the repetitive sequence of sounds change to something like “Hello, this is ____ how may I help you?”, you stumble around, a bit lost, quickly trying to gather your thoughts and remember why on earth you called in the first place and even ask yourself… what’s my name again?. I wonder if sometimes life can seem a bit like that.  An endless loop of monotony that has numbed the senses too deeply to notice.Along comes Jesus and says: “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through me.” John 14:6. A promise of direction, the cut through of actual, real, pure truth and life that is more than simply default living. And how do we break the loop and get through to the purpose of the phone call that is our lives? It seems that Jesus is saying he is the only way. What do you think?This Sunday at BCUC is anything but monotonous and default living. Come along Sunday and be part of the abundant life of Jesus. We start at 9:30am in the car park with the grand opening of the new Hub area. We then move to the 10.00am worship service for some dance lessons with Freestyle Dance ministry, join in prayer and thanksgiving at the baptism of Ivory Ofoedu, we worship together looking more deeply at this passage from John 14 while the younger people (and the young at heart) have a dance workshop at the new Hub area, then we finish with games, activities, BBQ fellowship and more. All you need to do is send out the invite and bring someone along! What a day to be alive.Grace and peace in Christ,Benji

Dear friends of BCUC,A very familiar quote from Jesus is from the end of chapter 3 of Revelation: “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.” This comes after a challenge to the churches to repent and turn to Jesus.I find this one of the great captivating pictures of the Christian life. The image of a door to our lives, Jesus standing outside, knocking, calling, waiting for us to listen and respond. Then the wonderful joy of him coming into our lives to share a meal together.  I wonder what Jesus would see if we showed him around our house or life?The book of Revelation then switches from this image to another doorway at the start of chapter 4: “After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in Heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, 'Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.'"Now that Jesus has shared food together in our place he invites us back to his. Two doors to two very different places. The vision we are given when John, the writer of Revelation, walks through that door into the Throne room of the Almighty God, Lord of all, Holy and glorious is beyond breathtaking and enough to dazzle even the darkest cynic. It’s a place we can read in chapter 4 and 5 of Revelation. It makes Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory seem like a broom cupboard. It is that place we are going to explore this Sunday. We will look at the lion and the lamb, the 24 elders, the four angels, the throne and more.N. T. Wright quotes a friend who calls it “One of the two most wonderful chapter in the bible”. I encourage you to read them and even unto 7. To dwell in them. To soak in the imagery. Once you do that you can’t help be transformed. I invite you to walk through the door.Look forward to worshipping with you Sunday,Benji

This week we start a 7- part series on Revelation.John, banished to the Island of Patmos for preaching about Jesus, had revealed to him, by Jesus, God’s view of what must soon take place on earth and in heaven. The Jews referred to the present time where they were under Roman rule and had lost hope that mankind could change their fate.  Only God could intervene to establish His Kingdom. In a series of visions John is shown the apocalyptic destruction of the present age giving way to the new world where the Jews would return to Jerusalem and peace would reign. In the end God defeats the forces of evil and thereby restores our hope that we can dwell with Him for eternity.Given such a great news story of hope, why do people shy away from Revelation? It is often because the visions and symbols and code seem bizarre and frightening, and they can be difficult to interpret. However, it was quite common in the Old Testament to use visions of strange creatures such as are found in Daniel and the Jews would have been familiar with the multiple references to the Old Testament. Also, writing in code can be necessary if you are under the rule of tyrants.  One example is the use of the number 7 which appears 55 times. Seven stands for something which is complete or perfect. For example, if you have read the 7 scrolls you have read everything from beginning to end. John speaks of the 7-fold Spirit which is the one complete Spirit through which we connect with God and Jesus.What we will concentrate upon this week is the letters to the 7 churches. Again, 7 signifies that the letters are for all churches both then and today. John passes on to them praise and criticism but also shows what they need to do to get back on track. Two churches received no criticisms because they were keeping God’s Word despite attacks from society around them and from false prophets. Others were criticised for losing their love for each other or were compromising their values to fit with society or had become lukewarm or even lifeless in their worship.Each letter ends with “Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches” This means our church and us as individuals. Ian Olver

This Sunday we have the privilege of having YAV’s premier award winning female voice choir Aurora helping us with worship. It promises to be a time of musical beauty that will lift our hearts to God. We will sing songs that have been prayers of the church that God in his infinite grace keeps answering. We see answered prayers throughout the book of Acts also, all the way through to the last sentence. In the final chapter of Acts we continue to follow the journey of Paul and his friends. He finally arrives in Rome after a seafaring journey worthy of a book by itself. He is met by others and then teaches freely and boldly under house arrest at Rome for two years and then… the bible starts a new book with Paul’s letter to the Romans. Perhaps you were like me and kept turning the pages back and forth wondering if there were pages missing? Did Paul get to confront Cesar? Did the church grow in Rome? Did Paul get to go to Spain like he said he wanted? What happened to the church in Jerusalem? What about the rest of the disciples? Where’s Peter? Where’s Mary? What about the country I was born in? Why isn’t that mentioned? How is the Holy Spirit active after that? Why have a long chapter detailing a ships journey from the Middle East to Italy but not give details we really want to hear?Today’s movie industry is all about the franchise. If it is popular the first time then let's keep making movies in that world until it stops making money. We are tempted to want the trilogy of Luke/Acts and then the fourth and fifth instalments. Yet it’s not there. The message of the Good News has gone to the capital of the largest pagan empire the world had seen. The next chapters belong to you and me. Right here in Adelaide or wherever you are reading this. The very same Holy Spirit that worked in Acts lives and works in us, the mission is the same, the blueprint of what to do is in Acts. Let’s get on with making the sequel!Your Brother in ChristBenji

Everyone has storms in their lives at some time or other.  It seems part of being human.  Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble.” Perhaps you feel like you’re in the middle of a storm right now.At first reading, Acts 27 looks like simply a factual account of getting Paul from A to B, and what happened along the way.  But if you dig a little deeper, you can find some clues as to what enabled Paul to survive through all the storms in his life – and there were plenty.In Paul’s own words, “Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one.  Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move.  I have been in danger from rivers, …from bandits, …from my own countrymen, …from Gentiles; in danger in the city, …in the country, …at sea, and from false brothers.  I have laboured and toiled and often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked…”                                  What was it that enabled Paul to keep bouncing back, ready for more, and willing to endure anything for the sake of the gospel?   Lesser men would have given up long before, keeping a low profile for their own safety.There are some hidden treasures in chapter 27 that show how Paul weathered this particular storm, and how they can help us in our storms.  Strangely, they all start with P, and no, prayer isn’t one of them, although it could have been.But perhaps the last word needs to go to Peter, in another watery story, where Peter learns the hard way how to keep his head above water, and how to stop the waves from overwhelming him (Luke 14:27-31).When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you (Isaiah 43:2).Colette Williams

In the film Dead Poets Society, the teacher John Keating famously says: “Carpe diem. Seize the day, boys. Make your lives extraordinary.” Today we might say “YOLO” or “live every day like it’s your last.” The phrase goes back to the Roman poet Horace: “Seize the day, put very little trust in tomorrow.”Some people live by this, but I prefer Jesus’ promise: “I came that you may have life, and have it abundantly.” Carpe diem can drift toward recklessness, while abundant life is generous, full, and eternal.Paul picks up this theme: “Make the most of every opportunity” (Colossians 4:5), especially in conversations about the gospel. In Acts 26, after two years in prison at Caesarea, Paul finally speaks in his defence. He doesn’t complain or condemn. Instead, he shares his testimony and urges people to repent, believe, and turn to God. He makes the most of the moment—not for himself, but for Christ.How well do we do the same?This Sunday we’ll hear from Lauren about sharing the joy of Jesus with university students, and about the work of Operation Christmas Child. I look forward to seeing you then.Your brother in Christ,Benji

I’m sure we all know people who would put themselves in the category of “not Christian” or at least tick the “no religion” box on the census. I wonder—based on their relationship with you—how do you think they would describe the Christian faith? Maybe they would say something like being kind and loving to others; they might add forgiveness. Would they say something about the Bible being important, prayer, and being busy on lots of church committees? Would they mention God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit? Would they be able to tell you what the Gospel is, from your perspective?When I conduct funerals, I sometimes have family members who aren’t of the Christian faith but want to honour their mum or dad’s wishes. In those moments, I sometimes get a window into what they have observed or understood to be Christianity.In Acts 25, the apostle Paul finds himself still in chains. He’s been talking with the Roman governor Festus, who is trying to get to the bottom of what exactly Paul is being accused of and why the local Jewish leaders want him dead. At one point, Festus gives us an insight into what a Roman outsider thinks is the summary of the Christian faith: “something about their [Jewish] religion and a dead man named Jesus, who Paul insists is alive” (Acts 25:19). This is like a crystallised version of the Gospel as Festus understands it: a dead man named Jesus who Christians insist is alive.Do you think that’s accurate? What would you want to add or change? How would you help Festus understand more—or do you think that’s enough to capture the essence of the Christian faith?I recently saw an edited video of a Victorian parliamentary debate on the introduction of new vilification laws, where it was clear that one MP did not have enough understanding of Christianity to be able to say even what Festus did. They clearly didn’t know who Jesus was or that Christians insist he is alive today. It seems we still have much work to do when it comes to sharing even a basic understanding of the Gospel.This Sunday we have a wonderfully full service: celebrating Father’s Day, exploring Acts 25 and the Gospel, and finishing with a reaffirmation of the baptism of Andrew Lee.Oh, and by the way… if you’re a father and get asked by your family what you want to do this Sunday, why not say: “I’d love it if we could all go to church as a family.”Your brother in Christ,Benji

We all love to make plans. We plan dinner. We plan holidays. We plan future career paths. We plan our future lives when we get married. Sometimes these plans don’t go where we expect. We burn our dinner, the weather isn’t right for our holiday, we don’t get on with our work mates. Let’s not even get started on things that can change when we get married and life together begins. Things always change and we always have to change our plans. It is how we react to these changes that will direct our lives. When things don’t go to plan, we can get frustrated, stressed and even lose hope.Paul had a plan of visiting Jerusalem for a short time to deliver some donation and give some offerings before continuing on to Rome. He soon found himself under arrest and being dragged before the governor, and the only place this was looking like going was jail. Paul could have reacted in may ways but he decided to continue to trust in the Lord, to trust he was going where he was meant to be. He wasn’t going to let the Jewish leaders rain on his mission to spread the good news. He didn’t run, he didn’t hide, he continued to share the word, even in court that would lead him to the start of 2 years in prison.Ben Randal

Dear friends of BCUCI wonder when have you needed courage? Reflecting on this during the week I think there are two main reasons. One is courage to face something new in the future which right now seems big and scary. The other is to continue onwards when the current circumstances seem hopeless and fill you with despair. One is courage when in a place of comfort heading towards an unknown place of challenge, the other is courage that brings comfort when in a place of challenge.Jesus says the words “have courage” six times and the disciples say it once. It’s the greek word tharseó: Take courage, be of good cheer, be confident and comes from a word that literally means “radiate warm confidence”. He says it to those who are sick, blind, lame and when talking about his death. He then gives this message to the apostle Paul in Acts 23:11 who has been arrested in Jerusalem and has crowds of people wanting to get rid of him because of the Good News he shares about Jesus. Jesus says “have courage” not just as words of comfort in a time of struggle but to spur him on to share the Good News in Rome.What do you need, to hear the words from Jesus “have courage” for today? Is God calling you to something challenging that scares you a bit, maybe you’re having a rough time and need these words of comfort?  May Jesus speak to you today.I look forward to seeing you this Sunday and I am particularly excited about membership Sunday as we welcome new members to BCUC.Your brother in Christ,Benji

Dear friends of BCUC,Over the last decade, 'identity politics' has shaped how people see themselves and others. Some say the more marginalised the identity, the more weight it should have. Others fear it comes at the expense of more common identities.In Acts 22, while being arrested the apostle Paul shifts between multiple authentic identities - Jew, Roman, Pharisee, citizen of Tarsus - not to gain pity or power, but to connect with as many people as possible for the sake of the Gospel.He is living out what he writes to the new church in Corinth that he helped start a few chapters earlier: “I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel.”  1 Corinthians 9:22–23Our truest identity is in Christ, yet God can use every part of who we are to reach others with His love. The question is—how are you using your unique identity to help others know Him?Your brother in ChristBenji

We continue following Paul’s journey. He has decided to return to Jerusalem despite the pleas of the local congregations and prophesies that he would be arrested and could be killed. Paul believed that he was preaching the word of Jesus and His will be done, so he set out, mainly by sea, to return to Jerusalem. Although the local Elders were pleased with how many people had been converted, they were concerned that the Asian Jews believed that Paul was encouraging Jews who lived with the Gentiles to abandon the laws of Moses. This was not accurate. He was teaching a new understanding of God which Jesus came to reveal and he also preached to the Gentiles who had no background of Jewish tradition. The Elders encouraged Paul to prove that the reports were inaccurate by sponsoring and joining with men who were going through the purification rituals. Paul did this, but it must had been particularly galling since his emphasis was preaching about a personal relationship with God through Jesus, taking precedence over the traditional rituals. Paul understood that his mission of growing the church was best served by accomodating, not alienating, those who held to traditional practices and did not immediately align with Paul’s views. I think that there is a great message here for our Uniting church and for individuals who will only accommodate congregations who align with their views of liturgy, music, preaching styles and they put that ahead of the unity in having a heart for Christ. Unfortunately, Paul was lynched anyway but saved from being killed by the Roman garrison. Even in this he saw a chance to preach his message and asked to address the crowd. With a wave of his hand the crowd fell silent. This is remarkable. A rabble fell silent. Surely this is a miracle which shows that when Paul was delivering God’s message, God did not abandon him but enabled him to do so. This is a powerful message to us; even in the toughest of situations God is with us. - Ian Olver

Megan, Bryan and Benji talk about BCUC for the third exciting instalment of BCUC Talks! Jokes, faith, heavenly slices and more... Enjoy our podcast.

Dear friends of BCUC,What do you think the parting words of a church’s founding minister might be to its eldership?  Would they be words of encouragement to continue building upon the great foundations that had already been laid - or a chance to say what they really think about the church? That’s what we find in Acts 20:17–38, as Paul speaks to the elders of the new church in Ephesus.As I read it, I noticed the repetition of three key words beginning with ‘T’: testify, tears, and truth. Paul is always compelled - above everything else, including his own life - to testify, to bear witness to the Good News of the grace of God through Jesus, in both words and actions.How compelled are we?Paul and the elders shed many tears together. This highlights something about the unique nature of church: it’s personal, passionate, emotional, and relational - built on mutual love. That’s what can make today’s necessary emphasis on codes of ethics, insurance, compliance, and other business-like terms feel at odds with the idea of church as a close family. And yet, Paul and the elders wept together. Today, we are challenged to be both professional in our conduct and deeply relational - to the point of tears. I’m so glad we have the help of the Holy Spirit.How emotional and passionate are you about the work of the church?Finally: truth. Paul is concerned that the elders might stray from the truth and be swayed by false teachers after he leaves. This was a common concern in the early church.How concerned with ‘truth’ are we today?The idea of creeds - statements that crystallise the truth of the church’s teaching - has gone in and out of fashion in modern times. But what is the ‘truth’ that Paul was so concerned about? Is it the same as what we might call the ‘core truth’ today?I look forward to seeing you all this Sunday.Also, thank you to those who have spent time during July in prayer and fasting for BCUC. Please let me or any of the elders know if God has given you something worth sharing -even if you’re not sure. It’s amazing how the Spirit brings different parts together to bring clarity. We will be discussing these things at the elders’ meeting this Tuesday night.Yours in Christ,Benji

Sometimes, I miss important things when I’m reading my Bible. In chapter 19 verse 20 we see Luke, the author of Acts, remind us that something really important is happening. But if you ‘blink’ you miss his reminder of his key theme: “So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily.” Six times in his book (in 6:7; 9:31; 12:24; 16:5; 19:20, and 28:31), Luke tells us that the word of the Lord “continued to increase” or words similar to that.We’ve been focusing on the Book of Acts in our worship and our group life. It’s been exciting to study the growth of the church as new Christians shared their faith and key leaders boldly proclaimed the good news about Jesus and his love for all.This Sunday our worship focus will be ‘Build the Kingdom’. Throughout Acts, Luke gives us accounts of how this is done by Christians making new Christians. On Sunday, we’ll be concentrating on 2 key elements of this process:The influence of the Holy Spirit andThe bold proclamation of the GospelThe Holy Spirit is still active in building the Kingdom of God, of working in the lives of people bringing them to life-giving faith in Jesus. In 2023 at Asbury University in Wilmore, Kentucky, a spiritual revival began with a spontaneous continuation of worship and prayer following a regularly scheduled chapel service on February 8th. Students stayed in Hughes Auditorium after the service and were joined by others, leading to a 16-day event that drew national and international attention. The revival was characterised by various expressions of faith, including spontaneous worship, prayer, repentance, and expressions of joy and unity.  News of the revival spread rapidly, drawing attention from media outlets, religious leaders, and individuals seeking spiritual renewal. The revival was additionally significant because of its spread on social media, particularly among Generation Z, the most irreligious generation in US history.Many of us are aware of the presence and influence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Often, people share with me their stories of something ‘miraculous’ that has happened to them or their friends or family. Often, they acknowledge that it must have been the Holy Spirit working in that ‘miraculous’ situation because they can find no other explanation for it.I encourage you to not only look for the action of the Spirit around you day by day but to share your joy as such experiences grow you stronger in your faith. And give thanks to Jesus who strengthened his disciples in his last days with them by promising that he would send the Holy Spirit to enable them to do even greater things than he did.The Holy Spirit is at work at BCUC helping us to Build the Kingdom. Can you not see it?  Together in Jesus,Rob

This was the video shown at Kettle club Sunday at BCUC Sunday 20th July 2025 as the all ages message. Enjoy and be inspired.6 Steps on How to make a church a church (based on chapter 18 acts)1. People not building2. DE-DIY 3. Finances 4. Location 5. Resilience 6. Maintenance

I wonder what does it take to build a church?Choose a location: to reach the most people choose a large city full of trade and travellers passing through. Like Singapore or Dubai or if it’s 52AD you might choose Corinth. Corinth was one of the largest cities, very Roman, with a hugely popular athletic Games, and not one but two busy ports on either side of the city with boats being cleverly transported across from one side to the other.Choose the best team: not the best most charismatic speakers but rather people who listen to Jesus and follow God, can teach the Good News correctly, that know how to encourage, live and love others with integrity, are happy to pay their own way, can make friends and develop more team players and have resilience. For Corinth this was Paul, his fellow tent makers and business partners Priscilla and Aquilla alongside his long-travelled companions Silas and Timothy.Recognise God is at work: For Paul and his team they received a message from God when one night the Lord appeared to Paul in a vision “Don’t be afraid! Speak out! Don’t be silent! For I am with you, and no one will attack and harm you, for many people in this city belong to me.” (Acts 18:9-10).Be committed and resilient: Paul and his companions constantly had a barrage of negative voices and rejection yet it didn’t seem to stop them. In fact, a few years later, once the church in Corinth was established Paul writes back to them explaining himself and his secret of resilience being integrity in how you live.2 Corinthians 6: 3 We live in such a way that no one will stumble because of us, and no one will find fault with our ministry. 4 In everything we do, we show that we are true ministers of God. We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind. 5 We have been beaten, been put in prison, faced angry mobs, worked to exhaustion, endured sleepless nights, and gone without food. 6 We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us, [c] and by our sincere love. 7 We faithfully preach the truth. God’s power is working in us. We use the weapons of righteousness in the right hand for attack and the left hand for defence. 8 We serve God whether people honour us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise us. We are honest, but they call us impostors. 9 We are ignored, even though we are well known. We live close to death, but we are still alive. We have been beaten, but we have not been killed. 10 Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything. 11 Oh, dear Corinthian friends! We have spoken honestly with you, and our hearts are open to you. I wonder could these same principles apply to you as you are part of Gods mission wherever God has placed you: family, neighbourhood, workplace, school or university?This Sunday is Kettle Club Sunday. We have had nearly 40 kids over the week coming to the school holiday program learning about Paul and his friend's journey with Jesus growing the church! This includes the story of how the church was planted in Corinth (Acts 18). The journey is 3 chapters long in our bibles, barely 6 pages, yet covers 3 years and 4500km! Come along and support the kids this Sunday as they retell the story to us and share what God has been teaching us at Kettle club. Worship together as we raise children of God. Note that the ‘livestream’ (actually, a special pre-recorded message just for this Sunday) will still be available but will not be a live video of the service.

Paul was one of the great travellers in the bible. Across 3 journeys he travelled at least 4500ks by foot and by sea. Whilst his route looks like a modern-day Mediterranean cruise….it wasn’t. Paul faced constant danger on many fronts but maintained his laser-focussed goal to spread the gospel, to share Gods message of the risen Jesus for all. Through it all he remained focussed on and driven by the risen Jesus’ words in Acts 1: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”In Thessalonica Paul spent 3 sabbaths in the synagogue explaining and reasoning, and he did enjoy some success. But some Jews became jealous of this and when they couldn’t find Paul, they rented a mob in the marketplace to start a riot, and they arrested his host, Jason. Meanwhile Paul’s supporters spirited him off to Berea under cover of darkness.Again, in Berea Paul taught in the synagogue and many believed. But not just through great teaching. The Bereans employed a study habit to examining scriptures daily and deeply to see if what was taught was true. This searching, examination, deep questioning and open mindedness to finding the truth is sometimes called “The Berean Way”.But again, jealous Jews got wind of the new Berean converts and travelled a great distance to cause more trouble in Berea, and Paul was again rescued by his supporters and sent to the coast and shipped to Athens.What truths do we learn from Thessalonica and Berea? Fortunately, we learn that some will receive the risen Jesus as the Messiah. However, we also learn that people can be threatened by that message, they can become jealous, take part in ugly behaviour, seek out scapegoats. Responses range from being fearful to being openly antagonistic and violent, continuing a pattern we have seen all through Acts. In Acts 4 Peter was opposed. In Acts 7 it was Stephen’s turn. In Acts 12 James was opposed, and now in Acts 17 Paul is opposed.As we finish Acts 17 Paul is now in Athens, the greatest university town in the known world, and there is a change in how Luke records and how Paul preaches. It makes sense. In verse 21 we read, “All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking and listening to the latest ideas.” Here are a people who are at least more open to listening to new ideas, and they honour Paul by inviting him to speak at their highest council, the Areopagus. And now we hear orator Paul, the Paul we are more used to in his great letters to the Corinthians and the Ephesians. The Paul who can speak so beautifully and eloquently and intellectually and personally about God.Paul delivers Sunday’s reading, often called “the speech of the unknown God.” This is said to be a masterclass in communication, but it’s also a masterclass in the nature of God.As you prepare for next Sunday, I encourage you to read Acts 17.Blessings,Jenny Olver

Dear friends of BCUCA common question when having polite conversation with strangers is “what do you do?”  I will often use this as a chance to share the gospel: “I’m a molecular biologist who has since become a Minister in the Uniting Church.” That usually gets people intrigued and asking questions. I realised that in my seven and half years of being at Burnside City Uniting Church I have not spoken much about my own call to ministry. The reading this Sunday gives me that opportunity. I am reminded of my own call to ministry when I read the first part of Acts 16. A young man called Timothy is noticed by the congregation at Lystra and the apostle Paul takes him under his wing to learn the ropes of mission and ministry. Being at Malvern Uniting Church and then at Elm Hall Drive Methodist in the United Kingdom, I was noticed by their church communities and then returning to Malvern Uniting I was blessed to be shown the ropes of ministry and mission by the Rev. Dr. Phil Carr and Rev. Dr. Jonathan Davies. When I needed to seek the endorsement of my application to ministry by the Church Council, I remember distinctly one of the elders reading a devotion from 1 Timothy about the character of a church leader. Ancient instruction from Paul to Timothy about how to lead in his new placement in Ephesus. What a standard to live up to!I hope that you might find something encouraging and helpful in my story and call, and that maybe you can consider or affirm your own call to ministry and mission for the Kingdom of God, wherever and whatever that may be.Your brother in Christ,Benji

Dear friends of BCUC,WARNING: Controversy and conflict within the church! Does that sentence make you want to run away and hide? How can a church that is meant to be all about loving God and each other have controversy and conflict? A simple answer is that God chose to make the church out of passionate, opinionated, thinking humans and not ants. It is why Jesus laboured so long in teaching his disciples how to forgive one another. The early church has had many, many, many controversies and indeed conflicts in its 2000 year history, and I am certain it will have more in the future. Yet unlike many other institutions, businesses, or even civilisations, it remains a strong force for Jesus today. I think that is testament to the very real power of the Holy Spirit. Both controversy and conflict are seen in this week’s chapter of Acts 15. We examined a few years ago the Peacemaker series (remember Barry the Bird) where we learnt to view conflict as an opportunity for discipleship and putting into practice the teachings of Jesus. Paul and Barnabas sadly split up after a very heated argument at the end of this chapter. Controversy has often been used as tool to help grow the churches understanding about the Christian faith. Acts 15 introduces a controversy about how much do new Christians need to follow the Old Testament Jewish law to be really saved? Other historical controversies have included: whether to accept back Christians who deserted their faith in times of persecution, are we saved by works or faith alone, what’s our position on divorce, do we keep a strict Sunday rest, women in ministry, the use of instruments in church, and more recently same gender marriage. It’s hard, it’s emotional, it can be hurtful, and we want to avoid it. Yet it can be incredibly important and often sharpens our focus on what it really means to live under the grace and truth of God. We need to walk into it with the love of Jesus and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Let us see what lessons we can learn from chapter 15 for the church today. I’m sure it will lead to some very interesting lunchtime conversations to share over our Hospitality Sunday.A note for those wanting the translation for the service. Over the three week trial period the use of this has been small. If you have an opinion or want to see it continue into the future, please let us know.Thanks and God bless,Benji

Dear friends of BCUCI wonder—do you have someone in your life that you would say has been a partner in the gospel? I mean, if you consider something you do now or have done, that you would see as your 'ministry', whether in the church or outside it, a calling from the Holy Spirit that you have acted upon, is there someone who has joined you on that journey? That person may have changed along the way. It could be a partner or a family member, a friend or a colleague.The latter half of the book of Acts largely follows three missionary journeys of Paul and his companions. On the first journey, we read that the Holy Spirit sent Barnabas and Paul. Jesus had a habit of sending disciples out in pairs into villages to minister and to spread the Good news about Jesus and the Kingdom of God. The whole story of the formation of the early church rarely involves a person acting alone. Christianity was never meant to be done solo. The work of the Holy Spirit is communal, shared, and not intended for lone rangers in ministry.Yet, for many years in Australian society, there has been a sense that religion is a 'private thing'. This was partly an attitude to avoid unnecessary sectarian conflict and an attempt to 'respect religious freedom'. Yet to hide and keep private that which is foundational is both suppressive and out of step with the work of the Holy Spirit.Like it or not, God calls Christians, new and old, to work out their God-given calling and to do their 'good works' in partnership with others, as part of the family of God. Like the song they sing at Manchester United football matches: “You’ll Never Walk Alone.” The people may change depending on the destination. Paul journeyed with many different people. Who might you have with you now? Who might God be calling you to join tomorrow? As they did at the beginning of Acts chapter 13, why not pray and fast about it?I look forward to unpacking some of Acts chapter 13 with you this Sunday.Your brother in ChristBenji