Unleashing the Church

Hi

I am currently reading the book Unleashing the Church: getting people out of the fortress and into ministry by Frank Tillapaugh. It's not a new release by any means but it is a really good read.

It talks about ways of empowering lay people so they can fulfill their call to ministry, in what ever area they are passionate about.

It's a real challenge pastors to be a change catalyst in the congregations they minister with.

This book has really impacted me in how I do ministry and how I encourage others to engage in ministry as well. We live in a culture where the mindset of "what can you give me" is prevalent, instead of asking "what can I give". This mindset is also in churches with the concept of "pew sitters". Come, get your fill and leave until next week.

This does nothing to fulfill the great commission in Matthew, it wasn't only those who were ministers or leaders that were told to go and make disciples, it was everyone. The church generally has taken this power away from members of the congregation. The fear that they may do it wrong, or may suddenly become a heretic or worse do it better than the minister, has often lead ministers and churches to place so many restrictions around ministry, that congregation members think it's better to leave it up to the experts.

How do we change this mindset in the churches, so people can begin to feel free to follow the call on their lives and start impacting the people around them?

Imagine what it would be like to be part of a church where everyone felt a call to ministry and were empowered to fulfill that call. What an amazing impact we would have!

Blessings

Em

The Australian Citizenship Test .... almost

Hi
Being that many of you aren't Australian I thought I would give you a glimpse of the unofficial Citizenship form incase you need it later on.
Thanks for the email Fred

Australian Government Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs Application for Grant of Australian Citizenship

You must answer 75% (28 or more out of 37) of these questions correctly in order to qualify for Australian Citizenship

1. How many slabs can you fit in the back of a Falcon Ute while also allowing room for your
cattle dog? Not having ever owned a cattle dog or a ute I am unable to answer this question
2. When packing an Esky do you put the ice, or the beer, in first? My understanding is that you alternate Ice, beer, then Ice on top to ensure crisp ice cold beer
3. Is the traditional Aussie Christmas dinner:
a) At least two roasted meats with roast vegetables, followed by a pudding you could use as a cannonball. Also ham. In 40C heat.
b) A seafood buffet followed by a barbie, with rather a lot of booze. And ham. In 40C heat.
c) Both of the above, one at lunchtime and one at dinnertime. Weather continues fine. C definitely
4. How many beers in a slab? 24
5. You call that a knife, this is a knife. True or False? True
6. Does "yeah-nah" mean
a) "Yes and no"
b) "Maybe"
c) "Yes I understand but No I don't agree"? C, I use this phase all the time
7. The phrases "strewth" and "flamin' dingo" can be attributed to which TV character?
a) Toadie from Neighbours
b) Alf from Home & Away Alf
c) Agro from Agro's Cartoon Connection
d) Sgt. Tom Croydon from Blue Heelers?
8. When cooking a barbecue do you turn the sausages
a) Once or twice
b) As often as necessary to cook
c) After each stubby
d) Until charcoal? Charcoal
9. Name three of the Daddo brothers. Andrew, Cameron, Lochie
10. Who was the original lead singer of AC/DC? I should know this can't remember, WM will be very disappointed
11. Which option describes your ideal summer afternoon:
a) Drinking beer at a mate's place
b) Drinking beer at the beach
c) Drinking beer watching the cricket/footy
d) Drinking beer at a mate's place while watching the cricket before going to the beach? definitely D
12. Would you eat pineapple on pizza? Would you eat egg on a pizza? Yes on both accounts , LB loves banana pizza

13. How many cans of beer did David Boon consume on a plane trip from Australia to England? I don't know but my little brother was aiming to beat it when he left for England in June much to my mum's dismay, I think it's around 42
14. How many stubbies is it from Brissy to the Gold Coast in a Torana traveling at 120km/h? Again it's beer I don't know
15. Who are Scott and Charlene? Neighbours most famous couple otherwise known as Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan. I remember watching it and singing the Angry Anderson song, Suddenly for weeks after it
16. How do you apply your tomato sauce to a pie?
a) Squirt and spread with finger
b) Sauce injection straight into the middle? Injection straight in
17. If the police raided your home would you:
a) Allow them to rummage through your personal items
b) Phone up the nearest talkback radio shock jock and complain This is the correct answer although I wouldn't
c) Put a written complaint in to John Howard and hope that he answers it personally?
18. Which Australian Prime Minister held the world record for drinking a yardie full of beer
the fastest? My guess is Bob Hawke or Gough Whitlam
19. Have you ever had/do you have a mullet? Yes in year 5. Forgive me father for I have sinned
20. Thongs are:
a) Skimpy underwear
b) Casual footwear Footwear
c) They're called jandals, bro?
21. On which Ashes tour did Warney's hair look the best?
a) 1993
b) 1997
c) 2001
d) 2005 When was his hair the focus
22. What is someone more likely to die of:
a) Red Back Spider
b) Great White Shark
c) Victorian Police Officer
d) King Brown Snake
e) Your missus after a big night
f) Dropbear? definitely a dropbear, they are vicious
23. How many times must a steak be turned on a conventional four-burner barbie? 4
24. Can you sing along to Cold Chisel's Khe Sanh? absolutely Chisel, Chisel, Chisel
25. Explain both the "follow-on" and "LBW" rules in cricket and discuss the pros and cons for
the third umpire decisions in the latter.... Follow on - if you haven't made enough runs to look like a real cricket team you get sent back in to try again, before being annihilated by the opposition. LBW - Leg Before Wicket a way of getting out
26. Name at least 5 items that must be taken to a BBQ. Stubbies, Salad, Steak, Sausage, Sauce 27. Who is current Australian test cricket captain:
a) Ricky Ponting Ricky
b) Don Bradman
c) John Howard
d) Makybe Diva?
28. Is it best to take a sick day on:
a) When the cricket's on
b) When the cricket's on
c) When the cricket's on? Yeah this one
29. What animal is on the Bundaberg Rum bottle? Bear
30. What is the difference between a pot and a middy of beer? How many it takes to get plastered
31. What are Budgie smugglers? men's swimmers
32. What brand and size of Esky will you be purchasing? Esky as big as possible
33. Did you cry when Molly died on a Country Practice? Of course
34. A "Hoppoate" is:
a) A breed of kangaroo
b) A kind of Australian "wedgie" A very bad kind of wedgie
c) A disgraced Rugby League player?
35. What does having a 'chunder' mean? to throw up
36. When you were young did you prefer the Hills Hoist over any swing set? Hills Hoist or clothes line for everyone else
37. What does the terminology 'True Blue' mean? A Fair dinkum oka who is flat out like a lizard drinkin, maaaate. Does that make it clearer? Or it could be something that's very Australian

Your Score ….

For Office use only.
. In
. Out
. Can have another crack at it

Blessings

Em

A very late Friday Five

Normally I don't do Friday Fives but I couldn't resist this one even if it is a couple of days late.

Last Friday the RevGalBlogPal Webring celebrated it's 1st Anniversary Yay so the Friday Five is in relation to the GevGalBogPal webring I am a member of

And now the Five:

1) What is your first memory of the RevGalBlogPals?

My first connection to a RevGal was St Casserole on April 1 2005 when she played a April fools announcing she had been informed she had to change the name of her blog and asking for suggestions. I remember feeling a kindred spirit then in my quest for a community for Female ministers.

2) Have you met any of the other ring members in real life?

Being that I am the Australian contingent of Rev Gals ( I am yet to find anyone else in Oz if you are here let me know) I haven't met anyone else. I feel closer to people on the other side of the world than I do to many close by, so one day will endeavor to travel over to meet some of you.

3) Of those you haven't met, name a few you would love to know in person.

All those who provide me with a amazing amount of understanding and support. Those who read and comment on my blog and those who's blogs I also enjoy.

4) What has Ring Membership added to your life?

It has added a level of understanding for the relatively unique circumstances I am in.
Being that female Baptist ministers are still relatively new in NSW it's great to have others who I can share experiences with and have a response which is more than bewilderment. The I sound female story is a good example of this. I value the richness and diversity in the Ring and the amazing amount of wisdom.

5) Describe a hope for the future of the WebRing.

My hope is that it continues to be the well spring of support and laughter that it already is, that it is able to provide a collective voice on issues of importance and continue to publish material. I think a retreat or conference would be great and would try my hardest to come to whatever country it was held in. On the other hand if you all want to come to Australia I know of a great retreat called Noonaweena we could use.

This webring has provided me with more than I could have ever imagined when I first joined about 6 months ago. In my quest to find an online community I have found a haven with many people I now call friend. Thank you

Blessings

Em

Back again

Hi

I haven't blogged because I was away at retreat last week. Retreat is a great time where a group of women in a variety of ministry areas get together, share their journeys and reflect on issues which exsist. So while it's a great time it is also a mentally tiring time because of the group process you are involved in.

This process is helped greatly when you are at a place like Noonaweena. It is just a slice of paradise that we have the privilage of using each year.

Thank you to my retreat group for a great time away, those of you not continuing on the journey will be greatly missed.

Coming home to my family is also a wonderful time, and I got to come home to a bed which had been put together, (it still hadn't been done from the move, as we couldn't find the allen keys), a baked dinner and lots of hugs and kisses from my boys.

Now that life has begun to resemble normality, (school holidays are over, were 3 weeks into our new house and retreat is done) well for me at least, I will endeavour to get back to blogging considerable more frequently than I have over the last month.
My apologies to those who haven't had their normal procrastination tool. lol

Blessings

Emma

I'm home

I'm back online after a bit of playing around. We have moved and are now in our new home (photos to come).

It's always interesting finding new places, experiences, favourite spots, best afternoon coffee spot, best morning coffee spot.

Discovering how to climb the climbing tree, how not to fall out of the climbing tree. Asking does the lounge go here or there? Where should the good but often used platters go? Do we need all this plastic stuff, what does that one do anyway? Should our bed go on this wall or that wall? Where is that phone!?

And many other experiences.

But my best all time experience was talking with our isp to get the internet connected, which is the government phone company, and while I was waiting for all the bits to happen have the person on the other end of the phone ask if they could ask me a few questions while we waited. He then start the questions with "Do you know Jesus?"

To which I answered Yes, I'm a minister

Astounding

Blessings

Emma