John’s Ministry News

Mid Year Conference (MYC)

Tue, 14 Jul 2009 17:25:07 +1000

I just returned from teaching two back-to-back Mid Year Conferences. Every year Student Life (the university ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ) gathers students from campuses across Queensland in one conference, and students from New South Wales and Victoria in another conference. The theme was Re:generation, and was a focus on our personal response to the role of the Holy Spirit in the our lives. I built the week’s messages around two foundational biblical truths: 1) The Holy Spirit is God and should be respected, honoured and trusted as God; and 2) the Holy Spirit is a person who was sent by Jesus to take up Jesus’ role in our daily lives (John 14:16-17), and as such we should relate to him on the personal level -- responding to Him, being careful not to grieve Him or resist Him, but rather to walk in step with Him, allowing Him to fully apply the resurrection life of Jesus to our lives.

As you can see in the photo, there was a huge response to the challenge to respond to the person of the Holy Spirit in this way, with the front and all three aisles packed with people on their knees before God. An amazing moment in God’s presence.

I went to the Queensland conference quite sick and many of you were praying for me, during both conferences. Thank you so much, and I hope the fruit of your prayers in the lives of many people will encourage you to pray more for those in ministry!

God at work!

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 11:36:06 +1000

I got this letter today from a woman who gets our Time With God devotional magazine. I feel so privileged to be a part of what God is doing in people’s lives!

Dear John,
Thank you for sending me Time With God for the last few years. I have benefitted greatly from them. The simple truths contained in the pages have so often been perfectly appropriate to the situation I find myself in, touching me deeply and moving me on in my faith, taking my walk with God to ever deeper and more intimate levels. The devotions challenge, encourage, uplift and bless me daily.
It has also challenged me to read more of God’s word, so along with Time With God each morning I also read some chapters from the Old Testament or a variety of other things. However, I still am touched daily by the teachings each day in Time With God.
Recently a 22 year old newly converted and baptised friend of mine who has not grown up in a Christian environment asked me what daily devotion material I use. I suggested Time With God to him and I gave him the tear-off slip at the end of the booklet. I showed him the material and he was most impressed. My 16-year-old daughter was there at the time and she was also impressed. He sent the request off immediately, with my daughter’s name on it as well. She received it a week or so ago and I know she is reading it as she mentions it each day and we share what we have learned.
Thank you so much for your ministry. It has been a deep source of blessing to me and has been the means of God’s blessing, challenge, correction and encouragement on numerous occasions. It is wonderful to be able to share that with others.
…In the latest devotional book I received from you, you mentioned the CD “Do You Mind?”. Could you please send me a copy of that CD as it sounds like teaching which is pertinent to many situations I find myself in. Please continue to send me the devotional material.
Thank you once again,
Kind regards

Heading to Europe!

Sun, 8 Feb 2009 08:16:06 +1100

I am in the airport getting ready to leave for three stops in Europe. Check out our 7 minute video above for more on our family and this trip!

“Core Services” retreat

Tue, 2 Dec 2008 17:28:28 +1100

What a privilege it was to speak to the administrative arm, or ‘core services’ of Campus Crusade for Christ in Australia on their retreat a few weeks ago. This team of people have a strong spiritual vision for enabling that ministry to move forward. The retreat combined spiritual teaching, team building, and strategic planning. I was so glad to be a part of what God is doing in that ministry, and to visit with our dear friends Paul and Wendy Lacy, who head up the team.

Men’s Conference

Tue, 2 Dec 2008 17:24:06 +1100

A week and a half ago I joined a wonderful group of men who had gathered from several churches to pursue God together. The messages God put on my heart were pretty heavy challenges, but the men responded to them and it was great to hear men sharing about God’s work in their hearts during the testimony time!