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Issue 10 - September 2006
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INTRODUCTIONWelcome to the latest news from around the Fellowship. We start this edition with a short report on the Council Meetings held in Brisbane in June. As a result of those meetings, we are pleased to introduce to you two new Council Pastors, Paul Nobel and Darryl Williams. Australia's Northern Territory is both vast and remote and many of us will never see it in the flesh. So, we are also pleased to bring you a little closer, by introducing you to our two assemblies there in this edition: Darwin and Alice Springs. The PNG assemblies have just completed their National Rally with some astonishing results. We bring you a report hot off the press of what happened in Pt Moresby just last week. From there we catch up with news from around the world and, finally, finish up this issue with a photo roundup of the International Convention held in Brisbane in June. We trust you enjoy this edition and the work God is doing in your Fellowship. COUNCIL MEETINGS
The Council which guides our Fellowship generally meets twice per year; once before the June International Convention and once later in the year, usually in November. This round of Council meetings were held in Brisbane for the two days leading up to Convention and included visiting pastors Ron Carslake from Capetown, to bring reports on what the Lord is doing in our work in Africa (see AFRICA below), Colin Tan to bring us up to date with the works in Asia, and, of course, Pastor Godfrey Wippon was there to pass on details of the amazing revival that continues in PNG. We also heard news from Brazil, Vanuatu, Fiji, N.Z., and other spots around the world. One of the many matters discussed was the eventual retirement of Pastors John Kuhlmann (Council Chairman) and Bob Beverley (Deputy Chairman) - as they are both approaching 70. Both pastors are happy to continue helping the Fellowship at Council level for as long as the Fellowship needs them, but it was agreed that the Council could do with some extra helpers in the meantime. As a result, Pastors Paul Nobel and Darryl Williams were selected to join the Council. This decision was ratified by the body of pastors at the Annual Pastors' Meeting later that same week. We welcome them to the Council and thank them for their service to the worldwide Fellowship.
Pastor Paul Nobel is the senior pastor of the Woodcroft meeting in Adelaide assembly, probably the largest single meeting in Australia with about 600 members. He is also Pastor John Kuhlmann's nominated eventual successor over the sprawling Adelaide work. Pastor Darryl Williams is the senior pastor of the Melbourne assembly and has served for some years as the liaison pastor for the Victorian and Tasmanian assemblies, as well as the fellowships in North and South America. A number of resolutions emerged from the Council meetings. The Council strongly encouraged all to continue to evangelise wherever we can, and to look for further opportunities to foster evangelism among the gentile folk who seem most open to receive it. The Council also issued a warning on the importance of "separation" i.e. to avoid alterations of doctrines or policies in the direction of "Pentecostal" styles. Our simple scriptural style has served us well. The Council also encouraged all pastors and assemblies to "maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace". To stay united requires both hard work, and a humble attitude.
INTRODUCING THE NORTHERN TERRITORYThe "Top End" of Australia conjures up images of crocodiles and Ayers Rock. For those in our Fellowship though, Darwin and Alice Springs are spiritual sanctuaries filled with enthusiastic saints. DARWINThe mild weather in "the Dry" encourages BBQ's after Sunday meetings and on Saturday nights, as well as a singing outreach or two down at the famous Mindil Beach open air markets. Pastor Ivan Tester counts his time there from the pre-Cyclone Tracy era of 1974. Darwin is a very long way from its nearest neighbour and so the assembly welcomes visitors - and is justifiably famous for its warm-hearted hospitality.
ALICE SPRINGSThe other assembly in the Northern Territory is Alice Springs. Their leader is brother John Mennie. They too send their greetings and look forward to fellowship with saints passing through.
P.N.G. REVIVAL CRUSADEThe assemblies of PNG held their National Crusade in Pt Moresby, culminating over the weekend of 23rd and 24th September. And what a week it was! Some 6 000 folk (yes, you read the number correctly) gathered in the largest stadium in the city to sing, praise the Lord and listen to items, talks and testimonies from all over the nation. About 20 Australians joined in the proceedings, but little can prepare the visitor for the sheer scale and energy of the week. The theme of "Miracles Still Happen" was most appropriate. We listened to testimony after testimony. Phillip Komai told of his family's battle with AIDS. He lost his wife and two children. Finally he himself was losing his life to the dreaded disease when he heard the gospel message in 2003. He was baptised and miraculously healed. His Australian employer in PNG still conducts quarterly checks three years later to confirm the disease's disappearance. We heard from sister Gabriella, whose 3-months premature son was raised from the dead an hour after his body was taken to the hospital's morgue. He is now a happy and healthy 5 year old. A typical prayer line each evening consisted of 1 000 people, all looking for a healing from Him "by whose stripes we were healed". There were many who later testified of miraculous cures. After one prayer line a lady walked up to the platform. Her wheelchair was placed beside her as she testified of the miracle that had just taken place. One evening, a blind woman exclaimed emotionally "I can see!" as the prayer time came to an end. The message is simple, and the same as is preached throughout the world in our Fellowship: Jesus died to set us free from sin, disease and death. The commandment Ps Godfrey relays from the Bible is also simple: "Repent and be baptised, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (Acts2:38) Leading up to, and during the Crusade, some 467 locals were baptised by immersion and nearly all received the Holy Spirit, with the miracle sign of speaking in other tongues. It is estimated the work in PNG now numbers some 50 000 folk in approximately 800 centres. They range from tiny assemblies of a dozen in a jungle village through to mega-assemblies like Pt Moresby with well over 2 000 members. In all of them, the Lord Jesus Christ is setting folk free by the power of the Holy Spirit and giving them happy and exciting new lives. Praise the Lord. Next year marks the 25th Anniversary of the Fellowship in PNG and Ps Godfrey is proposing a series of minirallies in the key cities and towns rather than the massive National Rally. We'll keep you posted of further details. Visitors are always welcome.
LATEST FROM AFRICAPs Ron Carslake from South Africa and Brian Allen from Mt Gambier have just completed a tour of the works in Southern and Eastern Africa. With the help of another four brothers from Adelaide, they were able to split into two teams and cover almost all the assemblies in Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. On their arrival they found that Zambia had had about 40 baptisms since May and Lubumbashi, (D.R.Congo) a total of 40 baptisms since the work began there in March. During their visit, they enjoyed another 41 baptisms in total. There are now about 45 folk in fellowship in Lubumbashi. A handful of these men have headed over to Likasi, a mining town 120 km away, looking for work. They report they have already received a good response to the gospel and hope to establish a second Congo front there. During the same trip Ps Brian visited Kenya and he reports of new revival taking place in the North-west of that country. They enjoyed another 16 baptisms during their time there. As a result of a contact from Australia, Ps Sammy of Kenya traveled down to Burundi (a small country nestled between Kenya and D.R. Congo) to do a follow up, and ended up baptizing 10 folk. We pray the Lord establishes the work in that country also.
BRAZILPastor Esteves reports: "Gadelha Many, many miracles are happening in the villages. We have a lady that could not walk for 6 years after she had a car accident. In the accident she suffered multiple fractures to her legs. So she came to the Lord Jesus and He has healed her instantly. Because of this great miracle all her family came to the Lord. We currently meet in the open air, but are now constructing a 1 200 seater hall. The Banana FarmIt is going well, supplying the cash for wages for the village pastors, rents in the villages and Fortaleza, the motorbike maintenance, petrol and so on. It meets our original expectations and more. Thanks to all those assemblies which helped us get it off the ground. It is one real miracle. Assemblies in the villages of Tanque, Barro Alto, Queimadas and Piripiri are all going well. Fortaleza The meetings are great: signs and wonders are part of the meetings. A recent outreach meeting in August on the theme of "Armageddon" brought in 70 new people! Nine were baptised. Our focus on small groups is going well; people are really getting involved in it. The leaders are very busy bringing people to the group and preparing another leader to divide each group into two. To split the group it needs at least 14 saints, so the leader takes the news saints and the apprentice stays with the rest to reach out to another 7 people to get 14 again and split and so on. We have in total 36 groups. Besides that we have outreaches every Sunday starting 8 in the morning until 11. Many people are very open to the Lord. My conclusion is that people in Brazil are reaching for the true Gospel. Baptisms By way of example, we had in total of 56 baptisms in May, in Fortaleza and the villages; and another 20 in June, and so on. Praise the Lord."
PHOTO ROUND-UP OF INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION IN BRISBANE JUNE 2006
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