One example of a “better together” story is happening in the outer east of Melbourne with Kilsyth South, Wandin and Ferntree Gully Baptist churches. Pre- COVID-19, the pastors of each of these churches would meet regularly and on occasion, Kilsyth South provides preaching and musician support to Wandin.

When the social distancing measures came in so quickly late March, Kilsyth South was fortunate in being able to create an online platform soon after the restrictions were announced. The other two churches were not in the same position at that time, and so Peter Nielsen, Senior Pastor of Kilsyth South invited both churches to join them online.

In addition to these churches connecting with Kilsyth South, Peter is aware of others connecting to their online services from around the world. He shares this encouraging story:

“We had a Japanese young lady come to faith late last year after befriending one of our church regulars.  He brought her to church, she asked to see me and gave her life to Jesus.  Her fears about going back to Japan and to a Buddhist family were very real, so before she left in early February, she was baptized in a small service at the church where we were able to pray for her and commit her to Jesus.  She went back to Japan, and less than a month later we were live streaming – she has logged on each week to watch and worship with us and each week she sends a photo of her watching the service and letting us know how she is going in her faith!  God has blessed her immensely – and we are being blessed through her and her faith that has gone back to her homeland!” 

It all started with a friendship—with a Syrian woman I met in Shepparton in December 2017. When I asked her how I could help her and other Syrians recently arrived in Shepparton, she said they needed help practicing conversational English.

From that I began to teach classes, creating a program called Thrive Shepparton, with a plan for a creative expansion called Shepparton Story House. When students began to ask for writing and grammar alongside conversation, I knew it was time for Story House to begin.

Only it didn’t begin right away. Unable to secure a new working visa, I went home to the U.S. for nearly a year, during which time Rev Richard Horton at Shepparton Baptist Church contacted me. He’d read my plans for the Story House program and he wanted me to return to Shepparton to begin this program at his church.

In the year and a half since he contacted me, Shepparton Baptist Church has become home to two Congolese fellowships, an Indonesian fellowship, and continues to have an English service each Sunday and a Chinese service fortnightly. In mid-2018, Thrive Friendship Café launched at Shepparton Baptist Church, and friendships began to form between volunteers and close to a dozen Syrian families in our neighbourhood.

My working visa to begin Shepparton Story House at this already diverse church arrived the same week as COVID-19 restrictions. Not wanting to let down our expectant students, in term two we launched our three levels of English classes online, as well as our Bible Story & Chat program and Creative Writing Hub. With God’s grace, these programs have all continued through the past three months, growing despite launching online. Now we’ve also launched our program’s Story Platform with an online storytelling series: “Coming to Australia” which aims to show the diversity of migrants in our city and pave the way for our future story platform program at the church.

These programs aren’t just for our Syrian friends, but for those in our own church and all of those in the community around us who are learning English. So far our program participants have been from over a dozen countries.

It all started with a friendship— and as we hear and tell our own stories through our programs, we are blessed with many friendships across our beautifully diverse community.

In 1960s China, seven-year old Jun Tan was put up on a stage with his family in front of 3,000 angry men. Young Jun was gripped with fear. His American-trained pilot father had been targeted and the family was ostracised and humiliated wherever they go. The Cultural Revolution placed Jun and his family in great danger.

Jun Tan reflects on this tumultuous time as preparation for the years to come – years where his atheistic beliefs would be challenged, his longing for purpose would span decades, and his identity as someone who was excluded from the community would ultimately be met by God and be the motivator for his ministry.

Having studied at a top Chinese university, Jun became a highly regarded scientist, who was part of the communist army. “As a young person in China, I truly believed that communism is where contribution is according to one’s ability and distribution is according to need.” Jun was one with much to contribute. His intellect opened doors to Australia in 1987 where he began a doctorate with a scholarship at Melbourne University. Jun’s scientific career was flourishing.

However, by 1989, Jun had become disenfranchised with communism and lost hope in all he believed to be true. He was an alien in this new country, and now in search of a completely new understanding of life and its purpose. He soon became drawn to the Western ideals being lived out by those around him – to work for oneself and fight for one’s own rights and interests – a marked departure from his communist roots.

He decided to leave his studies to start a business. His enterprise kept him busy for almost a decade. In the milieu of competing world views and personal circumstance, Jun found his life dramatically lacking. “My business got me to where I wanted financially. Suddenly I realised that I had what I wanted – freedom as an Australian citizen, a family and a house. I had fulfilled my dream but I felt empty.”

Jun states it very simply, “I had everything, but I couldn’t find purpose in myself or in life.” Once again, he felt alienated.

Finally, the resilience of his youth, coupled with his insatiable longing for purpose, turned Jun squarely towards God. To say that Jun had exhausted all options before learning of a loving God would be to deny the evident hand of God throughout this life to this point. While studying in China, Jun’s American English teacher gave him a Bible. Wanting to know the beginning of the story and how the world would end, Jun read Genesis and Revelation. Upon his arrival in Australia, Jun was introduced to a loving Church community by some Christian friends. The community impacted him deeply, where the ideals of sharing with those in need and contributing according to ability were genuinely lived out. However, the attraction to this community was momentary.

And now, having felt the pain of his purpose shattered, Jun got in his car, and drove around aimlessly. He happened upon Northcote Baptist Church; a community introduced to him weeks earlier by one of his staff members. “I remember sitting in my car thinking that it is ridiculous to say that there is a God. It goes against everything I knew as a scientist. So, I asked God, ‘If you are real, I will give you three months to prove yourself to me. Tell me why I am here and explain all the things that are happening to me!’”

He entered the church service and continued returning. Without speaking to anyone there, Jun sensed God speaking directly to him through the services. Within weeks, he felt called to be baptised but his wife was against it. He persuaded his wife to follow him to church and two months later, she made the same decision. The transformation in Jun’s life was the catalyst for her own belief. He had changed in many ways. He learned to apologise; he grew in sensitivity; he abandoned drinking. But transformation was not on his mind. He reflects on this time, “I don’t even know what Baptism means but I knew I wanted to respond to God.”

Eight months after first sensing God speaking to him through the services at Northcote Baptist Church (NBC), Jun was baptised. His desire to hear from God was deepened further. “I felt a strong desire to seek God. I felt safe when I’m talking to God. In fact, I talked to God continuously. It was the last thing I did before going to bed and the first thing I did when I woke up. I didn’t know that I was praying. I thought I was just talking to God.”

Jun began serving as a Sunday school teacher at NBC and one day, he taught the children about finding God’s plan in their life. “I realised it was too hard for the young ones to understand and more importantly, I realised that I’ve never asked God the question ‘what is your plan for my life?’”

Through the counsel of friends, a vision to repent and an invitation to attend a Theology class, Jun started his journey towards becoming a pastor. Jun quit his business and began full time studies. While fellow students talked about ‘calling’ and their hopes for their futures, Jun admitted to knowing nothing (even the term ‘calling’) except his desire to know God and his plans for Jun’s life. Jun graduated in 2005 and stepped into the role as part time pastor to the Northcote Baptist Chinese congregation.

In August 2018, Jun assumed the role of Pastor to the Balwyn Baptist community. His focus is on the alienated – those who may find themselves ordinarily excluded. Where society’s culture can seek to exclude, the Kingdom Culture that Jun fights for is inclusive – where people belong before they believe; where communion is offered, and individuals decide if they’ll accept.

Balwyn Baptist seeks to follow Jesus’ example and include people in their community regardless of their belief. Jun goes to great lengths to ensure people know they are welcome. He pre-records Sunday sermons in Chinese, which are played in parallel with the sermon delivered in English. It is unsurprising that many new migrant families are finding their home and finding their feet in this community. We may use the term multicultural to describe this gathering in Balwyn, but Jun hopes the phrase will lose its currency. ‘Multicultural gatherings’ are simply a matter of life. Kingdom culture, focused on the redemption won by Jesus, includes everyone.

Throughout Jun’s journey, he has lived as an alien – in his native country, in his new country, in his exploration of faith, and even in regard to his own worldviews. The resilience Jun learned as a seven-year old has been applied to much of his life and has given him the strength to live as an alien. His purpose in life has been subsequently shaped by this alien identity, as he now invites many to know their true home and place with God.

Jun serves as a member of BUV Ordination Discernment Group and as a tutor for TransFormation at Whitley College.

The Baptist pastors who are out working in the Bushfire affected regions are amazing people.  Not only did they adjust their whole lives to take on assisting the local communities impacted by the bushfires, they have now had to swing back around to adjust their whole lives to keeping their own local congregations connected and inspired during the COVID-19 crisis. Amazing. Just when things were starting to show signs of life again the communities in these regions have taken another economic and social hit. Because of this, our role in staying involved and remaining connected into the future is even more critical.

Right from the moment the fires were threatening Corryong, Pastor Graeme van Brummelen was on the ground helping.  He and David Hodgens (Wodonga Baptist Church) played a significant role in running the evacuation centre. Immediately after the fires had cleared, Graeme was out gathering information from locals on what the immediate needs were.  Recognising the need that many had for some basic items, combined with the need the local shops had for business, getting a local voucher system up and running was a great start and this has been continuing through to this time.

Just before the COVID-19 lockdowns occurred, I took Chris Piper (our Bushfire Recovery Advisor) for a visit (as we also did to Gippsland, reported previously) and we spent a couple of days with Graeme.  The attached video highlights some of the activity from that trip but also talks about the long-term needs that are part of the recovery process.

We were privileged to visit some of those who had been affected – some didn’t mind being photographed or named, but for most the pain was still too raw to even ask.  However, what was abundantly clear was how much Graeme was being appreciated in the community.  His ability to connect as a pastor but also as a local (Graeme himself lost property and livestock as a result of the fires) has allowed people to feel safe talking to him about their pain and loss, but also about various options on how to take any next steps toward recovery.

We visited two couples who had each lost two houses. One of these couples had subsequently spent a couple of months living in a tent inside a shed that had been saved. Both couples (as well as others we met) spoke about how much they had appreciated engaging with Graeme and how important it was to have someone to talk to during this time. It was amazing to me how long we were at each place.  People obviously just wanted to be able to talk to those they knew would care.  Pictured here is one couple with Graeme as he hands them a Voucher Package.

All this activity has been made possible by the generosity of the Baptist Family in Victoria. In addition to the Voucher Packages, Graeme has been talking with local farmers about their current needs and the overwhelming response has been for assistance in buying seed (and some fodder) at this critical seasonal moment.  The fires not only burnt off all the grass but then the heavy rains that followed washed away a lot of the top soil (see the video). In this district, these funds have played a vital role in helping farmers with the next season in their farming calendar, without which would have undoubtedly led to ongoing losses as a result of the fires. There are of course numerous Scriptural references to planting seed and Graeme himself feels that this is significant at this time. Many of those who have received this gift share with him about what it has meant to receive it, but also many share about his personal support is playing such a significant role during this time.

Once again, Baptist Family, thanks for your support. Wherever Graeme gets a chance to talk he makes it clear that it is you who have made this support possible. Please continue to pray for Graeme and the other pastors in Gippsland (Michael Carlisle, Geoff Pegler, as well as all those working hard with them) who are not only working at continuing this great work, but also working at dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thanks again for all your support. God bless.

Peace and Hope in these times,

Andrew Naylor
BUV Partnership Development Pastor

Alison, can you tell us a bit about your journey into pastoral leadership?

Like many women, I moved into pastoral leadership hesitantly. My mother was a pastor at a time when the church was largely hostile towards women in ministry; it was not a situation I envied. Although I was studying theology, writing Bible studies, preaching, questioning how we did things as a church, and journeying with people towards change, it took several requests from the church, and a long process of God breaking down my internal resistance, before I could formally accept the call.

What would you say are the barriers (and blessings) to your ministry as a woman?

Although they rarely realise it, many people cling to an idea that ‘normal’ pastors are straight white men. This means that those of us who don’t fit into that mould are seen, first and foremost, as the perceived ‘difference’ to that mould. So I am seen as a woman not a pastor, and asked to talk about being a woman in ministry rather than just my ministry. The unspoken assumption is that neither I nor my experience are ‘normal’.

And so, for example, the men in my local Baptist ministers fellowship go away together to men’s conferences and retreats, because that’s what ‘normal’ pastors do; and I am excluded from the shared experiences, conversations and networking. I love the local blokes, but I have had to maintain a pastoral peer group in Melbourne to ensure I get the support I need.

To give another example, when I was ready to leave South Yarra the only work I was offered was with playgroups. Now, I love little kids one-on-one, but a group of them leaves me cold; it would have been a disaster both for them and for me. People who know me call me a pastor-theologian: I am a thinker, writer and preacher. But because I am a woman, others do not see these gifts; they just assume I should work with kids.

Ironically, having no formal opportunities has had its advantages. It opened the door for the Holy Spirit to prepare a people and a place for me here in Warrnambool. I am now the sole pastor of a four-year-old church plant of 50-60 regulars, including many children and teens. In this context, I have enormous freedom to try things which have never been tried before; to follow the Spirit’s lead; and to serve an intergenerational cohort of people, many of whom previously had very little connection with church. This ministry is a great blessing and joy.

In what ways do you see God’s hand at work in your ministry now?

When Jesus meets the Samaritan woman at the well, he promises living water that will never run out. For me, one of the signs of God at work is an endless well of creativity bubbling up from within, which shapes and inspires my ministry. I am constantly dreaming up new paths through the desert, writing extensively, and in so doing watering other people’s faith. When I began Sanctuary, people described their faith as dry, desiccated, dormant, even non-existent (they came for their kids). People are now stronger and more confident in faith, and some young people are seeking baptism. Online (since COVID-19), I see many people, including many pastors, accessing our website, and borrowing and adapting things for their own circumstances.

As you reflect back on your own leadership journey, what advice would you give to women starting out on theirs?

In our society, there is enormous pressure on women to be inoffensive and to conform to other people’s expectations; this can be doubly true in the church. But your task is not to conform, make everyone happy, or be super-nice. Instead, your task is to love God and people, keep your eyes on Jesus Christ, follow the Spirit’s leading, and be true to your call.

For some, this will go sweetly. For others, this will upset a few apple carts and lead to conflict, even crucifixion. If this happens, know that this is normal. Healing in the gospel invariably leads to conflict, and journeying with Jesus means heading towards the cross: but on the other side of the cross you find life. So stick with him; keep dwelling in the Word; keep praying; keep loving your enemies—and make sure you have a couple of trusted colleagues who will journey with you through thick and thin!

Alison at her Ordination service in 2018 with a member of Sanctuary, Noah, who introduced her. 

Our Kachin brothers and sisters are facing hardship in Kachin land as the armed clashes intensify. Let's join with our Kachin Baptist churches here in praying for those facing persecution in their homeland.

On June 9, 2011, The Burmese Army broke a 17 year ceasefire agreement between the Kachin Independence Organisation (KIO) / Kachin Independence Army (KIA) by attacking KIA’s post in Taping Hka, Bhamo, Kachin State.

Since then, the Burmese Army has been conducting military campaigns against the KIA and Kachin people in Kachin regions, which has, and continues to result in the death and displacement of  thousands of civilians, and grave human right violations.

Over 120,000 Kachins are currently displaced and living in around 167 Refugee Camps across Kachin and northern Shan States.

In early April 2018, Myanmar ( The Burmese Army) has escalated the offensive action against  the Kachin Army (KIA). The new clashes have displaced over 5,000 more Kachin people, and of these more than 2,200 are trapped in the jungle held by the government troops.

The most vulnerable civilians trapped in the conflicts include pregnant women, newborns, children, wounded persons, elderly and those with health conditions.

NGOs and aids organisations cannot provide humanitarian support as the government is restricting access to the areas where people are in such desperate need.

We have a number of Kachin Baptist Churches who are part of our BUV. It is beholden on all of us, not only to be praying for them and their family, friends and others in their home country, trapped in such dire circumstances, but to become more educated about what is happening in this part of the world

Some news and other useful links can be found here:

As the Rohingya crisis unfolds, thousands of Christian minorities are also being displaced in Myanmar.

Myanmar Army killing Christians in Kachin

Myanmar bishops call for peace and justice in war torn Kachin state

U.N. Myanmar rights envoy calls for halt to violence in Kachin state

'What Future Do We Have?' Caught in the Crossfire of Myanmar's Northern Conflict, Civilians See Little Hope