July 2024

Principal Points

Christian greetings:)

We have come to the end of another six months of studies in Hermeneutics, Christian Leadership, Apologetics, Theology and Internship, for those on the Pastoral and Ministry stream. Our platform church (GCC) has engaged folk in studies on the Book of Proverbs and Thessalonians. The focus has been on “Big W - Witness & Wisdom”. As a church based training arm, Equip College is on the move in terms of Spirit led training. There has certainly been an increase in couselling from a Biblical perspective as well. Mental health issues are eating away at people and our ministry is geared towards those who come seeking God’s divine intervention for healing and restoration. This includes a journey into Personal Development as well as Spiritual Formation. It is vital that followers of Jesus Christ are properly discipled according to the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our students and participants are delighting in the Lord as their eyes are opened to giving our God all the glory and believing and following Him primarily for the reason that He is the God of our salvation in Christ Jesus.

In our ministry to our students and participants, we expose them, first and foremost to the ‘heart’ of knowing, following and worshipping Jesus. Eugene Peterson put it correctly and succinctly when he stated, “To take a person trained in ways and means that are custom-formulated to fit into the world’s ways and then place that person in the worshiping, evangelizing, witnessing, reconciling, peace-making, justice-advocating people of God is equivalent to putting an adolescent whose sole qualifications consist of a fascination with speed, the ability to step on the accelerator, and expertise in operating the radio, behind the wheel of a brand new Porsche.” (p.3). “Do our ways derive from “the world, the flesh, and the devil” of which we have been well warned for such a long time? Or do they serve life in the kingdom of God and the following of Jesus in which we have been given, historically and liturgically [Biblically -mine], a long apprenticeship?”(p.2). (The Jesus Way, A Conversation in Following Jesus, 2007, Hodder & Stoughton).

And so we continue “by faith, not by sight” - into the next six months of discipleship life. Even when it seems that the odds are against us, we know through the Holy Spirit that God is for us and that we are “more than conquerors through Christ.” “Open the eyes of our hearts Lord, we want to see YOU…”

Please continue to uphold Equip College, Grace Community Church, and our Network of Ministries in Australia and abroad, in prayer. Thank you for your support and prayers.

“Now unto Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, unto Him be glory in the church through Christ Jesus throughout all ages, forever and ever. Amen.” - Ephesians 3:20-21.

Blessings.

DDE