Conversations as you Go

We have the privilege to hear from Dr. Aila Tasse from Africa over the next two podcasts. Many of us have heard Aila share as part of the ‘Engage Africa’ training videos. Today we hear him share part of his story of seeing movements birthed in Africa. 

After meeting Jesus as a Muslim teenager in northern Kenya, God soon called Aila to 14 unreached people groups (UPGs). This was through a burning bush type vision where God asked Aila, “can cabbages grow in the desert?”. 

We hear from Aila how he struggled to have faith for movements amongst these people groups or ‘cabbages’. Aila describes how God had to shift some mindsets in him when it came to embracing movements. He shares how God had to tell him to ‘get out of the way’. 

Since God first gave Aila a vision for northern Kenya, all 14 of these UPGs are now being engaged. Indigenous teams have been raised up for each with some seeing movement take off. This is all despite Aila once thinking “it can’t happen here”. 

Fast forward to today and Aila shares how God has called him to a wider vision for East Africa. Being home to around 300 UPGs, we hear how 147 of these people groups are now being engaged with a total of 39 movements* happening. 

Allow God to renew your vision of what it means to be a disciple as you listen. Aila speaks to how important it is for us to embrace Jesus’ vision to see groups of disciples established who obey his commands. He encourages us to stay intentional in obedience even when it feels like we might have failed. Jesus wants us to simply obey. We can trust God with the results. 

*Aila describes a movement as at least 100 churches that go to 4 generations or more

Mike (from Hong Kong) catches up with us again this week. I (Dave) was meeting online with him recently and wanted to record his reflections on his time in Germany with his family.

Compared to the mostly 'non-Christian' population of Hong Kong, Mike found himself engaging with mostly 'post-Christian' Germans on this recent trip. He realised there was a whole different number of barriers to break through in this context when engaging spiritually.

Mike highlights the importance of being ready to overcome the initial defences that almost all post-Christians have towards the gospel. He shares how we can take one page out of the book of apologetics when seeking to spark spiritual conversations that lead to discovery.

He shares one story of finding a household of peace in Germany through his child's birthday party celebration. Through the example of this story and an American football anaolgy, Mike empowers us that we don't have to fear sharing with our 'post-Christian' friends when they bring up those tricky questions. We just need to spend a short period of time addressing these defensive mindsets. This will then allow people the opportunity to start a journey of discovery.

Mike finishes by praying for us to not give up on those closest friends and family members around us who we carry in our hearts. Especially those who might seem antagonistic towards God.

Get ready to allow God to speak to any fears you might have towards reaching out to those around you. Those you can see are walking away from Christianity.

As Paul says to the church in Colossae - 'walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person'.

It’s really great to have Simone Smith share some of her journey with us. Simone is from Echuca in regional Victoria, Australia.

Simone carries a God given vision for her country town. She paints a picture of how God called her to be part of his mission force. Something she didn’t expect to happen as a younger person.

Simone draws out the significance of God shifting her from what she calls egocentric prayers to catching God’s heart for the lost in prayer.

Being a young mother of four, Simone tells us how God has helped even her younger kids be actively part of praying and obeying his Word. This was a powerful insight for Simone who is now starting to see other young mums around her show hunger to pray, read and obey scripture. From being dissatisfied and frustrated in her ‘Christian bubble’, Simone highlights the breakthroughs that Bible knowledge coupled with obedience has made. 

Simone also speaks about the power of practical obedience in demonstrating care towards others who need help. Answering the question within the Discovery Bible Study of ‘who can we help’ being the key. Learning to be generous by reaching out and showing tangible love is seeing lives open up all around her. 

Be spurred on this week to what Simone calls a ‘riskier life’ of uncomfortable yet more fruitful obedience to Jesus.

This week we have the joy of hearing from Nazar. He is part of the Iraqi team in Sydney's western suburbs. Nazar recently shared his story with us as part of a Praxeis 'Reaching Refugees' training. He carries a vision for his own Iraqi people, especially those with disabilities.

This is a story of how Jesus has called Nazar to be his disciple. Nazar speaks openly about the challenges of being a refugee. You will hear similarities to other familiar stories like of Cornelius in Acts. Well before meeting us here in Australia, Nazar's 'prayers and gifts to the poor [back in Iraq had] come up as a memorial offering before God' (Acts 10:4).

We see how God is already powerfully at work in people of peace. These days Nazar continues to start discipling groups amongst those with intellectual disabilities from his community. His passion is that more of his own people will encounter and follow Jesus just as he has.

This is part two of our conversation with Prof Jacqualine Grey (Professor of Biblical Studies at Alphacrucis) as we continue our series on Courageous Women.

In this episode, Jacqui shares about how Jesus counter culturally treated the women of his day. We’ll see for example, how radical it would have been for Jesus to include women as his disciples. Like in the story of Mary and Martha.

The New Testament shows us how both men and women were equally valued. It would have been seen as vital that both men and women were involved in all areas of ministry and leadership in the early church. Jacqui shares how women's involvement in the New Testament church was essential if the gospel was to grow.

We also invite Jacqui to address ‘those scriptures’ that seem to limit women in some of Paul’s letters. She helps unpack some of the context behind Paul’s words to help us better understand why he said what he did. 

Finally, Jacqui gives us a word of encouragement for both men and women who are called to be bold and courageous as we step into the new territory God has for us today.

We continue our series on 'Courageous Women' as we seek to affirm and encourage women on mission. We're diving deep over the next two weeks as we look at a biblical perspective on women in ministry. It's great to have Rev Prof Jacqueline Grey with us from Alphacrucis University College.

Jacqui shares some of her own background as a woman in the church who has sought to study the scriptures. She then begins to unpack some of the context women faced in New Testament times. For instance, was it normal for women to be students (disciples) during this time?

In this first of two episodes with Jacqui, we start to form a biblical basis for the value God has towards women. Looking broadly at the Old Testament, Jacqui reveals the deep significance of God including both 'male and female' in his own image.

Whether you are a man or women, you will be blessed by Jacqui's insights that she passionately shares with us over these two weeks.

Over the coming weeks we will be hearing from varioius women on mission. We will hear their stories. How they overcame difficulties and blockages. 

Join us as they speak into the challenges of being in ministry and leadership. Hear how they are catalysing other women to reach out. To break through the barriers they face to follow God and his call. 

We will also dive deeper into understanding a biblical basis for women in ministry and leadership as the series progresses. 

We start our ‘courageous women’ podcast series this week joined by Letitia Shelton from ‘City Women’. Letitia has a remarkable story of stepping out into her community and empowering women in her city of Toowoomba (Queensland, Australia). You will be inspired by her story of how she has catalysed many into mission beyond the traditional structures of church. Letitia is a powerful voice when it comes to seeing women stepping out to become, what she calls, ‘disruptive women’.

Praxeis worker, Karen shares with us about how God is powerfully working in her home country of Sri Lanka. Karen shares of how God has changed her heart and called her and her husband, Spenser back to Sri Lanka. 

As you listen, you’ll be moved by the stories. From a nation currently suffering from economic collapse. Yet hope is being planted in households. From a team of local women seeking to minister amongst the poorest of the poor in central Sri Lanka. The good news of Jesus is spreading from village to village as families comes to faith even from the sharing of dying children. 

Karen shares how we can be praying for a suffering and impoverished Sri Lanka at this time. Where movement is being sparked, bringing the hope of Jesus. 

Get in touch with Karen and Spenser by emailing us at [email protected]

This week we catch up with our Praxeis leader Gabi. She has been ministering amongst Gypsy refugees from Ukraine. Gabi shares how her team has been practically serving the Gypsy people since the war broke out. They have been providing emergency food relief to 177 refugee families (representing over 1000 people) across Hungary and Ukraine through the 'love project'. Listen to Gabi share of the wonderful opportunities God is opening up through this ministry amongst a desperate people.

This is part two of hearing from Wolfgang Simson. This week Wolfgang answers the question: what is the gospel? Get ready to hit 'reset' in your head and heart as Wolfgang challenges us to live by what he calls 'the constitution of the Kingdom of God'.