This has been a week of beginnings. One week ago was the first night in my unit on campus. Mum and Dad came up from Tassie to help with the move.

Thursday was a welcome evening for new students at the college. I’d spent the day unpacking my books.

Friday was the induction service for the new principal of the Presbyterian Theological College, Rev. Peter Hastie, at Hawthorn Presbyterian Church. The Moderator-General, Rev. David Jones of Hobart, preached on Hebrews 13:8 with the title “All Change, No Change”. David Jones made the points that Jesus is unchanged in His own person, in the message which we must teach and to His people. People do not need ethics or values. They need Jesus. “There is the same water in the well still, and if we have not drawn it, it is our fault,” Charles Spurgeon (audio of the whole service is available here). It was great to see the place much fuller than normal (even if the singing made it hard to hear the organ hard even for the organist) and to catch up with people from across the church.

Sunday was my first Sunday living in Melbourne and attending a local church. The folks at Hawthorn have made me welcome. It’ll be great to spend the next few years with them before I get assigned somewhere to do ministry placement.

Monday night was the Commencement Service at Canterbury Presbyterian Church, celebrating the beginning of new academic year. The faculty assembled and awarded the degrees, followed by a heartfelt response by Ken McClimont and seemingly-obligatory interviews with students which have happened at all three college events I’ve attended in the past few months. Peter Hastie preached on John 15:1-17 under the title “Union and Communion with Christ”. He drew out of the text that Jesus expects His people not only to be fruitful, but to be more fruitful and to bear much fruit, v8. The fruit is not success or religious activity (Jeremiah 7), but a Christlike life (Galatians 5:16-26), praising God with thankfulness (Hebrews 13:15), helping the needy (Philippians 4:17), communicating truth to others (1 Corinthians 13) and Christian conduct in general (Colossians 1:9-14). We can only bear fruit if we abide in Jesus. The true outcome of a theological education is a Christlike life.

Today was the first day of lectures. Along with the other first year students, I began learning Hebrew. I’m ruing the fact I haven’t had time to learn the alphabet before the first lecture. There’s something to work on. I suppose I should be trawling Youtube for a musical setting of it. The word construction seems to make a bit of sense.

For a start to the year, this seems like a good one.

Wodonga TAFE had its end of year staff party on Friday. It was great to catch up with colleagues there and say good bye. They’ve encouraged me to pop in when I’m back in town from time to time, which is nice.

The Board of Albury Wodonga Christian Broadcasters met on Saturday and appointed my successor as Station Manager. Richard Campbell has been an announcer and board member on and off for several years. There were also new members added to the Board, putting the organisation in a stronger position for the challenges ahead.

It’s great to see God calling people to take on things I’ve been doing and teaching me to hand over these responsibilities as I take on others.

(There have been developments in the search for a flatmate, but nothing is certain yet. Your prayers are appreciated.)

Photo: Wrapping paper evolved by waldopepper (Licensed under Creative Commons)

In short, I am going to theological college.

I’ve resigned as Station Manager with Albury Wodonga Christian Broadcasters as of 1 January 2012 meaning someone else will be appointed to run 98.5 The Light soon. My name is down for a unit at the college in Melbourne and I hope to move in early in February before lectures start in the second week of that month.

In the meantime, there is paperwork to finish for my teaching practicum so I can graduate with a Graduate Diploma of Vocational Education and Training and a house full of stuff to sort out and pack. I guess there’ll be a farewell or two in there somewhere too.

Thanks for your prayers and support so far. I’ll be keeping you updated as things go on.

“The time has come,” the Walrus said,
“To talk of many things:
Of shoes—and ships—and sealing-wax—
Of cabbages—-and kings—
And why the sea is boiling hot—
And whether pigs have wings.”

But more seriously, about becoming a minister of the Gospel.

Over the past few months, the process has been cranking up to consider whether I will be admitted to the Presbyterian Theological College in Melbourne as a candidate for the Presbyterian ministry.

The caretaker minister and elders at Wodonga (the Session) have endorsed my application and sent it on to the Presbytery of Benalla. It will hold a special meeting at Tatura at 10am on Tuesday 25th October to hear me preach and consider whether to approve my application too.

Should this happen, I will then have to get the approval of the Theological Education Committee of the Presbyterian Church of Victoria and the Faculty of the Presbyterian Theological College. I would then begin my studies in February 2012 and hopefully graduate with a Bachelor of Theology at the end of 2015, aged 29.

I’ll be meeting with the Academic Dean at PTC on Friday to discuss my studies, then attending the Open Evening to get to know the college. During my course of study, I will do 2 one-year attachments to churches to hone my pastoral skills and one summer of ministry at a rural church. At the end of my training, I will be sent to a church for an exit appointment and would become eligible to be ordained as a Presbyterian minister.

Of course, there are practical arrangements to make too. My plan is to live on campus in Box Hill and to worship at Hawthorn Presbyterian Church.

God willing, this means that I will be concluding my work at 98.5 The Light and Wodonga TAFE. There are some good prospects for replacing me at The Light, and for that I am thankful. It appears that the TAFE will not be running further courses in broadcasting. I am sorry that this decision has been made.

By the time I move it will be almost 10 years since we arrived in Wodonga. It has claimed a place in my heart that I did not expect it to. I hope to be back many times over the next few years, and would delight to see the Gospel continue to spread throughout the city and surrounding towns.

As I uproot myself, I ask that you pray for me. First, give thanks for God’s guidance and provision through the years which have led me to this point. Second, ask that the necessary approvals will be given for me to pursue this calling to the ministry. Third, pray that the practical arrangements will fall in to place and that God will provide for me during this time. Finally, pray that the training will fit me for many years of service to Jesus and the church which he bought for himself with his own precious blood.

(Feel free to ask me about the process. If any of the terminology is confusing, try reading the Wikipedia article on Presbyterian Church Government, which I had a large part in writing.)

While refuting the claim that the WCF is “hammer-headed Calvinism”, Justin Holcomb hits the nail on the head in his understanding of the contemporary significance of the Westminster Confession:

While the entire Westminster Confession is relevant for Christians as a rich formulation of Christian theology, it has special relevance for the current situation in which the Church finds itself. First, the Confession would encourage those who claim to be Reformed to expand their theological horizon to embrace a larger system of Reformed theology rather than reducing it to only soteriology.

Additionally, the Confession is extremely careful, seeking to find a scriptural balance between divine sovereignty and human responsibility. The WCF is more careful than most contemporary Calvinists.

It is easy to dismiss the creeds and confessions as stuffy old documents shrouded in old language, but to write them off is to lose a valuable treasure. Many resources have been created to help us benefit from them, including this modern English version of the WCF in parallel to the original English version from the Orthodox Presbyterian Church in the US.

Though the creeds and confessions are not the Scriptures, their hard-fought definitions help us to understand the word of God and how our forerunners in the faith have grappled with things that are contested or hard to comprehend.

For these reasons, the whole series is worth reading.

There are many good books to read. I love lending and giving away books, and sometimes people ask for my recommendations.

If I could convince you to let me pick your reading list, this is what it would look like:

Theology

The Holiness of God by R.C. Sproul
Sproul focuses on an important but often ignored aspect of God’s character. This book drew together many threads of thought. I had wondered for years if anyone else was thinking of the implications of God’s holiness and was glad to find minds sharper than mine were.

50 Reasons Why Jesus Came To Die by John Piper
Jesus died to save His people from their sins, but is that all? John Piper has meditated on the Scriptures and condensed the results into this book. The chapters are only two pages long, but are richly adorned by the truths of God’s word on the central event of history. Oh, for a lifetime to savour these truths!

Christianity and Liberalism by J. Gresham Machen
Since the start, the Church has proclaimed a message from outside itself of salvation for sin. Liberalism tell us to be the best we can be. Machen’s book was like a hand-grenade tossed over the trenches in the struggle between redemptive Christianity and naturalistic modernistic liberalism.

The Basis of Christian Unity by Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Lloyd-Jones takes us to Jesus’ prayer for the Church in Gathsemane and to the Epistles to prove that the unity of the Church cannot be achieved by negotiating the truth, but already exists for those who hold to the faith once entrusted to the saints.

The Westminster Confession of Faith
Far from making ambiguous statements, the most serious attempt at uniting the Presbyterian, Anglican and Independent churches in the United Kingdom produced this heavily debated statement of the central doctrines of the Christian faith. Even those who disagree with it must admit its forged-iron strength.

 The Church

Welcome to a Reformed Church by Daniel Hyde
Raised in a church which was not careful to compare their teaching and practices to the Scriptures, Daniel Hyde became convinced that Reformed theology is the most faithful to God’s word. He demonstrated that Reformed theology is historic, universal, evangelical, Biblical Christianity.

Church History in Plain Language by Bruce Shelly
History need not be dry and dusty. Shelly illustrates the various developments and controversies of the Church’s history by looking at the people who shaped and were shaped by them. A knowledge of the history of the Church down through the ages could warn us against traveling some paths of innovation another time.

The Master’s Plan for the Church by John MacArthur
John MacArthur turns the tools of expository Bible teaching to the topic of the Church. He defines the foundational basis for the Body of Christ, the characteristics it must exhibit, its functions and goals. Including a study of the qualities required by church members and leaders, this book deserves a wide reading.

Ministry

Why Johnny Can’t Preach by T. David Gordon
David Gordon had cancer. It was likely that he wouldn’t live for long. This is the book that he wrote. Concerned with how the culture shapes how we think, Gordon calls for theological students and ministers to read, write, speak and read in ways that improve, not damage, their preaching.

Lectures to My Students by Charles Spurgeon
Undoubtedly, one of the greatest preachers of the Christian Church, Charles Spurgeon trained many ministers who then spread to the four winds with the Gospel. Spurgeon’s advice is wise, practical and enfused with his typical style.

Evangelism

Tactics: A Gameplan For Sharing Your Christian Faith by Gregory Koukl
Having spend years in conversations about the Gospel, Koukl shows how to apply the rules of logic and particularly the burden of proof in illustrating ways to discuss the most important issues of life. Describing many forms of discussion, this book shows common mistakes and how to avoid them.

One to One Bible Reading by David Helm
Good pastors regularly encourage Christians to read the Bible every day, but how do we learn how to read the Bible and apply it to our lives? Far from being an original idea (it’s mentioned in Acts 8), David Helm explains how and why to use simple, targeted reading for a set period of time for evangelism or Christian growth and encouragement. The sample outlines and explanations of Bible study methods are worth the price of the book on their own.

Christian Living

Just Do Something by Kevin DeYoung
Kevin DeYoung knows how important it is to know and do God’s will. His main premise is that the clearest declaration of God’s purposes for us is “your sanctification” (1 Thessalonians 4:3). Beyond that, DeYoung affirms that God leads, though we often ignore methods He uses like discussing things with those who know us well.

Holding Hands, Holding Hearts by Richard and Sharon Phillips
Singleness is a recipe for selfishness. Those who would be married should consider how they may need to change. To being moving towards marriage requires an appreciation for the potential to injure the other party and care should be taken to progress with the guidance of your families and mature Christians.

Politics and Worldview

Republocrat: Confessions of a Liberal Conservative by Carl Trueman
Trueman asks Christians to think critically about the materialism that drives the Right and to consider the Left’s original concerns for improving society for everyone has been overtaken by the fear that someone, somewhere might disapprove of something someone else might think, feel or do.

Revolutions in Worldview edited by W. Andrew Hoffecker
Everyone has assumptions which underpin what they think and believe. Studying the origin and impact of these parameters is the task that Hoeffecker and the other contributors tackle, at times with a fine tooth comb. Not easy reading, but very stimulating.

Biography

Absurdistan by Eric Campbell
ABC Foreign Correspondent Eric Campbell almost died in a suicide bombing which killed his cameraman. He reflects on his time as a reporter in some of the world’s most troubled and interesting places in a witty, thoughful and engaging style.

Reach for the Sky: The Story of Douglas Bader by Paul Brickhill
An amazing story of the British flying ace and double amputee, Douglas Bader. From his start in the formative years of the Royal Air Force, through his first crash to his re-enlistment, to his second crash behind enemy lines, and imprisonment and escape attempts in Germany, Brickhill paints an exciting picture of Bader’s inspiring life.

Lazarus Rising by John Howard
John Howard writes in his own words about his early life, attraction to politics, surprisingly early arrival in Canberra, his struggle for the leadership of the Liberal Party and the issues and decisions which defined his Prime Ministership. Howard is reflective and informative, and takes swipes at poll-driven politics as well as opposition for opposition’s sake.

Tolkein and C.S. Lewis: The Gift of Friendship by Colin Duriez
The writers of some of the greatest fantasies of the 20th century were not only university academics, but close friends. Duriez examines the lives, faiths and friendships of J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, the creators of Middle Earth and Narnia, as well as their influence on the writers’ group the Inklings.

Fiction

The Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan
The second-best selling book after the Bible, Bunyan’s dream of Christian’s delivery from the City of Destruction to the Heavenly City is worthily called a classic of English literature. The illustrations provide rich material to ponder.

Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
Dickens captured the essence of his time in his often exaggerated characters. Written in the first person, Great Expectations tells the story of Pip, an ordinary boy and his path to privilege, what he learned and the people who helped and hindered him along the way as he tried to impress the stunningly beautiful Estella.

Little Women by Louise May Alcott
Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy are the daughters of a chaplain to the Union Army during the American Civil War. Told from the perspective of aspiring writer Jo, Little Women paints a realistic picture of life, with the central themes of sickness, poverty, social convention and advancement by education and hard work.

The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
Springing from a mental picture of a faun standing in front of a lamppost in a snowy wood, The Chronicles of Narnia have delighted children and adults alike for decades. Unlike the big and small screen adaptions, reading The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe for yourself allows your imagination to imagine the details.

The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
Originally published in regular installments in a Christian newspaper, The Screwtape Letters purport to be letters from a senior devil to a junior devil. Screwtape advises his nephew Wormwood on how to tempt unsuspecting humans from entering or remaining in the Kingdom of their mortal enemy.

Molvania: A Land Untouched By Modern Dentistry by Santo Cilauro, Rob Sitch and Tom Gleisner
The popularity of Lonely Planet-style travel guides was a rich vein of humour for Cilauro, Sitch and Gleisner. The original and the strongest of the series, Molvania is side-splittingly funny, though crude in places. If Barking Dog publications ever branched into guided tours, I’d sign up for one.

Winnie The Pooh by A.A. Milne
When I began re-reading this book recently, I was surprised when I recognised how much my sense of humour had been affected by being read it as a child. Deservedly a classic.

The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
Reading the trilogy is a massive investment of time, but nothing like the lifetime Tolkien spent developing the languages and mythologies in which it is set. The Lord of the Rings is unquestionably one of the greatest work of English literature.

My Father,

In a world of created changeable things,
Christ and his Word alone remain unshaken.

O to forsake all creatures,
to rest as a stone on him the foundation,
to abide in him, be borne up by him!

For all my mercies come through Christ,
who has designed, purchased, promised, effected them.

How sweet it is to be near him, the Lamb,
filled with holy affections!

When I sin against thee I cross thy will, love, life,
and have no comforter, no creature, to go to.

My sin is not so much this or that particular evil,
but my continual separation, disunion, distance from thee,
and having a loose spirit towards thee.

But thou hast given me a present, Jesus thy Son,
as Mediator between thyself and my soul,
as middle-man who in a pit holds both him below and him above,
for only he can span the chasm breached by sin,
and satisfy divine justice.

May I always lay hold upon this mediator,
as a realized object of faith,
and alone worthy by his love to bridge the gulf.

Let me know that he is dear to me by his Word;

I am one with him by the Word on his part,
and by faith on mine;

If I oppose the Word,
I oppose my Lord when he is most near;

If I receive the Word,
I receive my Lord wherein he is nigh.

O thou has hast the hearts of all men in thine hand,
form my heart according to the Word,
according to the image of thy Son,

So shall Christ the Word, and his Word
be my strength and comfort.

The Valley of Vision, edited by Arthur Bennett, Banner of Truth, p. 30-31.

Melissa Ohden survived being the subject of a saline infusion abortion. Unlike other survivors, she suffered no long-term effects. She now speaks all around the world advocating for greater support for women struggling with pregnancy. I had the opportunity to interview her for The Morning Show on 98.5 The Light during her recent visit to Albury-Wodonga.

Listen here.

Creative Commons: Microphone by Visual.dichotomy

50 I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”

55 “Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?”

56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58 Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.