Articles Witten by Heidi Tai

We are pleased to give you a sneak peek of the 7 talks confirmed for the Oxygen conference retreat this August.  

Oxygen conference for ministry leaders and workers is returning this August to refresh delegates in their zeal for God and the work that He has called them to do. This year, Oxygen will return as a 4-day conference retreat in the beautiful Blue Mountains. A line-up of guest speakers including Paul Tripp and Zack Eswine will speak on the topic, “Reshaping Our Hearts for the Work We Do”.  

We are pleased to give you a preview of the talk titles confirmed for the weekend:  

‘A Ministry Leader’s Heart’ by Paul Tripp 

1. The Heart of a Ministry Leader (Ezekiel 14:1-8) 

2. The Ultimate Ministry Leadership Model (Isaiah 42:4, Matthew. 12:20) 

3. Ministry Leadership and Spiritual Warfare (1 Peter 5:6-11)

‘Wisdom’ by Zack Eswine 

1. Wisdom Practices for a Minister’s Life (Psalm 111:10) 

2. Practicing the Beginnings of Wisdom for your own life (Psalm 34:11; 86:11) 

3. Practicing the Consolations of Wisdom for the people you serve (Psalm 25:12, 14) 

4. Practicing the Global Breadth of Wisdom for the generation you inhabit (Psalm 33:8) 

Check your heart for ministry at Oxygen

The Bible tells us that the heart is the centre of our being, and that everything in our lives, including our ministry, flows from it. Christian ministry comes with unique pressures, and while we may start off with a love for God and the gospel, over time, our hearts may become reduced into something less than what God wants it to be. 

This is why at Oxygen, ministry workers will be invited to slow down for a heart check. Through refreshing talks, practical workshops, and dedicated recreation and reflection time, ministry workers will be empowered and encouraged to continue labouring with hearts of Christ-like love, humility and faith.  

At Oxygen you can expect:  

• A quiet, focused space to hear God speak 
• Rich fellowship with ministry workers around the world 
• Practical content to shape and guide your ministry  
• Time for recreation, reflection and rest  

For more information about the speakers, program and tickets, visit our website: https://oxygenconference.com/  

Trusting that the Bible is God’s good word to us can seem harder today than in the past. For this reason, we’ve found ten quotes to inspire a ‘Rock Solid’ faith in the Bible this Easter!

“There is an infinite majesty about every line of Scripture, but especially about that part of Scripture in which the Lord reveals Himself and His glorious plan of saving grace in the person of His dear Son Jesus Christ.” 
– Charles Spurgeon 

“We have 66 books written by 40 different authors, plus or minus, from three different continents over a 1,500-year period, and yet all these books are coherent. They tell one single story.” 
– Miguel Nuñez 

“We modern people think of miracles as the suspension of the natural order, but Jesus meant them to be the restoration of the natural order. The Bible tells us that God did not originally make the world to have disease, hunger, and death in it. Jesus has come to redeem where it is wrong and heal the world where it is broken. His miracles are not just proofs that he has power but also wonderful foretastes of what he is going to do with that power. Jesus’ miracles are not just a challenge to our minds, but a promise to our hearts, that the world we all want is coming.” 
– Tim Keller 

“The Bible never tells us to take a leap of faith into the darkness and hope that there’s somebody out there. The Bible calls us to jump out of the darkness and into the light. That is not a blind leap. The faith that the New Testament calls us to is a faith rooted and grounded in something that God makes clear is the truth.”  
– R. C. Sproul 

“If there is a God who created the universe, we cannot exclude the possibility of miracles. The One who made the laws of nature in the first place can surely intervene when he chooses.”  
– Rebecca McLauglin 

“The Bible has stood the test of time because it is divinely inspired by Almighty God, written in ink that cannot be erased by any man, religion, or belief system. Through the many dark ages of man, its glorious promises have survived unchanged. That is because God’s Word is pure—the beginning and the end. His written word has survived every scratch of the human pen.”  
– Billy Graham  

“These men’s writings do not read like the works of gullible, easily deceived or deceiving men. Their insights into human nature are profound. Their personal commitment is sober and carefully stated. Their teachings are coherent and do not look like the invention of unstable men. Their moral and spiritual standard is high. And the lives of these men are totally devoted to the truth and to the honor of God.”  
– John Piper 

“Bible literacy matters because it protects us from falling into error. Both the false teacher and the secular humanist rely on biblical ignorance for their messages to take root, and the modern church has proven fertile ground for those messages. Because we do not know our Bibles, we crumble at the most basic challenges to our worldview.”  
– Jen Wilkin  

“The best theology will not remove mystery from your life, so rest is found in trusting the One who rules, is all, and knows no mystery.” 
– Paul Tripp  

“The Bible is a God-breathed book which men spoke as carried along by the Holy Spirit. Scripture is not a little human and a little divine. The words are from God. He simply and gloriously used men’s brains (including their personalities and styles) to get his words down on paper.” 
 – Kevin DeYoung 

Rock Solid: Trusting God’s Word in a World of Confusion 

Katoomba Easter Convention (KEC) is returning this Easter long weekend (7-10 April 2023) to explore the theme “Rock Solid: Trusting God’s Word in a World of Confusion”.    

Why do you believe the Bible? To our culture today, the idea that the Bible could be true, trustworthy, and inspired by God seems unbelievable. This is why in today’s world, it is vitally important for Christians to understand what they believe and why they believe it to be true.  

Whether you have been a Christian for many years, or still figuring out your faith, Katoomba Easter Convention is the place for you to grow a ‘Rock Solid’ faith in the Bible.  There’s still time to join us. Register today!  

We’re currently recruiting volunteers for KCC events! Join KCC’s Volunteer Army to impact thousands! 

Do you love God? 

Do you believe in the power of His word?  

Do you want to see our nation transformed by Jesus Christ?  

Katoomba Christian Convention exists to see our nation transformed by Jesus Christ by the powerful preaching of God’s word. Each year, thousands of delegates from all different ages, life-stages and denominations gather at KCC events to hear God speak.  
Each year, by God’s grace, hearts are impacted, and lives transformed.  

All this would not be possible without the power of volunteers—our incredible KCC Army—who work cheerfully and tirelessly to serve our delegates. From our convention committee members to event ushers, children’s workers and AV team, our volunteers play a vital role in facilitating God’s word preached from the platform. 

If you have time, skills, and a willing heart, why not join KCC’s Volunteer Army today?  

We currently require volunteers for the following events:  

1. KYCK Youth Conference 

KYCK challenges and equips high-schoolers to boldly live the Christian life. It will be held over four weekends at the StayKCC site in Katoomba. We are currently recruiting volunteers for our Muscle, Coffee and Camera Operator teams for KYCK weekends 1 (14-16 April) and 3 (23-30 April).  

Sign up here: https://www.kyck.org.au/volunteer/

2. Oxygen Conference 

A conference retreat to refresh leaders and workers in Christian ministry. It will be held at the StayKCC site in Katoomba from 15-18 August.  

Sign up here: https://kcc.org.au/support-us/volunteer#more  
 

3. BASECAMP Men’s Conference 

An annual event to help men renew their strength in Jesus. BASECAMP will be held over two weekends at the following venues:  

•  The Roundhouse UNSW in Kensington (5 August 2023) 
• StayKCC in Katoomba (11-12 August 2023) 

Sign up here: https://basecampmen.com/volunteer/  
 

4. OneLove Women’s Conference  

A one-day conference to inspire women through preaching, testimony and fellowship. It will be held on Saturday 26 August at the Hillsong Convention Centre in Norwest.  

 
Sign up here: https://kcc.org.au/support-us/volunteer#more  

We are thrilled to announce that Dr. Sarah Irving-Stonebraker will join the Katoomba Easter Convention (KEC) 2023 as a special guest.  

Katoomba Easter Convention is returning this April to address the theme “Rock Solid: Trusting God’s Word in a World of Confusion”. In a time where God’s word is often met with mistrust and skepticism, KEC will empower delegates to have confidence in the Bible’s authority, while refreshing their desire to hear, understand and live by God’s word.  

We are thrilled to announce that Dr. Sarah Irving-Stonebraker will join the KEC platform as a special guest. Sarah is the Associate Professor of History and Western Civilisation at Australian Catholic University. She was awarded her PhD in History from Cambridge University and has held a Junior Research Fellowship at Wolfson College, Oxford University. Her first book, Natural Science and the Origins of the British Empire, was awarded The Royal Society of Literature and Jerwood Foundation Award for Non-fiction. She is married to Johnathan, and they have three children. 

Sarah will be sharing two short and practical talks, highlighting themes of atheism, history and biblical foundations:  

1. “How Oxford and Peter Singer led an Atheist Historian to Jesus”  
   
   In this talk, Dr. Sarah Irving-Stonebraker will share her personal journey of how an Atheist Historian learned to put her faith in Jesus, and why, in a culture that teaches something entirely different, she found the Bible’s message of hope and faith in Jesus convincing. 
   
   
2. “A Strong Foundation: How History Can Help Us in a Confused World” 
   
   We live in an Ahistoric Age; our contemporary culture has lost its ability meaningfully to engage with the past. And yet, the Bible teaches us that history matters. This talk outlines what the Bible says about why history matters, and then explores how history can equip Christians to engage with culture and strengthen our discipleship. 

Sarah will be joined by a wide range of local and international speakers including main speakers, Ed Stetzer and Dan Paterson, and guest speakers Malcolm Gill, Sam Chan and Jonathan Dykes. 

Last day to register to receive tickets in the mail!

At Katoomba Easter Convention 2023, we’re ready to serve you with a family-friendly program that will empower you to believe that the Bible is true, trustworthy and inspired by God.  

Dates: 7-10^th April 2023    
Place: StayKCC, Katoomba     

To make sure that you receive your tickets in the mail on time, make sure you register today: https://easterconvention.com/