Winter Wisdom: True Community and Inclusion by Sam Chan
In this talk from Onward Youth, Evangelist Sam Chan shares his thoughts on tribalism, community, inclusion and love. He encourages Christians to look to the life of Jesus who “merged universes” to express true inclusion and unconditional love.
Sam Chan “But I’m Just Gonna Shake It Off” talk from Onward Youth 2020
Key Quotes:
“Jesus says, “Merge your universes. Get your Christian friends to meet your non-Christian friends, and your Christian friends to meet your Christian friends and form new communities.” And Jesus was the example of this because Jesus was always eating and drinking with those who disagree with Him.”
“This is true inclusiveness, because if we really only include those who agree with us, well, that’s exclusion.”
“…we must merge our universes, and eat and drink with those who disagree with us. Then we will be practising inclusion, hospitality and unconditional love.”
This Onward Youth talk is part of our “Winter Wisdom” August collection, available exclusively for KCC One+ subscribers. Access this talk and much more from only $4.99 / month (on an annual KCC One+ subscription).
The August collection includes:
10 talks from Katoomba Easter Convention (2015) by Paul Tripp, Gary Miller, Kurt Peters and Mark Smith
4 talks by Don Carson from BASECAMP (1998)
3 talks by John Dickson from KYCK (2015)
3 talks from OneLove (2016) by Nancy Guthrie and Simon Manchester
6 talks from Onward Youth (2020 and 2023) by Sam Chan, Alan Au and Dave Jensen
Evangelist Sam Chan shares his thoughts on tribalism, community, inclusion and love.
By Heidi Tai
5 Ways to Prepare for BASECAMP Men’s Conference this August
BASECAMP will be an unmissable event for men to strengthen their faith in the company of like-minded brothers. This year, guest speakers Alasdair Groves and Peter Sondergeld will teach on the topic “Unravelling Emotions”. Here are 5 ways to prepare for the conference this month:
1. Tune your heart for worship with the BASECAMP Spotify playlist Familiarise yourself with the BASECAMP song list by following our Spotify playlist here. Whether you’re looking for a playlist for relaxing, study or the commute to work, the BASECAMP playlist is filled with hymns that will tune your heart for worship.
2. Assemble in style with BASECAMP winter merch We have a fresh drop of BASECAMP winter merch including a long sleeve tee, long sleeve polo, socks, beanie and cap. All our apparel us ethically-produced, and helps to keep our ministry going! You can purchase this merch at our in-person events, or online on Friday 11 August from our website.
3. Pray for BASECAMP
Please join us in praying for BASECAMP men’s conference!
Pray that God will speak powerfully through our speakers, Alasdair and Peter, and that their content will renew minds and transform hearts.
Pray for God’s will to be done in our delegates, and that they will hear His word with open ears, minds and hearts.
Pray for event logistics and AV and that everything will run smoothly on the day.
Pray for our unbelieving friends, that they will hear and respond positively to God’s word being preached.
Pray that men’s ministry in local churches will be strengthened because of BASECAMP 2023.
4. Download the KCC One App to access content after BASECAMP
Download the KCC One App to access BASECAMP related content before, during and after the conference, including talks from BASECAMP 2022! KCC One is filled with free and KCC+ subscriber-only resources that will strengthen and encourage your faith for years to come.
5. Grab your last-minute tickets!
Don’t get stuck at home with FOMO! There’s still time for you and your friends to join us for a fantastic day of powerful preaching and fellowship with your brothers. Last minute tickets are still available for our in-person event at BASECAMP Mountains (11-12 August 2023) or Online (livestream and on-demand) which will be available for one month afterwards. Register now.
BASECAMP men's conference returns this month! Here are 5 ways to prepare for it.
By Heidi Tai
Winter Wisdom: The Holiness of God by Jackie Hill Perry
“The question that one should ask themselves is: would God be love if He wasn’t holy?”
In this talk, Jackie Hill Perry teaches on the holiness of God, its significance as God’s defining characteristic, and why we should appreciate and understand it as believers.
‘The Holiness of God’ by Jackie Hill Perry
This sermon is part of the “Winter Wisdom” July collection, which is now available for KCC One+ subscribers. Access this talk and much more from only $4.99 / month (on an annual KCC One+ subscription). Subscribe today.
Transcript:
One quote that has always stuck with me is a quote by A.W. Tozer that says, “What comes into your mind when you think about God is the most important thing about you.” And I don’t think we think like that all that much, when we should. Because in all the craziness of the world and in all the craziness that’s within ourselves, I really do believe that it is symptomatic of what we believe about God.
The world has a lot of definitions for God. To some He is the universe. For others, He is only the Father. and not also the Son and Spirit. That’s a big deal because if we choose to believe how the world finds God, then we won’t leave any room for God to define Himself. We will let our circumstances and our friends and our passions and Tik-Tok tell us what to believe. And if their assessments aren’t true, then their definitions are demonic. So, we’ll be out here convinced that we have discovered truths, convinced that we have found some new intellectual way of embracing the unknown, when really all you’ve done is believe the devil.
So, my plan tonight is to cut through all the noise, to cut through all the deception, and allow God to speak for Himself as explained in His Word, as revealed in His Son, and as illuminated by the Holy Spirit. The Bible truly does have a whole lot to tell us about God. He is Creator. He is king. He is sovereign. He is Lord and God. But if there’s one thing that we need to know, it’s that God is holy. If that doesn’t come into your mind when you think about God, then it should.
Turn in your Bibles to Isaiah chapter 6. I’ll wait for you digitally. Starting at verse 1 it says:
“In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above Him stood the Seraphim. Each had 6 wings, with 2 they covered their faces, with 2 they covered their feet, and with 2 they flew. One called to another and said, ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts. The whole earth is full of His glory.’ The foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. I said, ‘Woe is me! For I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.’ Then one of the Seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar, and he touched my mouth and said, ‘Behold, this has touched your lips. Your guilt is taken away and your sin atones for.'”
The prophet Isaiah saw the Lord on the throne, and he heard the Seraphim singing something doctrinal about the nature of God to one another. They praise God by saying what is true about Him to one another. They said, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts.” If the Seraphim were somehow replaced by people within our current cultural context, I think the lyrics to their song might be different. I have a feeling that if we gave somebody the supernatural ability to leave earth for heaven to stand at the throne, and we told them, “Hey, sing an attribute about God,” that they’d open up their mouths and out of it would come, “Love, love, love is the Lord of hosts. The whole Earth is full of His glory.” And if they did that, they wouldn’t be lying.
Surely God is love, for He said so himself. But the question that one should ask themselves is: would God be love if He wasn’t holy? I mean, without an unalterable righteousness that keeps God from anything arrogant, anything abusive, anything self-centred, anything self-protecting and self-serving – if there was no moral purity in God, would He be able to love at all? It is actually because God is holy that He is also kind, also humble, also honest, also faithful, a.k.a: loving. You can see then, why when the Seraphim have the chance to say something about God, it’s that He’s holy.
Join KCC+ for more exclusive content!
The KCC One app has launched KCC+, a brand-new subscription service giving users even more access to exclusive content. With the launch of a paid service, KCC+ subscribers can get faster access to the latest KCC event talks, Bible series, devotionals, inspiring Christian stories and other exclusive content to help you in your everyday walk with God.
KCC+ will be available at a monthly rate of $4.99 (if signed up on an annual subscription), or $5.99 month-to-month. New subscribers will get instant access to 4 month’s worth of exclusive content including our latest “Winter Wisdom” uploads:
6 x “Wisdom from the Book of Proverbs” talks from Engage 2015
4 x “The Business of Busyness” from Katoomba Easter Convention 2009
3 x “Made for More” talks from OneLove 2021
7 x “Diversity & Christianity” talks from Onward Youth 2022
“The question that one should ask themselves is: would God be love if He wasn't holy?” Jackie Hill Perry on 'The Holiness of God'
By Heidi Tai
Professor Miroslav Volf Joins Oxygen Conference as a Special Guest
We are pleased to announce that Professor Miroslav Volf will be speaking at Oxygen conference as a special guest. Returning this August, Oxygen exists to serve anyone in Christian ministry—to refresh them 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. Through bible talks, practical workshops and rich fellowship in a quiet and focused space, delegates will be invited to check their hearts and spiritual health for ministry.
Professor Volf is the Henry B. Wright Professor of Theology and Yale Divinity School and founding Director of the Yale Center for Faith and Culture. His most recent books are Life Worth Living: A Guide to What Matters Most and The Home of God: A Brief Story of Everything. His earlier works include Otherness, and Reconciliation (1996), a winner of the 2002 Grawemeyer Award; After Our Likeness: The Church as the Image of the Trinity (1998), winner of the Christianity Today book award, and Free of Charge: Giving and Forgiving in a Culture Stripped of Grace (2006), which was the Archbishop of Canterbury Lenten book for 2006.
Alongside international evangelists John Lennox and Glen Scrivener, Miroslav will be joining us virtually, in a live-cross interview, for one of our evening segments titled ‘The Non-Negotiables of Christian Ministry’. All delegates will receive free digital access to Miroslav’s resource, ‘Why Did God Create the World?’
In this talk, Miroslav Volf explores the topic of ‘Loving For No Reason’ from the passage Job 1:1-12. He answers the popular questions: Did Job wrong God? Did God wrong Job? Or is there a third option?
In this interview, Miroslav Volf and CCT Director Evan Rosa discuss the nature of the good life in light of the experience of suffering. Suffering is examined through the lenses of agency, intellectual comprehension, and prayer. Miroslav discusses how experiences of suffering can lead to disorientation in all these categories, and he offers Christians a few ways to move forward in the face of this reality.
In this talk, Miroslav explains the biblical definition of forgiveness and what has motivated his family to forgive people who have caused them harm.
At Oxygen, you will be invited to invest in the crux of what drives you in ministry: your love for Christ. Join us this August to be revitalised by God’s Word and invigorated for the gospel work He has called you to do.
Along with our MCs Eleasa Sieh and L-T Hopper, and our fantastic line-up of workshop speakers, every part of the program has been carefully planned to expand perspective, offer guidance, and real, relevant experience to help enrich and strengthen you and your ministry.
Don’t miss this rare opportunity to be with like-minded people in ministry in all its forms, and to sit under teaching, encouragement and fellowship that is tailored just for you.
In-person, day and online tickets are now available. Register today.
Professor Miroslav Volf will be speaking at Oxygen conference as a special guest this August.
By Heidi Tai
Winter Wisdom: The Benefits of Friendship by Matt Fuller
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, but you will never be wise without good friends.” In this talk, Matt Fuller teaches on the benefits of friendship, the definition of a good friend, and how they help us to live a wise and godly life.
The Benefits of Friendship by Matt Fuller
This sermon is part of the “Winter Wisdom” July collection, which is now available for KCC+ subscribers. Access this talk and much more from only $4.99 / month (on an annual KCC+ subscription). Subscribe today.
Transcript:
There was an ad put on TV in the UK a little while ago. It’s speaking about different people who had their images appear on screen as the narrator was talking about them and it went like this: “I am my mum, and my dad, and my sister. I am my best friend Mike I’ve known since school. I am all the girls I’ve ever kissed and the ones I will. I am the teacher who failed me, and I am the teacher who spurred me on. I am my bosses and every one of my friends. I am my mates and the drinks I share with them. I am the people who put me down and I am the people who pick me up.” Punch line: “I am who I am because of everyone I’m with.” It’s an interesting advert. There’s wisdom in that and when it comes up on screen, ‘So get your mobile phone with EE’ and you think, “What?” But it’s making the very true Biblical point: who we spend time with makes us who we are.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, but you will never be wise without good friends. They will make or break you – the people that you spend time with. Friendship is a wonderful blessing from the Lord. Now just bear with me for two minutes. I’m going to bring out my Hobby Horse and ride him, my friend Hobby the Horse, just for a couple of minutes. My fear is, occasionally amongst 20 somethings in particular, that friendship gets devalued by romance. I love romance. My wife is not here so I can tell you I’m a deeply romantic man, without fear of contradiction. Romance is a wonderful thing, but you need friends and sometimes friendship is neglected and devalued or dropped when romance appears, and that is a wretched mistake and partly it’s just this Hollywoodisation of our lives and certain films are to blame.
I blame more than any other Jerry Maguire. You know Jerry McGuire (which I love as a film actually), it is a good film and I do watch films which don’t have Tom Cruise, because I realise this is the second one I’ve mentioned if you were here this afternoon in the seminar. There’s a climactic scene – he’s bungled it and he’s realised he’s in love with Renee Zellweger, so he goes to the house and bursts in and he’s got his grand speech prepared.
The music starts up. Do you not remember this? It’s Bruce Springsteen and it starts up and it’s all very gentle in the background. “She let you in her house,” and it’s going in the background and then the climax of the speech is, “You complete me,” and we all say, “Oh, yeah, that’s lovely”, and that is twaddle. No one person can complete you. No human can do that and if you have that view of marriage, if you take that view into marriage, “Now I’ve arrived, now I’m complete,” you’ll ruin your marriage because it’s placing too much of an expectation upon you and you’ll lose all your friends because you won’t value them. That is twaddle.
Now Hobby Horse rides off and we put him aside and I’ve got that off my chest and all is well. Friendships are so precious and there aren’t enormous amounts of differences between a great friendship and a marriage. There aren’t huge differences. What is the difference? I think it’s this: marriage is a public, exclusive, sexual covenant. A public, exclusive, sexual covenant. But everything else you have in a good marriage is there in a good friendship. Intimacy, emotional and physical, sometimes you just need a hug, support, somebody who’s your cheerleader, and someone who comes along and rebukes you gently and lovingly.
Many of the best things about marriage, we get in friendship. Often married couples will say, “She’s my best friend. He’s my best friend.” That’s good, as long as they’re not your only friend, then you’re in trouble. Just go away, Hobby Horse, go away. Please don’t make that mistake. Invest in your friends. It’s precious, very, very precious.
Join KCC+ for more exclusive content!
The KCC One app has launched KCC+, a brand-new subscription service giving users even more access to exclusive content. With the launch of a paid service, KCC+ subscribers can get faster access to the latest KCC event talks, Bible series, devotionals, inspiring Christian stories and other exclusive content to help you in your everyday walk with God.
KCC+ will be available at a monthly rate of $4.99 (if signed up on an annual subscription), or $5.99 month-to-month. New subscribers will get instant access to 4 month’s worth of exclusive content including our latest “Winter Wisdom” uploads:
6 x “Wisdom from the Book of Proverbs” talks from Engage 2015
4 x “The Business of Busyness” from Katoomba Easter Convention 2009
3 x “Made for More” talks from OneLove 2021
7 x “Diversity & Christianity” talks from Onward Youth 2022
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, but you will never be wise without good friends.” Matt Fuller on the benefits of friendship.
By Heidi Tai
July Discount: Bring 5 Friends to OneLove or BASECAMP and Save!
BASECAMP men’s conference and OneLove women’s conference are coming up this August and we don’t want anyone to miss out! This is why we’re offering a July special for groups. Bring a group of 5 or more friends and you can get $10 off each ticket*. Be quick as this offer will end on Monday 31 July.
*Available for tickets purchased in one transaction. Valid for in-person tickets only.
BASECAMP for Men
BASECAMP will be an unmissable event for men to strengthen their faith in the company of like-minded brothers. This year, guest speakers Alasdair Groves and Peter Sondergeld will teach on the topic “Unravelling Emotions”. BASECAMP will be held over two weekends at the following locations:
BASECAMP Sydney: Saturday 5 August at the UNSW Roundhouse, Kensington
BASECAMP Mountains: Friday 11 – Saturday 12 August at StayKCC, Katoomba
OneLovegives women an opportunity to step away from the everyday, to invest in their walk with God and to hear great preaching from gifted female speakers! This year, award-winning author and Bible teacher, Jackie Hill Perry, will speak on the theme “Worthy of Trust: The God Who Sees Us”. OneLove will be held on Saturday 26 August at the Hillsong Convention Centre in Norwest. Register now and save: https://onelovewomen.com/
Join us for OneLove 2023
Bring a group of 5 or more friends and you can get $10 off each ticket!
By Heidi Tai
International Evangelists John Lennox and Glen Scrivener to Speak at Oxygen 2023
We are pleased to announce that international evangelists, John Lennox and Glen Scrivener, will be speaking at Oxygen conference as special guests.
Returning this August, Oxygen exists to serve anyone in Christian ministry—to refresh them 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.
Through bible talks, practical workshops and rich fellowship in a quiet and focused space, delegates will be invited to check their hearts and spiritual health for ministry.
Meet Oxygen Special Guest: John Lennox
John Lennox is the Emeritus Professor of Mathematics at the University of Oxford, Emeritus Fellow in Mathematics and the Philosophy of Science, Pastoral Advisor at Green Templeton College, and former Associate Fellow at Saïd Business School.
He has written extensively on the interface between science, philosophy and theology, with recent titles including ‘Can Science Explain Everything?’, ‘Where is God in a Coronavirus World?’ and ‘Cosmic Chemistry: Do God and Science Mix?’. Johnhas also engaged in high-profile public debates with Richard Dawkins, Peter Singer and the late Christopher Hitchens.
John Lennox will be joining us virtually, live from the UK for one of our evening segments titled ‘The Non-Negotiables of Christian Ministry’.
If we believe in a loving God, how can we explain the existence of suffering and evil in the world? Is there enough evidence to trust in God despite the problems we see in the world around us?
In this Oxygen 14 talk, John Lennox explores both the practical and theoretical aspects of this question and suggests ways in which the subject can be approached with the events of Jesus on the cross in mind. This talk was part of the ‘Apologetics and Evangelism’ stream at Oxygen 2014.
In this video, John Lennox addresses Richard Dawkin’s question: Who created the Creator?
https://vimeo.com/97364808
Meet Oxygen Special Guest: Glenn Scrivener
Glen Scrivener is passionate about people meeting Christ and equipping Christians to share their faith. He’s often found speaking at Churches and Universities, in the studio producing online media or in his office, writing books and other evangelistic material. Glen is married to Emma, and they have a daughter, Ruby and son, JJ.
Glen will be presenting a pre-recorded short talk, reflecting on the current cultural dynamics that are at play in the world and how they can impact our hearts and shape the ministry and work we do.
In this video, Glen Scrivener introduces his book “The Air We Breathe” and shares how our values such as equality, compassion and consent are “supernatural” for they have come uniquely and specifically from Jesus. To learn more, you can also read his article “Everyone You Know Is a Believer”.
Easter Uprising – The Weekend That Made Our World
In this short documentary, Glen Scrivener travels from London to Rome in search of a true appreciation for the cross and how the crucifixion has been understood over time. He argues that way we see the cross has been transformed, because the ‘Easter Uprising’ has transformed the way we see the world. Trigger warning: Historical violence described.
Fuel your love for God in ministry at Oxygen!
This August, we invite you to slow down and to invest in the crux of what drives you in ministry: your love for Christ. Be revitalised by God’s Word and invigorated for the gospel work He has called you to do.
Paul Tripp and Zack Eswine will be teaching from the Bible, thoughtfully and prayerfully prepared just for you in ministry, joined by special guests Prof John Lennox, Glen Scrivener, Miroslav Volf, Sarah Irving-Stonebreaker, Kirk Patston, Anna Powell, Mal Gill, and Jonathan Dykes.
Along with our fantastic line-up of workshop speakers, every part of the program has been carefully planned to expand perspective, offer guidance, and real, relevant experience to help enrich and strengthen you and your ministry.
Don’t miss this rare opportunity to be with like-minded people in ministry in all its forms, and to sit under teaching, encouragement and fellowship that is tailored just for you!
Standard rate tickets for Oxygen 2023 are available until midnight on Tuesday 18th July. Book your tickets today.
Meet John Lennox and Glen Scrivener who will be speaking at Oxygen conference this August.
By Heidi Tai
Can Christianity be True and Good? Teenagers Empowered and Equipped with Answers at Onward
Earlier this month, youth groups across the country gathered for Onward Youth to engage with an important question: True and Good – Can Christianity Be Both?
Delegates across Sydney joined the conference in-person, while the livestream option welcomed youth from as far and wide as regional New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Canberra and even from Zürich in Switzerland!
Through four short talks, guest speakers Alan Au and Dave Jensen explored the claims of Christianity to be “true and good”, and the tension that exists when following Jesus can feel painful or difficult. By looking into the life of Jesus from the Gospel of Luke, delegates were invited to consider how Christian love, justice, freedom and hope are both true and good—even if the claims of the Bible can sound judgmental.
“God’s love on the cross is where true and good meet, and that the resurrection is the single most important event in human history because it means everything Jesus said and did is true.”
Theodore, Onward 23 Youth
“True freedom is freedom from sin.”
Jason, Onward 23 Youth
“My favourite thing about Onward is the warm and welcoming environment and being able to listen to new ideas about Christianity. I learned that Jesus went to great depths to provide love for us, and it is important to have.”
Beatrix, Onward 23 Youth
Onward 23 also featured a roundtable discussion where Christian teenagers shared their perspectives on the topic and some of the issues they face when engaging their friends with their faith. The roundtable highlighted the ways in which youth find Christianity offensive and unsettling, and that teenagers need to be empowered and equipped to share their faith with their friends.
Missed out on Onward Youth? Access the Livestream!
Hosted by Katoomba Christian Convention, Onward Youth is a one-night apologetics conference, aimed at equipping teenagers to observe current culture with a gospel lens, so that they are equipped to stand firm against issues that challenge their faith.
There’s still time to catch up on the Onward talks! Our livestream is available on-demand until 22 July 2023.Register and get instant access to Onward here: https://www.onwardevent.com/
Your invitation to Onward 2023
Youth groups across the country gathered for Onward Youth to engage with an important question: True and Good – Can Christianity Be Both?
By Heidi Tai
“I Regret Not Going in Previous Years”: Adam’s KYCK Testimony
In this interview, Adam from Coffs Harbour Presbyterian Church shares how he met Jesus at his lowest point and how attending KYCK 23 challenged him to live like Jesus and to be proactive with his faith. He also shares why youth should “get off the fence” and just make the decision to go to KYCK this year!
1. How many KYCKs have you been to and what was your favourite part?
KYCK 23 was my first KYCK! Unfortunately, it was also my last due to my age, and I regret not going in previous years! My favourite part about KYCK was the ability to praise, connect with and learn about Christ, surrounded by thousands of people – an incredibly encouraging experience!
2. How did KYCK23 challenge you in your faith?
KYCK 23 has challenged me to not only live like Jesus, but to actively seek and read His word in the Bible, encourage others in reading His word and to back Jesus up when I’m being questioned. You just never know when He’ll enter someone’s life through you!
3. Tell us how you became a Christian!
I met Jesus when I was at my lowest. 2020 was a tough year for so many, and I was struggling with depression following the death of my grandfather and the isolation brought on by COVID. God used that time to build me back up, create a proper, almost unbreakable connection with Him and surrounded me with an amazing group of friends.
4. How has meeting Jesus changed your life?
Meeting Jesus has provided me with an incredibly freeing feeling, knowing that there will always be someone I can rely on who’ll ride the waves of life with me in a life that He prepared for me is amazing.
5. What would you say to someone on the fence about attending KYCK?
I was once on the fence too, and for way too long. Just go! It’s the most amazing experience and you absolutely won’t regret it. You’ll meet new people, make new friends and may well find yourself connecting with Christ on a whole new level!
KYCK 23 Early Bird Rate Ends This Week!
KYCK challenges and equips teenagers to boldly live the Christian life.
This 22-24 September, we invite youth groups to join us for one final weekend and to “Meet Jesus” in the Gospel of Mark. Early Bird tickets are still available until 30 June.
Adam shares how he met Jesus at his lowest point and how attending KYCK 23 challenged him to live like Jesus and to be proactive with his faith.
By Heidi Tai
Meet the 9 Ministry Women Bringing New Perspectives to Oxygen 2023
This year at Oxygen conference we’re thrilled to have a line-up of thoughtful and practical segments and workshops, brought to you by seasoned ministry women speaking from their experiences and expertise.
Meet the 9 ministry women who will be speaking at Oxygen this August!
Anna Powell and Sarah Irving-Stonebraker will join the main plenary sessions to share their personal experiences, giving a short talk as part of our segment titled “Lessons from Life in Ministry”.
Anna Powell
Anna Powell is married to Morgan and they have two delightful daughters. They served for 13 years in South America with SIM, in Ecuador and Peru. In her talk “Seeing Clearly: How our Culture Deforms our Hearts for Ministry”, Anna will share how leaving Australia helped her to see how culture can leave a “non-Biblical imprint” on our understandings of ministry.
Sarah Irving-Stonebraker
Dr. Sarah Irving-Stonebraker is the Associate Professor of History and Western Civilisation at Australian Catholic University. She was awarded her PhD in History from Cambridge University and held then a Junior Research Fellowship at Wolfson College, Oxford University. She will be giving a talk titled “How Historical Traditions of Spiritual Formation Can Help Us Reshape Our Hearts”.
Eleasa Sieh
Eleasa is a Can-Aussie – a Canadian-born Chinese from Toronto and now working as a GP and GP counsellor in Brisbane. She is passionate about discipleship and Biblical counselling, having just finished the online MAC program through Westminster Theological Seminary. Eleasa will be one of our MCs at Oxygen. This will be her first Oxygen Conference and she is excited and privileged to be able to attend and serve in this way.
Oxygen will also feature a range of optional workshops which focus on the heart requirements of life in ministry. These workshops will help you to understand the inner and outer challenges of ministry, as well as provide practical learnings to renew and revive your passion for the work God has called you to do.
Meet the women leading our inspiring workshops:
Valerie Ling
Valerie is the founder of the Centre for Effective Serving, as well as the Clinical Director and founder of the Centre for Effective Living, a group psychology practice dedicated to clinical excellence in mental health. As a ministry wife herself, Valerie has a particular passion to support gospel workers. Her workshop “Moving from a Reactive to Reflective Ministry: Leadership and Ministry Longevity in a Hectic and Troubled World” will be focused on helping ministry workers to manage burnout.
Kerrell Ranucci
Kerrell together with her husband Andrew, spent almost three decades planting a church, a school and pioneering ministries to reach the lost and disciple them to Jesus. Kerrell is passionate about soul care, facilitating spiritual retreats, and walking with pastors to support them to develop a deep personal devotional life. Her workshop “Cultivating Our Life with God” will help delegates explore the role of spiritual practices in helping them to experience the presence of God in daily life.
Susan Marcuccio
Susan is the National Supervision Director for Chaplaincy Australia and President of Australasian Association of Supervision. Susan is passionate about all those in the helping professions being able to access quality and confidential support and engage in transformational learning. Her workshop “Pastoral Supervision: Protecting Your Heart to Go the Distance in Ministry” will explain how pastoral supervision can enhance ministry, ignite passion, and protect your heart.
Rachael Litchfield
Rachael has been involved in cross-cultural mission work in Thailand, Cambodia and Australia for the last 30 years serving in physiotherapy, community health, leadership and pastoral care roles. In 2020 she completed a doctor of ministry dissertation titled “A Spirituality for Transition Grief”. Her workshop “Spiritual Practices for the Grief of Transitions” will help delegates strengthen their capacity to craft meaning and move deeper into our life with God during unsettling transitions.
Miriam Chan
Miriam Chan is an accredited mental health social worker, counsellor and supervisor. Miriam currently works as a counsellor at an Australian University and in private practice in Burwood at New Leaf Centre. Miriam’s workshop “Mental Health and Ministry” will explorea Biblical overview of mental and emotional wellbeing and explore practical ideas on how to best serve Jesus when we are feeling unstable.
Kathy Thurston
Five and a half years ago Dave and Kathy Thurston left Sydney and parish ministry to work in the Presbyterian Church of Queensland. Their brief was mentoring pastors and their wives, training other to be mentors, develop a post college training program as well as various other ventures. They now live in Blackheath on two acres where God willing they will build a Christian Retreat centre. Together with her husband, Kathy will lead a workshop titled “The Importance of Emotional Self Awareness for Healthy Ministry”.
Our recent Oxygen Christian Workers Survey revealed alarming levels of job dissatisfaction, loneliness, and mental health issues amongst Christain workers in Australia.
In comparison to men, women were more likely to be experiencing or suspecting a mental health issue – 40 per cent compared to 25 per cent. In speaking of mental well-being, an Anglican Women’s Minister serving in a capital city says:
“I think about burnout and wonder if I am already there and what to do about it. It is hard to find the energy to invest in people but my love for the Lord and his people continues. I often wonder if I am the right person for my job, which is not a question I had 5 years ago.”
This is why Oxygen exists—to give ministry workers a space to reflect, think, pray and recharge under God’s Word.
If you’re a woman in Christian ministry, we invite you to pause with us this 15-18 August at Oxygen. Learn more here: https://oxygenconference.com/
Meet the 9 ministry women bringing new perspectives at Oxygen 2023!
