If you know and love KCC events, you’ll know that you walk away encouraged and challenged in your faith – often at a time you need it most.
So, why not bless someone with a gift that will last well beyond 2025?
Our event gift cards are perfect for everyone in your life, and they can be instantly sent, or downloaded and printed to gift! Simply pick from an event, or a subscription to the KCC app — we’ll email them with your message and an e-gift card to download!
KCC+ Subscription
Gift a 12-month KCC+ app subscription! Give them access to all the latest event talks & subscriber-only resources to bolster their daily walk!
KYCK 2025 Merch
Gift the teen in your life with a KYCK25 merch gift card. Choose from a $25 or $50 gift card, and they can use this gift card to purchase a merch item of their choice at the convention.
KCC Events
Choose your gift card design and gift $50 or $100 to spend towards a KEC, BASECAMP, OneLove or Spark Convention ticket.
A gift for a future generation
Your gift card purchase is just one way you can bless others and help keep the ministry of KCC going.
In 2025, we want to see the ministry grow, and continue providing a space for God’s people to gather under His Word preached, so we can continue to live for His glory. So, we have launched Spark Conference, a new Young Adults event in 2025 to encourage 18-30 year olds to live wholeheartedly for Christ in this world.
Your donation before 31 December will be an immense help to KCC and get this event off to a solid start in 2025.
If you know and love KCC events, you’ll know that you walk away encouraged and
By KCC Staff
Meet Mitch
With the upcoming launch of Spark, KCC’s new young adults event, we asked committee chair, Mitch Everingham, a few questions about himself, and about the new event.
Tell us a bit about yourself!
I grew up on the Northern Beaches of Sydney and currently serve as a pastor at Anchor Church Sydney in the inner west. Outside of Jesus, my greatest joys in life are spending time with my wife Suz and our son Jamie, eating good food and drinking coffee with friends, and playing or watching football.
I grew up hearing about Jesus, but it wasn’t until I was 20 that I put my trust in him and he turned my life around completely. I’ve spent the 12 years since then giving all that I can to telling young people about why Jesus is worth following — and plan to do so until I meet him face to face!
What is it about a new young adults conference that led you to come on board to chair it?
I served on the KYCK Committee for over four years and have seen first-hand the way that God uses conferences like this to shape young people’s lives. I see a real need for young adults to be served in a similar way — and so when the opportunity came up to be involved, I jumped at the chance to be able to serve the next generation in this way.
Can you tell us a bit more about the heart behind the name, ‘Spark’, and who it’s for
Spark is a conference for young adults that we’re praying will light a spark inside of the next generation that they might burn passionately for Jesus and follow and trust him all the days of their lives. Young adults are anyone 18 to 30-ish (we’ve had some early questions about what ‘young’ is!)
What is your hope for Spark in the lives of young adults?
My hope is that Spark will serve a generation in coming to love and live for Jesus with every fibre of their being. I believe in the next generation and that now is a time for us to invest in their faith alongside their local churches. My prayer is that God will use Spark to this end for many years to come!
Spark Conference is a new event for young adults, launching on 22-24 August 2025. For more updates and to be notified when registrations open, sign up to the KCC mailing list below, or follow Spark on socials!
With the upcoming launch of Spark, KCC’s new young adults event, we asked committee chair,
By KCC Staff
Spark is Coming
KCC will return to the young adults space in 2025 with a brand-new event, Spark Conference, just for 18-30 year olds. This exciting new event will launch as a weekend away (22-24 August) in the Blue Mountains, with a focus on igniting hearts to live wholeheartedly for Jesus.
Watch the video below from Mitch Everingham, chair of Spark, about why this will be an unmissable event, and spread the word with friends, church and family.
Sign up to the KCC mailing list for updates on Spark, and follow Spark on socials! FB: @kcc.spark IG: @kcc_spark
KCC will return to the young adults space in 2025 with a brand-new event, Spark
By KCC Staff
This is KCC
Katoomba Christian Convention has gathered people under God’s Word for over 121 years, and by His grace the ministry sees tens of thousands impacted by His Word today. With another year of events done, we look back with incredible gratitude for God’s work and providence in 2024 and look forward to more next year and for future generations.
‘This is KCC‘ is a new video introducing the ministry and its heart and mission. We are so pleased to be sharing this with you today, and hope it is an encouragement to you.
We pray we may continue to gather as “all one in Christ Jesus”, under God’s will and with your support, for many more years to come.
Looking to the future
You may have seen the news already (read the update here), but we’re well on the way with plans for our new pilot Young Adults event in 2025.
In line with the mission of KCC, it is our earnest desire that this new event will spark a new fire in the hearts of young adults, to live wholeheartedly for Christ in this world.
We are convinced that this is a vital space for KCC to serve in.
If you are able, please consider a financial gift before December to help us get this new event off on a strong footing, and in a way that will reduce the risk to the ministry as a whole.
Katoomba Christian Convention has gathered people under God’s Word for over 121 years, and by
By KCC Staff
Delighting in the Father’s Joy at OneLove 2024
“I remember when you used to love me You were so beautiful back then So fruitful back then When you used to love me But, you have forsaken your first love So come back to me”
Each year, OneLove provides a much-needed refresh for women, to take time out from everyday routines, spend a day soaking in God’s Word and walk away with cups full of love and joy in the Lord. This year, international speaker Blair Linne, inspired women to remember the Father’s joy, and why this is important in reigniting our devotion to Him and overcome complacency.
Blair Linne preaching on ‘The Father’s Joy’ at OneLove women’s conference 2024.
Over 1,600 women across Australia and overseas joined together in fellowship at the OneLove 2024 conference in August, in-person and online. Through faithful Bible teaching and shared stories, women were encouraged with a refreshed view of what it means to be a child of God and how it shapes everything we do.
Bible teacher and Spoken Word Artist, Blair Linne, presented two talks to address the theme, “Overcoming Complacency: How the Joy of the Father Can Reignite Your Devotion”.
Her first talk was derived from the parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15:11-32. Titled, “The Father’s Joy (Two Types of Lostness)”, Blair helped women to consider the actions of both sons depicted in this story and identify the lostness and complacency that each of them bring. Both sons were complacent and wanted the Father’s inheritance rather than Him. The younger son runs away from his father to pursue immorality. The elder son also “runs away”, but his pursuit is towards morality.
Blair explained that complacency has us placing things, whether immoral or moral, over God Himself. We can be around the Father, but not satisfied in the Father. She highlighted that the story in Luke 15:11-32 exposes our own lack of appreciation for the Father’s joy and gracious love, and yet, even in our complacency, the joy of the Father is constant. He is still near to us and is still patient with us.
“There are two ways to run from the Father or deny the Father: immorality and morality. But there is only one way to come to the Father, and that is by faith.”
In her second talk from Ephesians 1:3-14 titled, “The Blessed Father (Blessed in the Beloved)”, Blair shared that like the brothers in Luke 15, there is a contrast between the Jews and the Gentiles. There was a complacency by the Jews in understanding the full scope of God’s gospel which would include Gentiles as well as the Jews. These disputes cause Gentiles to question their standing as well, which would hinder them or cause them to be complacent and kept from their full gospel identity.
The Father’s joy and love is the stabilising truth which shifts us from complacency to devotion. Blair presented this passage to demonstrate that a way to overcome complacency is by grasping what God has done for us. Do we realise the divine forethought God used to craft all the blessings ordained for us, so that we might be with Him? We must recognise who we have in our Heavenly Father and the right blessings we have attained because of Christ, and all to the praise of His glorious grace.
“We have been stamped with God’s seal of security and no one can take that away from us. As hard as the enemy may try, he cannot remove the seal.”
Blair ended her second talk reciting a Spoken Word poem she wrote at a time when she personally experienced complacency. Her poem, “I Remember When You Used to Love Me”, deeply resonated with the women as she reminded them to return to their first love, God the Father.
Blair also joined the much-loved Q&A segment. Her honesty in her own personal testimony on facing anxiety and fatherlessness sparked countless questions around mental health, ministry life and shifting our focus towards eternity. Many felt moved by her wise and sincere responses during the session.
Women at OneLove were also presented with testimonies and stories throughout the day from everyday women who have wrestled with what it means to really delight in the Father and not just be around Him. Marissa presented a beautiful and thoughtful reflection on how we can ask questions, experience discomfort, sit in uncertainty and still seek God–in sharing stories with one another and God, recognising our grounding in and around scripture. Abi and Diana joined the platform as part of the Fireside Chat to provide women with insights into what complacency might look like in other people’s lives and to be equipped with practical strategies and suggestions as to how to best overcome it.
A particular highlight was the video testimony from Yuni – an inspiring Christian woman, wife and mother with a special needs son. Through her testimony, women were reminded that though we’re tempted to think doing everything is the antidote to complacency, Yuni helpfully reminded us that serving the Lord looks different in different seasons:
“I may not be as active in church as I used to be, but I find deep purpose in my ministry at home knowing that this is where God is calling me to serve right now. The Lord can display His Glory through my situation.”
For many women, Blair’s gentle, sincere, yet strong and bold message, was truly a highlight of the day, as they were comforted and challenged to remember God’s boundless love for His children and the joy that it brings in our lives and the way we serve Him. It was also a beautiful day to enjoy fellowship with friends, family, other churches and women’s groups.
“I really loved hearing the testimonies of the ladies who shared. I think God gives us stories to share and encourage each other. It helps us see how God is working and gives us a sense of him in the wider church.” – Eleisha
“Encouraged the most by Blair’s poem she recited at the end – brought tears to my eyes. I was also greatly encouraged by God’s word from Ephesians – I am chosen, adopted, redeemed, sealed and have an inheritance because of Jesus.” – Paula
“The talks were so encouraging for me to not be complacent but to serve with joy and passion. I was also encouraged to not let difficult times get me down but to persevere to the end.” – Prue
“OneLove was an opportunity where I was surrounded by women who all shared the same goal of growing in godliness. We are all one in Christ, and are called to encourage one another and build one another up; and I believe this was achieved at OneLove. The community that was formed amongst women from all different places, who were unknown to each other before, speaks to the power of the gospel in bringing people together and the truth of the body of Christ – all united by our living desire to please the Lord. OneLove 2024 was an expression of how good our God is, to have given us people to walk alongside us in this life – women from all walks meeting together to praise and worship the one true God.” – Laura
“It wasn’t just one thing, I loved it all. So much variety & not too much of one thing. Kept me interested throughout the conference. God is SO good!!! I love our community & that was shared all the way through.” – Deb
Save the Date for OneLove 2025
Jackie Hill Perry preaching at OneLove women’s conference in 2023.
Jackie Hill Perry will be joining OneLove in 2025 as keynote speaker on Saturday 23rd August 2025! Save the date in your calendar now, and sign up to the mailing list on the OneLove website to be notified when registrations open – don’t miss out!
Missed out or want to rewatch the talks?
The OneLove 2024 talks and interviews will be up on the KCC One app on October 3, with a KCC+ subscription.
Watch on your phone, tablet or laptop; listen to audio on the go; or read in your quiet time – with plenty of resources available on all your devices, be strengthened and encouraged in your faith in the way that suits you best! Read more at www.kccone.org.au/subscription.
“I remember when you used to love meYou were so beautiful back thenSo fruitful back
By KCC Staff
Get ready for the last KYCK of 2024!
This September school holidays, high schoolers across NSW will gather for the last KYCK youth conference for the year. The conference will be looking at the book of Genesis – creation, humanity and the fall – together with speakers Alan Au, Brett Hookham, and Andy Stevenson. KYCKers can also look forward to Jocelyn Bignill and Patricia Weerakoon bringing them some special segments to help think through the theme of ‘identity’ in today’s world.
If you’re joining us this month, here are nine ways to prepare your hearts and minds for KYCK:
1. Read and re-read the book of Genesis
Get the most out of KYCK with some pre-reading from Genesis 1-3 to prime your heart to hear and respond to God’s Word. Read and re-read it – anything stand out for you? Are there any questions you have about the passage?
2. Start your personal praise with the KYCK 24 playlist
Whether you’re wanting a shout-out-loud worship session or some mellow praise for quiet study, this playlist is the perfect soundtrack to familiarise yourself with songs that we’ll be singing at KYCK 24! Listen here.
3. Start training with your youth group for the KYCK On Cup!
Our Saturday afternoon soccer competition, KYCK On, will be back at KYCK#4! The winning team will be declared the champions and awarded the prestigious KYCK ON Cup. We’ll also be giving prizes to the best supporters – think apparel, mascots, team flag and uniform. Start training now, and make sure to get your teams and supporter costumes ready!
4.Rep KYCK with our fresh merch!
Our range of KYCK 24 merch includes hoodies, tees, beanies, caps and NEW sunnies! Enter our merch giveaway competition on Facebook or Instagram to win a hoodie! You can also purchase merch onsite at KYCK each Saturday morning from 8am. All proceeds go towards keeping our ministry going. See pricing and size info here.
5. Don’t forget your KYCK friendship bracelets to swap and share!
Here’s your chance to get creative with spreading the Word! Gather with your youth group to make friendship bracelets and trade them with others at KYCK! We suggest including bible references to our KYCK theme (Genesis 1-3), our memory verse (Colossians 1:15-16) or the name of your youth group. There might even be some prizes on offer! Have fun!
6. Pray for God to work powerfully through KYCK
Please join us in committing KYCK to God in prayer:
Pray that as the gospel is preached at KYCK, the Spirit will work powerfully in the hearts of youth.
Pray that God will protect our speakers Alan, Brett, Andy, Jocelyn and Patricia ahead of KYCK, and that they will preach the gospel and its implications on our identity, clearly and faithfully.
Pray that KYCK will be an opportunity for teens who don’t know Jesus to meet Him for the first time.
Pray that teenagers will leave KYCK with a firm trust in Jesus, and that they will be bold and loving gospel witnesses in their schools, communities and homes.
7.Don’t miss out on the Saturday Night BBQ
Support high school scripture and teachers by purchasing the Saturday night BBQ at KYCK. Held on Saturday, 6.15pm-7.00pm in the Plaza, it’s $7 per person and includes 2 sausage sandwiches & a soft drink! RSVP here: https://www.kyck.org.au/saturday-bbq/
8. Stay up to date with KYCK on socials and the KCC One app
Stay up to date with the latest KYCK news, and interact with our live segments by following us on Facebook or Instagram. Download the KCC One App to gain daily encouragement from KCC’s library of sermons, topical talks, testimonies, and devotionals in audio, text and video formats.
This September school holidays, high schoolers across NSW will gather for the last KYCK youth
By KCC Staff
3am mates, brotherhood & changed lives
“Fellowship is not two or more Christians in the presence of coffee … Fellowship is when we’re honest with one another; when we drop the pretense; when we are real with one another. That is fellowship.” – Sam Allberry, BASECAMP 2024
Every year at BASECAMP, men gather under the Word of God – taking time out to be in fellowship with one another, to dedicate to their relationship with God, and go away refreshed and inspired to live out their faith in work, family and life. This year, speakers Sam Allberry and Jonathan Andrews spoke on the necessary topic, “Brotherhood: Life Together”.
Sam Allberry preaching at BASECAMP Men’s Conference 2024 in Katoomba.
Over 1,700 men joined the conference over two weekends and online, from over 370 churches nationwide in August to share in food, fellowship and rich teaching from the Bible. The theme of brotherhood resonated deeply, with attendees encouraged to think about who they had as a ‘3am mate’ – someone they could call at 3am, and how they could be that mate for those around them. Men were particularly encouraged by seeing the practical ways they could live out Christian brotherhood with one another.
“Was encouraged and challenged to see the importance of investing deeply into my brotherly friendships. I want to put into practice what I learnt and was challenged, which has started with making some face to face hangouts with my 3am friends.”
“The teaching really helped us open up and look inside at what God was trying to talk to us about. It was a great time away with the men from my church to focus on being a Christian brother, husband, father, and son.”
“Reminded of some truths that are often not spoken about in a typical church environment. Spending time with guys from church. Hearing a talk such as Jonathan’s helps put the theory of our Christian walk into reality of life as a ‘man’.”
“It has given me a new over look on confessing sin to my brothers as well as to God. It amazes me how we can be OK to confess to God but be scared to confess to our brothers; we should be more scared to confess to God, because he is God and perfect. I realised that I would rather be judged here on earth by man then to be judged by God.”
“Attending BASECAMP is always a great encouragement and reset. Having attended since Men’s Convention started in 1996 (!), I’ve been encouraged more and more each year to be more the man God made me to be than the one I am. This year, I was particularly instilled with the importance of having a 3am mate (and being one to someone else)! I’ve already come home and am meeting up with someone so we can develop that co-mentoring and support role for each other, even if that sometimes just means a quick check-in.”
“When it gets to me, I ring a mate.”
A particular highlight of the conference was an interview with Steve Turner and Keith Lord about their 40+ year friendship in Christ. Keith first shared his story with the BASECAMP audience in 2020, and talked about being able to reach out to his friend Steve in difficult seasons. Attendees this year were encouraged by seeing and hearing Keith and Steve’s lived experience of enduring brotherhood, and in witnessing this strong real-life example of men truly being there for each other and spurring one another on in faith.
Watch an excerpt from Keith’s original interview here.
Watch the highlights from BASECAMP 2024 below!
Save the date for BASECAMP 2025
Zack Eswine will be joining BASECAMP in 2025 as keynote speaker! Save the dates in your calendar now, and sign up to the mailing list on the BASECAMP website to be notified when registrations open – don’t miss out!
BASECAMP Sydney: Sat 2 August, 2025 BASECAMP Mountains: Fri 8 – Sat 9 August, 2025
Missed out?
The BASECAMP 2024 talks and interviews will be up on the KCC One app in just a few weeks, with a KCC+ subscription.
Watch on your phone, tablet or laptop; listen to audio on the go; or read in your quiet time – with plenty of resources available on all your devices, be strengthened and encouraged in your faith in the way that suits you best! Read more at www.kccone.org.au/subscription.
“Fellowship is not two or more Christians in the presence of coffee … Fellowship is
By KCC Staff
On the Value of Raising Kids in a Church Family: Andrew
In this interview, Andrew shares both the deep joys and everyday struggles of fathering two young girls. He shares his desire to be fully present for his girls, while grieving not being able to do so as the provider for his family. He opens up about how fatherhood has acted as a “mirror” to his selfishness, impatience, and longings for spontaneity and freedom, and how God has used these moments to grow and strengthen his faith. Finally, he shares the value of raising his girls in a church community—something he learned being exposed to Christianity and a church family early in life.
Photo: The L’estrelle family
Please introduce yourself!
Hi, my name is Andrew L’Estrelle, I’m 32, married to my beautiful wife Addie and together we have two girls – Emily who is 5 and Ellanor who is almost 2. We’re members at Providence Church Brisbane, having started as part of the launch team when the church was planted in 2015.
During the week I work for the Queensland Government and hobbies these days mostly revolve around the kids or various building and improvement projects around the house. I like gardening, making/building things, and pursuing simple creative outlets like cooking. When I get the time, I really enjoy going out to the country where I grew up, spending time in nature, and enjoying the tranquility of standing on a remote hill with no civilisation in sight.
2. What has been the greatest joy and challenge of being a Girl Dad so far?
The greatest joy I have found in parenting has been watching my girls grow and learn. Their sense of adventure and eagerness to explore the world, asking questions about how things work and why. Watching them achieve things they couldn’t do yesterday whether it be helping Emily learn to read or seeing the joy on Ella’s face when she finally masters jumping with both feet at the same time.
Growing into this role of ‘Dad’ has also been incredibly challenging, realising how selfish I am with my own time and desiring a level of spontaneity, freedom and independence that isn’t compatible with giving yourself up to be available and present for your kids. Working full-time and having to spend a significant portion of my week away from the kids has also been, and continues to be, a challenge for me. Switching off from work and trying to be as present as possible at the end of a long day is difficult, but as Ella runs toward me, with arms in the air screaming “DADDDAA” work quickly fades away. It’s in the little chats as I put them to bed and we try and catch up on the day that I find little moments of joy, for example, as Emily asks to pray together, and we read her bible together each night.
Growing into this role of ‘Dad’ has also been incredibly challenging, realising how selfish I am with my own time and desiring a level of spontaneity, freedom and independence that isn’t compatible with giving yourself up to be available and present for your kids.
3. You grew up in a Christian household and attending church and have remained in the faith into adulthood. How has your early exposure to Christianity shaped the way you parent your girls today?
I grew up in a Christian home and had the benefit of learning from and observing several solid, mature Christians as I grew up. I’m very grateful for the early exposure I had to Christianity, being in an environment where I was taught the bible and seeing Sunday church be prioritised and valued. This all provided a solid base for me to develop my knowledge of God and develop my own faith.
I have seen lots of men who are dedicated to their church and their families, and one common observation I have is that they were all present and committed, with church and family being clear priorities in their life. This has helped me tackle my own big decisions in life like where to buy a house and live, where to work, the type of lifestyle we seek and seeking to have church and community as a central priority of our week, seeking opportunity’s to open our home and serve people to model to our girls that our faith and our church family are central priorities that guide our decision making, not an afterthought that we fit into our otherwise secular lives.
Growing up in a Christian home has taught me the importance of providing an environment and space for my girls to learn and encounter authentic gospel community to allow them to develop their own faith in time. In 2021, I took 18 months long-term leave from work, and we sold our house and packed up all our things to build our own tiny home on wheels and travel the country together.
We loved our time away but returned to Brisbane to provide our girls a gospel-based church to grow up in—something I believe is so important in supporting my kids as they explore the gospel for themselves at a young age. We love our church community and I’m enjoying this phase of parenting particularly as our eldest Emily has started asking more questions about the bible and faith.
Growing up in a Christian home has taught me the importance of providing an environment and space for my girls to learn and encounter authentic gospel community to allow them to develop their own faith in time.
4. How does knowing God, the perfect Father, shape the way you parent your girls? How has God used fatherhood to grow and sanctify you?
The majority of the challenges I have faced in parenthood stem from my own selfishness and lack of patience, however I am coming to see joy in the mirror that parenthood holds up to our own lives as it presents opportunities for me to grow and mature in my own walk with God.
When faced with a child who ignores my first, second and 58th reasonable request to put their socks on (insert daily struggle here), rather than being discouraged and frustrated I am reminded to stop and act out of love and patience as I hear God calling out to me with grace and love, patiently waiting for me to respond to his reasonable request to love and follow him.
I have by no means mastered this yet, and God continues to work in my heart to grow me and to shape me as his son and as a father. I am thankful for the kids he has blessed me with, and the privilege it is to raise these two girls, and I pray that I can point them toward God’s grace and love through my parenting as they grow up and we face new and unchartered challenges together.
Andrew opens up about how the challenge of fatherhood has grown his faith, and the value of raising children in a gospel-based church community.
By Heidi Tai
On Learning Love & Patience as a Girl Dad: Chester
In this interview, Chester shares the joys and challenges of being a ‘Girl Dad’ and how God has used his daughters to grow him in love, patience, and prayerfulness. Having grown up in a non-Christian home, Chester also shares how knowing God the Father has influenced his parenting decisions and spiritual disciplines as a family.
Photo: Chester with his wife and girls
Please introduce yourself!
My name is Chester Wong, and I’ve been married to Ka for 19 years. We have two daughters: Ava, who’s 15 (yes, I’m in the teenage stage), and Jemma, who’s 11. We attend Auburn Anglican Church, a great place for our girls to see that God’s Kingdom is wonderfully diverse, with people from all over the world—perfect for a city like Sydney.
When I’m not ‘babysitting’ the kids (though they’ll tell you they’re too old for that), you can find me in lycra; cycling around Sydney or glued to the TV watching Formula 1. As our girls get older and more independent, they might not need us for every little thing, but that doesn’t mean they don’t need us. Sometimes, just being there—like now, as I’m sitting on Ava’s bed while she studies for exams—makes all the difference.
2. What has been the greatest joy and challenge of being a ‘Girl Dad’?
Being a ‘Girl Dad’ has been a crash course in hair conditioner, hair dryers, and mastering the art of JoJo Siwa bows. One of the biggest challenges? Learning how to do plaits—let’s just say I’m still in training. I’ve also had to figure out how to be gentle and soft. Growing up with a brother, we were always roughhousing, but with my girls, I’ve had to learn to use loving and encouraging words, and to keep my voice down. The joys? They love cuddles, and they’re always up for teaching me the latest TikTok moves.
3. How has coming to know God, the perfect Father, influenced the way you father your girls?
Growing up in a non-Christian home, I’ve had to rely heavily on prayer and to seek wisdom and guidance from other godly fathers to help me keep Jesus at the center of our family. God has really shaped my character, especially my temper. Early in my fatherhood, I noticed I was quick-tempered, much like my own dad. But as I look to Christ, I’ve been reminded that this isn’t the way to raise my girls in a loving and patient manner.
4. How has God used fatherhood to grow and sanctify you?
Fatherhood humbles me every day as I constantly question whether I’m doing enough to nurture my daughters in Christ and provide for their needs. I keep coming back to the truth that it’s God who ultimately shapes their hearts. Our hope is that they will genuinely love Christ and choose to follow Him.
5. What is one piece of advice that you would give to new Dads this Father’s Day?
Pray for your children often and pray with them every night. Before I tuck my girls in bed, even my 15-year-old, we read the Bible and pray together. This is our nightly anchor—a time to stay rooted in God’s word and prayer as a discipline. It’s also a wonderful opportunity to chat, play random games, and share a laugh.
Chester shares the joys and challenges of being a ‘Girl Dad’ and how God has used his daughters to grow him in love, patience, and prayerfulness.
By Heidi Tai
On the Joy & Grief of “Letting Go” of Adult Children: Eugene
Ahead of Father’s Day (Sunday 1st September), we’ll be sharing stories of everyday Christian fathers and how the gospel shapes their parenting. In this interview, Eugene Hor shares the joys and challenges of 24 years of fatherhood and celebrates how God has remained faithful to his children into adulthood. He also shares the difficulty of “letting go” of his adult children and how older fathers can continue to serve, lead and glorify God in their families.
Photo: Eugene with his family members Ashleigh, Pauline and Joshua.
Please introduce yourself!
I’m Eugene and I’ve been married to Pauline for 29 years. We’ve got two young adult children. My daughter Ashleigh’s 22 and my son Joshua’s 24. I’m currently the pastor at GracePoint Presbyterian Church in Sydney, a church we planted in 1999.
I’m not sure if I have hobbies. Pauline always says I have many interests that come and go, from archery to model cars to remote control cars to smoking meat to crossfit. The list is endless. My current interest right now is growing superhot chili peppers and making superhot sauces with my variety of reapers, scorpions and ghost peppers.
I’m finding myself in what an older pastor once called our third season in life and ministry. In our first season we’re learners and we’re making all our mistakes. In our second season, we’re practitioners and worked out what to do because we’ve learnt from our mistakes. In our third season we’re teachers trying to work out what we can really pour into and what foundation we can leave behind for the next generation.
I think we’re in our third season of life and ministry, and with our son getting married next year and our daughter possibly the year after, we’re trying to work out how we can best serve the gospel in the coming new season.
What has been your greatest joy and challenge as a father recently?
More recently my greatest joy as a father has been seeing both our children speak of GracePoint as their church, a church they love and want to continue serving at. They’ve approached disruption taking place in our church community with a maturity and love that I’ve been incredibly thankful for. That was always a worry for me when they were growing up, as church wasn’t always a place they wanted to be. There were seasons where church was boring, or they didn’t have peers and so didn’t want to go. But if you’re a pastor’s kid it’s not that easy bailing out on Sunday church growing up. I’m thankful it didn’t make them resentful, and I’m thankful that God kept them all these years.
I remember on our way to church one Sunday in the car when Joshua, who was in year 8 at the time, said, ‘I don’t want to go to church, it’s boring, it’s not fun.’ I remember using it as a teaching moment, asking him if he wanted to be a boy or a man one day. He said he wanted to be a man, and I remember saying to him that boys only want to have fun, but men do hard things. When things are no longer fun, they bail or run away.
Men take responsibility and do what’s good and right, even if it’s hard and boring, like Jesus. Men take responsibility and serve others, even when it’s hard and boring, like Jesus. Men take responsibility and care for others, even when it’s hard and boring, like Jesus. I told him that if all you want to do is have fun, you’ll never grow up to be a man. And church isn’t always going to be easy or fun, but we go because it’s good and right, and we go because we care and want to serve others like Jesus. I don’t know if he fully understood, but when I asked him again if he wanted to be a boy or a man, he said he wanted to be a man. That’s been a real joy for me seeing both our children do hard things when it comes to church and life, in being committed to loving and serving others like Jesus.
Church isn’t always going to be easy or fun, but we go because it’s good and right, and we go because we care and want to serve others like Jesus.
In terms of a challenge as a father, I think it’s challenging to let go as your kids get older. I’m certainly finding that hard. Pauline keeps reminding me that they’re independent young adults who will ask me for help if they need it. I still over-function as a dad and feel the need to do things for them even when help is unsolicited. Ashleigh recently said to me that she is informing me that she is going to Korea later this year for holidays, rather than asking me, as she knows what my response would be if she asked.
That’s challenging for me as I still see them as children who need my help and protection. I suspect they do, but not as dependent children, but as independent young adults. It’s challenging for me to make that shift. Part of making that shift is to recognise that I won’t always be able to be there for them as they leave home, but they will always have a heavenly Father who loves them and will care for them much more than I could ever do. I need to entrust them to his providential care and protection, and they need to look to him even more so as young adults.
How has knowing God the perfect Father shaped the way you fathered your own children?
Knowing God as a perfect Father has shaped the way I’ve fathered my children in two ways.
Firstly, it’s recognising that I’ll never be a perfect father to my children. I’m not just finite but also flawed and sinful. I might not be the perfect Dad and I can’t always be there for them, but they’ll always have a heavenly Father who’ll be there for them, and who’ll never fail them or disappoint them. So even as a Dad I always want to point them to their heavenly Father, a father who’ll always love them and be there for them. It was my practice all through high school when we dropped them off at school or when they caught the bus, to send them a SMS with a verse from the Psalms or a bible verse to let them know I’d be praying God’s presence, promises or truth for them, reminding them that they were never alone. It was my way of saying, ‘Daddy can’t always be there with you, but your heavenly Father will always be there for you, look to him and trust him.’
Secondly, it’s given me a better understanding of what it means to be a father the way God has been a perfect Father to me in two ways. He’s been a perfect Father who has loved me unconditionally and completely in the giving of his Son for me. That’s a reminder to me that I will always be loved even when I’ve failed. He’s also been a perfect Father who has powerfully overcome the one thing that can destroy me forever in the raising up of his Son over death for me. That’s a reminder to me that I’ll always be safe even when life is uncertain.
So even as a Dad I always want to communicate those two things to them as children.
I wanted them to always know that ‘Daddy will always love you and Daddy is always here for you even when things are hard.’ Practically this meant being physically present and available. Ashleigh certainly knew that and often took advantage of that as she would sometimes call me in the middle of my work meetings, knowing I would always pick up if she called – often to ask me if I could get her Krispy Kreme donuts on the way home. My kids have always grown up knowing that I will always be present and available for them.
I might not be the perfect Dad and I can’t always be there for them, but they’ll always have a heavenly Father who’ll be there for them, and who’ll never fail them or disappoint them.
Your children are now young adults. How can fathers of older children continue serving and leading their family for God’s glory?
I think as a father to adult children one of the ways we can continue serving and leading our families for God’s glory is to keep modelling to them the grace of the gospel in our lives and inviting them to walk with us the way we’ve walked with them growing up.
When they’re small they see it lived out in the way we serve and relate to others. As they grow into adulthood, we should be able to share more with them, and we should be able to invite them to walk with us in our personal challenges and ministry. When the kids were small, we would pray for them and instruct them. While we still pray for them and we give them unsolicited instruction as parents do, we also now share more with them, and we often seek their prayer and counsel in life and ministry. One could say that we need to see our children as partners in the gospel as they grow up.
God has blessed you with two children who have remained faithful in the Lord. What is one piece of advice that you would give to new dads this Father’s Day?
God has been gracious, and I don’t think we’ve done anything special that has led to our children remaining faithful to the Lord. We have, however, been committed to God’s ordinary means of grace for his people.
I would say this to any new Dad: Give yourself to regular prayer for yourself and for your children. Open the Bible and regularly read the word to your children. Help them know and understand God’s promises to them in the gospel. Teach and instruct them in living out God’s truth. Make Sunday worship with God’s people a priority as a family. Don’t deny them the sacrament of baptism as they’re children of God’s covenant community. Don’t deny them the promises of the gospel in the sign and seal of baptism. Give yourself to serving God’s people at church and involve them in serving with you.
Model for your children what it means to be a father who loves unconditionally and protects, the way your Heavenly Father has been a father to you in Jesus. More than anything else, recognise that you won’t always be a perfect Dad, but your children will always have a heavenly Father who has loved them in Jesus, and who wants to and will always be there for them. Always point them to him.
Eugene shares the joy and grief of "letting go" of adult children, and how older Dads can continue to serve, lead and glorify God in their families.
