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Being Baptized at Vintage21

ABOUT ME

In 2008, I moved from Sydney, Australia to Raleigh, North Carolina to test my call to be a future church planter in Sydney. Under the terms of my Visa I am required to raise my own support.

Currently, I am the Executive Assistant to the Lead Pastor, Tyler Jones at Vintage21 Church. My main responsibility is to lead the Preaching, Theology & Vision Department.

Click here if you want to support me.

I Heart V21

I Heart the Church

 

 A short post to simply say this: I love this church.

I love what we stand for, I love and respect the men I work alongside. I love what God is doing here now and what he is building. I love the people here and already count it as one of the greatest privileges and blessings of my life to be here.

A Must-Read Book

 

Biblical Eldership

I read this book in the first week I arrived in Raleigh. It’s a prerequisite read for the eldership process here at Vintage 21. I got through it quicker than a starving American in an SUV doing drive through fast food.

I highly recommend you read this book. It’s easy to read. You may never look at your church [or yourself] the same way ever again. Do it. Do it now.

The Y

Y on Hillsborough

Probably one of the best features of Raleigh so far is the YMCA on Hillsborough St. There is nothing like it in Sydney. The fitness centre has indoor pool, gym, running track, raquetball, basketball courts and would make an episode of Pimp My Gym. All for the low price of $30 a month, no contract and small joining fee. On top of that you can apply for a scholarship if you’re financially disabled. I ticked the box labelled cripple.

On a side note, I will endeavour to post more frequently, with shorter posts and more visuals.

A Week in Review

 

University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Some highlights from this past chaotic week:

• Lachlan and Cathy arriving in Raleigh
• Acts 29 Bootcamp in Raleigh, NC with 420 potential church planters
• Dr Wayne Grudem on Day 2, stopping and praying for one man pursuing humility.
• Dr Andy Davis at SEBTS on the value of scripture memorisation
• Mark Driscoll, Danny Aiken, Bill Brown and CJ Mahaney preaching at 20/20 Conference
• Party at Tyler’s place with a bunch of A29 guys, drinking Smithwicks. Heaven.
• Vintage 21 Church. God is doing something remarkable in this place.

A Day with Dr Grudem

Dr Wayne Grudem was one of the speakers at the recent Acts 29 Boot Camp in Raleigh. Fortunately, I got assigned to be his aide for the duration of the conference. Many years ago I read ‘Systematic Theology’ and it was my first introduction to Christian doctrine. His seminal work answered many questions I had formulated over a long period of time on what the bible said on issues such as the Holy Spirit, Inerrancy of Scripture, and Hell.

Perhaps most influential for me was Part 6: The Doctrine of Church. In particular, the chapter on Church Government and the argument for plurality of elders and congregational government.

Two things struck me most intently from my time with Dr Grudem:

1. When he revealed the results of missing quiet time with the Lord for him were pride, selfishness, needing praise, lacking love, irritability, uneasiness, no peace, & self reliance.
2. The moment during Q&A in Track 2 where he stopped to pray for one man who was earnestly pursuing humility. It was a very powerful Spirit-led moment and not many dry eyes in the room afterwards.

So, it was a privilege to help Dr Grudem and I got to see a man who knows and loves doctrine, truth and theology, and is joyful, cheerful, and compassionate. As a gesture of his thanks he signed a copy of his book for me with the following verse:

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God – Paul in 1 Corinthians 10:31

Tir Na Nog

Tir Na Nog

Tir Na Nog is the greatest Irish pub in Raleigh by default. Raleigh Undercover on Friday night had some big bands in action: Pavement, Oasis, INXS and Queen. A few V21ers were in the cover bands but unfortunately Dave Grohl and I missed Pavement by arriving too late.  

Sunday morning’s are the breakfast buffet and Liverpool vs Chelsea was on at the palatable time of 11am. Unfortunately Chelsea delivered like a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. But, the buffet and the beer will be enough to return, with Payne’s in tow.

Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

Patterson Hall

Luke invited me to sit in on a class at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.Dr Andy Davis, Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church in Durham, taught on the New England Puritans and the early work and life of Jonathan Edwards.

I found the 3 hour lecture extremely engaging, with Dr Davis’ use of scripture and pastoral implications very insightful whilst studying the revival period. To conclude, we reviewed Edwards’ 70 resolutions – and discussed his 8th resolution at length:

Resolved, to act, in all respects, both speaking and doing, as if nobody had been so vile as I, and as if I had committed the same sins, or had the same infirmities or failings as others; and that I will let the knowledge of their failings promote nothing but shame in myself, and prove only an occasion of my confessing my own sins and misery to God.

Vintage 21 Durham Campus

 

Vintage 21 Durham Campus

Last week we had the official launch of the Durham Campus of Vintage 21 Church. After 4 weeks of soft launch most of the kinks were ironed out for Sunday. I’ve met with many of the key leaders involved there, including a 7am meeting with prayer/coffee. For me, Eli said it best when he told me, “We do life together.” 

Rigsbee Hall is a great venue with room for child care, easy access parking, good acoustics and generally warm feel. After MLK long weekend and cold weather last week, attendance may be up this coming Sunday.

Snowing in Raleigh

My Morning View

 

I received an email yesterday asking me if I was getting milk, eggs and rocksalt for tomorrow. Not really knowing what strange meal that was going to make I sent a reply asking what was being smoked in the office. 

But today, I woke up to snow. It’s currently -3 degrees celsius. Apparently it’s rare here, and when it snows everything slows to an elderly pace. So today, I’ll be working from home.