Ballarat North Baptist Church
Ballarat, *Province/Other 3350
613 5333 1958

• Experience: I did my theological training at the Bible College of Victoria during the 80’s decade. Moved to Arhem Land in the Northern Territory (Aust) and worked as a housing advisor there. Our first born arrived on Millingimbi Island. We then moved to Toodyay (Western Aust) where we in a ’tent making’ capacity planted a church - now the Toodyay Baptist Church. I was called to pastor an inner urban church in Melbourne (Aust) from Toodyay. After some time in that capacity we accepted a call to pastor the church here at Ballarat North.
• Comment to those looking at my sermons: Please feel free to use these messages in whole or in part. I would be more than pleased should our Lord see fit to keep using what has been prepared. We are all one in Christ and our messages come from one another and Him. Much of what I preach has been gleaned from others in His service and I would never forbid others to use what has been of spiritual help to them. I do ask however that you do not misrepresent what I have penned in them - remember our preaching/teaching is to the glory of God!
• One of my favorite illustrations: ’Harry Houdini, the famed escape artist issued a challenge wherever he went. He could be locked in any jail cell in the country, he claimed, and set himself free quickly and easily. Always he kept his promise, but one time something went wrong. The heavy, metal doors of the jail clanged shut behind him. He took from his belt a concealed piece of metal, strong and flexible. He set to work immediately, but something seemed to be unusual about this lock. For 30 minutes he worked and got nowhere. An hour passed, and still he had not opened the door. By now he was bathed in sweat and panting in exasperation, but he still could not pick the lock. Finally, after labouring for 2 hours, Harry Houdini collapsed in frustration and failure against the door he could not unlock. But when he fell against the door, it swung open! It had never been locked at all! But in his mind it was locked and that was all it took to keep him from opening the door and walking out of the jail cell.’ That story of Harry Houdini illustrates to me how we need to just throw ourselves onto the mercy of God. Christ has already opened the door - He is the door - our efforts are worse than in vain, they could actually hinder us from ever realising that the door is open. ’Be merciful to me a sinner!’
• Family: A beautiful wife, Cheryl and five wonderful children - Daniel, Sharayah, Anna, Jonathan and Rachel.
• Best advice given to me about preaching: Keep Christ central.
• Books that have had an impact: ’Christ Among Other gods’ by E W Lutzer ’Knowing God’ by J I Packer The Purpose Driven Church’ by Rick Warren
• Hobbies: Camping. Bird watching. Bush walking. Fishing. 4 wheel driving. Socialising.