Exams are upon us!  This is the most stressful period of the year for most, but also provides unusual opportunities for Christians.  Here are 3 top tips (and, we might add, biblical commands) to make the most of them.

1) Pray.  Before leaving your room in the morning to revise, during the day itself, and before going to sleep, pray.  Let’s pray that God would enable us to live godly lives which exhibit the fruit of the Spirit.  These characteristics tend to come under immediate threat when we are put under pressure – the pressure doesn’t make us worse people but it does mean our facades which cover us are harder to keep up. Patience, kindness, and gentleness towards others vanish when we are preoccupied with our own busyness and are often replaced with sharpness, self-absorption, and sarcasm.  Love, joy and peace similarly exit at the expense of selfishness, grumpiness and a fractious spirit.  Let’s pray that we would shine out like stars reflecting the beautiful character of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2) Be practical. If we have learned anything from James it is that true godliness is seen in action. Let’s look for an opportunity to spend time with people; to do the menial tasks in the flat; to offer to cook if someone else has an exam on a particular day; or whatever it may be. Our profession of faith is only as good as our demonstration of faith – and exam-time provides extra opportunities to show this.

3) Be focused – on spiritual things, seeking first the kingdom of God. Have you got your form in for YLC?  Could you invite someone to church in November and therefore be praying for them now? Is there an opportunity opening up in conversation where you can point to Christ?  Although we need full concentration in focussing on revision and exams, let’s not be blinkered to gospel opportunities which will have a much longer lasting effect than the grade we achieve in any exam.

I hope these things might be useful reminders.  Other people will be focussing on exams only – to their and other’s detriment.  Let us do better, in the strength God has given us.

with love,

Costa.

Congratulations to Dan and Katherine for the safe arrival of Adelia Jane on Sunday 10th October! A sister for Toby. Adelia means ‘Praise God’, Jane means  ’His Gracious Gift’. A great testimony – Dan and Katherine recognising that with things having been difficult for them, they continue to acknowledge and trust that all is in God’s hands!

Yeah – it was tricky – I was trying to illustrate contemporary examples of differences between Christians whilst at the same time attempting to show they are not exactly the same.

So – the Jew Gentile differences around food were matters of gospel freedom. You could eat as much pork as you like with no fear of it ever being close to sin. By contrast, alcohol is not bad (indeed it is considered God’s gift in the Scriptures), but drunkenness is bad. So wisdom would dictate thinking through how to stay well clear of that.

For some Christians, they decide to never drink, for others they might choose to set themselves a limit. They are both trying to avoid an agreed danger – over indulging– but drawing different boundaries. The boundaries are protective – they are not God given. Some Christians will take a more conservative line (ie. a barrier further from the ‘cliff edge’), others will take a more libertine approach (ie. a barrier quite close to the ‘cliff edge’).

The difference should be clear.  Both are issues of freedom.  The Christian is free to both drink alcohol and eat pork.  Yet –  clean / unclean foods are not conservative / libertine distinction. With Jesus – you cannot sin by eating unclean food (insert caveat here from Romans 14 about concern for your brother / sisters conscience; perhaps also overeating / greed!). The food itself does not contaminate you (compare Jesus’ words in Mark 7).

So there are similarities and differences with are situation that are important to understand. In both situations Paul would probably encourage you to make up your mind and then stay relatively silent on your decision. But for different reasons – in Romans 14 – because you are waiting for your Christian brother to catch up on your understanding. With alcohol issues today – it is because you are making personal decisions about what is helpful for you and others around you – there is no absolute rule the Scripture gives.

As an illustration of how that works out…when working with halls students in Australia they had an annual pub crawl in the Orientation week. As a Christian worker in the hall I wanted to get to know the students, but was frustrated by a ‘drinking culture’ the hall created. In the end I went to some pubs along the way – but made sure I was seen to be only drinking orange juice. That was part of concern for students who may never touch alcohol – to be considerate of them. Later on in our home we may have offered wine during a meal if we thought a person would have no concerns in this area – and to perhaps quietly model a different usage of alcohol.

On your question – “How should we respond on issues we are weak on?”

In Romans 14 terms – you won’t know that you are weak. The weaker brothers ironically would have thought of themselves as morally superior and the others as pretty dodgy. That’s the trick – it’s an issue of mature understanding – and hence the need to educate the conscience. Partly that will be carefully listening to your brothers and sisters when they attempt to explain how they read the Scriptures – to hear their rationale for their behaviour, rather than imposing your own framework on them. That underlines the value of consistent teaching of the Scriptures to a church – to gradually but intentionally work through the Scriptures. That is something that will grow the unity of a group.

That’s different to the drinker / non drinker of alcohol…that’s not a weak / strong issue (unless they believe the Bible bans all alcohol) – it’s a question of wisdom.

“Now Barnabas wanted to take with them  John called Mark.  38 But Paul thought best not to take with them one  who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work.  39 And there arose  a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other.  Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus,  40 but Paul chose Silas and departed,  having been commended by  the brothers to  the grace of the Lord.  41 And he went through Syria and Cilicia,  strengthening the churches.”

- Acts 15:37-41

It seems inevitable that Christians will disagree this side of heaven – yet doctrinal diversity is not something we value per se.  We are urged on in the knowledge that unity is the goal, that Christ will bring about. Tongue-in-cheek, Roger Nicole once wrote to a theological adversary:

“I do find comfort in the thought that although you may oppose Calvinism on this earth, you will be a Calvinist when you get to heaven.”

On Sunday we looked at a key passage, Romans 14, on the topic of Christians in disagreement.  How do you disagree well?  You can listen to the talk here.

If you want to do some further thinking on the topic, I have written an extended paper on the topic around the old saying ‘In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity’.  It reflects on the language we use in disagreements – terms like ‘gospel issues’ ‘clear / unclear’ ‘primary-seconday’ and ‘adiaphora’ (things indifferent) and tries to connect them to the gospel and the Scriptures.

Let’s be thankful that Jesus promises to finish the job of bringing us to complete unity – and anticipate that now by the way we relate to each other as brothers and sisters.

It’s great to be committing ourselves to God in prayer. We have one combined church prayer meeting per term, but some people are able to pray more often than that. If you are wanting to be included – the intention is to gather a group for roughly an hour, once a month to pray for one another and God’s work through Campus Church.

Are you able to join us?

7.30pm

Monday AUGUST 2nd

Contact the office for location info.

Campus Church is heading to the mountains:

SATURDAY 7th AUGUST

A fun day for boarders, skiers, or people wanting to play in the snow. Mt Hutt is a great mountain for versatility, catering for beginners through to experts. It also has a great central base. Transport will be convoy style and there will be a couple of group moments through-out the day!

Trip Specific Details:
• Meet at UCSA car park by 7:30am
…• Convoy to the Mtn (1hr drive approx)
• Ski/snow fun the day, and
• Leave the Mtn at 4pm

We will try to organise cars and rides before the day, so please RSVP and to say:
a) you are coming
b) have a suitable vehicle (i.e. with snow chains or 4WD)
c) # of seats available (even if you’ve already organised a few people)

Mtn Information
Full day Lift passes cost: $89 (Adult), $49 (youth/senior) [note student prices no longer exist on weekends]

Rental equipment can be hired on the Mtn

For further information about the ski field, click here

RSVP on Facebook here, otherwise please email the office.

It going to be MINT (that’s right… sweet and white )

We’d love you to join us in praying together as a church. It is an important time to encourage one another and show our dependence on God. This is a time when we can look back – giving praise to God, and look forward – committing our plans to Him. During this time prayer points will be given out which are designed to encourage you to pray on a regular basis for God’s work through Campus Church.

A light dinner of soup will be provided first. Please RSVP on Facebook if you’re able.

5pm Sunday 18th July       3 Rountree St

I was attending a lecture by a famous, dare I say it, notorious church leader from the United States last night at the University.  It’s always good to hear people first hand rather than interpreted and distorted through the grape vine.

One of the university staff was invited to respond – and denouncing the simplicity and narrowness of her youth group upbringing, she said it was manuscripts that were the clincher for her.  They were the beginning of the end for her youthful acceptance of the Bible.  What did she mean?

She explained (as if it was the first time it had been raised) that she learnt in manuscript studies that we do not have access to the original manuscripts for the New Testament.  So which manuscript was it that represented the Word of God?  She seemed delighted by this insight and many of the group present seemed to think that this was all that needed to be said on the matter.

If you haven’t thought about it recently it would be good to consider Peter Bolt’s recent blog on the topic over at Sola Panel.

Perhaps a little bit of knowledge can be a dangerous thing!  

Rev Peter Adam will be speaking on “Hearing God’s Word: Exploring Biblical Spirituality“.

Rev Dr Peter Adam is Principal of Ridley College, Melbourne, and was ordained in 1970.

His Passions are forming and training men and women for effective ministry, equipping preachers, renewing Anglicanism, and good quality classical music.

He has published four theological books, and various booklets. He regularly speaks at conferences for preachers throughout Australis and internationally.

This is a great opportunity to hear a first rate speaker on a crucial topic! Come along to deepen your understanding and strengthen your faith. All welcome!

7.30pm     ::     Monday 21st & Tuesday 22nd June

St Saviour’s,  200 Colombo St,  Beckenham

Not to be outdone by the female members of Campus Church, all men are invited to rally together for a spectacular buffet brunch. Come get some real food and chill out with before exams hit. Bring along a friend or two if you can.

A small cost will be involved but it will be worth it! Please RSVP on Facebook to help with logistics.

10.30am Saturday 12 June, 14 Inglewood Pl