E-Updates

 

Dear Friends,

Much is happening... 

Jesus says. "For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more."

The News!

Here’s the latest exciting Coastlands news…

Apostolic Life Christian Centre - The Church plant in South Townsville is going well.  Bruce and Dianne Bentley have been invaluable in assisting us in the work.  We thank our Lord for their dedication and self-sacrifice.  The Church is in a fantastic area with numerous unsaved coming in on Sunday to see what we are all about.  They are drawn by the music and by our personal invitations as we work throughout the week.   

From Coastlands Radio Base ... 

Maranatha - Phil and Pam Bailey left Townsville in June for the Louisiades and are having an extraordinary time this year seeing churches planted and works encouraged on Misima and Rossel Islands .  They are also hopeful of seeing a work started on Sudest Island which virtually has no Christian work on it and is the largest but not so densely populated island in the Louisiade chain. (It is said the people there have killed each other off with sorcery.)  

Here is their latest report...

SIX WEEKS MINISTRY AT ROSSEL ISLAND 4th July -- 16th August

We took a team of four from Galowa Church in Misima, led by Lawrence Terah, a Bethel Bible College graduate. A programme for ministry was clearly set out by Pastor Sigi in close consultation with the other pastors and elders on Rossel and with Mark, another Bethel Bible College graduate who is working on Rossel Island for the next two years. There were three main areas of ministry:-

1) At Yonga Bay Bible College 13th - 26th July. Pam taught a unit of work on "The Bible Outline and the Covenants". We both took part in the college programme of presenting the Word, chapel, prayer and visitation. Phil gave a number of viewings of the video "The Cross -- Jesus in China" and brought teaching on "The Fear of the Lord" and on the history of Israel. Meanwhile, two teams, a mix of Misima and Rossel, crossed the mountains from Yonga Bay inspite of the heavy rain and ministered to the south coast fellowships including the newest outreach at Abelete.

2) The Children's Workers' Conference 2nd August - 8th August. "Maranatha" returned form ministry at Buwo and the new fellowship at Morpa transporting delegates from the northern areas to Damunu for the conference. There were thirty women and one man registered. It was a very fruitful time with teaching on salvation, lesson planning, puppetry, drama and methods of memory verse learning. The highlight for the students was the drama and puppet presentation on the final night. Meanwhile the Misima team conducted outreach ministry at Buwo resulting in a number of baptisms and many brought back into fellowship with the church.

3) Ladies Prayer and Fasting Conference. All the team took part in the conference leading in prayer and worship and administering the Word. Pam spoke on the role of women in the home and the church and at Pastor Sigi's request, Phil spoke to a gathering of men on their leadership role in the church and the home. They also brought a word of challenge to the elders of the church and to the former graduates from the Yonga Bay Bible College.

RESOURCES:-

Resources that were brought by "Maranatha" to equip the outreaches on Rossel included Bibles, Christian books, exercise books and pens and pencils, flannel-graph and other Sunday School materials, English dictionaries, world maps, blackboards, small clocks, batteries, a chain saw, hand tools, calendars, a history of the CRC church in the Louisiades for each fellowship, Christian music tapes, guitar strings, prayer materials on the persecuted church, a set of encyclopedias for the local school and money to provide Bible College fees for Luke and Pastor Joel to attend the two year course at Bethel starting in 2007.

A REVIEW:-

1) Well organized. Teams going to different areas maximised the extent of the ministry and saved putting a strain of provisions on one centre. "Maranatha" sailed over 260 nautical miles during the trip.

2) Excellent working relationships. Local ministry teams worked closely with the Misima team and both were encouraged. The Misima team have come back fired up the dedicated effort the Rossel leaders made to stay in contact and bring training to the very distant and isolated fellowships, some several days walk over very difficult terrain. The Rossel team were impressed by the equipping the two year Bethel Bible College course produced and se the need for more training for leaders on their island. They were touched by the team giving up their time to share in the work on their island and deep friendships were forged with tears on parting and promises to return.

3) The composition of the team. Four proved a good number. Included were Lawrence, a bible college graduate with the ability to lead in all areas of ministry, Joe a guitarist, Daselo a gifted worship leader with a heart for women's ministry and Noni, a young man beginning to feel the call of God on his life and in a way, doing a spiritual apprenticeship while he helped out in whatever way he was asked to.

4) Effective ministry. Many types of ministry were conducted from large church services with worship and the Word to one-on-one and house visitations to ministry with drama and music, from challenges to leaders to disciplining and baptism of new converts. The viewing of the China video had a profound effect upon the many people who saw it -- 145 people in 18 sessions.

5) Future plans. On going ministry plans include the Rossel and Misima teams working together to establish the first CRC fellowship where eight families are waiting for the work to begin and are requesting training.

Special Effects - Tehilah Ministries - Ernie & Marilyn Gunders are working on the Island of Buka which is the small island to the north of Bougainville . They are starting a Bible College for the specific training of Pastors who are already in the ministry but don’t have the basic understanding of Scripture. This is a very important work and this year they are laying the foundations of future ministry in this area.

Here is their latest report...

The first week of the Pastors training course has gone really well, the training has been excellent. There are 26 students doing the course, there are 18 males and 8 ladies. They have completed 17 lessons out the the 68 lessons on Firm Foundations, as well as some training in discipleship. Feedback from the students is very encouraging and there is much enthusiasm. 
The weather is hot and humid, and extremely wet, not much sunshine. They have had to run Special Effects motor to recharge the batteries as there is not enough sun to recharge the batteries through the solar panels. Marilyn has been struggling with a head cold but is slowly improving. Saturday is Ernie & Marilyn's day of rest but some of that time is spent cleaning the mould off Special Effects as it is building up from the weather conditions.

Please continue to pray for Ernie & Marilyn, your prayers are very much appreciated.

Praise the Lord for all the ministry that Ernie & Marilyn have been able to do so far, through training sessions, preaching, video nights, distributing school bags, baby bundles, solar lights etc. 

Praise the Lord for the first week of the Pastors training course going so well. 
Good weather so all delegates can attend training sessions, as each have to travel to Tung. 

For Ernie - The Face to Face training for 4 weeks. Each day has approx 4 -5 hours face to face with lots of interaction with Students. 

That all wives can attend as it's a team training session. 

For each Village that sends the pastors to training ... that we pray with them for great seeds to be sown of rich truth from Gods Word. 

Pray for the Tung Village that the load of 4 weeks of food preparation and hosting this event will be a success - that they also will be blessed. 

Pray that through Ernie & Marilyn they will be instruments for Gods Truth as they open Gods word and speak from it into the hearts of these people. 

Pray for Marilyn's cold to go away and for Ernie to have good health too.

Coastlands Radio Base continues to be run remotely from Townsville pending the finances to move the antenna system to Townsville.  If you can help us with this project it will benefit those in the mission field.  We will then be able to continue to provide email service to those who are in the remote and isolated areas which is currently interrupted.  Thanks!

In Other News...

Pacific Mercy - Bruce & Dianne Bentley are spending this year in Townsville helping us to plant a new missions oriented Church.  The new church is called “Apostolic Life Christian Centre" and is a local, New Testament, Christ centred, full gospel, Apostolic (mission’s oriented; i.e. sending) church.  Coastlands Ministry is the mission (sending) arm of this church and there are some wonderful concepts yet to be revealed as the church continues to grow in numbers and impact for Christ and His gospel.

Here is their latest report...

PACIFIC MERCY MINISTRIES  IN TOWNSVILLE

Spring 2006

Dear Fellow Travellers,

We are now 3 months into our mission this year in assisting Dave & Tana Black plant a church in South Townsville . It has been given the name of “Apostolic Life Christian Centre”, but we are yet to have a sign made and erected on the building in which we meet.  There are around 15 to 20 people attending every Sunday and I have to admit I have never enjoyed a task as much as this one!  We have already seen a salvation and as I write we have quite a few people coming off the street who are not as yet in relationship with Jesus, but they are hungry for the truth and keep coming back. It is so exciting to see what God is doing. We have had the homeless come in and stay for the service and then come back again. One lady was walking past a few weeks ago and heard the music and decided to come in and has been attending ever since! She is 85 and we can see God is giving her a chance to know Him. She comes back because she feels the love of God in the place. This is really where it is at, - very basic,   “grass roots” stuff. We don’t have any singers or musicians and have to rely on an I-pod and the words of the songs projected through our projector onto the wall. It doesn’t matter, the presence of God is still with us and we don’t need singers, there is no distraction as we worship the Lord.

After the service, we always have  morning tea together and fellowship which is a big thing in reaching out to the neighbourhood.  There is still so much to do, but we are all aware that “unless the Lord builds the house we labour in vain”, so we are letting Him do it and wait to see who next will come through the doors. We do have plans to put invitations into letter boxes in the area as soon as we can get them printed.

We are very aware that this is for a season for Bruce and I, and  we are making plans to go to PNG again next year, hopefully for a longer period than what we have previously been for. Still working on the long term visas which seems to be a long term project!

 

IMLA (Indigenous Ministry Links Australia) - Carl & Gail Musch

Here is their latest report...

Aboriginal Evangelist Tony Rodgers returns from a week of encouraging believers and evangelism in Normanton, Cloncurry amd Mt Isa (2000km circuit) in North Western Queensland. Apostolic Aboriginal minister Yowandie Clancy has planted, revived and trained leaders across the Pilbara of Western Australia.

An Indigenous Ministry training conference in Coen – Cape York went well. Aboriginal people  attended from Mossman Gorge, Mareeba, Cardwell, Brisbane and Coen. Also missionaries and missionaries in training from Wiepa, Bamaga , USA , Fiji and Sydney . It was an amazing cross cultural gathering.  The key lecturer was  Dr.Max Wiltshire from Australian Aboriginal Outreach, and night rally speakers included Aboriginal Pastor and Indigenous Ministry Coordinator for the Far North Queensland District of the Assemblies of God - John Andy and Carl Musch of Indigenous Ministry Links Australia,. Many souls were saved!

The Church at Mossman Gorge Aboriginal community has been invited to be a part of the local ministers fraternal despite having no denominational affiliation. Local believers are pleased to feel welcome among the wider body of Christ.

Manmoyi in Arnhemland was reported as 100% coming to Christ earlier in the year!!! I am pleased to report that this community has grasped a vision of being a fishing village- that fishes for men. They have begun to stir up believers and reach out with the love of Jesus among the neighbouring language group 200Km away in Oenpelli. They need your continual prayer cover. There’s is is a very remote community and accessible only by plane for much of the year even 4WD access usually involves considerable vehicle repair costs after a trip. Pray for effective follow up and protection from the evil one’s devices of deception.

Please pray for:

Pray for Janice Walker, aboriginal pastor from Mossman Far north Queensland regarding health and spiritual attack. 

Forgiveness Week is a vision of Rob Warren (and his prayer team from Sydney) that has played a key role in revival and community transformation throughout Fiji and is due to be launched in Beswick- Arnhemland in the Northern Territory from September  21st 2006. It aims to facilitate the extending of forgiveness between people and receiving of forgiveness from God by a range of initiatives involving all areas of community life (Government, education, health, Church) and culminating in an evangelistic rally. Please pray for travelling guest speaker s and visitors, local believers and especially for Tony and Gillian Tierny of Wheels of Fire Ministries as they coordinate the planning on the ground.

Crystal Jane -  Bill and Yoka Van den Brink have just arrived in Gladstone where they are furthering their preparations before to embarking to ministry to the remote and isolated in a year or so.

Mobile Maintenance - John & Dot Luscombe have recently returned from PNG the Kapuna area.  John industriously laboured in boat repair, maintenance, and other ministry while Dot had a return engagement teaching sewing and encouraging the ladies.  Dot was thrilled to find that some of the ladies’ she had taught to sew last year had followed her example and had taught still other ladies how to sew.  That is ‘a good reward for her labour.’

John will be returning to Kapuna this month for further/on-going boat restorations until new ones can be constructed.

Grace 2 Ministries - Des & Merleen Davis are in Luganville Santo,  Vanuatu and are an important link for supplying accommodation and a stepping stone for ministry teams from Australia to go on short term mission trips as well as being involved in  building schools in the Banks group to the north of Santo.  

Here is their latest report...

Dear brothers & sisters

Hi, how is every one in Australia, we would like to share we believe a miracle with you all. We were told the other day when we went to renew our yearly visors that the price to renew them had doubled, we thought that we would have to return to Australia because we just did not have the finances it was an extra $625.00 aud so we went into prayer. God gave Des a scripture James 1:2 “my brethren count it all joy when you fall into various trials”. The next morning we asked our daughter to see if there was money there to cover that amount, she phoned us back to tell us that there was more than we ever thought in our account. So we now have the finances to cover our visas - thank you Father God. And we would also like to thank the brother & sisters for giving into our ministry - God bless you.

Mota Island the Banks group

We have not long been back from Mota Island, we really had some trials in getting there. Life Aid International from Australia managed by Pastor Scott Douglas paid our plane ticket to Mota Island. We believe God told us Mota Island was the place to build a school, so 6 of us Pastor Scott, Pastor Mike, Pastor Dick, Sam (Scott’s son), Des & myself set off to see where the school was to be built. We arrived at Sola about 2pm when straight away we had opposition from would you believe the AOG church, we needed to go to Mota Island from there it was a 1 hour boat trip, there was only one driver that had the fuel to take us, it should have costed us $120.00 but he charged us $230.00 we could between us all only come up with $120.00 so the driver said that we could send the rest when we returned to Luganville. After much talk we decided to go ahead and pay the money, so off we set we were receiving strong winds the seas were about 2 to 3 meters we were all like drowned rats by the time we arrived there, where we came in on the boat there was no beach only rocks, well what a trial to get off the boat, after we all got off all the food had to be off loaded, than we had a very steep hill to climb I had too very willing helpers to assist me praise God, the village people carried all the food that we bought we all thought thank God. It was hard enough to have to climb the hill if we would have had to carry the food it would have been a lot harder.

We arrived at the top of the mountain to be greeted by Harriet, Pastor Steve’s wife. She put her arms around me and cried there we were holding each other and both of us were crying like a baby, she was so glad to see all of us. Pastor Steve had some of the men make us a new house a thatched one it was so nice it had 3 rooms so we all able to sleep in the one house.

Des, Pastor Steve, Harriet and Merleen

Both pastors ministered the word of God. Pastor Mike was given a word by God to preach the word was together, we will be building a Christian school there together, Des & myself have been appointed project managers for Life Aid International. We are all very excited about this school we all believe that we will see the gospel spread through all the islands in the north through this school.

We stopped on Mota for 3 days. Before we left we were taken to each house in the village at one house we were told that they never thought we would ever come up to Mota to start a school they were all so excited to have us there, one family gave a pig to be killed for our farewell feast. After many speeches and great sadness we departed for sola, when we arrived there we were met by some of the AOG members. Well it like they were different people, they asked Pastor Mike to preach, they paid for us all to stop in a bungalow that night and we were all given a beautiful meal that night. The next morning Des went to fix some sewing machines they were so nice to us so we give all the glory to God.

We would like you all to pray for Pastor Scott to raise the finances for the school for Des & myself as we have the big job of buying all the material and sending them all up to Mota.

For the people they have the very hard part as the sand and the coral is down a very steep hill they will bring it up ½ rice bag at a time so this will be a mammoth task. Together we will see this project to completion. Holding signed agreement for building of the school

Thank you all for your prayers God bless you all.

Des & Merleen Davis
Grace 2 Ministries

Peace FM - Northern Uganda and Southern Sudan - Pastor David Livingstone reports the extreme environment has damaged both their primary 1kW and backup 300W transmitters.  They are currently only able to use part of the transmitter system with a maximum of 30W.  We are working hard to assist them with the repairs.   Please keep them in your prayers and pray for this project as tens of thousands of souls are dying and their only hope of hearing the Gospel is through Peace FM! 

Tablelands 1 - Our newest Coastlands volunteer, Neil Winton from Malanda on the Atherton Tablelands will be installing a radio in his vehicle and will be known as Tablelands 1. He will be of extreme value to Coastlands as he will have access to both the yachts and the 4 WDs from a vantage point of height and will assist Dave in the forwarding/relaying of messages when they are hard to get through the atmospherel  Merv Walmsley from Atherton will also be part of Tablelands 1.  Merv & Neil have had an association with people in Coastlands since its inception in 1992 and it is exciting to have them officially come on board.

Hope to see you all at the Summit!  

Love in Him,

Ps’s Dave & Tana & the Coastlands Team