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Fair Dinkum Theology: An Authentically Australian Theological Vision for Ministry

For three days in July, over 100 evangelical leaders from across Australia met in Brisbane at the invitation of the Council of TGCA. The purpose of this ‘National Leaders’ Consultation’ was simple – to establish if there was a real need for a national network like TGCA. The answer to that question proved to be a resounding‘yes’, and so conversation moved on to the key questions of what the basis of our co-operation might be, what this network might look like, and how the cause of the gospel might be best served by TGCA.

A significant amount of time was devoted to examining the Foundation Documents produced by TGC in the US – the ‘Confessional Statement’ and the ‘Theological Vision for Ministry’ – which have been adopted by TGCA. During extensive discussions amongst the leaders present, it became apparent that there would be significant advantages in adapting the final sections of the Theological Vision for Ministry to reflect our Australian context and distinctives. Over the past 6 months, members of the TGCA Council and others have been working hard on this revision, which has finally been completed, and approved by our brothers in the US.

We are convinced that this revised document now reflects the concerns and particular emphases of reformed evangelicals in Australia, and publish it in the fervent hope that it will provide a strong foundation for gospel unity in Australia for many years to come:

Gary Millar (on behalf of the TGCA Council)

The whole Confessional document can be viewed here.

The whole of the Theological Vision for Ministry (including the revised final section) can be viewed here.

The amended final section of the Theological Vision for Ministry is below.

What is Gospel–centred Ministry in Australia?

What is Gospel–centred Ministry in Australia?

It is characterised by:

1. Weekly Gatherings of God’s People

1. Weekly Gatherings of God’s People

We are brought near to God through his Son, our Saviour and high priest, and through his substitutionary sacrifice for our sin. We joyfully gather as God’s people to meet in his presence, to hear and receive God’s word as the Bible is read and preached; to pray for ourselves, our church, our nation, and our world; to confess our sins and be assured of God’s forgiveness through the death of Christ; to proclaim the gospel; to encourage each other; and to praise our God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The ministry of the Word is of crucial importance in our gatherings. The Bible, Old Testament and New Testament, should be read and preached. Preaching should be expository (explaining the text of Scripture) and Christ–centred (expounding all biblical themes as climaxing in Christ and his work of salvation). Its ultimate goal, however, is not simply to teach, but to lead the hearers to worship in every part of their lives.

2. Evangelistic Effectiveness

2. Evangelistic Effectiveness

Under God we pray and strive for evangelistic effectiveness in ministry as we preach, teach and explain the Biblical gospel message of the atoning death of Christ and his victorious resurrection to enquirers and unbelievers. For effective communication of the gospel, we who speak must love those to whom we minister, must embody the message of God’s grace, and must pray for God to act to open blind eyes and soften hard hearts. Christians and churches will work hard at taking the gospel to their communities, work-places, and neighbourhoods. In short we will seek to become all things to all people so that by all possible means we may save some. A truly gospel–preaching church should be filled with members who winsomely address people’s hopes and aspirations, and challenge their sins and sinfulness with Christ and his saving work. We have a vision for a church that sees conversions of rich and poor, from diverse cultural and educational backgrounds , men and women, old and young, married and single, and all races. Because of the attractiveness of its community and the humility of its people, a gospel–centred church should have people in its midst who are exploring and trying to understand Christianity. It must welcome them in hundreds of ways. It will seek to be inclusive but always on God’s terms.

It will exercise a costly flexibility in the hospitality that it shows to outsiders, aiming to eliminate every unnecessary barrier that might prevent men and women from encountering God in the gospel. Gospel ministry will be done by churches, individuals, and para-church ministries.
We encourage the planting of new churches as an effective means of evangelism, as well as the revitalisation and energising of existing churches for evangelism, encouraging those with special gifts of evangelism, and training and equipping all Christians for personal evangelism in their families, with their friends and associates, at work, and in their local communities.
Our aim is to reach our nation and our world with the gospel of Christ.

​3. Trust In and Use of The Bible

​3. Trust In and Use of The Bible

We receive and trust the 66 books of the Bible as the Spirit-inspired word of God; true, trustworthy, authoritative, powerful, sufficient, and universally applicable to all people. The Bible is the revealed mind of God expressed through  the words  of God. We use the Bible as the chief instrument of gospel ministry in teaching, preaching, counselling, discipling, training, mutual exhortation and encouragement, and evangelism. We read each part of the Bible in its God-given human context, and find in it a transcendent message for all people in every age. We evaluate all claims for truth by the Bible, both within the church and in our society. We interpret every aspect of human life and society in the light of the Bible. We support the translation and publication of the Bible. We encourage teaching elders and ministers of church in expository preaching of the Bible; we encourage evangelists to preach the word; we encourage all believers to read and study the Bible and to teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, that the word of Christ may dwell richly among us.

4. Counter–cultural Community

4. Counter–cultural Community

Because Christ through his death and resurrection created one new humanity, and because through Jesus we all have access to the Father by one Spirit, we are called together to be God’s people. Because we have been made holy by through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ once for all, the people of God live in loving bonds of mutual accountability and discipline. Thus Christ creates a human community radically different from any society around it. Regarding sex, the church avoids the idolization of sex or fear of it. It is a community which so loves and cares practically for its members that biblical chastity makes sense. It teaches its members to exercise abstinence outside marriage and fidelity and joy within. Regarding the family, the church affirms the goodness of marriage between a man and a woman, calling them to serve God by reflecting his covenant love in life–long loyalty, and by teaching his ways to their children. It also affirms the goodness of serving Christ as singles, whether for a time or for a life and provides a compassionate community and family for all its members. Regarding money, the church’s members should share with one another, doing good to all, especially those of the household of faith, with a particular concern for those most vulnerable and the poor [Galatians 6:10; 1 Timothy 5:3-16; James 1:27]. We are committed to relieving suffering in this world and even more so in the world to come. Our churches should embrace people of all races and cultures.

​5. Training for Gospel Ministry

​5. Training for Gospel Ministry

We are called to make disciples of people from all nations. In a post-Christian and multicultural society in which many are ignorant of the gospel and the Bible, there is an urgent need for all of God’s people to be equipped to play their part in the work of the gospel, and for some to devote themselves to prayer and the ministry of the word as their primary vocation/occupation. Those selected for full-time or part-time trained gospel ministry must be godly, stable and resilient in character, mature in faith and understanding, well trained in Bible, theology and ministry, apt to teach and ready to serve with humility, patience and love. Because reaching people in different sub-cultures is crucial to evangelism, teaching and training in Australia, they must be able to engage in cross-cultural ministry. Those in ministry need ongoing training. We need able gospel ministers in Australia: we also want to send people overseas as part of God’s work to extend salvation to the ends of the world.

6. The Integration of Faith and Work

6. The Integration of Faith and Work

The good news of the Bible is not only individual forgiveness but the ultimate renewal of the whole creation. God put humanity in the garden to cultivate the material world for his own glory and for the flourishing of nature and the human community. We are made in God’s image to be responsible rulers and stewards of God’s creation, and in doing this we serve the Lord Christ. Christians glorify God through their daily work, paid and unpaid, and love their neighbours through their participation in and contribution to their human community. Our ultimate allegiance, however, is to the Lord Jesus, and we endeavour to play our part in making disciples from all nations who love and serve him. We do all of this because the gospel of God compels us, recognising that the ultimate restoration of all things awaits the personal and bodily return of our Lord Jesus Christ.

7. The Doing of Justice and Mercy

7. The Doing of Justice and Mercy

God created both body and soul, and the resurrection of Jesus shows that he is going to redeem both the spiritual and the material. God is concerned not only for the salvation of people, but also for the welfare of humanity, and so for the relief of poverty, hunger, and injustice. The gospel opens our eyes to the fact that all our wealth (even wealth for which we worked hard) is ultimately an unmerited gift from God. Therefore the person who does not share his or her wealth with others lacks godly compassion. The gospel replaces superiority toward the poor with evangelism, mercy and compassion, and challenges the wealthy to see their spiritual poverty and their need to be converted. Christians must work for justice and peace within their neighbourhoods and the wider world, using the opportunities that God has given us to challenge abuses and injustices and promote the welfare of all, even as we call individuals to conversion and new birth. We must do good to all, and show our neighbours we love them sacrificially whether they believe as we do or not.We recognise that true justice will only be found when Christ returns and brings his reign of justice and mercy. We know that God’s greatest act of mercy was to save us through Christ, so that being justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. So we must offer God’s mercy in the atoning death and victorious resurrection of Christ to all. The greatest and universal need of all humans is to receive God’s mercy in the atoning death of Christ. 

​8. Gospel Partnership

​8. Gospel Partnership

We recognise the need to promote a culture and habit of cooperation and mutually supportive and prayerful fellowship among those engaged in gospel ministry across Australia. Australia was founded as separate colonies, and we suffer from ‘the tyranny of distance’. Our churches and ministries are influenced by tribalism, and, at times, competition. We recognise the need to increase mutual support and encouragement, both within each State and Territory, and also across Australia. We are one in Christ and his gospel, and we want to encourage mutual support and prayer among believers throughout our nation.

​Conclusion

​Conclusion

Our vision is to strengthen and increase churches and ministries that embody the full, integrative Biblical vision for ministry we have outlined. And we want to promote Australia-wide cooperation in gospel ministry to our nation. We want to take the gospel to all Australians, as we also want to take our part in God’s global gospel work. This vision requires churches and ministries characterised by Biblical and theologically rich preaching and teaching, dynamic evangelism and apologetics, and church growth. This will also require repentance, personal renewal, and holiness of life in our walk with Jesus as well as training one another to do the same through discipling so that the members of Christ Body grow up together into maturity.What could lead to a growing movement of gospel ministry? The ultimate answer is that God must, for his own glory, act among us, converting people, bringing them to maturity in Christ, and growing healthy and effective gospel ministries. We must pray fervently for God in his mercy to work in our time for his glory.

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