Australia 1

Dear Friends of Eastern Europe Renewal: 

Very fond greetings from Australia! I am a long way from home and Eastern Europe. Here we are pioneering the School of Biblical Christian Worldviews (SBCW) in the Youth With A Mission (YWAM) base in Brisbane. The base here is about 17 years old and has only done the basic Discipleship Training School (DTS) so far. This is the first school beyond that. The students are a mix of 3 men and 6 women from several nations, who have formed a good community together quickly. One of the women is the wife of the base leader, which is very encouraging. They ask good questions and keep me on my toes. We have finished the first week of the teaching and will go to a beach town on Sunday for the second week, including beach evangelism, which will be a new activity for me. 

During the first week some people took me on Sunday and Wednesday to a Presbyterian Church in Mt. Tambourine, about 1.5 hrs. away to lecture on comparative worldviews. About 45 people came on Sunday and 50 on Wednesday. The second night a local pastor brought a Zen Buddhist woman, who began the evening with a very severe expression and was laughing by the end of the lecture. She came up and we had a good private talk. One of her questions was "Do you think one can have both Jesus and Buddha Mind?" I took this as an indication that she is seriously considering the claims of the Gospel. It was a joyful time. The students here are taking a lot of new ideas and concepts on board quickly, which makes them tired, but they are very patient with me and full of energy. 

Next Friday I will fly to Sydney for a 5 day visit at Australian L'Abri. We will have 3 lectures on Saturday, I can preach in a Church Sunday morning and have a University lecture/discussion meeting on Tuesday evening. Then, home. 

I have a viral infection in my head that keeps me awake at night, but the jetlag and culture shock are almost over. It is quite a change to come here from Norway, where I did my last 2 weeks of teaching. Mary is fine in Basel and we talk almost every day on the phone. It is a long way from home and our Church and neighbors and garden, but God is blessing and keeping and using me here. Thank you very much for your prayers.

God bless and keep you.

Yours in Christ,

Ellis 

Australia 2

Dear Friends of Eastern Europe Renewal:

Greetings (again) from Australia. From Sydney this time. We moved the YWAM school south to Byron Bay for the second week of teaching and lived all together in one house with one toilet as a community of 25 people with 6 children under 5 years. It was a lively community experience and something of an introduction to some aspects of family life for the single people. The teaching was done in a Church in the town, where I could give a public lecture on Thursday afternoon for about 40 people. Byron Bay is a tourist/hippy/arty/drugy/New Age beach town, the greatest concentration of alternative life styles and philosophies in Australia. I enjoyed connecting with the various people and several of the leaders made friendly noises about inviting me back.

Part of the plan of the YWAM school was for me to lead a beach evangelism effort. This was a new kind of project for me and they let me do it my way. We worked through 12 "Apologetic Considerations" and I gave them 2 goals for the times in the town and beach: 

1. To meet people and develop such a contact that they would see them AGAIN.

2. To raise in the minds of people they met the questions that can only be answered by Jesus. 

In the feedback papers and discussion several of the students said they had always dreaded and feared evangelism because it was mechanical and an exercise in selling. This time they really met people. One woman said she talked for 90 minutes with a Krishna Consciousness woman and really enjoyed her. They seemed to get a new enthusiasm and positive outlook on evangelism. God is good.

Friday evening I flew to Sydney and was immediately immersed in a L'Abri atmosphere and discussion that felt very much like home. Saturday we had 3 lectures for about 40 people with lunch and supper amazing provided by Heather Stootman and crew. The discussions were lively and people were encouraged. Sunday morning I could preach in a really fine Presbyterian Church, after which we had a big L'Abri lunch and discussion. Today, Monday, I will be a tourist. Tomorrow evening there will be a meeting at a Church where lots of Hindu and Buddhist seekers come. Thanks for praying.

My head infection is almost gone and I should come home in reasonable condition. Mary is glad.

Thank you all for your prayers, friendship, encouragement and financial support.

God bless and keep you.

Yours in Christ,

Ellis

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Copyright © 2007 Ellis Potter.