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5 Reads to Encourage True Rest

30/7/2020

 
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Author and Bible teacher, Kara Martin, will be joining the KCC platform for OneLove women's conference to preach on the theme of finding true rest. Ahead of the event, she has recommended five reads that will help us to think more deeply about this topic. 
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The Art of Rest, Adam Mabry

The world never stops. But we need to. And, as Christians, we can. Welcome to the art of rest. If you're feeling weary, wishing life were more sustainable, searching for a way to rest without feeling guilty, or suspecting that you'd enjoy Christian rest if only you knew how to do it – this book is for you. Discover how rest is different than you thought, more important than you've realised, and more wonderful than you ever imagined. 

The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry: How to Stay Emotionally Healthy and Spiritually Alive in the Chaos of the Modern World, John Mark Comer

Too often we treat the symptoms of toxicity in our modern world instead of trying to pinpoint the cause. A growing number of voices are pointing at hurry, or busyness as a root of much evil. In this book, you'll find a compelling emotional and spiritual case against hurry and in favor of a slower, simpler way of life. 

Sacred Rhythms, Ruth Haley Barton

Do you long for a deep, fundamental change in your life with God? Do you desire a greater intimacy with God? Do you wonder how you might truly live your life as God created you to live it? Spiritual disciplines are activities that open us to God's transforming love and the changes that only God can bring about in our lives. Picking up on the monastic tradition of creating a 'rule of life' that allows for regular space for the practice of the spiritual disciplines, this book takes you more deeply into understanding seven key disciplines along with practical ideas for weaving them into everyday life.  

Spiritual Disciplines Handbook, Adele Ahlberg Calhoun 

Everyone who longs to know Christ deeply will benefit from spiritual discipline. Now expanded, this handbook is full of practical, accessible guidance on making the most of such practices as fasting, solitude, contemplative prayer, and lectio divina - an ancient method of devotional Bible reading. 

Every Moment Holy, Rabbit Room Press 

Every Moment Holy is a book of liturgies for the ordinary events of daily life – liturgies such as 'A Liturgy for Feasting with Friends' or 'A Liturgy for Laundering'. These are ways of reminding us that our lives are shot through with sacred purpose especially when, we are too busy or too caught up in our busyness to notice. 

 
Book descriptions provided by The Wandering Bookseller.  ​

Register in July for a Gift Pack!

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Our addiction to busyness means that we can sometimes struggle to come to the Lord and spend time enjoying Him. The world’s agenda of “getting ahead” distracts us from maintaining a sharp sense of eternity. So, in 2020, when normal life was stripped away, what did we learn about activity and rest? Did it clarify for us what is truly important? ​When life as we knew it was shaken up by a pandemic, what did we learn about our priorities?
 

Join us at OneLove this August to hear Kara Martin (Author, Workship) and Amy Orr-Ewing (Senior VP, RZIM) open God’s word to preach on the topic of finding true rest.  Tickets are $45pp and available on the website: www.onelovewomen.com  

Remember, if you register before midnight 1 August, you will receive a OneLove Gift Pack* which includes:

  • A hardcopy of this year's convention booklet for note taking
  • Two 4x6 bible verse prints - which you can frame and hang on your wall
  • A5 recipe card with four recipes you can recreate on the day for morning tea or lunch
  • A custom OneLove butter cookie and T2 teabag to enjoy during intermission 
  • Personal raffle ticket for our book giveaway 

*Available for Australian post boxes only.

Register for OneLove today.


Stay up to date with OneLove women's conference:

KYCK 20 will relaunch online this Spring

23/7/2020

 
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Photo by John Schnobrich on Unsplash
2020 has been a wild year: bushfires, floods, and a global virus pandemic. With current outbreaks causing a re-introduction of restrictions impacting gatherings, we have made the decision to relaunch KYCK 20 as a livestream event with a new program and speakers. The original line up of speakers and “Strong & Courageous” theme will be postponed to 2021 where we hope to gather physically again. 

KYCK 20 Spring Dates: 

Week 1: Saturday 26 September 

Week 2: Saturday 10 October 

Guest speakers will preach from the book of 1 Thessalonians on the theme “Past Present Future” with the goal of sharing how the gospel has and continues to impact humanity across history, and how Jesus saves us from sin, the greatest virus of all. Delegates can expect a program filled with powerful gospel preaching and time set aside for meals, discussion, prayer and games with their youth group. 

We will be announcing the new speakers and program in coming weeks. You can subscribe for email updates on the KYCK website or follow us on Facebook and Instagram.  ​

International Apologist and Oxford Professor, John Lennox, to preach at BASECAMP men’s conference this August

16/7/2020

 
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Photo by RZIM.
BASECAMP men’s conference is returning as a livestreamed event this August and we are pleased to welcome Professor John Lennox as a guest speaker. Joining local preachers Jeremy Dunne (Pastor, City Light Balmain) and Dr. Mark Stephens (Senior Research Fellow, Centre of Public Christianity), John will be opening God’s word and preaching on the theme “Man Disrupted: How Jesus changes men for the better”. 

John Lennox, Professor of Mathematics at Oxford University, is an internationally renowned speaker on the interface of science, philosophy and religion. He regularly teaches at many academic institutions and is Senior Fellow with the Trinity Forum. John has written a series of books exploring the relationship between science and Christianity including “God and Stephen Hawking: Whose Design is it Anyway?”, “Where is God in a Coronavirus world?” and “2084: Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Humanity”.  
 
His hobbies are languages, amateur astronomy, amateur bird–watching and some walking. John is married to Sally; they have three grown up children and nine grandchildren and live near Oxford, England. 
​
We look forward to welcoming John to the BASECAMP platform this year. Get a taste of his teaching here:  ​
1. Why I am a Christian 
Presented by Riverview Church, City Bible Forum, CREDO and the Christian Conventions of WA, John Lennox shares why he is a Christian.  ​
2. I am the Way, the Truth and the Life
In this video from Oxygen Conference 2014, John explores the claims of Jesus from John 14. ​
3. Faith Has Its Reasons
Drawing from the Book of Romans, John explains the reason and evidence for his faith. Click here to view the video.  
4. Where is God in a Coronavirus world?
In this video, John addresses frequently asked questions around God, suffering and the Coronavirus with RZIM President Michael Ramsden. ​
5. Wealth & Eternity
John Lennox opens the Scriptures with insight into how we can use our wealth in light of eternity. ​Click here to watch the video. 

For more resources by John Lennox, visit his website: www.johnlennox.org/resources ​

Hear John speak at BASECAMP!

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BASECAMP is an annual event for men who want to know God better. Since 1997, men of all generations and from across denominations have taken time out together to hear God speak. Each year, men have encouraged each other to run the race with their eyes fixed on Jesus.
 
Join us on Saturday 8 August and experience BASECAMP in a new digital livestreamed format. Our three speakers will speak on the topic ‘Man Disrupted: How Jesus changes men for the better’. Toxic masculinity is just that--toxic. We have a clear picture about what ugly masculinity looks like and what we should avoid. But what we are missing is a positive, life-shaping vision for men, especially men of God. BASECAMP exists to give men a clear and compelling vision of a man.  

Purchase your tickets from our website: www.basecampmen.com  

Follow BASECAMP on Instagram or Facebook.  ​

RZIM’s Senior VP, Amy Orr-Ewing, to preach at OneLove women’s conference this August

9/7/2020

 
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Photo by RZIM.
OneLove women’s conference is returning as a livestreamed event this August, and we are pleased to welcome Dr. Amy Orr-Ewing to the KCC platform as a guest speaker!  Joining local preacher Kara Martin (Author, Workship), Amy will be opening God’s word and preaching on the theme “Come to Me: An Invitation to Find True Rest”.  

Amy has a first-class degree in theology and has a doctorate from the University of Oxford. She is currently the Senior Vice President of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM) and the Joint Director of the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics. Her work involves leading a team of pioneering apologist-evangelists and speaking around the world on how the Christian faith answers the deepest questions of life. She is also the co-founder of REBOOT, a global youth apologetics initiative aimed at helping the emerging generation think deeply about faith. 

For the past twenty years, Amy has presented to a wide range of audiences and contexts including world-leading university campuses, at the UK parliament, on Capitol Hill and at the White House. She has also presented to banks, businesses, consultancy firms, churches and at conferences.  Amy is married to Frog and helps lead Latimer Minster, a church plant and community on a farm in Buckinghamshire, and they have three children. 

We look forward to hearing Amy speak at OneLove next month. Get a taste of her teaching here:  ​
1. Can I Trust the Bible?​
In this video by RZIM, Amy shares why the Bible is a trustworthy source of truth. 

Can I trust the Bible? - Amy Orr-Ewing from CVUK on Vimeo.

2. Is Christianity Bad News for Women? 
In this video, Amy delivers the 2017 Richard Johnson Lecture at NSW Parliament House on the topic of whether Christianity is bad news for women.

Is Christianity Bad News for Women? from CPX on Vimeo.

3. Hope in a Time of Crisis
In this video, Amy opens the Book of Nehemiah and charts its narrative arc from the fall of Jerusalem to the coming of Christ, and all the way through to our present days of the COVID-19 crisis.
4. What do you want out of your life?
The first words uttered by Jesus in John’s Gospel are: ‘What do you want?’ It’s a fundamental question posed by Jesus, and it’s explored here as Amy Orr-Ewing examines faith, life and truth. In posing this simple question, Jesus reveals that he understands the human condition and our search for meaning, purpose, fulfilment, identity and love.
5. Is the Pursuit of Happiness Making us Sad?
In this video, Amy dissects our culture's pursuit of happiness.
6. ​Amy Orr-Ewing on why the Church needs working women
In this blog post, Amy explores the biblical view of women and work. 

​"Rather than Christian women judging each other for the vocational choices they make, maybe we can build a Church within which every woman is encouraged to seek the Lord about her vocation, and to fulfill the calling on her life with an attitude of service to others and to Christ."

Click here to read the full post. 

Hear Amy speak at OneLove this August!  

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OneLove is a one-day event for all women to gather under life-changing preaching and enjoy fantastic fellowship. Whether you have been a Christian for many years or are still seeking answers about God, join us and be encouraged, refreshed and renewed for the journey ahead. 

The theme for 2020 is “Come to Me: An Invitation to Find True Rest” from Matthew 11:28-30. In a culture addicted to busyness, believers may struggle to spend quality time with the Lord or to maintain a sharp sense of eternity. In a year when normal life has been taken away, and many have been forced to slow down, we want to help you catch your breath by reminding you of what Scripture says about true rest.  

Join us on Saturday 22 August to hear from God’s word and to learn how you can replace a lifestyle of hyperactivity, with a life of deep and satisfying rest in God.  

Purchase your tickets from our website: www.onelovewomen.com  
​
Stay up to date with OneLove on Facebook or Instagram.  ​

Onward Conference Confronts ‘Cancel Culture’ With the Gospel

1/7/2020

 
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Onward was hosted by MC's Hayley and Sam.
Last Friday, close to 900 youth gathered in churches and living rooms for the Onward conference livestream, and to hear how the Gospel of Christ challenges ‘Cancel Culture’ in the West.  Youth groups tuned in from across New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria, with the largest groups represented by Cornerstone Presbyterian Church, One Family Church Granville, North Side Chinese Alliance Church and Wild Street Anglican. 
 
Despite being livestreamed due to COVID-19, the Onward team worked hard to recreate a physical conference experience by providing an interactive Q&A panel, worship in song by Whitefield band, and encouraging camaraderie within youth groups with a Dress Up challenge.  
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Young Baptist Church Youth Group wins the Onward Dress Up Challenge with a Star Wars theme.
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 ‘Rebellion Youth’ from Cessnock was a finalist for the Dress Up challenge.

Hosted by Katoomba Christian Convention, Onward is a convention that seeks to prepare Christian youth to see their place in the wider world. By combining short TED-style talks, personal testimonies, singing and a live Q&A, the Onward program equips and encourages youth to engage with society and culture, with a biblical worldview.  ​

Onward20 | Finding Your Crowd from kcc on Vimeo.

​With the world becoming increasingly divided into tribes of thought, the theme for Onward 2020 was ‘Finding Your Crowd: Living in a World of Difference & Exclusion’. The official program kicked off with guest speaker, Sam Chan preaching from Matthew 15:21-28, to share what the Bible says about tribalism and the universal human desire for belonging.  
 
Blending biblical references, news headlines and personal stories, Chan humorously highlighted both the benefits and dangers of tribalism. He then explored the development of ‘Cancel Culture’ in the West and how we are now only “one tweet away” from being shunned, shamed or expelled from even our own tribe. Furthermore, offenders of ‘Cancel Culture’ no longer bother with apologies, because there is no offer of forgiveness.  
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Urban Missionary, Sam Chan preaches at Onward 2020.

​The realities of 'Cancel Culture' were further highlighted with personal testimonies sharing experiences with tribalism on social media, in high school and the workplace. These stories highlighted the extent of the problem in every sphere of life and left us wondering how Christians can engage with others in a more loving and inclusive way. 
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Karen, a university student, discusses tribalism and 'Cancel Culture' on social media.

​Sam Chan then offered five ways in which the Gospel challenges ‘Cancel Culture’ and reminded youth of the unity that’s possible in diversity, if our identity comes from Christ. By highlighting God’s unconditional love for sinners, Chan reminded youth that all humans are broken, and yet Jesus “cancels” no one. Therefore, the Gospel should empower Christians to create inclusive communities marked by love, prayer, blessing and forgiveness for all people – even our enemies. 
“Campsie Youth had a great time and were super excited that we received the first shout out! Sam Chan shares his gift of sharing God’s Word so well, and we love how laid back and Aussie Asian he is.”  

​– Onward 2020 delegate 
​The night ended with a live Q&A panel led by Sam Chan and Onward Chair, Sam Wan. Together, they helped viewers to consider the practicalities around virtue signalling, love for enemies, demonising others, and whether Christians should be involved in social justice marches such as “Black Lives Matter”.  
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Onward 2020 Q&A panel.
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​Although KCC has had to put a pause on physical events this year, we thank God for the gift of technology, and the ways in which it has enabled his word to be preached far and wide, so that hearts can continue being impacted and transformed for God’s glory. It is our hope and prayer that youth will walk away from Onward 2020, committed to challenging 'Cancel Culture' with the Gospel and to show a divided world the unity and reconciliation that’s possible in Christ alone.
​“The work and passion that KCC puts into Onward and KYCK is really evident! I really enjoy and look forward to these events every year, and I know that they've played a big role in the Christian journeys of me and others."  – Onward 2020 delegate 

Missed Out on Onward?


​You can still purchase tickets and view the event on-demand until 2 August 2020.  Get tickets HERE. 

Get 15% off Evangelism Books!


​Our list of recommended reads on evangelism and apologetics are 15% off for Onward delegates. If you registered for the conference, make sure to pick up one of our recommended books from the Wandering Bookseller using the discount code that’s available in your conference booklet! 

Save the Date for Onward 2021! ​


Onward will return on Friday 25 June, 2021 and will be held at The Concourse in Chatswood. Mark the date in your calendar, and stay tuned for more details by following us on Instagram, Facebook or by signing up to our mailing list on our website.  We look forward to serving you again next year!

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