Bible Translation - is it for me?

We take the fact that we can read God's Word in our own language for granted. Yet without the work of Bible Translators, this is not a possibility. Being a Bible Translator is much more than a purely linguistic exercise - it is actually about embedded, cross-cultural discipleship over the long term.

In this interview from AnCon 2019, Rowan Kemp interviews Ross and Lyndal Webb, who served as Bible Translators in the highlands of Papua New Guinea, translating God's Word for the Irumu people, and then oversaw Bible Translation work in Vanuatu.

Never thought about serving Jesus as a Bible Translator? Think it is beyond you? Have a listen to this to hear from the experts.

Called to vocational ministry? (part 1)

Are you called to vocational ministry? Do you need a special feeling to confirm your decision? In this seminar Paddy considers the Biblical evidence for both calling and ministry and how they relate to each other.

(this is a replay of his 2020 AnCon elective)

Called to vocational ministry? (part 2)

Are you called to vocational ministry? Do you need a special feeling to confirm your decision? In this seminar Paddy considers the Biblical evidence for both calling and ministry and how they relate to each other.

(this is a replay of his 2020 AnCon elective)

Celebrating women in ministry

It’s wonderful we are now releasing more women to serve in their areas of gifting and passion for the Glory of Christ. We wanted to celebrate that today by hearing from three female staff at the EU, their stories, their encouragements and their challenges. We also wanted to acknowledge that men are key to this story too. It’s men who have encouraged women to develop their gifting and provide suitable platforms for them to serve.

Considering ministry overseas

If you're thinking about overseas ministry, what needs to happen before you jump on a plane? We speak with Ryan Verghese who is heading into missionary service with his family in 2022 about the pathway to overseas mission and some of the ways to be trained an equipped to serve overseas.

Cross cultural ministry

We speak with Ben about what undertaking cross cultural ministry looks like. We speak with Ben about some of the opportunities for cross cultural ministry whole at uni. He shares with us some insights into how to develop a heart for cross cultural ministry as well as what practical steps you can take now to establish a life-log trajectory of reaching other cultures for Jesus.

Growing an evangelistic heart

We speak with Anna about how she grew a heart for evangelism, while in the EU and especially during her time as a Howie. She shares with us how making the most of evangelistic opportunities as a student has helped establish a trajectory of life-long evangelism.

Heading to Portugal and speaking with family about mission

Em and her husband are heading to Portugal in 2022 to serve university students. We speak with Em about how she made the decision to leave Pharmacy to head to overseas mission, and some of the challenges in speaking with her family about these changes.

Learning good ministry boundaries

There are evangelism opportunities wherever you go - even to work in the makeup industry! Lily is a former Howie and works fulltime. In this conversation, Lily and Paddy discuss how her training at Sydney Uni helped her develop good boundaries in all forms of ministry, and how she’s found opportunities to share the gospel at work.

Learning to care for people and making wise ministry decisions

In part, Gospel work is about caring for people. So how do you do that, when decisions are difficult and people are complex and things happen?!

Owen Robson is a former Howie and current gospel worker. We chat with him about how to make wise ministry decisions and keep caring for people at the heart of our work.

Loving God and his mission with all of our heart, mind, and strength

The great commission and the greatest commandment have sometimes been held in tension, one pointed towards evangelism and the other towards social engagement. But if we are to love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, and strength, we will align ourselves with the affections of his heart, the plans of his mind, and the actions of his hands. And so, becoming a people after his own heart, thinking our thoughts after his, even filling up his sufferings in our flesh, we will become children always about our Father’s business. Our mission will be to participate in his.

Three articles comparing our hearts, minds, and hands with his.

Making decisions about undertaking a ministry apprenticeship

Laura and Alice speak about their decisions to undertake a ministry apprenticeship. Along the way they discuss suitable timing for commencing an apprenticeship and talking with family and work. Alice also reflects upon some of the significant things that she has been learning about ministry from being part of the Howie program.

Making ministry decisions and speaking with your family

We speak with Alison about the challenge of deciding between lay and vocational ministry and she shares with us how different stages of life affect this decision. We also talk about the how it can be difficult in speaking with parents who are not Christian and may not think about ministry in the same way you do.

Maximise the Masters business

The parable of the talents raises an important question - we will all be evaluated by Jesus, the Master, on the basis of how we have invested what he has entrusted to us. So it is a parable that we need to think hard about.

But just what is the business that he has entrusted to us? And how do our talents fit into the question? Is my profession where I exercise the Master's business? Where does paid gospel ministry fit into the equation? This talk will help you think about these important questions.

Ministering to nominal believers

Much of our world is turning secular, but a significant number of people are still ‘nominally Christian’. They might rock up to church on Sunday or at least call themselves Christians.

Ministering to people in the heart of the United States’ Bible belt in Birmingham, Alabama, Mike Weeks is the Assistant Minister at the Cathedral Church of the Advent.

Mike has trained in ministry both in Sydney and the US. In this episode he explains how his training has influenced his ministry and how it has helped him to minister to the nominal Christians in his local area.

Navigating the expectations of your 20s (part 1)

Your 20s can feel like a time with lots of expectations. Do well at uni, get a good job, sort out finances, figure out relationships. It can all feel a little overwhelming! And can be even more complicated if you are also prayerfully working toward vocational Christian ministry.

In this episode, Laura, Anna and James, reflect on Biblical wisdom and their own life experiences to help you navigate the expectations of your 20s alongside aspiring to Christian ministry

Navigating the expectations of your 20s (part 2)

Your 20s can feel like a time with lots of expectations. Do well at uni, get a good job, sort out finances, figure out relationships. It can all feel a little overwhelming! And can be even more complicated if you are also prayerfully working toward vocational Christian ministry.

In this episode, Laura, Anna and James, reflect on Biblical wisdom and their own life experiences to help you navigate the expectations of your 20s alongside aspiring to Christian ministry

Pastoring a small church

There are some unique joys (and challenges) associated with being in a small local church ministry.

The local church is 'homebase' for Christians. How does that... work? What do you do?

Alan Au is the pastor at Captivate Church in North Ryde, and shares with Paddy lessons from his experience of ministry.

People vs Programs. The role of a church pastor

Richard serves as an assistant minister in the Inner West and chats with us about the uniqueness of parish ministry. We consider the place of ministry programs and talk about the importance of loving people.

Personal challenges of vocational ministry

Is it worth leaving work for ministry? What are the costs I may need to consider? What will my parents think? What about my future?

An article to think about the challenges to gospel ministry where we look at what God promises us in his word, and also look at how to be equipped for these potential roadblocks.

Preparing for lay ministry

Doing an apprenticeship doesn't mean you'll always end up working in full-time ministry. But the skills you learn can still be used fruitfully for the glory of God! And there's no better place for it than the local church.

Jack spent two years training as a Howie before heading into the workforce to use his business degree. We talk about the challenges of workplace evangelism, the juggle of family life, work and ministry and how his training has prepared him well to serve Jesus.

Preparing for ministry overseas

Rob and his family serve as missionaries in Vanuatu. We speak with Rob about the value of great training to prapre for overseas mission, and some of the challenges in deciding to go to serve the LRLR.

Reflections on a lifetime of ministry

John Chapman was an evangelist within the Sydney Diocese for over 50 years. In this recording from the EU Graduates Fund Plunge Conference in 2011 John shares his reflections on a lifetime of ministry.

Schools ministry

Why is ministry in schools so important? Seb Lane currently works with CRU as a trainer within their CRU Education Camps division and has some insights into the significance of working with young people at such a significant stage of life.

In this episode, we hear about Seb’s passion for schools ministry and how his training as a Howie has equipped him in training other ministry staff.

Serving the LRLR overseas as gospel workers

What a joy it was to speak with three ex-Howies to hear about their desire to take the gospel of Jesus to university students overseas. We talk about what motivates them in ministry, some of the challenges of learning to be overseas missionaries, and the challenges that they will face upon leaving Australia for the mission field.

Should I stay or should I go?

Wondering if you should stay in your current location to serve gospel needs, or go elsewhere? Beth and her husband currently serve as campus staffworkers for AFES in Perth. We speak with Beth about the challenges in making the decision for them to leave Sydney and how she prepared for that time.

Student ministry in Italy - a path to serving the LRLR

Simon and his family are serving uni students in southern Italy. We speak with Simon about the needs and opportunities for doing student ministry in an LRLR country and the pathways that led him to serve.

Talk #1 - God’s gospel glory

Project200 Conference 2021

Saturday 18th main session talk : Romans 16:25-27

Talk #2 - God’s gospel servant

Project200 Conference 2021

Saturday 25th main session talk : Romans

Training as a international student, navigating cross cultural mission

Ninoy is currently undertaking lay ministry in Manilla as their country continues to wrestle with the impact of covid-19. We talk about his time training with us as an International Howie and some of the lessons that we can all learn about ministering cross-culturally.

The strategic value of student ministry

Why university ministry? What is so strategic about it? Moussa shares with us some of his observations from over 20 years of ministry as to the value and significance of undertaking ministry on a university campus.

We also talk about why undertaking a ministry apprenticeship on campus will give you a great training experience and provide solid ministry foundations for life.

The value of a ministry apprenticeship before theological training

If you’re thinking about heading into ministry, you might be wondering about whether to head straight to Bible college, or maybe stop by a church or parachurch organisation and complete a ministry apprenticeship.

There are advantages to both! In this conversation, Josh Hoole walks us through his decision to complete a ministry apprenticeship with the EU before heading to Moore Theological College. We speak with Josh about the value and benefits of undertaking a ministry apprenticeship prior to formal theological study.

Using your profession to serve gospel needs

Keen to serve the needs of the LRLR using you profession? We speak with Carlo who, having trained as a software engineer and computer programmer now uses these skills to develop Bible translation software for global projects. Using your profession to serve gospel needs

Why the LRLR?

Why should we consider sending more workers to the Less reached and Less Resourced (LRLR) parts of the globe? Celia and Seth share with us the theological significance of the LRLR and why we need to send more workers into LRLR places. We talk about what it takes to have a mindset orientated towards the LRLR and are reminded of the great gospel need around the world and how we can take steps in our consideration of going as gospel workers to the LRLR.

Why ministry?

It’s an honour and privilege to disciple God’s people — some even say it’s the best job in the world. But why should you want to do ministry? Mike Weeks has thought about that a fair bit. He’s the Assistant Minister at Cathedral Church of the Advent in Birmingham, Alabama. We speak with Mike about his motivation for ministry, and his encouragement to those considering it.

Wrestling with doubt in your decision making

Jono Hathaway has felt on fire for ministry, doubted his faith, and everything in between. In this conversation he opens up with Paddy about the role doubt played in his ministry decision making process, and how his time doing the Howard Guinness Project with the EU helped him explore his doubt and rely on the unfailing grace of Christ.