October Update

Smiths with AccessTheStory!

Hey there!  Thanks for walking with us through this journey together. We're excited to see the increasing opportunities that God is opening up for us to see His Story have a greater impact on more and more lives.



Global Leadership Summit

It was great to join with a number of people from church at the Global Leadership Summit.  

This was the first time that I've attended this summit and here are some of the things that stood out to me:
  • Leading with Respect - Move into uncomfortable territory and seek to understand each other. 
  • It's never [just] the Individual or the Collective - It is always both.
  • Be a Student, not a Critic.
  • Leadership requires that the people we're serving believe that we're with them.
  • I do what I do, because I am broken too - It's the broken that understand the power of mercy and of redemption.
  • Real life, human stories have great impact.
  • Jesus: "Do not be afraid" - Instead of focussing on what could go wrong, ask "What might go right?"
  • Serve each other in caring community.
  • We are only fellow-servants in this battle - The real Soldier is Christ Himself.

National Youth Ministry Convention

The National Youth Ministry Convention was so good and it was great to join Travis Johnson and his son, Tom, for the time there.  There were some great conversations at the AccessTheStory stand, and the various speakers (including Trav) were insightful, encouraging and helpful.  

Here's some of the highlights for me:

  • Biblical Storying - Travis Johnson - There is value in Story - It's relational and personal, it raising different valid points, and by-passes barriers.
  • "Going, Going, Gone" (RE Young people leaving the Church) -  Joel McKerrow & Rowan Lewis -
    • Rather than ask "Are they 'In' or 'Out'?" a more helpful question is "What are they walking towards?"  (Are they moving closer or further away?)
    • We all start by believing what we've been told to believe - Then go through a time of questioning these beliefs - After redefining and reconstructing our beliefs, we're then able to internalise them.  That's when beliefs becomes real faith.  We can help our young people through this process.
  • The Making of a Leader - Sarah Deutscher & Mark Sayers -
    • Only 1 in 3 called to be a Leader "Make It"
    • 6 Phases - Foundation, Inner Life Growth, Ministry Maturity, Life Maturity, Convergence, After-glow
    • Most people get stuck in Phase 2 (Inner Life Growth), where God is primarily focussing on our character development.
    • Who you are is more important than what you do.
  • Main Session #2 - Mark Sayers - 
    • The state of the Church in the western world has gone through cycles of healthy to unhealthy (similar to the time of Judges).
    • When the church has looked like it was about to die God has always stepped in.
    • These cyclic stages can be classified as:
      1. Preparers
      2. Pioneers
      3. Traditionalists
      4. Managers
      5. Deconstructors.
    • The church in Australia is currently around the Deconstructors to Preparers stages.  
    • God is using the next Preparers to set the stage for the next Pioneers.  Wouldn't it be great to be part of that?

Multi-region Prayer Muster, Gatton

This was the second time that I was able to join with the Multi-region Prayer Muster in Gatton, where about 35 people come together to pray for 6 regions around the area between Toowoomba and Ipswich.

This is allowing me to support the Church over a wider area.  Please pray that the right opportunities increase.

Please continue praying for what's ahead: 

Coming Up!!!

    We're having ongoing conversations with how we can serve "City Women" in the near future.

    Please pray that God continues to guide and open the right doors at the right time.
      At NYMC AccessTheStory released the pilot of our new resource, StoryBites.  These are Story experiences designed to take only 15 minutes each.

      Travis is planning to continue developing these (and other resources) throughout 2018 and has asked me to help him with the development of some of the content for this.

      You can sign up for 
      StoryLine to stay up-to-date with our Resources as they become available and you'll also receive a sample of StoryBites.


      Financial Status!!!

      So far over the last couple of years, Mike has been volunteering with AccessTheStory and is currently in the support raising phase which means that he cannot receive any income from this until he reaches a set level of regular support.  It's been possible to volunteer over this time with Rayleen working full-time and Mike working part-time in his previous role that finished in June.  We're currently making ends meet from savings, trusting that God will continue to provide.

      Our hope is that we will have enough regular support coming in to allow Mike to transition to part-time (2 days per week) with ATS in early 2018.

      For this to happen, the level of regular support required is about $1,966 per month.  We've reached about 28.8% of this, meaning we're still currently about $1,400 short of this level of support each month.

      THANK YOU to those who have already given.  If you haven't already done so, we invite you to prayerfully consider partnering with us financially (either through a special donation or regular support). If you would like to partner with us in this way then please complete and return this Partnership form

      Your partnership will not only allow Mike to use his time to focus on the work with ATS, but will also be an investment in seeing more lives access God's Story and be transformed through the Good News of Jesus, the Messiah.

      If you're unable to give financially, we still greatly value your prayer support and encouragement.  Your prayers are essential and we can't do this without you!  THANK YOU!!!


      “Most Australians aren’t engaged by the Bible, so we have developed a suite of tools that help Christian communities access the Story of God in a way that brings clarity to who Jesus is and what it means to join Him in His Mission.”

      The longer we're in this the more we see how desperately this ministry is needed.

      We’re grateful that you’re continuing to partner with us and we want to say a big “THANK YOU” to each of you.  We couldn't do this without you!

      God has always shown Himself faithful to us and we're thankful and excited to see the increasing opportunities that He is opening up for us to see His Story have a greater impact on an increasing number of lives.

      Blessings,
      Mike & Ray

      Serving with ...

      0 Comments