Narrabri to Host Evangelistic Event in 2017

Pictured: An impromptu concert at the Namoi Christian Fellowship in Narrabri last week.

Pictured: An impromptu concert at the Namoi Christian Fellowship in Narrabri last week.

One of the exciting things about events like Reality in Alice Springs is the flow on effect it has in other parts of Australia. Country towns who pick up the vision to see a similar event in their region. After meeting Pastor Renee Ritchie of Narrabri we mentioned we’d be passing through her town on our return journey home. Immediately Renee invited us to do a vision concert and got the word out. To our amazement a week later on a rainy Thursday night we had a church packed with people for a great night of ministry. The BGEA will be promoting a Come Together event with Bill Newman in 2017. We hope to get involved in serving the campaign.

Back to Broken Hill

Pictured: Steve and Kerrie at the historic Baptist Church in Broken Hill, NSW

Pictured: Steve and Kerrie at the historic Baptist Church in Broken Hill, NSW

We were so honoured to visit the local churches of Broken Hill on the big drive home. A special thanks to Ps David and Maryann Trinder for their hospitality and encouragement. Steve took the morning service at Liberty Church and then sang and shared at a combined churches meeting at the Baptist Church during the afternoon. People have been gathering together on a regular basis ever since the 2014 Reality event with Will Graham happened in town. It was great to spend a couple days in this iconic and classic old mining town.

Vision for Evangelism and Discipleship

Pictured: Rev. Bill Newman with Steve at the Reality 2016 Alice Springs event.

Pictured: Rev. Bill Newman with Steve at the Reality 2016 Alice Springs event.

We want to thank the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association in Australia, Canada and the USA for their support of REALITY in Alice Springs with Will Graham. The event was a powerful reminder of the great things God is doing despite many challenges and setbacks. Ultimately many came to faith in Christ and there is a real need to follow up, especially those in remote communities. Bill Newman preached some great messages over the REALITY weekend and is now preparing a follow up Discipleship DVD message that we will be taking out to communities in the desert, along with practical materials for new believers. Thanks Bill for your heart for Australia and for the Gospel!! 

Remote Communities Follow Up Tour

Pictured: Steve with Gordon and Allison Butcher of Haast's Bluff, Northern Territory.

Pictured: Steve with Gordon and Allison Butcher of Haast's Bluff, Northern Territory.

We would greatly value your prayers for the coming two months of mission. The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association have asked Steve and World Mission’s if we can return to many of the desert communities and conduct follow up events after the success of REALITY 2016 in Alice Springs with Will Graham. Over 800 people committed their lives to Christ and many of them live in isolated regions. So during June and July our plan is to get back out to Alice Springs and begin serving remote churches and distributing essential materials. Pray for these small communities who often times have no resources and encouragement and yet have people hungry for Bible teaching and fellowship. 

 

The Power of Forgiveness at the Cross

Pictured: Our good friend Lenny Nelson with his father Johnny Nelson, survivor of the Coniston massacre in 1928. Photo: Paul McLaughlin

Pictured: Our good friend Lenny Nelson with his father Johnny Nelson, survivor of the Coniston massacre in 1928. Photo: Paul McLaughlin

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 1 Corinthians 1:18

On August 7th, 1928 a Dingo hunter named Fredrick Brooks was killed by Aboriginal men after he had taken one of their wives. It was a time of drought and water holes were drying up. Cattle spearing by tribal groups in the region had caused tensions between Aboriginals and owners of Coniston station north west of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. In the following weeks it is believed up to 170 Walpiri, Anmantyerre and Kaytetye men, women and children were massacred by a lawless group of men lead by the constable from Barrow Creek. (Some stories say many more were killed) 

Old Johnny Nelson, who was about 2 years old, is the only known living survivor from one of the attacks. A quiet man of grace and forgiveness. His son Lenny is involved with the Baptist Church in Ali Curung community and plays some of the best country gospel music you will ever hear on his Fender Telecaster guitar. Stories of the Coniston massacre are never far from their thoughts and memory.

The Nelson family know what it means to forgive. They know what it means to place all the pain and poison of the past at the foot of the Cross. It is only when we fully understand why Jesus Christ went to the Cross to forgive us all of our sin that we can live with real hope. The curse of unforgiveness and payback is like a cancer that kills.. But the symbol of the Cross reminds us not only of Christ’s sacrifice but the miracle of His resurrection and promise of eternity. 

In mid July the traditional landowners of the region near where the Coniston massacre took place are erecting a 30 metre high Cross to tell the world they have been reconciled to God through Christ and Christ alone. Other tribal communities in the desert such as Haast’s Bluff are also planning similar events. Our Indigenous brothers and sisters are leading the way to proclaim Jesus Christ as the only real hope for our nation. If you’d like to join us on July 15-17 head for Ali Curung. Or click on the Button below for more info: 

Thank God we have forgiveness from our failures and the shame of the past. Thank God we have a future because of Jesus!

Thanks for your prayers and support.

Godspeed.

Steve Grace

Nullarbor to Nashville

We have not actually taken delivery of the new shipment of CD’s yet here in Alice Springs. But they are on the way! This brand new album of 13 songs is the ‘pride of the fleet’ after nearly 30 years of recording and concert tours across Australia and around the world.

This classic country rock project features songs written from the dusty corrugated roads of the Outback. Authentic Australian songs recorded in one of Nashville’s finest studios, Watershed Recording Studio with producer Mark Burchfield. Many thanks to the musicians and engineers for your passion for your craft. It has made this album a collection of timeless songs ready for the road.

Thanks to Cheyne Grace for your management of this project and passion for excellence, to Chris Tangey for your awesome photography and to Cade Embery for the art direction! WOW! I am excited about this new release!

On A Mission

There are three ways you can get involved in the vision of World Missions. You can pray.. You can give.. or you can GO! We greatly appreciate your constant support through prayer for the missions opportunities that open up for us, especially in rural and remote Australia. Thanks for praying that people’s lives are transformed through this grassroots ministry. Your giving in a practical way is greatly appreciated.. the costs are always huge and I know there are some real needs at the moment. Donations via the website and regular online gifts help to keep the ministry going. So thank you. And if you want to GO… then please make contact with us about future missions. There are some exciting adventures ahead.

When Roads Become Rivers

Pictured: Trentan Kruger and Brendan Owers.

When the big rains fall in the central deserts of Australia the outback roads become rivers so you have to be very wise to ensure you don’t get stranded out there. We had planned to visit the remote communities of Haast’s Bluff and Papunya last weekend knowing the rains were on the way. But we didn’t get far off the Glen Helen road when the road became a river. So we turned back just in time as the roads were officially closed after that. Many of the outback roads are graded into the landscape so become filled with water rapidly and catch many drivers unaware. We made it back to Alice safe and are focussed on doing concerts and singalong’s in the Town Camps surrounding the town.

A huge thank you to Brendan Owers who has been on the road with Trentan and I for the past 2 weeks serving the ministry. Brendan’s stories and messages have had a big impact of audiences everywhere we’ve travelled and his love for God and people has been an inspiration. Thanks mate. Thanks to Ali and the kids for letting Dad go ‘bush’ for a few weeks and serve in remote regions of our big country.

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