Electives
‘Managing God’s Time’: Jonathan Pratt
This elective will explore the important issue of time management from a Christian and management perspective. It aims to equip participants with a range of frameworks, tools and practical examples to help individuals and groups live productive lives which honour Jesus. Jonathan is a Senior Lecturer in Management at the University of Technology, Sydney. As a Christian man, husband, father, brother, uncle, son, friend, academic, church leader, and postgraduate student, Jonathan faces multiple conflicting demands on his time. Time management to Jonathan is more than just a passing interest; it is a basic foundation for everyday life.
‘Finding Good Work’: Tim Adeney
This elective will encourage you to think about how to find good work. You’ll hear some stories about people who have found good work (and perhaps about some who haven’t yet). Then we’ll work through how we can find good work — work which honours Jesus itself, and work which helps us honour Jesus in the other parts of our lives. Tim is married to Ally and God has blessed with 4 amazing daughters. Having completed a theological degree at Moore Theological College his working week is shaped by a desire to help regular Christians live for Jesus in every sphere of life. This includes working with a couple of businesses: Groundwork, which helps train people for the ordinary Christian life, and; Identity, a web development company. Tim also helps lead The Joshua Tree, a church plant in Sydney’s Inner West.
‘Christianity and the world of politics’: Greg Clarke
Being political is about being part of the polis, that is, the city. How can Christians be part of the life of the city (or country town!), with all of its complexities? How does your Christian faith relate to things like advocating for important social issues, standing up for what is right, caring for your neighbour, and offering a Christ-like perspective on how we can live together in peace?
Greg Clarke explores some of the ways Christians relate to the political world—the good, the bad and the ugly— and some of the ways you can get involved (and some you might want to avoid!).
Greg is the CEO of the Bible Society Australia and a Director of the Centre for Public Christianity (CPX). He has been thinking and writing about social issues since the days of Hawke and Keating.
‘Putting together a Christian Budget’: Murray Smith
Jesus taught us that the only right response to God’s love for us is to love him back with all we are and all we have. This elective will explore what God teaches us in the Scriptures about money. We will answer questions like: How much should I give? To whom should I give? Should I be saving? How much should I spend on living expenses? Should Christians buy insurance? Should a Christian take out a home loan? When does ‘enjoying God’s good gifts’ become selfish indulgence? The goal of this elective is to equip you to put together a simple God honouring budget for yourself or your household.Murray is married to Lynette and they have spent the last 12 years wrestling with how to put together a Christian budget (among other things). They have three young children and are part of Kirkplace Presbyterian Church. Murray lectures in Biblical Studies at the Presbyterian Theological Centre Sydney, and is a Director of Groundwork an evangelical training network that helps churches to ground their members in the gospel and equip them to live for Jesus in every sphere of life. Murray is also the author of Jesus: All About Life (Bible Society NSW: Macquarie Park, 2009), a short introduction to Jesus for under-25s.
‘Social media: Distraction or Discipline?’: Dave Miers
The last 10 years have seen radical changes in the way we communicate and connect via online social networks. Is Facebook, Twitter and Blogging just a waste of time? Is it just another distraction from the important things in life? It can be. But it shouldn’t. This elective will help you to see how online mediums can be used as a tool to be unleashed for good! We will explore its potential use in discipleship, evangelism, prayer, social justice and Christian ministry.
Dave and his family live on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. He is on the ministry team at St Faith’s Anglican Church Narrabeen. Dave is passionate about preaching the cross of Jesus and using new mediums to communicate this timeless message. Through his website davemiers.com and various seminars he has helped churches, youth leaders, parents and teenagers to navigate the Internet for good.
