Supporters Letter...

Things are starting to come to an end for me here in this very cold office at Kingston Church :) I am almost finished my 2 year ministry apprenticeship, but still feel like I only just started! There is still so much to learn – yet when I think back – I have actually learnt so much these past 2 years. Mostly about how majestic our God is and how much we are all in desperate need for him. I’ve also learnt so much about ministry and about myself - so I am really grateful to have been able to do this apprenticeship.

So there are a lot of people I want to thank…

Firstly, I really want to personally thank Belinda for training me and teaching me the hard stuff these past 2 years. I must have driven you insane so many times!! So a very big thank you to you and your family.

I also want to thank the wider ministry team from our churches... all of you have supported and helped me in so many ways! And also - thank you to the many men I bugged and asked random questions to when Belinda wasn’t around!

Finally, I want to thank my church families at Kingston and at Summerleas. You have supported Marty and I so much, either financially or through prayer, encouraging words etc. We both really appreciate it and feel very blessed.

So the future for Marty and I is looking a little bit scary but also very exciting! We are heading to Sydney next year to study at Sydney Missionary and Bible College where we both plan to do the 2 year diploma. We would really appreciate your prayers as we make this move, and as we really get into studying the Bible next year.

In Christ,
Jess Prins

Christmas is coming...

Well it is December already! So the Christmas tree has been found, sawn, dragged across the paddock, thrown over the back fence, & lovingly decorated :) Yes it is a little wind blown & has brought many lovely crawly creatures into our lounge room - but it does bring some Christmas cheer.

I am normally a bit of a Christmas humbug – I hate the songs & the decorations everywhere, but something about this year – maybe because we are leaving soon, or maybe its because we are going to be home for Christmas this year - has drawn me to embrace the Christmas spirit!

But don't expect to hear me singing the Christmas songs! :)

Last things...

The end of the ministry apprenticeship for me is quickly approaching. So I’m experiencing the reality that some of the things I’m doing are actually for the last time - last chaplaincy meetings, last staff meeting, last time looking after the kids, last mentoring meetings, last night of D-Train…

It’s a very strange feeling when things that were once part of your everyday week start coming to an end. It brings such a mixture of feelings – excitement, regret, sadness… Its very strange. Soon I don’t think I’m going to know what to do with myself :)

Sex Talk...

Last night I did my first official talk whilst being in this job, & yes it was on sex.

It was to the girls at D-Train (youth group) & I focused on Psalm 51 which is the Psalm David wrote after committing adultery with Bathsheba. So I mainly talked about sexual sin being a result of our hearts, just like any sin is, & then went on to stuff about repentance. But I did go into the world of dating & sex stuff for teenage girls at the end.

I must say I was pretty nervous – more so about the delivery then what I was actually saying, ‘cause I have a tendency to speak to fast (well that’s what I have been told anyway :) )

But I think it went ok – was a very interesting experience.

Who you are, not what you do...

The statement that ministry is more about who you are, then what you do, has been bandied around lately.

And I like it – I think there is something very true and valuable about thinking about ministry like this.

But, how does it affect what you do on a daily basis?

College...

Well as many of you know Marty & I applied to go to SMBC (Sydney Missionary Bible College) a while ago & have been waiting the reply…

we have finally been accepted!

So next year, we will be following in my sisters footsteps & heading up to Sydney to study. We are both really excited, yet at the same time sad as the reality of leaving this beautiful state is settling in.

But its a great oppurtunity, & the idea of really getting to know Gods word & studying that full-time is so exciting. Plus, we can go visit Mel & Kochie every morning!! :)

Ecclesiastes...

We have just done a series on Ecclesiastes at D-Train (youth group) called “Ecclesiastes: The Search for Meaning”. Besides creating emo youth, this series really helped to look at life a bit differently, and just to reinforce the fact that life without God, is worthless.

Ecclesiastes is a Bible book we so often just ignore cause it’s a bit weird and confusing, and it was a lot of work, but was definitely worth it!

(You can find our movie about it here)

holidays!!

Well it is time for me to have some time off!! I am going to be enjoying some much needed rest for the next 2 weeks... so I will leave you these words from Col Marshall (former Director MTS Australia) to contemplate:

“Before you can have a church planting movement you need a disciple-making movement. In order to have a disciple-making movement, you need a Bible-reading movement.”

Bring back the intermission...

You watch great movies like ‘The Sound of Music’ and halfway through the movie the coolest thing happens...

The scene fades out to a beautiful landscape shot with calm music and the word 'intermission' comes onto the screen!

You have a few minutes where you can go to the toilet, get some more food and drink, have a little chat about the movie, get some more pillows…

I say we should bring this back…

Be present...

I heard a great sermon on busyness the other day which had some very helpful practical tips. One of them which I thought was very poignant was to ‘be present’. The point was that when you are going through your day you should think about what you are doing, and don’t let your mind go to everything else that you have to be doing tomorrow, or the next day.

For example, when you are talking to someone, concentrate on what they are saying don’t think about what is the next thing you have to do, or the next person you have to talk to (this will just cause the ‘Wagenaar vague-out’!) but just talk to them!

Very helpful advice I reckon!

Some reflections on youth ministry so far...

I have noticed that youth ministry has to be organised chaos.

Things are going to change at the last minute and you are going to have to deal with random things often and on the spot. So, you have to be organised, but then not totally loose it if all those plans are totally changed, and something very different ends up happening. This means a lot of prayer – that whatever ends up happening will glorify God!

Do you reckon this is the same with all ministry or just youth ministry??

Supporters Letter...

Well a year & a half has gone by in my ministry apprenticeship here at Kingston, so I thought it was about time to again let you know what I have been up to & thank the many people who are supporting me.

I am involved in many different ministries such as youth work, women’s ministry, one-to-one discipleship, & I am being largely challenged in all of them! I am also involved in doing some theological training, & have started the first CBTE course which looks at the book of Acts.

In all the different things I am doing I am continually reminded of the faithfulness of God & the truth of the gospel of Christ which brings such joy & motivation to continue on. I have also learnt a lot about myself & how I function as a person, which sometimes has been quite challenging to realise & accept!

Some highlights so far this year would have to be, the two camps we have had with D-Train this year, the Tasmanian Women’s Bible Conference, & just sitting down to read the Bible & pray with people has been such a great encouragement to me.

I would really like to thank all those people who have supported me financially. It is such a blessing to be given the chance to do this apprenticeship, & it’s through your generosity that I can do it – so thank you! I would also like to thank those who are supporting me through pray. I have been continually reminded this year how powerful & effective prayer is – so thank you to the many people that do pray for me. I would really appreciate your continued prayer for all the different things that I am doing, & that I will continue to grow in my relationship with God.

Mt Welly shows off his stuff again..

I know I just keep blogging about the weather, & Mt Wellington - but it really is very amazing!!

Marty mananged to capture this one on a very frosty morning while the sun was rising over a very snow covered Mt Welly.

It's not a set of rules...

I reckon that Michael Jensen in his book “You: An Introduction” has one of the best descriptions that I have heard of what the Bible is. He writes:

“The Bible doesn’t come to us as a set of rules, nor is it set our like a New Age self-help book. It tells a tale. We could say it is the script of a great play. Its dramatist is the one who made everything (we use the word “God’ to refer to this person) – including the human being who are its actors. It is a love story – a true love story. It tells how this God loves people, and though they spurn his love, he goes to extraordinary lengths to win them back”

I think this could be a great way to explain what the Bible is all about to youth, & hopefully will encourage them to read it!!

Frozen

It seems that not only Mt Welly has frozen, but so has my computer & my brain! Sorry about the lack of correspondence to all my followers... Life is getting away with me a bit!

So today I thought I would leave you with some interesting things to ponder. It's from something I read in ‘The Confessions of St Augustine’ this morning:

“Be warned that a thing is good & pleasant only because it is connected with Him. Use it apart from its Source, & it will come to taste bitter. Since the good thing is His, how can it remain worth loving if you forsake Him to get it? So what it your goal as you wander these difficult, laborious ways? If it is not found in Him, there will be no rest – not where you are looking for it. You can keep looking for it, but it is far from the place you are” (pg63).

First dump...

Mt Wellington has had its first dump for the year...

Oh... I do love Tassie!! :)

Ministry seasons

So, as expected March was an insane month! There was busyness on so many different fronts, & many different things for me to grapple with. To be honest, if the rest of the year is anything like that dont think i'll cope!! But as I have been told many times, ministry has its seasons - sometimes its really busy, & other times you can slow down a bit.

But this brought me to thinking, I know it is sometimes good to be busy, to stop you from getting lazy etc, but what about times of reflection? Can being busy & having time to reflect on life ever go together? Or do you have to go through the busy periods, & then wait till its not so busy to actually sit down & think through things?

Can busyness & time of reflection ever go together??

TWBC

Ok.. so now its TWBC (Tasmanian Womens Bible Conference) that is totally consuming my time!! Its on this Saturday & plans are going pretty well, & lots of women are coming! So that is really fantastic & I am looking forward to the day & seeing it all come together.
So I would really appreaciate your prayers!!
& hopefully once I have recovered I will be a little bit better at keeping you up to date!!

It has been a while, sorry...

I think facebook has taken over my internet time & reading about the Lynch’s Seattle experiences ! But as previously stated this blog was to regularly let you know what I was up to & thinking about, so…

Lately I have been thinking & reading a bit about truth & how this plays out in today’s culture. In reading The Supremacy of Christ in a Postmodern world this morning, over a lovely coffee & florentine, it struck me how different a Christians world view is to the worlds. I was fortunate enough to grow up in a Christian family, so the absoluteness of God was always a given to me, but to this world, this idea is foreign.

This is something we have to remember when talking to people about our God! Any ideas on how to approach this??

News from the Prins's

Thought I would give you all an update on what is the hap’s with us:

• It is now the end of summer - I think that changes the mood of things. We have to start getting more serious now!! :)
  
• I joined Facebook!
  
• We managed to take the youth group camping to Lime Bay over the weekend without to many incidents!!
  
• I have decided to trial being gluten-free! & no Beck I will not join the gluten-free society on facebook! :)
  
• March is a very busy month for us, because it is ‘TWBC month’ so we would really appreciate your prayers!

Easter

The supermarkets have reminded me that Easter is coming upon us… but is it really!?! Come on its not for another 2 months!! & its post-TWBC (Tasmanian Women’s Bible Conference) which is how I am ganging the first half of the year! :)

So I have decided to not eat any easter eggs, or bunnies, or hot cross buns until I am in Bicheno having a very relaxing weekend with my family! Can’t wait for that easter egg hunt! :)

Evangelism

We recently listened to a talk by Tim Keller at our youth group leaders retreat about how the evangelism methods we have been using are no longer effective because of the shifts in society. In fact, Keller called for a complete transformation in the way that we spread the gospel. He did give hints on how to do this in his talk. But it led me to think…

Do evangelism tools such as 6 Steps To Talking About Jesus no longer work?
Do we have to change our whole thinking about how to present the gospel so that we can be effective in spreading the word of Jesus in this postmodern society?
Or has postmodernism not reached Tassie yet!?! :)

Bible Reading

At TLC Andrew Reid reminded me how important reading the Bible regularly really is…

We often tend not to enforce the importance of reading the bible every day to stay away from legalism. We know it’s a good thing to do, but if you can’t find the time we say, “oh that’s ok, cause you don’t want it to be legalistic do you!?!”. It's almost like legalism has become an excuse for the lazy!

Andrew gave the great example of when we are training for something we work hard at it, we create habits to help us fulfill our goals.

So as Christians, who want to get to know more about our great God, why should we not create habits to help us do that? And reading the bible daily is a fantastic habit to help with this, & if it is done with the Holy Spirit & prayer this could not be legalistic, could it?

TLC

Marty and I had the great pleasure of going to the Tasmanian Leadership Conference (TLC) on the weekend. Here are some things I was encouraged & challenged by -

Encouraged:

• We got to lead a group of rather young first-timers who had never written a Bible study before, so to see them really get into the passage & interpret it for themselves & write a study was so encouraging.
  
• To listen to what people are doing around the State in terms of ministry is always really encouraging to hear.

Challenged:

• About our singing – Andrew Reid defined song as putting you in touch with what it means to be Gods people in Gods world. So, it’s making theology our own with our experiences & emotion. Have we concentrated too much on theology & left out emotion?
  
• I was reminded of how important the Bible is to continue reading individually & corporately. Andrew really challenged us to think about whether or not this is done enough corporately these days.
  
• How much I am like the Israelites & try & self-rule instead of let God rule.
  
• As Christians we are to live authentic lives, not putting up a face of ‘goodness’, but truly living out the gospel & there is no better evangelism than that!
  

Once again TLC proved to be a great conference for training people to read & interpret the Bible for themselves! So, be there next year!

I became a true Kingstonite & Australian in 1 day!!

I have been told that you are not a true ‘Kingstonite’ until you have done the big walk above the trees into the sky - the Tahune AirWalk. Well I finally did it! And it was amazing - being above the trees & seeing everything from a bird’s perspective was very cool.

But the coolest thing was actually those swinging bridges (yes there is 2!). You may have been there & not done them as it’s not really talked about or hyped up – both those swinging bridges are a whole lot more scarier, & very possibly cooler, than the platform in the sky. To see the terrifying experience watch the movie….

And I am also now a true Australian as I have seen ‘Australia’. It was also pretty cool - just another movie really!

What is wrong with me?

As I was planning the year – I felt nothing for it, just a bit taken back about how busy it was! There was no excitement for things coming up, even trips to Sydney which I love doing. In fact there was just not really any feeling at all.

What was wrong with me?

I did a lot of thinking about it - I even took a day off to try & figure it out. Finally it was an epiphany that came to me in Gloria Jeans one very warm morning over a skinny cappuccino & a great book - I had momentarily lost my passion for full-time ministry.

So I went back to some inspiring talks & it brought me back to Jesus. This should come as no surprise to you - but it is always God & all that he has done for us that brings us back to reality isn’t it!?! It’s through being totally humbled & realising how crap you are that puts everything back into place.

Being in full-time paid ministry is such a privilege – I am apart of this massive plan of spreading the great news of Christ to the world! This should never be left out of the picture when you are planning your year!!

The 5 P's

Well the second year of my MTS apprenticeship is well underway & so has the planning. It feels strange to spend almost a whole month planning the rest of the year. But as BV shared – ‘Prior Preparation Prevents Poor Performance’. So let’s hope that comes true!