A SPIRITUALLY REFRESHINGTOUR
DOWN-UNDER

In April 1998, I was in Wales,writing up my dissertation on the seeking (or preparationist) theology ofJonathan Edwards. As part of my studies, I came to the conclusion that Edwardsdid not believe that God has any desire for the salvation of the reprobate:which explains why he was constantly calling his hearers to seek salvationrather than to repent and believe in Christ. This somewhat startlingrealisation led me to a study of the Marrow Controversy that raged in Scotlandbetween 1718 and 1723. My readings on the matter then led me to a littlebooklet written by Pastor Chris Connors of the Evangelical Presbyterian Churchof Australia (EPC). As I did not have the booklet, I wrote to the author for acopy of it. We continue to correspond with one another. At that time, I thoughtthat Ps Connors was a much older and experienced man, and so when I was goingthrough some difficult trials, I shared with him my burdens and sought hisopinion and counsel with regards to my dilemmas. Ps Connors offered many godlyadvices, which I found helpful. But in particular, two sayings, which werepopular in his denomination, stuck in my mind (partly because of the strangeTasmanian spelling, or so I thought): “Tolleration without purpose embracesthat which is tolerated”; and “Tolleration without purpose always leads tocompromise.”

In a flurry of providential turns, including relocation, controversies anddifficulties, shortly after that, we lost contact with each other. But a yearand a half later, the Lord would bring us to renew contact though anotherremarkable turn of Providence.At that time, PCC had already been constituted and we were beginning to singthe Psalms exclusively. When my Californian Calvinist friend, Dave Landis,learned of that, he sent me a tape containing a selection of psalms. The PCCSession, impressed by the clarity and earnestness of the singing, immediatelythought that it would be a good idea to have the tape reproduced on CD in orderto promote Psalm-singing here. Well, as it turned out, the tape was produced bythe EPC! I immediately wrote to Ps Connors to seek his permission to do asplanned. With the tie renewed, we were able to see that we had much in commonin terms of theology and philosophy of the Christian ministry. It was then thatthe PCC Session extended an invitation to Ps Connors to be our speaker in ourJune Conference in 2000 (it was around then that we discovered that Ps Connorswas not a elderly man, though certainly experienced!). The EPC in turn invitedme to speak at their Easter Camp in 2002.

That was how, by the providence of God, my wife, myself and our daughter landedup in Australiafrom 16 March to 4 April, 2002. This trip, though hectic at points, wasspiritually refreshing. We made many friends and learned many precious lessons.

In this short report of our trip, I would not go into a journalisticdescription of what happened day by day, though it might also be quite edifyingto do so, seeing the extraordinary circumstances that we were in. But in theinterest of brevity, I hope to highlight some of the lessons and experiences,which the Lord granted us in those three weeks.

Brisbane,
Queensland, the Sunshine State

We arrived in Brisbane on 17 March (Saturday). Mrs Sue Higgs (wife of PastorDavid Higgs) was there to receive us, together with her parents, Elder Noel andMrs Anne Greatbatch, who would be our hosts. Pastor Higgs, though desiring verymuch to meet us, was indisposed on account of the tremendous load of ministerialwork that he was under. We had the opportunity to meet up with Pastor Higgsover the next few days, but it was only for brief, though edifying, moments.

Elder and Mrs Greatbatch proved to be excellent hosts. We spent a lot of timediscussing theology and found agreement in every area we touched on. ElderGreatbatch, 76, was a lay preacher in a Dispensational Baptist church. When theLord turned him to Calvinism, through reading A.W. Pink’s Sovereigntyof God, he was shunned by the leaders and members of his church, and givenmany pejorative labels. But he persisted on to reform his life through therenewing of his mind (Rom 12:2), and eventually joined the EPC some decadesback.

We visited a number of families in the church, and noticed everywhere two thingsthat brought cheer to the heart: First, in every family, Calvin’s Institutesand Commentaries featureprominently together with other Reformed books in the library. It is apparentthat the heads of household (at least) are serious students of the Word and oftheology. Secondly, family worship is always held at the dining table eitherafter (usually) or before supper (i.e., our dinner). I well remember the dayswhen my own family started having family worship some years ago, when we wouldhave our worship just before our meals just so that we would not miss worship!

On the Sabbath, there was a congregation of about 80 to 100, ranging fromnewborns to those in the 80’s. Many showed appreciation for the sermon (thoughI wonder if not a few were surprised when I told them that our first languageis English!). As the congregation dispersed after a sandwich lunch (prepared bythe ladies), a number came to us to apologise that they would not be able tocome in the evening for various reasons. We were struck by their sincerity andcourtesy! Back home, I have sometimes wondered how someone can think that avisiting minister preached an excellent sermon in the morning and then make noattempt to turn up in the evening to hear the Word again. Is this not often thecase with us? Oh, how I long for the day when the church will be hungering andthirsting to hear the Word so much that we would come for the second serviceeven when the minister is unwell and the congregation has to listen to a tapedmessage.

The congregation in the evening was only a little smaller than in the morning,and once again we experienced the same earnestness in the congregation that weexperienced in the morning. This, despite the fact that the sermon was, Ithink, rather long and a little more difficult to follow than in the morning.But quite a few, including the teenagers, were openly appreciative for the Wordpreached, for which we were glad!

Cohuna,
Victoria, the Garden State

Cohuna is a small outback town three hours by car from Melbourne. Pastor ChrisColeborn met us at the airport. We were told to expect a more senior minister(perhaps because I had told the congregation that we had thought that PsConnors was in his 60s!). Ps Coleborn is in his fifties, though he is stillsuffering from the effect of chronic fatigue due to overwork and a confluenceof very stressful events several years ago.

The first thing that struck us about Pastor Coleborn is his kindliness andgodly disposition. His gracious and humble speech betrays his years of experienceand learning which included interactions with Prof. John Murray and Prof. J.G.Vos, two imminent Reformed theologians of a generation before.

Pastor Coleborn, together with his wife Christine, has six children. All exceptthe youngest, who is severely handicapped, have been or are beinghome-schooled.

In this rural outback country of farms, fruits, flowers, and flies, it may betempting to think that home-schooling is the only option for the children’seducation. But this is not the case. Many of the EPC families see that theirchildren’s education is part of their covenant responsibility, and thereforethey would not allow the children to be shaped by secular state schooleducation. In fact, it was because most of their children were home-schooledthat a few families were able to relocate to Cohuna to help out when the churchwas started there several years ago.

The EPC congregation in Cohuna has about 40 to 50 in regular attendance. It isthe largest single congregation in the community. Most other churches therehave only a handful of members. Again, we found the congregation encouragingand appreciative, both in the morning and evening. And who says Reformedtheology is only for the very learned? Here in this rural town, thecongregation is made up of homemakers, dairy farmers, kangaroo shooters, anddelivery servicemen, all keen on learning the Word of God and maintaining theReformed Faith.

Launceston,
Tasmania, the Holiday Isle

Pastor Chris and Mrs Christine Connors received us at the airport. It was goodto renew ties. The journey to their home was only 10 minutes, but we had suchsweet fellowship. Ps Connors revealed how the sum, which the brethren in PCCgave him when he came in June 2000, enabled him to purchase the car that wewere being ferried in and what a blessing and help the car had been to him andhis family. We praised the Lord that we could be of encouragement to thishumble servant of His.

Pastor Connors was a builder before he heeded the Lord’s call to the ministry.He built many of the homes in northeast Tasmania. The guest room that we stayedin Launceston was built by Ps Connor with the help of his then pre-teenage son!I must say that I was amazed at how deeply intellectual and well-read PsConnors is, considering the fact that several years back he was still buildingwith wood, brick and mortar!

He tells us that his father, Elder Vivian Connors, was a builder himself, andthat he had worked with his father from young. But he was not only learning thetrade of building, he was also learning theology, for they would inevitablyland up discussing theology whenever they worked together. Is this not whatDeuteronomy 6:7 is all about?

Well, we landed up discussing theology at every opportunity too. And whatextraordinary oneness of faith and understanding with each other. I do notthink that the oneness of our understanding is inevitable since we hold to thesame confession of faith. The fact is that I have known many brethren who holdto the same confession as us, but whom we may disagree in many ways. In fact,my discovery of similarity with Ps Connors and other EPC ministers and eldersare found not in the statements of our Confession which we assume we are allagreed on, but on the areas that are outside the explicit expressions of theConfession. What could explain this similarity but the illuminating work of theSpirit?

The opportunities we had to meet up with the members in the congregation priorto the camp was also very edifying. My wife met up with the ladies when theyhad a gathering in the park. She was pleasantly surprised to find that thesubject of small talk is doctrine and theology and books read, rather thanthings mundane as often is the case in most ladies’ gatherings. That night,when I met up with the elders and deacons for a meal, we again had a mostmeaningful conversation. They asked about the origin of PCC, and shared theirown struggles. It was as if we had known each other for ages! Could it be amutual recognition of the image of Christ stamped in our hearts?

Smithton, our Camp Site

We left for Smithton (North West Tasmania) on Thursday in a rented 12-seaterbus, which the Launceston Deacon’s Court paid for, so that Ps and Mrs Connorscould drive us up. We made a detour to the spectacular Cradle Mountain andLake, which reminded us of the greatness of God as displayed in His wondrouscreation. In all, the journey took several hours, but it was made short bytheological discourses!

I spoke on the parables at the camp. I think there were about 100 or sopresent, mainly from two congregations (Launceston and Winnaleah), though therewere others from the mainland and beyond. It was such a wonder for us to see somany teenagers at the camp. In so many conservative congregations that we havevisited over the years (in Singapore, U.S. and U.K.), we have found only ahandful of teens because they have either left the church altogether or leftfor ‘more exciting and contemporary’ churches. Could it be that the EPC’sstrong emphasis on covenant family responsibilities has been instrumental inrooting their children in the faith? It appears to me that the EPC has the bestof the Dutch tradition (via the Protestant Reformed Church in America, I think)and the Scottish tradition (via the Westminster Confession of Faith and Catechisms,and the Practice of the Free Church of Scotland). As a student ofthe Scriptures and of Church History, I am quite convinced that this is wherethe biblical balance, in terms of ministry and doctrine, may be found.

We were very encouraged by the evident working of the Spirit of Christ in thehearts of the hearers, and also by the remarks by numerous persons that theyhad been helped by the studies.

But one thing we found to be very different in this camp as compared to churchcamps that we have attended is the informality and spontaneity of the attendees(except on the Sabbath). There were numerous games organised for the youngpeople. Many of the older folks joined in too and participated heartily. Whosays the Reformed faith must produce staid and formal Christians?

Herrick and Winnaleah

Smithton is to the west of Tasmania,while Winnaleah, where Ps Mark Shand ministers, is towards the east. It was avery long and twisty drive, which involves crossing a couple of mountainranges. But again the journey was made pleasant by the beautiful scenery by dayand warm Christian fellowship by night.

Most of the members in the Winnaleah congregation live in Herrick, though thechurch building is in Winnaleah, about 10 minutes away. Pastor Mark and MrsSuzie Shand and their children live in Herrick, in a 40-acre plot of land, in ahouse built by Ps Chris Connors years ago. Ps Shand was recently ordained tothe ministry, having graduated from PRS about half a year ago. He was aQueen’s Counsel before heeding the Lord’s call to serve Him. A builder buildingin the Temple of God; a lawyer serving in the Court ofthe King. Who will the Lord call next?

Here in Herrick, Tasmania, unlike in the mainland or inLaunceston, the children go to a parent-supervised covenant school founded bythe church (rather than being home-schooled). I can see the advantage of havingsuch a school, which in many ways may even be better than home-schooling.Perhaps the establishment of such a school in our church may be the way weshould look towards for the education of our children. In saying this, we oughtto remember that most, if not all, of the “Christian schools” in Singapore areonly a little more than “glorified public school,” just as one EPC brother putsit in reference to the Australian schools.

The evening before we left for Launceston again, the congregation gathered atPs Shand’s home for an Aussie barbecue. The food was sumptuous, but it was thedelectable fellowship that really warmed our hearts! We had the opportunity tomeet some of the brethren who were unable to go to the camp, as well as tocatch up with some friends we made at the camp, including Pastor and MrsBurley. Ps Burley is semi-retired after suffering poor health due to overworksome years back. He is now serving the Lord as a pulpit supply wherever theLord calls. This way, the church benefits from his gifts and years ofexperience, without his having to take on heavy pastoral burdens.

The night ended with a psalmody, that is, a psalm singing session, whereparticipants could choose their favourite Psalms. We enjoyed the time. But itwas particularly heartening to see the children requesting for particularPsalms to be sung. Oh, may the Lord grant us that our children will grow tolove the Psalms too.

Conclusion

Our final night was spent with Ps and Mrs Connors in Launceston. The nextmorning, we were again facing the poignancy of parting. But as had happened onevery occasion of parting throughout this trip, our sadness was mitigated bythe mutual promise that the Lord willing, we will meet each other again… “ifnot in this life, in glory!”

The EPC is 40 years old. PCC is only approaching our 3rd year. Yet, we are sosimilar in our convictions. Many of the difficulties that we are facing today werealso faced by the EPC: which explains their extraordinary sympathy towards ourcause. The EPC has learned some hard lessons along the way, and have proven byexperience the words of our Lord, that the gates of hell shall not prevailagainst His Church. Will not the experiences of these our brethren down-underalso be helpful to us when we come to similar crises? Will Christ, the Head ofthe Church, in the unfolding of His Providence, bring the history of ourchurches to cross again in such a way that it becomes intertwined?