Mark Dever, Philip Van Steenburg and I traveled in Australia during most of August. Mark gave 29 talks/lectures/sermons in Brisbane and Sydney and I gave seven talks/sermons in Tamworth. We had countless conversations with pastors and those in training as well as many small group interactions. Best of all for 9Marks audio listeners we recorded five new interviews (due out in 2010) with:
- Bruce Winter--formerly the warden of Tyndale House in Cambridge and now the principal at Queensland Theological College
- Michael Bennett--author of Christianity Explained
- William Taylor--Senior Minister at St. Helen's Bishopgate in London
- Phillip Jensen--Dean of Sydney and senior minister of St. Andrew's Cathedral in Sydney
- Matt Chandler-- Senior Pastor of The Village Church in a suburb of Dallas, TX who happened to be traveling in Australia the same time we were.
- The evangelistic effort is broader than merely what's happening in Sydney. Yes, the evangelical church is tiny in Australia, but it exists beyond the city.
- We spoke to loads of young, vibrant ministers which speaks well of the future of the church.
- I was very surprised how well known 9Marks material was among the various groups we spoke to. Mike McKinley is a known commodity down under!
- I was equally surprised at how well versed our Australian friends are on the entire American evangelical scene. Honestly? I ran into loads of people who knew more particulars about Tim Keller and Mark Driscoll and John Piper than I do. It appears many of our Australian brothers and sisters download and listen a lot. This speaks to both the opportunity and responsibility we Americans have for good content.
- A minister described (to his face) Phillip Jensen as the "oldest angry young man he had ever met." I think I know what he means. At age 62 Phillip has the fight of a young man. He bucks against the system when the system is broken. He fails to conform when the gospel is at stake. He labors to train men and women for gospel ministry with unmatched vigor. No doubt Phillip is wrong on some fronts. But more of us (myself included) should risk being wrong for the sake of doing right!
