I am the vine

One of the first things I attended in my first month working here was a local Faith Leaders' Network. 
I was blown away that (a) someone would bother organising such a group and (b) that it is well-attended by local Christian organisations from various denominations - Pentecostal, Charismatic, Anglican, Catholic, Uniting, and also para-church or faith-based social justice organisations like the 247 Prayer Movement or HomeGround catering. This has not always been my experience. Often denominations are known for their stalwart convictions that set them apart from another rather than the core truths of Jesus that unite us. 

At the first meeting someone shared about FaithValues a relatively new organisation seeking to work with the main religious bodies in Australia to generate a worldviews curriculum called General Religious Education that schools would be HAPPY to include in their curriculum and teachers would be ABLE to clearly teach from their secular point of view. 

Since this first meeting, I have been to the launch of this new organisation and am attending a zoom webinar entitled 'Distinctively Christian in Secular Education' next week. 
God is moving! He is at work in this space!

I am so excited that the possibility of Christian Education is legitimately back on the table for Victoria, and perhaps Australia. I am excited by the government being on board with this development and that schools are asking for this sort of resource. 

With such a multicultural society, we as Christians must be willing to work together across denominations to keep the opportunity of young people being exposed to the Christian message in schools POSSIBLE.  And yet, it is perhaps the ability to not be able to work together as Christians that may be the downfall of such an important development in secular education in Australia. 

Jesus says, "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." - John 15:5
Such a powerful verse about the unity of believers with Christ. We may have different 'flavours' but together, we must keep the main thing, the main thing.

Will you join me in praying for the FaithValues organisation, the cooperation and unity of fellow Christian stakeholders, and that God would keep moving to bring about his purposes in secular education?

If you'd like more information on FaithValues you can chat to Amy more about it. 
If you'd like to join the webinar next Thursday 23rd May from 7-8pm addressing the question: "How can Christians serve an education system for it to flourish in a more secular and multicultural age?" Click this link to register: https://tinyurl.com/mt2upepp

Blessings
Rev Amy