Imagine Darlinghurst

Mike was recently interviewed by Crossover Australia – check out the video!

In Search of the Missional Pastor

Following recent media attention that Imagine – Surry Hills Baptist Church and our pastor, Mike Hercock, have received, we would like to reiterate our position on the issue of marriage equality. 

The following statement was recently supplied to the Baptist Union of NSW as a synopsis of our position. Click the image for a PDF (25k).

Please contact Nigel Chapman, Church Secretary, with any inquiries on <nigel@chapman.id.au>.

Thursday 12 April 2012

To whom it may concern –

This is a brief statement of the position of Surry Hills Baptist Church on the Marriage Equality legislation currently before Parliament, for which our Minister, Mike Hercock, recently made statements of support, and regarding which we have received a number of inquiries. 

Most succinctly, we believe that the sanctity of heterosexual marriage should be upheld within our Church as exclusive, AND we endorse the proposed changes to Australia’s civil marriage legislation.

We uphold the Beliefs, Objects and Values of the Constitution of the Baptist Union of New South Wales, and consider our approach to issues involving homosexuality and the gay community to be Evangelical, missional and pastoral, in what we think is the best Evangelical tradition.

We regard the gay community in our 30% gay suburb as neighbours, friends and colleagues having as much dignity and worth as anybody else. We believe that our relations with the gay community should be characterised as much by love and mission as should our relations with anybody else.

We believe that Christian marriage is not the same thing as civil marriage, and that it cannot be defined by Parliament. The Australian government administers practical and legal aspects of marriage for couples of all faiths and none, and does not and should not impose a Christian understanding of marriage upon those couples. We therefore do not believe that Christian marriage can ever be dishonoured by civil marriage legislation.

We believe that Christian Theology and theological values should generally not be legislated for non- Christians. Legislation is no substitute for persuasion, conviction or conscience, and can be actively detrimental to the formation of genuine faith.

We are concerned that in their actions and statements the Christian Lobby has been more confrontational than missional in their approach to these questions, more combative than persuasive, and that for the majority of our community their actions have reinforced the perception that Christians look upon them, and their gay friends and family and neighbours, with ignorance and irrational prejudice.

We believe that the primary effect of the Marriage Equality legislation on the everyday life of our community will be to increase the stability of relationships and allow better access to public services. We believe its primary effect on Christian mission will be that it requires our churches to develop a much more compassionate, engaged and personal response to homosexuality and to the gay community than has thus far been seen. We believe that both of these effects will be positive.

We acknowledge the legitimacy of many of the concerns that we have read, and hope this statement has clarified some of what we are and are not saying. We have not intended to cause frustration or anxiety amongst our churches, but to get on with mission in our community. We hope to work together on many of the questions that this brings to light.

Nigel Chapman, Church Secretary
nigel@chapman.id.au

Mike Hercock, Senior Minister
mike@imagine.org.au

Imagine Kids this Sunday, 5pm at Sticky, 182 Campbell St! Bring your kids, your neighbours kids and/or your long lost best friend from kindergartens’ kids!

In lieu of ‘normal’ Imagine, this Sunday we’re hosting the launch of Hope Month!

Hope Month came about from a team of volunteers who wanted to support the work of HopeStreet Urban Compassion, to whom much of our DNA as a church comes from. It’s a great opportunity to (eat lots of yummy desserts, and) get in behind some of the work that HopeStreet does across the Sydney inner city.

Come along this Sunday, 6.30pm at Sticky, 182 Campbell St.

www.hopemonth.com

Tomorrow is Good Friday! We’ll be having a shared breakfast at 9.30am, Bronte Park at the picnic spots by Bayview St. Bring something “breakfasty” to share! Flick Rhett a text [0424877662] if you can’t find us, or if the weather is dodgy and you need to know what’s happening! (NB: No “normal” Imagine on Sunday.)

Just a bit of advance warning on what Imagine is up to for Easter next weekend.

On Good Friday (April 6th) we’ll be having a shared breakfast at Bronte Beach from 9.30am. Please bring some breakfast type food to share. If you need a ride, or can offer a seat or two, please get in touch with Rhett – rhett@imagine.org.au. Wet weather venue will be advised on here and on FB if required. Text Rhett on the day if you’re trying to find us at the beach – 0424877662.

And, as many people are heading away for the Easter break and school holidays, we won’t be running a ‘normal’ Imagine on the Sunday (April 8th). If you’re keen to get some people together and celebrate the day tho, please feel free. Let Rhett know and he can spread the word…

But we’ll hopefully see you this Sunday anyway – 5pm @ Sticky, 182 Campbell St Mike is leading, so no promises of sultanas!

Happening again in 2012, our forum on homosexuality and Christian pastoral ministry, on the weekend of Mardi Gras.

• A Different Conversation (Website)

Enquiries: Rhett Pearson <rhett@imagine.org.au>; phone: 0424 877 662.

Speakers and Participants

• Rev. Matt Glover – former pastor, Lilydale Baptist Church, Melbourne
• Major Paul Moulds – Oasis Youth Support Network, Salvation Army
• Rodney Croome – Campaign Coordinator, Australian Marriage Equality
• Paul Martin – Principal Psychologist, Centre for Human Potential, Brisbane
• Jon Owen – Urban Neighbours of Hope
• Rev. Cathryn McKinney – St Martins Community Church, Melbourne
• Rev. Mike Hercock – Imagine Surry Hills Baptist Church; Founder, 100 Revs, and
• Craig from the incredible documentary “Holding Hands.” We recommend you watch the trailer from “Holding Hands” – it’s powerful stuff: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRBMKK6fPjY

Provisional Program

SATURDAY 3RD // Morning – Personal Story. Jon Owen, Muddy Spirituality and Sexual Identity – Panel Discussion with Rev. Glen Powell and Rev. Cathryn McKinney // Morning Tea – Anthony Venn-Brown, A History of Mardi Gras and Homosexuality in Australia – Paul Martin, Homophobia, Homo-prejudice, A Different Way Forward // Lunch – Matt Glover – Paul Martin – Gender workshops Rev. Mike Hercock, Masculinity in a Sexually Diverse World Rev. Cathryn McKinney, The Feminine in a Sexually Diverse World // Break into small groups for walking tour of Mardi Gras

SUNDAY 4TH // Personal Story. Kristina Morrison, Sexuality in the Church – Major Paul Moulds – Panel Discussion w/ Rod Benson // Lunch – Rodney Croome, Same Sex Marriage in Australia: A History and Why;  Paul Martin // Afternoon – Pastors meeting with Matt Glover Pastoral Care and Sexual Diversity; Pastoring a Church in Transition; How do we discuss same-sex marriage in our church?

Register

It’s shaping up to be a brilliant weekend, so to confirm your spot please copy and email the following registration form to Rhett Pearson <rhett@imagine.org.au>.

Make payments by Bank transfer to Imagine, BSB 062258, Account 10959472. (Please use ADC and your name as a reference.)

NAME:      

ADDRESS:

EMAIL:

MOBILE:   

[  ]  Both days. ($100)
[  ]  Saturday 10 AM TO 4 PM + Parade. ($60)
[  ]  Sunday 10 AM to 4 PM  ($50)

Edit, Sunday: Actually, we’re at The Warehouse. The weather isn’t looking the best.

Previous announcement read:

This Sunday there’ll be no 5pm meeting — Instead, we’ll be at Bronte Beach in the morning. Rhett writes:

No ‘normal’ Imagine this week! Instead, find us at Bronte Beach, 10.30am – 1pm ish Bring brunch types food and your best Warriors chant!

If it’s raining, we’ll announce a drier venue here, on Facebook and Twitter as well as through the email newsletter — see the sidebar to subscribe to these if you haven’t yet.

If cycling down, meet at Taylor Square at 10:00 AM (phone Nigel or Davina to meet up on the way, e.g. at Bondi Junction).

– Nigel.

We’re covering Colossians over the next month or two at Imagine. We kicked this off on Sunday night with an introduction to the letter and to the city of Colossae in the first century.

• Download the handout (240K, PDF)

The outline of the letter runs as follows:

1. 1:1–14, Greetings, thanksgiving and prayer.*
2. 1:15–23, Christ and the Gospel.
3. 1:24–2:7, Paul’s attitude to ministry.
4. 2:8–32, Compromises with Jewish and Pagan philosophies and with Jewish laws, which undermine freedoms attained in Christ.
5. 3:1–4:1, Christian conduct, incl. household codes from 3:18.
6. 4:2–6, Closing exhortations.*
7. 4:7–18, Comments addressed to specific people.*

Thus far we’ve covered parts 1, 6 and 7 in setting the scene, and will turn to the larger topics in the centre as we run through.

— Nigel.