Living the Mission

By Owen Dibden, Sydney Labouring Community

On an ordinary workday, I was sent to do final touches on a bathroom renovation. My friend Faran*, the glazier who installs our shower screens, rocks up. Fortunately, we were able to do our work in side-by-side rooms so we could chat. I hadn’t seen Faran for a little while so it was good to catch up and chat about the typical topic of family and fatherhood. After that initial conversation, it was open for any topic. Faran brought up a topic he had been interested in recently – the mystery of the pyramids in Egypt.

Now there is still so much mystery and discovery surrounding the pyramids, but the main questions we kept coming back to were: “How did they do that? What could have possibly done that? How did that get there? How did any of it happen?” And the only answer two tradesmen in a bathroom in the twenty-first century could come up with was, “We have no idea.”

We could only theorise, which was indeed entertaining and a fun thought experiment whilst we worked. Some theories went as far as aliens to time travel to lost technology far more advanced than what we have in current society. I saw this as an opportunity to see what my friend Faran believes.

I asked him if he believes or has faith in anything like a higher power or aliens, and he responded along the lines of: “I’m open to it all but how can we know?” I shared with him that I believe there has to be a higher power behind the creation of the world, that there is intelligent design in all of creation and I believe it is God. Faran politely acknowledged my faith and I asked him if he had any interest in researching if religion could answer his questions. He respectfully said he’s not interested. It was clear that he did not want to pursue the topic.

Despite his initial rejection to the idea, we left that job with no animosity between us. I think we both rather enjoyed having a discussion and would enjoy discussing it again. Faran left first, but as I wrapped up the job, I spoke with the clients. They overheard our conversation and were encouraged. It turns out the couple whose bathroom we had renovated were Christians. They were ministry workers for Christian Life from its grassroots days. It was very encouraging to hear from them. I felt blessed to have them prayerfully support me as we conversed. Even though I don’t consistently work side by side with other tradesmen/friends, the Lord wants me to keep pursuing evangelism whilst I work my full-time job. I hope to cross paths with Faran and others soon.

_{* Name changed for privacy}

Sydney Labouring Community Update Summer 2024

By Scott Brown

“In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.”
– John 16:23–24 –

If you’ve kept up with our updates you know we’ve repeatedly asked you to pray for more labourers – especially younger ones who will help us reach the upcoming generations for years to come. It fills us with joy to share a few ways the Lord has answered “yes” to your prayers recently.

Macquarie University

In our last update we asked you to pray for two students who were thinking of joining us in campus ministry. Gratefully, the Lord has given each of them a clear sense of calling and they have moved forward in faith!

Now, after discipling them for the last 3 years, Haven Barr and Jordan McMahon will be joining us as ministry apprentices at Macquarie University! They are both eager to labour life-on-life and to help the generation following them at Macquarie to grow in their love for God and their love for others as they fill their lives with His glorious purposes. By God’s grace, this will result in a growing community of young adults who launch new spiritual generations of labourers “rooted and built up” in the Lord (Colossians 2:7).

Please keep praying!!!!

Ask the Lord to strengthen, encourage and embolden Jordan and Haven as they respond to His call and step out in faith.
As they begin the process of raising support, ask the Lord to provide all they need to labour at Macquarie.
Ask the Lord to bring fruit through our apprentices – that generations would be built up in Him as a result of their lives and service.

Around Sydney

God has not only provided two young labourers for the campus, but He has added some younger labourers to our roster throughout the Sydney area.

Jonathan was also discipled at Macquarie during our early years in Australia. He works full-time as a business systems analyst, but is joining our Sydney team of labourers as an associate who is focusing on discipleship through the local church. In particular, he is largely discipling “tradie” men – a predominantly untargeted demographic of people who work in a trade job.

Our daughter Leah (Pieri),has taken up a position in the National Office and will be serving the Navigator community in a variety of ways. The faithful frontline office team enables us in the work of building generational labourers and is critical to everything we do. We are excited to have Leah working with us!

Mike & Sian Stucken have been a part of the Navigators for many years but have also joined our Sydney team as associates. Mike will be helping with our ministry among business professionals in the heart of the city, and together, they are discipling others in their local area on the Central Coast.

Another local, who grew up in a Navigator staff family and now works for the New South Wales Police, has recently felt the Lord leading him toward discipleship within the first responders community. Now serving as an Associate on our Sydney team, we are working together to pioneer new discipleship opportunities within the police force.

Your prayers at work

All of these people represent God’s gracious provision and your prayers at work! We are so grateful for all the Lord is doing and ask that you would continue to intercede for us, and for each of these precious labourers.

Other Prayer Requests:

Pray that each of them would bear fruit in season and that the Lord would multiply each of their lives for the glory of His name.
Pray that the gospel advances among non-believers as we work diligently side-by-side, sharing the gospel and our lives as well.
Pray the Lord will continue to raise up others to labour in the harvest field of Sydney, within Australia and throughout the Asia-Pacific region!

Scott Brown and his wife, Tami, lead the Sydney Labouring Community. To find out more or get involved with the Sydney team, contact us at navigators.org.au or visit https://navigators.org.au/staff/brownst/

_{Featured image of the Sydney Opera House by photoholgic on Unsplash.}

Get to Know – David and June Sparks

Dave and June Sparks serve on staff with the Navigators in Sydney where they are involved in many different aspects of discipleship in their community including discipling businessmen and others from their church, doing neighbourhood outreach, and looking after the national website and software connectivity. We asked them a few questions for the Summer 2020 edition of Compass.

Why do you think supporting those ministering in the workplace is so important?

Christians in the workplace are on the frontlines for witnessing and disciple-making as they live their lives alongside their co-workers. They have long-term relationships with those they rub shoulders with each day, who are watching their character, words and actions as they interact with one another. These relationships build credibility and trust as insiders for the gospel in their workplace and provide opportunities to share the hope they have in Christ on a daily basis.

These workers are not alone but are joined in unity with the majority of Christians in the world as everyday laborers for the gospel in the workplace who face similar issues, opportunities and temptations. It is so important to encourage those in the workplace who are faithfully labouring for Christ each day.

How do you find who to invest in and how do you support them well as they share Christ in the workplace?

Many of those we are meeting with began by simply keeping our eyes and ears open as we intersect with those we are in community with. We are intentional to ask other believers in our church and community how their walk with God is going. This often leads to asking if they would like to meet up to help them to continue to grow in their relationship with God and sharing Him with those in their lives. We are also careful to leave margin in our lives so that we can be available to those we are discipling as the need arises. This allows us to serve and support them well in a way that blesses them the most in different seasons of life.

It’s a joy to see growth over time and exciting to see God work through family and relational networks and to be part of a bigger picture of disciples making disciples in different contexts.