Marketplace Groups and Networks

Christian Police Network
Victoria - August 2003

It is with great pleasure that we can report that a Christian Police Network (CPN) is now operative in the Victorian Police Force.

 

The background to this news is the demise of the previous Christian Police Association. From this there was a real concern about the lack of an effective Christian group in the Victoria Police - and the need to implement the Biblical strategy of Matthew 13:31. When we read of police corruption in our papers, for example, our hearts go out to this vital need to see our police force seeded with effective Christian influence.

 

Accordingly connections were made between CBMA (Christian Business Men Australia: www.cbmaustralia.org) and Paul Mellick, Senior Sergeant at the Northcote Police Station. CBMA were able to assist Paul in networking Christians in the police force. For your general information, this position of Senior Sergeant is akin to the position of GM in a business of 80 staff operating a $9m complex.

 

Paul has now established the Christian Police Network - primarily connecting Christian police by email for prayer, mutual support and encouragement. Let us pray for this work to grow and prosper. If you have other appropriate connections for Paul, you may email them to: Paul Mellick.

 

Northcote is part of Darebin. In this area Paul infuses his faith into every aspect of his work. He prays for safety for his staff and the community. God has shown him how to administer the station to such a degree that other station Commanders are now coming to him to learn how to introduce similar systems. Paul sees Northcote as his "Spiritual" turf and has a heart to infuse this area with the Kingdom work of Christ at every opportunity. His staff love working for him and don't want to leave working at this station. It has a bright, happy disposition that is in stark contrast to the previous administration.

 

In closing I would like to pass on to you a story Paul related to me last week... He was speaking with a non-Christian officer who mentioned that his mother was in hospital near death. Paul asked if his mother was a Christian, and he said “no”. So Paul asked  the officer to take a Christian tract to read to his mother. This he did. The non-Christian officer read this Christian tract to his mother in hospital and then asked her if she would like to become a Christian... to which she replied “yes”. So the non-Christian read the prayer from the tract to his mom and she accepted Christ into her heart. Two days later she died.

 

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Christian Mission to
the New Age Movement

The Community of Hope was founded in 1991 By the Ross Clifford, Principal of the Morling Baptist Theological College and Philip Johnson, lecturer in Alternative Religions and Cults at the Presbyterian Theological College in Sydney . Philip is involved in post Graduate research on Modern Spiritual Phenomena and is a much sought after speaker on the New Age.

In Victoria The Community of Hope is under the direction of the Harold Taylor, former Vice Principal of the Bible College of Victoria.

The Community of Hope consists of people from different churches committed to encouraging the nurture, growth and spiritual healing of the whole person. It affirms and celebrates what Jesus taught and practiced, and believes that the meaning of life and the answers to peoples deepest needs are found in following Him.

In reaching out to spiritual seekers, the COH has developed strategies, methods and specific dialogue to point people to Jesus Christ. It aims to create a presence at local new age festivals and other such venues. It seeks to work with Christians from local participating churches Australia wide and offers:

  • hands-on training in sharing Jesus the in marketplace

  • invitations to churches to participate and/or act as a referral centre for suitable courses

  • development of appropriate methods of bringing the gospel to spiritual seekers.    

Teams of volunteers have participated from it’s inception in the Mind Body spirit festivals in Sydney, Melbourne and other venues - presenting the Good News  in a thoughtful, relevant and contemporary way.

The Community of Hope is part of a larger network: the Global Apologetics and Mission Ltd. This ministry seeks to help people understand the contemporary scene. It explores issues relating to post modern thinking and its influence in shaping worldviews, and social and spiritual understanding and practice.

Over the years the COH has been supported by other Christian organisations such as: Mission Enterprises, Evangelical Alliance , Forge Mission Training Network and The Bible Society of Victoria .

The COH has now reached a new stage of development and is actively seeking the services of a Part-Time Director and a voluntary Part-Time Administrator / Coordinator.

For more details please contact:

Harold Taylor
PO . Box 54 , Seville , Victoria 3139.
Phone (03) 9807-1167
Email: comhope@bigpond.com  

 

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