AUSTRALIA

For this country profile we interviewed Rev. Graeme Hart who is the pastor in McKinnon RP in Melbourne!

Tell us a bit about Melbourne and what you love most about the city?

Melbourne is the second-largest city in Australia and the capital of the state of Victoria. It has an ethnically diverse population of around 5 million people. Pre-COVID lockdown days, Melbourne boasted in the title of being Australia’s capital of culture, coffee, fashion, food, education, and sport. It still is the home of the famed Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) and the Australian Football League (AFL). It still is home to 7 Australian universities and also five university satellite campuses. But where Melbourne was once known as the most liveable city in the world, pride goes before the fall, and it is now best known as the most locked-down city in the world!

The second part of your question is an interesting one - what do I love most about the city? While Melbourne is not my original hometown, there are many things I love about it. The ethnic diversity, the public transport, its rich variety of shops, cafes, restaurants, industry, manufacturing, and the headquarters of popular brands, many of which are ‘just around the corner’ in the next suburb.

Where is your favourite place in Australia that a traveller to the country must visit?

Oh boy! That's a hard question because Australia is a really big country with a smorgasbord of choices to amazing places. However, being Tasmanian born, I can't go past recommending this ‘wee’ island with its stunning coastlands, rich history, dense wilderness, fresh seafood and produce, and super-chilled people. That said no one will regret a road trip through either the highlands of Australia or the outback to the red centre. With such a diversity of places, it's difficult to narrow it down to one place. What it does mean, if you do come for a visit, you’ll have to stay awhile!

What are the particular challenges facing Melbourne and Australia as a whole at the present time?

In the 2016 national census, 52% of Australians identified as being ‘Christian’ (down from 61% in 2011). Those who identified as having ‘no religion’ increased from 22% (2011) up to 30% (2016). When our latest census figures are released I expect the decline in Christianity and increase in ‘no religion’ to continue.

According to these statistics, Australia is becoming more secular, individualistic, and irreligious. Consequently, the general population’s view of Christianity varies between apathy to hostility, suspicion to derision. Whenever I’m asked “What do you do for a job?” the moment people find out I’m a minister/pastor/preacher, the conversation stalls faster than a learner driving a manual car! There are exceptions, predominantly among migrants, the curious, or those who’ve experienced a positive Christian background.

That said, people will accept you readily enough if you don’t push Christianity on them. Occasionally slipping it into the conversation lets people know what you believe, but if you focus on it too much, they turn off pretty quickly. Yet, some neighbourhood/workplace basics never seem to go out of fashion: loving one’s neighbour as oneself, winning their trust and friendship, being a good listener, asking good questions, helping out where you can, and having an undergirding confidence in Christ and his gospel.

In 2013 a significant event occurred. The Federal Government established The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. For those not familiar with a Royal Commission it is the highest form of public inquiry on matters deemed to be of public importance established only in rare and exceptional circumstances. This commission investigated allegations of child sexual abuse in institutional settings which had been emerging for many years.

Among the institutions highlighted, the Catholic Church was called out for special attention and criticism. They weren’t the only denomination affected. Many other denominations were caught in the commission’s dragnet. It was a necessary and difficult commission, whose public rebuke shamed the church and whose recommendations have sharpened the church’s responsibility and accountability to care for the young and vulnerable. It’s a shame that it took a secular government body to wake up the church in this area. In the wash up, it seems Christianity in Australia has become increasingly unpleasant on the palate of Australians because of their failures in this area.

Add to this the current hostile climate and socially progressive narrative which believes Christianity is dangerous, full of bigots, and practices quackery. In our own state of Victoria, the government is particularly and openly hostile to the Christian church. They have passed and still continue to pass legislation and which penalises Christian belief and practice.

These things make it challenging, but not impossible, to honour (1 Peter 2:13-17); pray for (1 Timothy 2:1-2); and submit to (Rom 13:1-6) governing authorities. We need the constant reminder that the path to glory is the path of suffering. Oh how we need the work of Spirit to obey our Lord in this!

It’s also easy to be frustrated and disheartened. It’s easy to think that a change of leader/government will fix the problem. It doesn’t and it won’t. We live in a broken world governed by broken people. Our hope is in Christ alone - not the government. Jesus is still on his throne, still ruling over all people, still has all power and authority, all other powers and rulers are still subject to him and are still unwittingly unfolding his plan for the good of his church and his great glory.

How did you come to be serving God in Melbourne?

From 2008-2010 I was an associate pastor at the Geelong RPC, serving alongside Rev. Andrew Stewart. McKinnon RPC was vacant and looking for a minister to help in the work of revitalisation. At the time I didn't think I was suitable for revitalisation; I was more interested in church planting. Add to this there fact I did not have a desire to live in Melbourne again - I had lived there two years after leaving Tasmania and working in secular employment. However, as I committed the call to the Lord he change my heart regarding living in the city and the idea of revitalising accommodation. So the day before Christmas 2010 we moved up to Melbourne. I have been the pastor of McKinnon RPC for nearly 11 years now.

Tell us about McKinnon RPC and how the church is serving in the local area

Serving in the local area for us means two things: serving in the immediate suburb of McKinnon; and serving in our own neighbourhoods.

Before the pandemic hit in March 2020 nearly 50 people were in attendance each week. This year we have been tracking around 40 people. Even though the numbers are small there is quite a diversity of people in ages and ethnic backgrounds. Over half do not have an RP background.

This year the church celebrated its 75th anniversary. We made plans to have an open day, advertised in the community, invited people to come along and also see the newly renovated building at the same time. Sadly, a couple of days before we were due to have the open day lockdown occurred and we have not been able to have the open day as planned.

The renovation of the church building which took place last year (2020) caught the attention of everyone who went by this once semi-dilapidated and much-ignored little church. Some even thought the renovation was going to be someone’s home! But no, it's still the church, and the McKinnon congregation of the RPCA still worship there. We have had a few visitors since we reopened, and some have stayed.

Another way in which we serve is through an English conversational class for people wanting to improve their English. This was held in the church before the renovation but transitioned over to Zoom and still continues on that medium. A couple of students have attended the church and one comes quite regularly.

A couple of ladies serve the Afghan community by teaching English at a community facility. One of them is part of a group that is trying to help Afghans get out of Afghanistan.

I'm sure there is much more that we can do in our local community including formally organised outreach by the congregation but one of our main issues is lack of personnel to drive, promote and participate in such activities. Yet, the congregation is encouraged to connect with their neighbours and serve them where and how they can for the sake of the gospel.

What have been the challenges and encouragements you have experienced in serving Christ and spreading the gospel in Melbourne?

To make this list easier to read I will use dot-point format.

Some of the challenges I have experienced include:

- The seeming constant lack of personnel who have a servant heart and are willing to put the hand to the plough.

- The constantly small participation in our mid-week prayer and Bible study.

- The various issues addressed through pastoral care and even formal church discipline.

- The general disinterest from people when they know I’m a minister and when I weave into the conversation snippets of the gospel, the Bible or Jesus. Australia is a very hard country to reach with the gospel but God has and is opening up avenues of opportunity especially among the migrants.

- Most young people growing up today don't know anything about the Bible. That presents a challenge and opportunity. A challenge because they don't know anything so you can't assume anything, One needs to start with the absolute basics. But it’s also an opportunity because it allows you to start at the beginning with the basics and paint the picture which shows their problem and their need of Christ.

Some of the encouragements include:

- The prayer and financial support during the years of revitalisation from people and churches outside the RPCA.

- Seeing God build the church over the years and answer specific prayer for people.

- The baptisms of infants and young adults.

- The profession of faith of our covenant children declaring their allegiance to Christ as young adults.

- Seeing some of the young people willing to serve in different capacities.

- Seeing the church welcome visitors and endeavour to get alongside those from different backgrounds.

- Having local elders to work alongside in the session rather than interim elders helping from a distance (but I am thankful for their help too!).

- The six-month pastoral exchange with Robert M McCollum (RPCI) in 2017.

- The completion of the renovation of our church building in early 2021.

- Seeing Brandon Fisher (elder) complete his M.Th degree with hopes to church plant in the future.

- Having young people from the RPCI, RPCS, and RPCNA worshipping with us for a year while on a 12-month working visa (which I believe the Australian government is now extending to 3 years post-pandemic - hint, hint!!).

I’m sure there are many more challenges and encouragements I could add but this gives you a taste of some of the hard providences and also the merciful providences he has placed on our way.

How can we be praying for the people of Melbourne and the work you are doing?

- Pray we would be learning to place Christ and his gospel at the centre of our lives.

- Pray for God to raise up men from among us to be future elders.

- Pray God would move people to serve where they can.

- Pray for God to extend our gospel presence despite our weakness and outside hostility.

- Pray God would give us a calm joyful confidence in the gospel and it’s power, it’s reach and freedom.

- Pray we make the gospel attractive and are able to show people how much better living God’s way is than a postmodern highly individualistic culture.

- Pray that God would keep us faithful to him despite rising pressure from our state government and society’s values.

Psalm 126

The Intolerance of Tolerance (D. A. Carson)

The Messenger