Island View Cottage. 4 Ocean View Rise Nilgen (P.O. Box 392 Lancelin 6044) Western Australia. 23 January 2026
Dear Friends,
Lorraine and I returned home from Perth last night after a long weekend of church, friends, and a challenging CMS (Church Missionary Society) Annual Dinner. Kanishka and Cailey Raffel flew across from Sydney, and Kanishka delivered a Bible Study on Psalm 22. He explained that missionaries go out expecting to suffer for Christ. Then he added that daily cross-bearing is Jesus’ command to all Christians, not just missionaries. Peter Sholl, the International Director then spoke about CMS’s main principles, one of which is proclaiming the cross and living a cross-shaped life. ” Next a returned missionary couple spoke about their time in the Middle East. When they spoke of the members of their persecuted community , they both wept. The whole evening revolved around suffering for Christ; as the world becomes increasingly uncertain and conflict breaks out in many places, it seems that we need to reflect heavily on our preparedness for this.
Ministry in 2025
We began 2025 looking after the cathedral at Geraldton. If I am not preaching fairly often, I feel I am not doing my job, so it was good to be back in the saddle. We ended the year preaching at Christmas and New Year services in Kununurra in the far north. In November Deborah called us to Canberra to help with the kids and getting their house ready for sale, so they can buy into her electorate. She is now Deputy Leader of the ACT Liberals, and Adam was elected President of the ACT Liberal Party while we were there. They are under pressure because of their Christian commitment. It was interesting being in a political household, and it confirmed me in my gratitude to be working for the kingdom of heaven. This-world politics seems to be a lot about pulling people down; God’s politics is about building them up. We drove across the Nullarbor and back and had one week at home before answering the call to Kununurra. The temperature there usually hovers around 40 at this time of the year, but as it turned out, it was hotter in Perth. We had a ball: a lively congregation of sandalwood farmers, cotton farmers, truckies, grader-drivers, school teachers, policemen, and the rest. My treat was when one of the farmers took me to a favourite waterhole in his helicopter, to fish for barramundi. We lifted off at 5am and headed west across a dramatic landscape of red rocks and deep fissures, until we reached the delta country near Wyndham. Five rivers converge and meet the ocean together. We landed by a watercourse near the King River. The first three fish I caught we released as they were too big! Above 80 cms they breed and must be released. My first two were 89 and 87 cms. They are great fighters. After fishing two waterholes and taking home a feast, we descended on the top of a waterfall and had a refreshing swim.
Writing
Most of my year was given to writing and renovating. The Gospel of the Kingdom is being republished in USA by Matthias Media; they also asked me to write an introduction to Acts for group leaders; this is now in draft form. For 15 years I have been writing a major work on Luke and Acts, which I now have ready for publication. I am thinking to call itHistorian of the Kingdom: The Mind of St Luke. I read and write in the mornings and work on the house in the afternoons. Lorraine and I are presently insulating and lining one half of an old shed so I can have a study and we can move my books from the house and breathe. I leave for Zimbabwe in 3-weeks time. My daughter Ruth gave me a ticket to Johannesburg, unused because of COVID. I will spend the month with Anthony Dandato who last year was appointed Principal of Harare Theological College. I also want to visit Rusitu Bible College in Zimbabwe’s eastern highlands, where another two GWC graduates are Principal and Vice-Principal.
Whitefield International Partners
WIP got a shock when the tax office declared us (and 10,000 other unsuspecting charities) liable to pay tax. We hastened to join the Australian Charities and Not for Profit Commission (ACNC) and were able to back-date our application to when we commenced operation. Along the way we needed to tighten up on governance and procedures. We are now only able to transfer funds to GWC, though through them we can continue to help their partner-colleges. The College continues to grow and expand its work. This year I hope to organize another appeal for its Library.
Perth
What encouraged me most at this week’s CMS Dinner was the increased number of young supporters, from a variety of churches and denominations. What a contrast to when I first came to Perth; in 7 years not one missionary went out and meetings were small. The leader of the evening was a young St Matts apprentice, now in his second year at Trinity Theological College. There are many signs of God at work. I spoke to Rory Shiner who is leading the Providence churches, which Kanishka started years ago. They are multiplying congregations and have moved onto the UWA campus. Trinity has a new Principal (Dan Cole), and Ben Rae has just returned with a PhD from Cambridge to teach Old Testament. Our son-in-law’s Westminster Presbyterian Church and Daniel’s Baptist Church are also thriving. Sadly, our Anglican diocese is mostly moribund; there is active opposition to anything “evangelical,” and it is more difficult than ever for Bible-teaching ministers to come to the diocese. A resolution at the last Synod brought it close to apostasy,in my opinion. Still, there is much good work going on, which continues to be blessed. The troops here were encouraged by a visit from Charlie Scrine, the Rector of All Souls Langham Place; he spoke on their efforts in England to keep in brotherly fellowship those who feel conscience-bound to leave the C of E, and those who hang in. Most of our chaps are hunkering down to protect their congregations; a few have left. Thank God, there is good fellowship among us all.
Memories
I am now in my eightieth year; never thought I would make it. David Mansfield has spent the year collecting material and writing The Secco Collection. I have needed to do a lot of correcting, and have been thinking hard about the past. At first, I was very negative and gave no assistance. Then I figured sixty years of walking with the Lord has led me into a few adventures which are worth recounting. At the same time, I have lost much sleep thinking about the sins, mistakes, and failures along the way. “We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts, We have offended against your holy laws, We have left undone those things which we ought to have done, And we have done those things which we ought not to have done …” These words mean more to me now, than once.
Family
Lorraine and I are well. My eyesight is becoming a problem, but hopefully something can he done. Daniel and Dora and Jacob and Matthew are in Taiwan. Dora put the boys in a local school to help their Mandarin. They return soon to a house move [presently camping in a caravan park], and for Dan another year of supermarket managing. Dora begins an apprenticeship at Albany Baptist Church. Ruth and Martin and Sophie, Jemma, Abigail, and Laura (just 4) are up to their necks at Maida Vale Westminster Presbyterian. Caris and Samuel, Alice, Sarah, and Hannah just finished a Beach Mission at Cervantes where they live. Husband Dan goes back and forth from his work in Perth. I have already mentioned Deborah and Adam. Judah and Esther are making waves. They need a house of their own; the old house is on the market.
The Future
Recently I preached in a Perth church. I explained how important it is to be sure that Jesus really did come back from the dead. I related an experience from my first year in ministry in Perth. I was walking down a hospital corridor, looked into one of the rooms, and locked eyes with an old woman, all tubed up. I couldn’t pass her by, so went in and greeted her. When she saw my clerical-collar she was not impressed and let me know that Christianity was a lot of fairy tales. When I mentioned evidence for the resurrection, she almost spat at me: “Evidence, what evidence?” She changed when she realized there was evidence, and over the next six months I witnessed her become a joyful believer. I conducted her funeral and met one of her two (Christian) daughters who were overjoyed at their mother’s coming to know the Lord Jesus. It has long frustrated me not being able to remember the old lady’s name, but I do remember the first name of one of the daughters and that she came from Darwin, so I mentioned this in the hope that someone might know. Someone did, and I had the pleasure last week of phoning her: “I am the minister who conducted your mother’s funeral fifty-two years ago; what was her name?” [We have since caught up.] Jesus is alive, and whatever may lie ahead for the world, the future is safe for those who hold to Jesus and his resurrection. For an old man this is a great strengthener.
The Lord bless you, and yours, and your church, in the year ahead. Jesus really did rise from the dead. It may have been a long time ago, but its meaning has not changed. Death challenged and lost, the world’s true king is alive, God’s kingdom is real, and the leader has promised to return.
28th January 2026 [revised 10 February]