The Witness in Our Midst

On this, our final printed edition of the Witness, we thought it fitting to print a piece about a 'hidden servant' as it were, a short profile piece about those that serve and build up our churches in their own humble way. In many ways this profile sums up the typical Baptist, many Witness readers, and the many whom we have met in the Witness pages through long years.

It is the story of the living stones*, whom God builds daily into His church, and who seek not their own kingdom, but to build the Kingdom of the one that saves, forgives, and brings hope to us all. Just as the servants play this 'building' role in our churches, so too has the Witness played this role to us all within the larger Victorian Baptist family.

Heralding good news; a testament to the Baptist pastoral heart that beats so strong; a mirror to the changes, directions, needs all around; a bridge of unity between myriad differences; sometimes a how-to of ministry, life, teaching, living; a beacon shedding light on the many multicultural expressions of following Jesus in our midst. The Witness is all this and more and ultimately a monthly reminder of the need to witness this life of grace to those living with us, close to us and far away...

May you, faithful Witness readers, continue to bask in God's grace, to guard the good deposit and to be encouraged that He is always faithful. From one grateful witness to this online Witness and to you – both the readers and the wonderful Witness team – thank you from Witness writer Anita Walker.

Every church needs more Vickis

Every church has some. Beyond the work of paid staff and a committed membership are the heart and soul people of local churches. These are the folk who are there when others leave. These are the people that help pick up the pieces when there are splits, issues, and mavericks seeking their own agendas. These are the people that see the issues in the church and play a proactive role in finding a solution. These people wear multiple hats, they multitask. From greeting at the door to organising a church newsletter. They follow up newcomers, organise lunches, cater for people in their own homes, they answer phones and are the first to arrive (and last to leave). They do whatever it takes to help the church grow. Every church has some. Sunbury Baptist Church has a number of these folk. One of them is named Vicki Stanford. She has been part of Sunbury Baptist Church for 30 years.

Within nine months of becoming part of the church she began to captain Girls’ Brigade. She fulfilled this role for 24 years until it closed. She has been the church administrator, secretary, property director, and more recently church board member. In a midst of these official roles she has counselled people, worked in the church office for 18 years, answered phones, developed newsletters, helped needy people, etc. And in all this time she has been unpaid.

What separates Vicki from the many people who ‘give away’ their life to serve others is the way she goes about things and her motivation for serving. It seems that many people who volunteer and give of their time do so for different reasons. For some it may be guilt or a desire to ‘repay’ God; for others the motive is because they have nothing better to do with their time; for others the desire is to receive the recognition; for others still, a hidden agenda to control and manipulate for their own gain.

For Vicki, it seems that neither of these have been her motivators. To be able to step away from Girl’s Brigade amicably and with grace was enough to suggest her desire to do what God wants and is best for the church in spite of the setbacks and emotional attachments we can have with ministries.

Frequently she models grace to people. She serves people with a smile and is really patient with those who have their own agendas. She never appears intent to win the argument or use the clout she has to control situations and people to get her points across. In fact, she is happy to ‘give in’ to a better idea and submit to others more than ask them to submit to her if it will lead to greater unity. Vicki is very teachable and open to learn and adapt to changing demands.  Vicki leads without power and control but by genuine authority. This type of authority is what Christ had in mind. When I quizzed her recently about why she served she said to me that her desire is to “love like he (Jesus) loves, serve like He served, give like he gives, and show compassion like he showed”. Vicki is the type of leader Jesus had in mind, a real example to us of what servant leadership is about. Every church needs more Vickis.

by Pastor James Natsis

with Anita Walker

*Living stones - 1 Peter 2:4-6" As you come to him, the living Stone — rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him — you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For in Scripture it says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”

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