Digging Deep or Reaching More?

“Is it more important to really drill deep in relationships with folks or to try and spread ourselves thin to visit as many people as we possibly could?”
This was the question that Michael Carlisle, Bart Stingwell and the Lakes Entrance Church asked themselves after their initial bushfire response. The path they chose is opening some wonderful opportunities to share the love of Jesus throughout the far east region of Victoria and is opening the doors for a new network of micro churches being established through region.

During the bushfire response, Michael reflects, “We noticed a lot of generosity, a lot of people doing what they could. But the thing I noticed most was people needed people – and they needed people who would offer time and who would just be there to listen… and so that just enabled us as a church to respond.”
Bart and Michael believed the most important thing was to keep building the relationships and to keep responding to the needs that presented, helping to rebuild not only livelihoods but actual lives. Something that has set the Lakes Entrance crew apart is that they didn’t just blow in while the bushfires were big news or during COVID – “we are here doing this work, week after week, turning up again and again and just building these long-term relationships. With people making comments such as “Oh, you are the guy that keeps coming back.” And so that’s one of the things we’re really proud of, is that we are building those deeper relationships.

Michael says, “It’s been quite funny because one man who we visit, has been trying to work out who the minister is, and I’ve just got work clothes like the rest of the guys, and he can’t work it out. But he’s got this idea of this priestly person that will look quite different, and so I think we’re kind of modelling something that’s more Jesus-like than people’s picture of what church is, and I think that speaks volumes. An old farmer told me years ago, ‘Michael, shine your light before you honk your horn.’ And that’s just what we’re doing. We’re just out there engaging and praying and trusting God will give us opportunity to speak into these situations because the actions have already been credible.”

As relationships have grown, faith has naturally come into Michael and Bart’s conversation and many people have wanted to talk about their own faith. Some asked to meet regularly to read the bible and pray together.

“One day when I (Michael) was introducing Bart to someone, explaining a shift in personnel and asking if it would be ok for him to have their number she said, ‘Oh, I wonder, would they be able to have a time with me where they could maybe share a verse from the Bible and pray?’ We think there are many like this who would like the opportunity, in the right context, to rekindle their faith.”

Bart also reflects, “In general, people are receptive… Because we’ve been prepared to roll up our sleeves and help them in a time of need, they then become more receptive to anything that we are prepared to offer, for example, to talk about our faith. We don’t go out there to just intentionally drill into somebody what we believe in, but it’s a natural part of the way we live to talk about the faith that we have and about who Jesus is. And because all that hard work has been done, which has included many cups of tea and times of listening to stories, it’s like a door opener and it builds that respect. People are then prepared to be open and hear what we might have to say in those times, if it is appropriate. There have been numbers of times where people have indicated to one or other of us that we have saved their lives, and literally meant that.”

“We don’t have to have this great strategy. We are just ordinary blokes surrounded by other ordinary people who are reaching out to people in their very ordinary situations. And we’ve got phenomenal good news – and I’ve followed Jesus for most of my life and I’m still astounded by all that God has got in the salvation that he provides for us in Jesus, and life, and life for eternity. And man, that’s great news. And it’s just sharing that in ordinary ways with people and seeing what God does.”

Prior to the Bushfires (and of course Covid-19) LEBC had been considering a church plant in nearby Orbost. “We believe that it is up to us to ‘go’ more than expect people to come 50 kms or 250 kms.

Many people living in the area have no ready access to a church fellowship due to remoteness, so Michael was considering setting up small gatherings with a simple format, such as a barbecue with conversation on spiritual matters and scripture readings.

Having attended a BUV Reimagine Mission training workshop on Micro churches, Michael realised that what he was doing had a name! ‘To be able to link in with the BUV and others to explore and expand this further is exciting.”

Over the past two years LEBC has also been sharing the good news through a young mums’ Bible study, a boat-lovers’ group, Messy Church both inside and at the Lakes Entrance foreshore, and through Tiny Turtles community playgroup, where a young mum has just made a decision to follow Jesus.

It is experiencing these moments that assure Michael and Bart that there is so much potential to expand these micro church gatherings through the region over time. “I think it’s up to God to take care of the numbers, how many folks are able to respond and how quickly that happens. And sometimes in our mind we might like to think, well, wouldn’t it be great if there was more? But I guess we can just be faithful in responding to the people that he puts in front of us and the opportunities that he gives us”