Coburg Baptist Church is experiencing wonderful spiritual growth among its congregation with attendance doubling over the past 18 months, due to a focus on evangelism and discipleship. The church has courageously embarked on a new street evangelistic outreach to the Coburg area, as well as discipling newcomers through bible study groups, sermons, a weekly prayer night, and a new Kids Church program.
“We went out on the streets on a Saturday to share the gospel, after doing some training with Australia For Jesus, and around 30 people heard the gospel and 13 people prayed the sinner’s prayer,” said Senior Pastor Dachan Kim. “We were prepared for the outreach to be difficult and for people to potentially be resistant to hearing the gospel, but we were quite surprised at how ready people were to listen. We are planning to do this once a month for six months, and then to have a church leader dedicated to this ministry as we aim for every resident of Coburg to hear the gospel and to be saved.”
Dachan said wonderful things have been happening, and it has been amazing to see three people had been baptised recently, with more baptisms planned for the near future. One of these people had a special answer to a heartfelt prayer and then felt the Holy Spirit drawing him to come to church. There he felt the warm welcome from the people and was discipled at a bible study. After five months he gave his life to the Lord. Another person asked for prayer and was delivered from a heavy feeling of depression and loneliness. “The Holy Spirit was working in her heart and she felt a weight had been lifted off, and felt peace,” Dachan said. “Another young man has been coming to church with his parents and has grown so much in his faith through the youth bible study that he was preaching about Jesus at a friend’s birthday party.”
Coburg’s demographic has changed in recent years with many young families moving to the area to renovate old houses, and this has prompted the church to offer more programs for children and their parents. “We did some work on our playground and started a Kids Church program to serve these families, as well as running a parenting seminar and bible studies for them about how to live a godly life as mothers and fathers, husbands and wives. The kids love their program, and because of this it is sometimes the children who are bringing their parents along to church!”
“People have told us they appreciate the warm welcome at church, and that it’s the Word of God being preached that they keep coming back for. We’re particularly focusing on how to live out our faith, through the sermons, the bible studies and other evangelism and discipleship gatherings. I think the Holy Spirit is really working powerfully – He’s penetrating people’s minds and hearts.”
Next year, after renovations of the hall are complete, the church hopes to start a playgroup and an Alpha course.