Have you ever wondered, why is our church in the city?
After all, parking is a hassle.
Getting in is also a challenge if someone isn’t in the lobby letting you in & swiping you to the 10th floor.
Why do we have worship at 10:15 am instead of 11 am?
We could have slept in another 45 minutes.
Everyone else has their service starting at 11 – 11:15 am.
Why do we have to do so much for church?
We’re tired from a busy week of work.
The pastors are paid to run church; we’re not.
We have other engagements: friends to see, errands to run.
Why do we have a church service in the city every Saturday at 10:15 am, which requires so much effort and participation?
Because there are 135,959 people living in the City of Melbourne (as of 2016, a 45% population increase from 2011, with a forecast to go up to 175,000 by 2020) and most of them have no idea who Jesus really is – or what He offers: an abundant life of meaningful relationships that last into eternity. Freedom from guilt, stress, anxiety, addictions, and monotony. Truth that helps us live for what matters.
So we meet every Saturday to create a safe place where people can explore a Christ-centred worldview. People who may be walking by Collins Street and see our signs. People who feel the Holy Spirit prompting them to seek something more and google a church in the City. People who used to go to church as children but haven’t been for years but are interested in giving it another go. People who are turned off by church customs for tradition’s sake and want to experience a simple service that is just about God. People who want a community that is open to individuals of all backgrounds and faith journeys. People who may have been going to church for years but don’t really know what it’s like to experience God.
We are a small church, but we have a big dream: not to just be a church in the City, but to be a church for the City – meeting the needs of those who live here, ministering to them, helping them know and love Jesus … to be a church of the City, made up of those individuals who then decide to join our community… to be a church where faith in and knowledge of Jesus can grow in a safe environment, nurtured by genuine friendships, spiritual conversations, and Biblical exploration.
That is why we have the service starting at 10:15 am, with topics ranging from Taming your Temper to Dealing with Suffering: Why so much evil in the world? That is why we have the Exchange at 11:30 am where we can discuss questions that challenge us to apply the topic to our everyday life, no matter what our previous exposure to the Bible may have been. That is why we have greeters at the door, AV team setting up, music teams practising, and children’s class. That is why we bring nibbles every week, drive into the City, and give our tithes and offerings.
What are you giving your life to? What’s truly important to you?
Jesus once told a story:
A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. He said to himself, ‘What should I do? I don’t have room for all my crops.’ Then he said, ‘I know! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods. And I’ll sit back and say to myself, ‘My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!’ But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’’ Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God. (Luke 12:16-21 NLT)
What are you giving your life to? What’s truly important to you?
We pray that you commit to joining us in fulfilling a mission that has everlasting impact: building Melbourne City Adventist Church, a community where Jesus is shared, loved, and reflected to a City in need of Him.
by: Jinha Kim
"But those who drink the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life." John 4:14