East Camberwell Baptist Church in Camberwell, Victoria | Community

East Camberwell Baptist Church

Locality: Camberwell, Victoria

Phone: +61 3 9836 6063

Address: 137 Highfield Road 3124 Camberwell, VIC, Australia

Website: http://eastcamberwellbaptist.org.au/

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25.01.2022 East Camberwell Baptist Church is going online! Join us on Sunday 29 March at 10:30am via Zoom through the following link to participate: https://zoom.us/j/941160548... For those familiar with Zoom the meeting ID is 941 160 548 If you haven't used Zoom before, click on the link above and it will guide you through the process of installing the Zoom app and configuring your system. We hope to see you!

21.01.2022 The Bible is more like a window than a painting, inasmuch as it is not something we are to look at for its own sake. Rather we are to look through it to see what the Bible seeks to reveal. If all we see when we read the bible are the words on the page, if all that comes to our minds are the stories and sayings of the Bible, if the only knowledge we acquire is knowledge of the Bible itself, then we haven’t yet begun to see through the Bible to catch a glimpse of the God who seeks to use Scripture to make himself known to us. -- Sermon on Ezekiel 34:11-16, Murray Hogg, East Camberwell Baptist Church, 22 Nov. 2020

20.01.2022 A brief overview of our sermon from 3 May 2020 on seeking the Kingdom of God above all else.

17.01.2022 From this week's sermon on Acts 11:27-30: "This question of who we listen to, of who speaks God’s words with God’s authority to God’s people, is a huge question not least because when the church gets it wrong the results can be absolutely disastrous and it can impact people’s opinions on spiritual matters for generations. The church listened to the wrong people when it was suggested that sending an army to respond to the Muslim invasion of the Holy Land would be a good idea a...nd to this day we’re still trying to convince people that the Crusades really don’t reflect the teaching of Jesus. And it’s not just the Crusades. The American church supported slavery. The German church supported Adolf Hitler. The Roman Catholic church supported those who committed systematic child sexual abuse. Christians listened to the wrong voices and the results were disastrous. That said, sometimes Christians listened to the right voices. Arts, politics, science, medicine, education, philosophy, there’s not a single institution in Western society which doesn’t owe something to Christianity. The first universities were established by Christians. The first hospitals. Some of our greatest works of art and some of the most sublime music was inspired by Jesus and by faith in him. Women's sufferage, the rise of trade unions, the establishment of democracy, the list goes on and on. All owe something to Christians listening to the right voices. There’s perhaps nothing more important than developing the ability to discern who is speaking God’s words, with God’s authority, to God’s people."

15.01.2022 Like all churches ECBC is doing our best to come to terms with COVID-19 and it's impact. We'll be talking more about this in the days to come, but here's an important piece of advice from our latest sermon: "It’s critically important that we take seriously the warnings that are being issued by the government and health officials. I have no time for Christians who are saying we should just continue as normal because God will save us from the Coronavirus. I don’t think the bibl...e teaches that. I certainly don’t think history teaches that. Christ’s people, like Christ himself, are fully part of this world in every respect. Like Paul, we do not expect God to miraculously snatch us from trouble, but we do have hope that nothing can separate us from the love of God neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39." See more

14.01.2022 When Easter collides with online church! God bless and stay safe!

14.01.2022 A Good Friday reflection: "It is by dying that your shepherd proved his love for you. When danger threatens his sheep and he sees himself unable to protect them, he chooses to die rather than to see calamity over take his flock." -- Peter Chrysologus (c. 380 c. 450)

14.01.2022 "To understand God’s gifts and calling is to understand something very deep and very significant about ourselves. It isn’t just to have a vague notion that I have a certain role in church on a Sunday morning. That’s often how we think of ministry and it’s really a very, very poor understanding of what ministry is supposed to be. Rather, to understand God’s gifts and calling is to understand that God himself, the creator of the universe, my creator, has shaped me in a very particular way to do a very particular thing. It is to understand that until I find that particular thing that God has shaped me to do, I cannot be the person God has shaped me to be." --From the sermon "Being Intentional in Ministry" (2 Feb 2020)

13.01.2022 No services tomorrow (Sunday 29 March) due to the Coronavirus situation, but the community of faith continues nevertheless. You can join us via Zoom at 10:30am for prayers, teaching, and fellowship. https://zoom.us/j/941160548... Meeting ID: 941 160 548

12.01.2022 Christmas isn't actually about family, or gifts, or lunch, it's about the one who comes into the world to offer the simple message: God is with you. Our wish for you this Christmas season is not that you have a great time with family -- although we certainly hope you do -- nor that your cup runs over with thoughtful gifts -- although that would be nice -- nor that you enjoy a slap up Christmas feed -- although we'd be delighted if you can. Our wish would be that you know that... regardless of any of this, whether your Christmas is a time of joy or sadness, whether you are with family and friends or all alone, whether your table is full or empty, you would know that you are so precious that God gave the gift of his Son. Our simple prayer is that you know that Jesus is with you this Christmas. #FoxNews

11.01.2022 "Did you ever stop to ask why the Bible is full of stories of people getting it wrong? From Adam and Eve to the second coming of Jesus we read story after story after story of people acting in absolutely reprehensible ways. I’m not just talking about fringe figures in the Biblical story either. I’m talking about major figures acting in absolutely unacceptable ways. I won’t say acting in unforgivable ways because nothing can separate us from God’s love. That means forgive...ness is always available, no matter how badly we act. No matter how unacceptable our behaviour. And so the Bible gives us story after story after story of people acting in absolutely unacceptable ways and finding God’s forgiveness to show us that nothing can separate us from God’s love." -- From the sermon "Nothing Can Separate Us From God's Love" (Romans 8:18-39), East Camberwell Baptist Church, Sunday 26 July 2020

10.01.2022 "We see something of the rule and reign of God in the ministry of Jesus Christ, who, when he comes into the world, comes in order to: To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives... And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; 19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord Luke 4:18-19 He comes to heal broken hearts, to bring hope where there is despair, to bring joy where there is sorrow. He comes to rule the world, but in ruling the world he also heals the world. Because of this, there is no greater blessing than to be subject to the rule and reign of Christ. It is only as subjects of Christ that we find ourselves made fully human, made fully what God intends us to be. Not merely people who follow God’s rules, but people who enjoy all the blessing of God’s good, and wise, and gracious provision for his people." -- From last Sunday's sermon at ECBC (via Zoom)

10.01.2022 "What Jesus is calling us to do in Matthew 6:25-34 is not to ignore what lies in the foreground, he doesn’t dismiss the importance of the immediate day-to-day issues that concern us. Rather he is calling us to remember what lies in the background. To remember the kingdom of God, and in remembering the kingdom, to put everything else in its proper perspective." -- From Sunday's sermon "Don't Be Anxious!" (Matthew 6:25-34)

08.01.2022 A brief message from our pastor on our response to the Coronavirus.

06.01.2022 Here's a great idea that combines a bit of exercise with prayer for your neighbourhood. Of course, we have to take extra care because of Corona virus and some of the prayers here will need to be modified -- for instance, you couldn't invite a neighbour over for dinner at the moment! That said, you could still be praying now in the expectation that God could do things to help you build relationships with neighbours later.... And, of course, you could always make this part of a regular exercise regimen. Why not commit to a regular prayer walk around your neighbourhood?

05.01.2022 Sunday church services continue via Zoom! Join us via Zoom for church this Sunday at 10:30am Melbourne time. To join by computer, tablet, or smart phone, use the following link:... https://unimelb.zoom.us/j/490135113 To join by phone dial: +61 3 7018 2005 Meeting ID: 490 135 113 If you're unable to connect via Zoom please don't hesitate to contact us by phone (03 9836 6063) or message us via our Facebook page. God bless and stay safe!

04.01.2022 A reflection for the Day of Pentecost: "...when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of justice, and of judgment: 9 of sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 of justice, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; 11 of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged." John 16:8-11 One way to think of Jesus’ mission is to see him as the bearer of God’s Spirit to a dark and lost world. The coming of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost forms a ...new community which carries on that same mission. The convicting ministry of the Spirit must therefore be seen as consistent with the ministry of him who came not to judge the world but to save it. (John 12:47) Conviction, in other words, must not be confused with condemnation. But how does this work? By the formation of a community which, by the grace, light, and love which the Holy Spirit alone can provide, demonstrates in its communal life a new way to be human one which rejects the compromised morality, the pervasive injustice, and the corrupt judgements of the world. This is not simply an attempt to correct the world’s way of doing things. It is an utter repudiation of it. It is the declaration that God’s kingdom has come, and that the kingdoms of this world are at an end. The Church does not declare that Caesar is lord and that he need only reform the system over which he reigns. Rather, the Church declares that Jesus is Lord, that all people must submit to him, and become citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven the new system over which the risen and ascended Christ reigns. But notice. That submission begins with a conviction, born of the Holy Spirit, that the morality, the justice, and the judgment of the world are all hopelessly corrupt. Without such a conviction nobody will seek a better way. Nobody will turn to Christ and so nobody will be saved. And so it becomes clear: the ministry of the Holy Spirit who works in and through the community of God’s people, is a ministry of conviction which leads not to condemnation but to salvation. The Holy Spirit convicts of sin, of justice, and of judgement, but the aim is not to judge the world, but to save it. The challenge to the church is to actually live according to this new way of the Spirit. For unless we do -- unless we model in our communal life the same commitment to the way of God's Kingdom as Jesus did -- we will serve not to manifest the life of the Spirit but to hopelessly compromise it. Thus even within the church the Holy Spirit works to bring about conviction and so repudiation of the last vestiges of the world. Only as the life of the Spirit is fully manifested in the church is it possible for God's Kingdom to come. This is the meaning and purpose of Pentecost.

03.01.2022 Please be advised of new Covid-19 restrictions in Melbourne: effective 6pm, Sunday 2 August (note that there are two pages so be sure to see them both!)

02.01.2022 This week we looked at the life of Timothy as we asked the question: How do we find clarity in ministry? Here's a short extract from that sermon: "just because a person has a spiritual gift, it doesn’t follow that they are using it as it was intended. It was clearly the case that Timothy had some quite significant gifts, but Paul still had to encourage and instruct Timothy in their use. In the passages we have this morning, Paul urges Timothy not to neglect the gift that is i...n you but rather to stir it up. It’s very clear that even before Paul had met Timothy, the believers in Lystra had identified something in him, Timothy was clearly emanating something that gave people an idea of what Timothy’s gift might be. And it’s clear that Paul saw it too. That’s why Timothy had been ordained through a ritual which had involved the laying on of hands. But that wasn’t anywhere near enough. Timothy himself had to take responsibility before God for the gift he had been given." The image is an icon of St. Timothy from Wikimedia Commons.