16th September 2026

NVBC

4 days ago

5 min read

16th September 2026

Lessons from Daniel

from Johnny

Over the past month we have been reading and learning from the life of Daniel as he lives in Babylon. Daniel (and the Jews with him) are living between two Kingdoms - the kingdom of Babylon and the Kingdom of God. Seeing how they remain faithful and continue to serve and worship God in that context has been so encouraging!

In Daniel 1, Travis encouraged us to be aware of the pressure to conform that the world puts on us, and to decide to stand firm in our faith no matter what.
In Daniel 2, Zach encouraged us not to fear the future, because God knows what will take place, and He will ultimately be victorious.
In Daniel 3, Travis encouraged us to have a 'but even if' faith, like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who willingly went to the fire entrusting themselves to God.
In Daniel 4, Kaye encouraged us to remember that there is only one 'most high,' and that our highest is not ourselves, it's God.
And our series will conclude this Sunday, as I preach from Daniel 5 about worshipping the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Jesus. We have only one King and one Lord, and he deserves all our allegiance, even as we live under worldly authorities.

If you missed a week, or sermons are all available online here.

I hope you've been encouraged and strengthened in your faith this month. As Hebrews 10:23 says,

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful.

Joint Discernment Group update

Last Sunday we had the privilege of hosting Kariong Church community for a joint Sunday Service and BBQ Lunch together.

A huge thank you to all who joined for our combined service and stayed back for a lunch together as churches. A special thank you to all who welcomed and connected with those from Kariong Church, who setup, BBQ'd, contributed food and helped pack away. What a fabulous church community moment for all.

As mentioned on Sunday, our Joint Discernment Group are keen to share an update of where our discussions are up to, along with naming some of the key wrestles and decisions that lie ahead. Please take the time to prayerfully read through the below report:

If you have any questions or feedback, please speak with Travis or any of our elders.

News from Daniel Sze

Daniel recently led a team to Lightning Ridge to support the local Community Church. It was a 3-day expedition, and with a full day of driving in each direction, they packed a lot of activity into only one day in Lightning Ridge! The next URM trip is scheduled for 9-12 Oct, to Collarenebri.

Daniel’s sending congregation, Chinese & Australian Baptist Church West

Ryde, recently had him present about his mission work to its year K-6 Sunday School children (pictured below). While this proved challenging, he was very thankful for the opportunity.

Daniel is one of the NVBC-supported mission workers, and works with Indigenous Church leaders in both regional and urban Australia. You can watch a 5-min summary of his work or talk to Bob Gibson. And look for Daniel’s prayer points in The Harvest. He hopes to visit us at NVBC in person in November.

The Gathering Camp - last week of early bird!

Early Bird Rego's close this Sunday!

Go to nvbc.info/thegathering to register now!

We've had a few people reaching out with questions, so here's an FAQ - just in case you have the same questions as others. If your question isn't answered here, please send us an email: johnnysharpe@nvbc.info or church@nvbc.info

Frequently Asked Questions

If I rego as a family, will we be able to sleep in a room together, or will we be split up?

Yes, families will be together in a private room to themselves (unless you request otherwise)

What if it’s just my spouse and I – will we be split up to share with others?

Possibly – it will depend on numbers. There are a range of different rooms of different sizes at Crosslands. So if this is a particular issue for you, please let Johnny or Sarah know (or put it on your rego form under the 'want to add a comment' box), and we’ll prioritise putting you in one of the smaller rooms for couples, rather than in the larger ‘hostel style’ shared rooms.

Will there be power at the camping ground?

Yes – there are outdoor powerpoints available at tent city. Not enough for one per camping spot, but we can be good neighbours and share with one another. Bring a powerboard!

Can I bring a camper trailer or caravan to my camp spot?

Yes – but the road in is very narrow and windy, so only small trailers will fit (and only with a confident driver towing them!)

Will there be ‘day visit’ tickets available?

Yes, there will be, but they won’t be on sale until Sunday.

How much more expensive will tickets become after ‘early-bird’ ends on Sunday?

Cost will go up across the board by $15 per ticket – so don’t miss out!

What if I really can’t afford to pay the full amount?

If you need financial sponsorship to be able to come, we can help arrange that for you. Please reach out to Johnny or one of the other pastors. And if you are keen to be a financial sponsor, please let us know!

When do I need to pay by?

If you can pay your 10% deposit ASAP, that would be very helpful, as we have already started spending money on the camp, and not many deposits have come in yet. Full balance of payment is due by Friday 16th October, but if you can pay sooner, we’d appreciate it!

We're really looking forward to spending a great weekend together as a church family, connecting with one another and having fun together!

Join us in Prayer this Week

We invite you to take a moment to pray with us this week:

"Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus" - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

This Weekend

Sunday Services (9:30am & 5:00pm)

This Sunday, Johnny will be preaching to conclude our Daniel series, on Daniel chapter 5. Ulrich from The Gideons will also be visiting Sunday AM to share encouraging stories of how God's Word is making an impact within our Australian community.