22nd July 2026
- NVBC
- 10 hours ago
- 4 min read
22nd July 2026
Resources from Sunday
Last Sunday Johnny spoke into the Biblical model of prayer called lament. Lament is a deeply personal, vulnerable and transformational form of prayer that arises in response to our disappointments and heartbreaks.
Across a lifetime we each will experience and carry all sorts of hurts, griefs, disappointments and injustices. We will, at times, perhaps even have cause to question God or be angered by what we perceive is unanswered prayers. What do we do in those times? How do we wrestle with God in prayer, expressing our genuine emotions while also leaning into a trusting, life-giving walk with Him? Prayers of lament are certainly one of the healthy, biblical and God-honouring ways to do so.
Below are a few follow up resources to help empower you to work through a lament prayer, if that is something you are needing in your life right now. If it is not, still grab these resources...because chances are, they will be helpful at some stage in your life.
Blog Recommendation - Guide to Lament Prayer
this is a great summary of lament prayers in Scripture and great follow up reading from Johnny's message on Sunday
Book Recommendation - A Praying Life by Paul E. Miller.
not only a great book on prayer in general, there is an excellent chapter on lament and "desert" seasons in our lives. This was the book Johnny was quoting from on Sunday
Lament Prayer Writing Guide
if you want some direction and a scaffold for writing your own lament prayer, Johnny has created the below lament prayer writing guides to help
Discerning with Kariong Church
On Sunday we shared in our Services that NVBC has been formally approached by another church to consider the possibilities of a combined future. Kariong Church (a Baptist Affiliated church) is a smaller congregation with a big heart to reach the community in Kariong. To pursue this vision, the elders of Kariong Church feel led to explore what it might look like to be ‘adopted’ by a larger, healthy neighbouring Baptist church in order to see a stronger and more sustainable gospel witness in both neighbourhoods into the future.
You can see some of the slides shared from Sunday below.
The key invitation at this stage is for both church communities to enter a season of prayerful discernment and exploration together.
A Joint Discernment Group has been established to actively work on exploring this possibility together and considering all the theological, missional, practical, governance and financial aspects of such an undertaking. The Joint Discernment Group is made up of the elders from both Kariong and NVBC, Travis and an NVBC Board representative. They met for the first time last week and will meet fortnightly as the active exploration begins in earnest.
You can watch (or re-watch) the in service announcement from Sunday here
Throughout this process we will communicate openly and frequently. Importantly: we want to hear from you along the way. If you have key questions, initial impressions or responses then please pass it on to Travis or one of our elders.
As part of facilitating church-wide discussion and discernment, please join for our next Focus Meeting after the AM Service on Sunday August 2nd. We will dedicate space in that meeting for a more open, forum-style church discussion.
100 Days Until The Gathering Camp
Yep, you read that right! Today marks 100 days until our bi-annual church camp, The Gathering. You can REGO HERE (without needing to pay the full amount yet) to let us know that you're coming and to help with the planning. Block it out of your diary, chat to your family and friends and make sure to come along to this year's The Gathering Camp!
Join us in Prayer this Week
This year we are deliberating thinking through three key focus areas: PRAY | SERVE | REACH. In our current sermon series we have been focusing and thinking more about prayer as a church.
To help catalyse and guide our intercession as a community, one initiative we have thought of is to trial including some prayer points in each week's newsletter. We always have so many things to be praying for and praying into; from specific prayer points we receive from our supported missionaries, through to key ministry opportunities coming up in the life of our church. Simply click on the below images to read the prayer points, and either stop right now to pray through them or take a mental note for next time you stop to pray.
"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
This Sunday - We're continuing our teaching series on Prayer, with Travis sharing a message on "Prayer as Formation", looking at how prayer changes the one praying!
And Valley Sundays resumes for Term 3 during the AM Service.
Next Week
Seniors Morning Tea (Thurs 30 July)
Join for a lovely morning of connecting over morning tea together in the beautiful Penang Gardens Waterfall Cafe. RSVP to Wayne and Wendy-Sue (0408 228 759).
Focus Meeting (Sun 2 Aug)
After the AM Service we will gather for a mid-year finance update, key ministry updates and open space for conversations and questions about the possibility of 'adopting' Kariong Church under the governance, vision and leadership of NVBC.
(PS. Men's Breakky... is postponed to Sat 8 Aug next month)
For all other upcoming Term 3 events, visit:
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