30th July 2025

Getting Practical: transforming our minds

from Johnny

On Sunday we began our new preaching series, 'Taking Ground'. If you missed it, you can catch up here:

At the end of the sermon, I outlined 5 ways that we can fill our minds with the thoughts of God, and be more attentive to the leading of the Holy Spirit, as we join in with what God is doing in transforming us into the children of God we already are in Jesus. I'd love to expand on them again here, and encourage you to try all five this week!

1. Read the Bible - take time each day (perhaps at the start of your day) to read a section of the bible. As you read, consider what God might want to say to you this morning, and how His thoughts and ideas might impact on how you live the day ahead.

2. Memorise Scripture - take a verse or two from the passage you've just read (whatever most stood out to you) and spend a few minutes committing it to memory so that you can take it with you into your day. Your 'verse for the day' will hopefully come to mind in the things you think, speak and do throughout your day.

3. Pray Reflectively - take time each day (perhaps at the end of the day) to reflect with Jesus about how your day went. Replay each moment and consider God's leading - did you notice what He was leading you to do (or not do) in that situation? If so, celebrate that with Him. If not, learn from it and consider how you might follow His leading more closely tomorrow. This shouldn't be a guilt-trip; allow it to be a grace-filled process with your loving heavenly father, your Abba.

4. Journal - if reading and memorising and praying reflectively are practices you find hard to do without getting distracted, journaling can help you stay focused. It can also be good to read back later, and see how God has transformed your mind over time. Some of His transforming work is so incremental, it can be hard to see it in the moment; but looking back can be an encouragement down the track, to see how far you've come.

5. Do it with one another - as we seek to be transformed, it can be so encouraging to do this journey with other believers. Share your struggles and your wins - ask one another what you've been learning or how God has been changing your mind or your heart recently. These conversations might feel a bit awkward at first, but it is so valuable to be able to keep each other on track by making this a regular habit.

   
   

And I would also like to highly recommend Matt Aroney's book, Renovated: How God makes us Christlike, as a companion book to our series. In it, Matt describes how we can join in with the work the Holy Spirit wants to do to change us from the inside out and make us more like Jesus day by day.

Focus Meeting Results

Thank you to all who come along to our Focus Meeting last Sunday. We are thrilled to share that Glenn Douglas and Kylie Seal were appointed as new Board Members, and Dianne Wicks and Adam Holland were appointed as new Elders. Peter Gay was also reaffirmed as our congregational WHS representative.

Our Treasurer, Dave, also shared a mid-year finance update via video. If you missed it, you can watch it below:

News From ZOE Thailand

At the ZOE Bible School in Thailand, the first-year students are now ready to practice their preaching skills. Some are using the pictorial EvangeCube to help with testimonies.

Meanwhile, the second-year students are preparing to stage drama productions, to teach the first years, and more importantly, to take on their summer missional outreach programmes.

NVBC has been supporting the work of the ZOE Bible School for many years. Learn more about the work of ZOE online or, better, ask Chris Young about it. And look for the prayer points in The Harvest.

Arrow Update

From Travis

This week I have been up in QLD for the 2nd of 3 Arrow Leadership intensive across the year. A big thank to the elders, board, team and you all for enabling me to intentionally invest in my leadership giftings. It has been a highly valuable time!

Soul Survivor Young Adults Retreat

A group of our young adults are attending the Soul Survivor Young Adults Retreat this weekend. Please pray for safe travels, and that God would be working in their hearts as they hang out with 130 other young adults from NSW and ACT, and learn about the real journey of following Jesus, the joy, the cost, and staying close through it all.

Seniors Morning Tea

Thurs 31 July, 10am

Our Seniors Morning Tea is tomorrow at Green View Cafe (263 Avoca Drive, Kincumber).

This Sunday

This Sunday Travis continues our 'Taking Ground' series looking at the topic 'Fuel Your Affections'. We will look at how we can fuel our love for God in ways that will overflow and sustain us through lifetime of following Jesus.

Taking Ground Series Overview

Connect Weekend

Sign up to a Connect Weekend event this Sunday in the foyer!

Prayer Seminars

August 23 + 30

We know the power of prayer! So let us be further equipped to be passionate pray-ers.

Session 1 is open to anyone desiring to learn, be equipped and inspired to have a vibrant personal prayer life.

Session 2 builds on the foundation of Session 1 and is open to anyone desiring to be further equipped and stretched in how to pray for others in person. A specific focus will be on praying for others in ways that seek God's healing and freedom in a person's life.

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