With the 2025 Reach Australia National Conference on the horizon, focusing on “The Necessary Task of Mission Before Christ Returns,” we’ve pulled together six great resources to stir mission focus in your church over the summer and help you think deeply about mission in your context. We’ve put together a quick breakdown of each resource with key takeaways, plus the links through to watch or read the full resource – we pray you find it helpful.
1. Deepen Your Theology on Mission with Andrew Heard

- Why It Matters: In Australia, with “no religion” on the rise, Andrew argues the church needs a mission heat that’s not just about programs but a heart-level change. He pushes leaders to start with a rock-solid understanding of the church’s purpose in mission.
- Takeaways for Today: Start with ourselves. Andrew calls us to wrestle with our own mission convictions as leaders and pastors, “Pray for a deeper hunger to reach those who don’t know Jesus.”
- Quick Quote: “If we preach and teach the Bible week in, week out, and not see that fervour grow for gospel ambition, then we’re not teaching the bible properly. There’s something going on there. And I think that’s an indication there’s something going on for us as preachers and leaders. Part of the cure has to be to deal with ourselves in this.”
2. Creating a Missional Culture: 5 Steps with Dave Jensen

- Why It Matters: Dave gives five practical ways to help churches build a mission-minded culture, pointing out that a congregation needs to feel the urgency and importance of mission. He talks about getting the church ready, especially on Sundays, to welcome and include newcomers.
- Takeaways for Today: Treat every Sunday as a “big day” where visitors feel welcomed, the music’s ready, and everyone’s on board. This builds confidence for members to invite people regularly.
- Quick Quote: “We work very hard at every Sunday being treated as ‘Grand Final day’: that is, ensuring that everything we do is done to the highest possible standard. It helps to remind ourselves that every single Sunday a guest is coming who has been witnessed to, prayed for, and invited by a nervous church member, sometimes for years. It’ important not to ‘drop the ball’ any week as it not only can put off the visitor, it can discourage your church members from inviting people in the future.”
3. Get Intentional with Your Mission Calendar with Sam Hilton

- Why It Matters: Sam talks about moving beyond one-off events and thinking through the year with mission in mind. He describes using a “funnel” approach, where larger community events lead into smaller gatherings that build relationships and point people toward exploring Jesus.
- Takeaways for Today: Create a year-long mission calendar that’s all about connection. Think about how each event funnels into the next—like using carols to invite people to Christmas services or kids’ clubs.
- Quick Quote: “Our big carols event that happens at the end of the year, isn’t just an event on its own. The idea of the carols event is then to push people into Christmas church or push people into our Kids Club program, so there’s a next step for people who’ve come along.”
4. Mission in a Small Church: Insights from Liam Doyle

- Why It Matters: Liam offers encouragement to small churches, showing they don’t need big budgets to make a difference in mission. He says that small churches can have a significant impact because of their close-knit community and personal approach.
- Takeaways for Today: Small churches have a real strength in close relationships, and Liam highlights that it’s often personal conversations that bring people to faith.
- Quick Quote: “If you have a larger church, it’s a big ship to turn around. If you’ve got a smaller church, either you or someone in your church can basically get around it. We can deliberately invest in every one of our people with training towards mission.”
5. Talking Religion with ‘No-Religions’—Insights from Matt Varcoe

- Why It Matters: As Australia sees more people identify as “no religion,” Matt explores how churches can connect with this growing group. He gives insight into understanding secular worldviews and encourages churches to find ways to connect meaningfully.
- Takeaways for Today: Learn to listen first, finding common ground that can open doors to gospel conversations.
- Quick Quote: “We’re not in a place these days where people turn up to an event, hear the gospel and become Christians. Sure, it can happen, but it’s pretty rare. People start so far away from the goep lnw, and we have to meet them back where they are… people want to be heard before they’re willing to hear, or to listen to someone else.”
6. Case Study: Kellyville Anglican’s Mission Shift with Dave Keun

- Why It Matters: This real-life case study explores how Kellyville Anglican went from a low-impact mission approach to becoming a thriving, outreach-focused church. It’s a great story for churches needing a fresh start in mission.
- Takeaways for Today: Start small. Dave talks about building momentum slowly, one step at a time, but making mission a real priority.
- Quick Quote: “One of the small first things we did was to put mission stuff into our calendar first. It needs to take priority because mission is so easy to slip off the calendar. So we put that in first. But the impact also too, our goals weren’t rods to beat us with, but they enabled us to ask intelligent questions around what’s actually happening in church.”