First published in the Tasmanian Anglican

Tasmanian bishop Ross Nicholson is encouraging anyone with a heart to grow the church to find Geneva in Canberra this December.

Last year I went along to The Geneva Push’ national church planting conference in Sydney and came away inspired, Anglican Bishop Nicholson says.

It was a great encouragement to see men and woman who had a burning passion to see people come to Jesus and be grown in their faith.

This year the national n The Chute’ conference is being held at the Australian National University from December 6-8 and include Don Carson as well as a number of experienced Australian church planters.

Two years ago Tasmania was blessed via our CMS summer conference to hear Don Carson speak. He is such a world class teacher that any opportunity is worth it, Bishop Nicholson remembers.

However he believes there is just as much to be gained by potential church planters meeting with those who had walked the hard yards before them.

To also be exposed to our own local leaders from all over Australia, who have worked in our own culture and situations is also a valuable learning opportunity. There is nothing like hearing someone who has been through your own situation to encourage you to press on, to try a new strategy or to get your focus right.

Mikey Lynch, the Tasmanian director of The Geneva Push says this is why the network exists.

It can be small and slow for ministry where many people are planting and that can kill a lot of people if they’e on their own, Mr Lynch says.

We want to prevent that by supplying the prayer support, the coaching, the guidance and the camaraderie that a network like Geneva can provide.

Jesus told us that our task in this world is to make disciples, Bishop Nicholson says.

If we’re effective in this task we’re going to be growing our present churches and starting up new ones which will reach out to and nurture a new group of believers.

People interested in attending the National In The Chute conference can find all the details required on our In The Chute page.