Posts in category: Historical

How I Came Into The EPC

As a young lad of 19 years of age, I came to Tasmania to study at the World Evangelistic Crusade (WEC) Missionary Training College at St Leonards, Launceston. Up until this time, I had mainly been associated with Baptist and Methodist churches, but more particularly in fellowship with what is known as WEC, which is the World-wide Evangelisation Crusade. I came, with eight or nine other young people to the College at St. Leonards.

It was during the time that I was at the College (2¼ years), that the Lord really dealt with my soul and my heart. I had a very hard time at college, for I had no real, firm instruction or teaching in the word of God; and during the time I was in college, I came under great conviction of sin; and I came to a place of great depression.

Beginnings in Revivalism

In the years after the war (1948-50), there arose a group of men who were concerned with the spiritual welfare of our land. They were instrumental in the importation of national and international Evangelists who “maybe were just the ones” to bring “revival” to Tasmania, and thousands would be won to the Lord.

Prayer For Revival

So with this in mind, prayer meetings would be “called for” on Saturday or Sunday afternoons, where some 10-20 persons would in turn pray that the Lord would send a “mighty revival” when many would be swept into the Kingdom. These prayer meetings were understood to be “battering rams” hammering at heaven’s door. There was much shouting and excited laughter, as one by one thought that their prayer had prevailed, that they had “got through” to the Lord. Despite this folly the Lord did visit us many years later, but in the most unexpected manner.

Exodus 6:6-8. v.8 “And I will bring you in unto the land … and I will give it you for a heritage.” A heritage, or inheritance, is the estate, or possession, that passes from an ancestor to an heir. It is signed and sealed as a promise that it shall become the property of the heir named.

In this instance, the inheritance was the land of Canaan, and the heirs were the people of God. It was a very rich and wonderful land – a land beyond the thoughts and imaginations of a people in captivity and slavery, yet God set His name and seal on this promise. “I will give it to you. I am the Lord.”

In 1968 Libby & I were married by Pastor Rodman in St. Andrews Church Launceston. At that time we did not have our own Church Building at Talune Street Youngtown. We had decided that in our married life it was important that “Church” would be a part of it. Having only nominal church backgrounds and no understanding of the Reformed Faith, it was our express intention to shop around for a church to attend.

1. The early life of Wycliffe at Oxford, and his increasing knowledge and understanding of the Scriptures.

Nearly 700 years ago, probably in 1324, in Yorkshire, England, John Wycliffe was born. This was a period when great spiritual darkness lay across most of Europe. However, this brilliant man was used by God to influence greatly the spiritual life of England, and indeed much of Europe. Wycliffe has been called The Morning Star of the Reformation.

In May 1554 John Knox went to Geneva where he, for the first time, met John Calvin face to face. It is apparent that there had been correspondence between the two prior to this time, as Calvin had recommended Knox to Bullinger at least as early as March of the same year.[1]

The exact path that Knox trod to get to Geneva, and the reasons for it, go beyond the purview of this article. It was in January 1554 that Knox began this journey when he was forced into exile from England. This was due to the ascension to the throne of the devoted Roman Catholic, Mary Tudor, more popularly known as Bloody Mary, and as a consequence of the persecution she aimed at Protestants upon her ascension.

Introduction

We make this submission on behalf of historic Christianity; historic Christianity that receives the Bible as the very Word of God, and the only rule for the whole of life and government. Our submission is based upon the moral law of God; the very God acknowledged by our Constitution when it refers to Australia as a nation to be “humbly relying on the blessing of Almighty God.”