The first quarter of 2010 has brought with it some interesting personal and ministry changes for me. It is a wise person, they say, who can see the finishing of one season and the beginning of something new and prepares for it. I saw this around 2 years ago and hopefully being a wise person, I knew that it was time to prepare for a transition in relation to the position of pastor of the church in Brisbane. Last year we took a faith step and I began this transition to make way for Pastor Leanne and Mark Williams. The transition is complete and instead of being involved in the day-to-day running of the local church, I am now free to embrace a new season of kingdom ministry. As my last blog explained, I got married on Saturday 27th March to a very wonderful and fun loving person, Elizabeth (Liz) Bell - an amazing lady.
 
For those who may not be aware of what I do, this means I oversee - apostolically, the CityHarvest churches in Camp Hill Brisbane and Caloundra, the work of CityHarvest International and its various ministries in Australia and internationally, as well as the Australian Prayer Network (I founded the network back in 1993). On the citywide front (my city of Brisbane), I'm still actively involved in the leadership of Yes! We Care - kingdom assignments and acts of compassion, and the annual Lord Mayor's Prayer Breakfast: I also serve on several national and international boards. Although my heart for the local church remains the same, (I'm a shepherd at heart) my focus and God's favor for me is now on being available beyond the local church, speaking and ministering on matters relating to church and the kingdom, as well as other areas of interest. With the release of my 2 books last year, ‘Heaven's Answer to Earth's Dilemma' and ‘Obtainable Wisdom', they are beginning to open up for me some new opportunities.
 
On a new and exciting note:

One strong component in the ministries that CHI is now developing, along with its other established ministries, and one that will become a key focus for me, is my groundbreaking training course Vocations 4Life. I find that most people have a small and incomplete view of what it means to be human. Not only is each person a truly incredible work of divine love and purpose, but so too is the entire creation. We are made in God's image, the pinnacle of His creative handiwork, the object of His affection, and placed in this creation to fill out His divine purpose. To grasp more fully this reality, our view of life, work and ministry needs to be enlarged. My Vocations 4Life course is designed to bring about that change.
 
This course has grown beyond my first imaginings and I expect it will go even further than I can imagine right now. With the world being so reachable because of the Internet, the possibilities of where this knowledge can release greater kingdom ministry are endless. Vocations 4Life has a proven track record in releasing people into their ‘all of life ministry'. 
 
Due to the amazing faithfulness of God, I am now more available to travel and open up new training opportunities, seeking to equip and release people in all walks of life, into their calling and vocation. That's exciting!
 
This move is another big step of faith for me financially and in other ways as I rely on the prayers and encouragement of my intercessors and others as I move into this new season.

It is my intention to make myself available to serve the body of Christ in this new season allowing me greater freedom to travel and speak, wherever there is an invitation.
 
Please feel free to contact me in relation to invitations to speak and minster.

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A couple of other things we are doing right now:

• Training Egyptian Pastors & Leaders - Sept 2010. I have been asked by some of my Egyptian friends to help, over the next 3 years, train and equip pastors and leaders from across Egypt. So this September we will send a group of Australian Pastors to train over 150 Egyptian pastors and leaders. To help us facilitate this strategic training program, we are asking people to consider financially partnering with us. Each leader costs $50 per head. This covers transporting leaders from all over Egypt, housing and feeding them for a week. Connect with this important equipping program by logging onto the following secure PayPal website and donate $50 or a $100 dollars.

http://www.vocations4life.com.au/shop/products/Pastors-Training-Egypt.html

• Un-Lock North Africa Prayer Journey 16-30^th Oct 2010. Libya & Malta. Join me, my CHI team and the Australian Prayer Network, on a strategic prayer journey to uncover the heart of God for these lands and peoples. This is the fourth expedition in our Un-lock North Africa campaign. Become a part of history and call forth God's Kingdom blessings. To obtain a brochure on this Prayer Journey email Jonathan on:

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"On Saturday the 27^th March I married my friend, Elizabeth (Liz) June Bell; the one I laugh with, dream with, live for and love"

Some 300 plus guests flew in from overseas, interstate and travelled from across Queensland to celebrate our wedding day. We held the service and morning tea in my old church facility, The Gateway Centre Mackenzie Queensland; later on some 100 plus family and close friends joined us for lunch. A selection of images has been uploaded to our photographer's website - ‘meltingmoments-photography' for you to view. See link below: <http://www.wix.com/meltingmoments/meltingmoments-photography>

Currently we are on our honeymoon travelling around NSW and South East Queensland. We will be away for the month of April. We want to thank all those who have sent us their best wishes, expressed their love and given us support as we prepared for this wonderful occasion. Liz and I feel extremely blessed and look forward to all that God has in store for us in this new season of our life together. Indeed we can say that... ‘I have found the one whom my soul loves' (S.S 3: 4).

Grace and Peace - Ben and Liz.

This was the theme for our 2010 Brisbane Lord Mayoral Prayer Breakfast, held last Thursday, 18^th March.

Around 300 leaders from church, marketplace, civic, political and community gathered to pray for our city and nation. Each year we have a keynote speaker present a message to fit our theme. This year Brigadier Jim Wallace AM (Ret'd), Managing Director, Australian Christian Lobby, gave a stirring and challenging message on ‘Courage and Change' and explained how necessary personal courage is, in effecting change in society.

Last Saturday, at our Vocations 4Life Seminar in Brisbane, I was once again overwhelmed by how so few of us really know how God has made us. I love helping people discover God's divine purpose in their lives. It's amazing to see the graces of Jesus at work in each of us to shape not only ourselves but others too.

There will always be rising-realities to encounter, those unforeseen things that interrupt your perfect day and which you have to contend with on a daily basis. That's life! Some of these interruptions could be described as ‘grace-growers', sent to sandpaper you into the polished vessel of God's grace and mercy; some of these are stumbling blocks, to deter you and cause you to abandon your vocational calling in God, or limit you in realizing your part in God's divine purpose.