Table of Contents
The Nature, Purpose, and Power of Prayer
Wednesday 29th January 2025
Prayer is central to the life of a Christ follower —a sacred space where heaven and earth meet. Prayer is not merely a tool to secure God’s intervention but a profound means of communion with Him, a participation in His ongoing work of renewal. Prayer is about relationships, aligning our hearts with God’s heart and His purposes for creation.
When we explore Scripture, we discover that it emphasises that prayer flows from our identity as image-bearers of God. Just as Adam and Eve were placed in the garden to steward creation, we are called to bring God’s love and wisdom to the world. Through prayer, we exercise this vocation, standing in the gap between heaven and earth, reflecting God’s love back to Him and bringing the world’s needs before Him.
The Nature of Prayer
Prayer is not about presenting a wish list to a distant deity but about entering into God’s presence with reverence, humility, and trust. The Psalms exemplify this, offering raw honesty before God—a reminder that every emotion, from joy to despair, can be expressed in prayer. All throughout Scripture, it describes prayer as a two-way conversation where we listen as much as we speak, opening ourselves to God’s guidance and transformative power.
Through prayer, we embrace our dependence on God. This act of surrender acknowledges that He is sovereign and we are His creation. When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, He framed prayer as aligning our will with God’s redemptive plan.
“Your kingdom come, your will be done”
Matt. 6:10 NIV
The Purpose of Prayer
Prayer is not about bending God’s will to ours but shaping our hearts to reflect His. Through prayer, we become conduits of God’s purposes in the world. By praying for justice, peace, and healing, we participate in God’s mission to reconcile all things to Himself.
Furthermore, prayer is formative. It moulds us into people who embody Christ’s character. In Romans 8:26-27, Paul writes that the Spirit intercedes for us when we don’t know how to pray. This intercession reminds us that prayer is not about getting the words right; it’s about opening our lives to God’s transformative presence.
The Power of Prayer
We now realise that prayer is a partnership between humanity and God. It is powerful not because of our eloquence but because of God’s faithfulness. James 5:16 declares,
“The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective…”
When we pray, we join God in His work, standing against darkness, declaring His promises, and inviting His kingdom to break through.
History testifies to the power of prayer. It has sustained the persecuted, healed the broken and brought revival to nations. Prayer taps into the very power that raised Christ from the dead, reminding us that God can do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine (Eph. 3:20).
Conclusion
Prayer is an invitation to intimacy with God, a means of participating in His purposes, and a demonstration of His power. It is where God’s people “stand at the intersection of heaven and earth,” embodying His love and hope for the world. Let us, therefore, pray boldly, knowing that we are joining God in His mission to make all things new.
Playgroup | A new thing for you in 2025?
If you have a regular weekday morning free during school term and would like a stronger sense of connection, Playgroup could be the answer! Playgroup is a weekday ministry for the families of little ones in our church and local community. It provides a great opportunity for kids to play and socialise and for parents and carers to connect. Our wonderful committed team minister Christ’s love and help to make Playgroup happen. You can be involved whether or not you have a child or grandchild to bring!
To find out more, please register your interest below or contact Sue at 0403 822 324 or playgroup@bcoc.com.au.
Kids Church | Sunday 2nd February 2025 | 9:00am & 11:00am
This week at Kids Church…
2 to 4-year-olds | Peter, Andrew, James, and John | Matthew 4:18-22
5 to 12-year-olds | Fearfully and Wonderfully Made | Psalm 139:1-14
Sunday Service | Sunday 2nd February 2025 | 9:00am & 11:00am
Join us to discover how prayer is a transformative conversation with God, a relational act, and not just a ritual. We will unpack how prayer deepens our intimacy with God and is the central way to know God and grow in grace. It is an invitation to experience heaven on earth.
Partners and Volunteers Celebration | Special Movie Afternoon | Sunday 2nd February 2025
We are rolling out the red carpet for YOU, our incredible partners and volunteers! Your unwavering support and dedication to being His presence in every place has made a tremendous impact, and it’s time to honour your contributions! Please join us for an inspirational movie, choc top ice-creams, popcorn and more! (Dietary needs catered for). Check your email for details and book ASAP so you don’t miss out.
Boys Brigade | Monday 3rd February 2025
Be part of the action
For over 20 years the Boys’ Brigade has advanced Christ’s Kingdom among boys.
ANCHORS | Grades 1 & 2: 6pm – 7.15pm
JUNIORS | Grades 3 – 6: 7pm – 8.30pm
SENIORS | Grades 7 to 18 years old: 7pm – 9.30pm
Baptism Class | Monday 10th February 2025 | 7:00pm
Baptism is complete water immersion of those who have confessed their faith in Jesus Christ as God’s Son and their Saviour. However, it is more than just immersion in water. It has a number of significant meanings. Book now if you want to find out more.
Raising Awareness of Neurodiversity | Special Event | Thursday 20th February 2025 | 7:00pm
We have the great honour to host this special event to raise awareness of neurodiversity needs in our church and broader community. Sandhya Menon is a Multiple Neurodivergent Educational and Developmental Psychologist. Her organisation, Onwards and Upwards Psychology in Melbourne, focuses on upskilling and empowering clinicians, parents, and teachers to understand and support autistic and ADHDer individuals, with the ultimate goal of better well-being for these communities.
Sandhya has previously authored two best-selling children’s books using a neurodiversity affirming approach, The Brain Forest and The Rainbow Brain, and speaks at national and international conferences on autism, ADHD and cultural perspectives.
During this event Sandhya will present strategies to help broaden inclusion, specifically for group settings. NB: Only questions related to group settings will be addressed in the Q&A not individual needs.
This is a great PD opportunity for teachers and practitioners – the full price for this event is $60. Book early to secure a seat.
For all BCOC volunteers, Board and staff, this event is free onsite training. An email with a discount booking code will be sent out later this week. Please use the code when booking.
Young Families Camping Weekend and Young families Day Out | 21st-23rd February 2025
Young Families Camping Weekend and Young families Day Out – Warburton – February 21-23 or February 22.
Our Young Families Camping Weekend at Warburton Holiday Park is coming up soon.
If you want to come for the weekend and camp with us, please use this link for online bookings.
If you can’t find a site or cabin, contact Sue Nicholls 0403 822 324 so you can be added to a cancellation list.
If camping isn’t your thing, or if you have missed out on a site or cabin, you can join us for the day on Saturday, February 22.
The day could include a trip to Redwood Forest for great photos, a sausage at our communal BBQ for lunch, watching children play in the free water park and even BYO marshmallows around our campfires in the evening – just register your interest using this link so we can keep you informed.
Baptism Celebration | Sunday 23rd February 2025 | 9:00am & 11:00am
Do you want to get Baptised?
Baptism is the complete immersion into water of those who have confessed their faith in Jesus Christ as God’s Son and their Saviour and baptisms are a wonderful source of encouragement and inspiration to the entire congregation. It has a number of significant meanings. If you are considering being baptised, please book now into the baptism class on Monday 10th February.
YA Summer Camp - Empowered for Unity | 28th Feb - 2nd Mar 2025
WELCOME YA! Empowered for Unity
Join us for fun, worship and fellowship. Here are some of the things we will be doing!
- Water sports
- Optional Golf
- Y&Y Service on the Saturday Night
- BBQ Dinner on Friday
- Dinner at the Bonnie Doon Hotel on Saturday Night
- Plenty of chances to hang out with friends as well as making new ones.
We look forward to seeing you there.
Next Steps Lunch | Sunday 2nd March 2025 | 1:00pm
As a movement, we need to get to know each other better and take the next steps in our faith journey. To this end, we want to invite you to the … Next Steps Lunch.
The Next Steps Lunch is an opportunity to connect, learn more about our church movement, and discover your potential while enjoying a delicious meal. The lunch is especially relevant to Newcomers, but we encourage you to register if you’ve been an attendee, volunteer, or partner and have never been to a Next Step Lunch before. And did I mention that it’s free?
Have a safety concern?
We are serious about keeping our faith community safe. We encourage all staff, volunteers, partners and congregation to report any concerns they have about safety and wellbeing. We are committed to handling all concerns seriously, legally and in a child-focused way (if concerning children).
If you have any concerns about safety at the Church, we strongly encourage you to share your concern with one of our Pastors or the Safety Contact Person, Karen Fletcher and fill in our Reporting Concerns Form.
Thank you for being His Presence in Every Place!
BRAAM BOTHA
Senior Pastor
