Wollongong Salvos

"Justice isn't just something God likes. It is something God is." Tune in as Casey describes the inextricable link between Holiness and Justice. #WollongongSalvos #KingdomCome #WeLoveSundays #Justice #Holiness #SalvationArmy

I love tools. Whether it's a hammer, a sewing machine, or even a computer, I love the precision engineering and sheer usefulness of well made tools. With tools, I can build things, repair things, paint things, make things, remodel things and design things in far quicker, more efficient and effective ways.
There’s a children’s TV show in which a handyman has a bunch of tools that can talk. The builder knows what to do and how to do it, and he asks the tools to help; he shows... them what needs to be done and he encourages them as they work together to achieve great things.
We believe that God is continually at work in the world. We believe that God is on a mission to restore harmony, peace and prosperity to all living things. Before The Salvation Army was called 'The Salvation Army' it was 'The Christian Mission'. Our whole reason for existence is to participate in God’s great mission. We believe that we have been asked to get involved in God’s great mission, to be used as tools by God as he creates and re-creates the universe.
The question we have to ask ourselves is, "HOW?" How does God want to use people? How does God want to change the world? How willing are we to be used to bring about that change?
Over the next 7 weeks we will unpack these questions. We will look at what God is trying to achieve, what God wants to do, and how we are asked to get involved in his mission here on earth. Join us at 10am on Sunday as we launch our new series, 'Kingdom Come'. #welovesundays #wollongongongsalvos #kingdomcome
See More

Falling into temptation causes our lives to fray at the edges. Yesterday, Sarah unpacked the line of The Lord’s Prayer that says, “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one”. Tune in to learn how God wants to protect and re-weave the frayed edges of our lives. #thepowerofprayer #wollongongsalvos #welovesundays

I wonder if you’ve ever paid attention to bugs mindlessly flying into a ‘bug zapper’. You know, one of those contraptions people often have hanging in outdoor entertainment areas to prevent flies and mosquitoes from congregating around food and people. The gadget attracts insects with its light, only to sizzle them when they get too close. If you watch for an extended period of time, you will see bug after bug flying towards the light and being zapped from existence. You woul...d think that an approaching bug might observe the tray underneath the zapping light filled with hundreds of dead bugs and wonder, “Is this really a good idea?”
Only a bug could possibly be that dense, right? Only a bug would go flying into the same trap that killed countless other bugs, right? Well, what about the glowing light of temptation that the evil one places in front of human beings? Over and over we hear of people who fall into temptations that devastate their lives, destroy their families and end their careers. Perhaps, more commonly, temptation comes in a subtle or hidden form but is just as destructive to the inner self. One thing is certain, temptation is everywhere.
The Bible makes us aware that we have an enemy that draws us into sin. Scripture not only warns us about temptation, but provides us with tools to resist the lure. It’s important for us, as Christ-followers, to be aware of the temptations of this world and to understand how we can resist with God’s help. Fleeing temptation begins with praying this final phrase of The Lords Prayer, “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”
Join us this Sunday at 10am as we wrap up our series on The Power of Prayer.
See More

This week Phil unpacked the line of the Lord's Prayer that says, "Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors," reminding us that we are called to forgive others, just as Christ has forgiven us. If you missed this challenging message or would like to listen again, you can find it here. #wollongongsalvos #welovesundays #powerofprayer

Suppose you borrowed money to buy a house. Who is responsible for paying that money back? You are. It’s a simple rule of society, You owe, you pay. You are the debtor, you owe the bank and you are responsible for repayments. Many people live under the financial burden of such a debt and it can have a detrimental impact on their state of mind. It is no surprise that financial pressure is one of the most common reasons why marriages fail.
The truth is, there is no simple... way of dealing with financial debt. You could try talking to your bank to reschedule your repayments and you could review your own spending habits but in the end the debt has to be repaid. Sadly the only real option is to slog away at it and pay the debt back as soon as you can.
In his teaching on prayer, Jesus talks about a different kind of debt that we run up with our sin and moral failures. When we fail another person, or when we fail God, we add to the weight of shame in our lives. Just as a mortgage can be a burdensome financial pressure on your life, so too can the shame burdens of moral failures.
Unfortunately this kind of burden cannot simply be removed by arranging a direct debit or handing over a pile of cash. The burden has to be dealt with in another way. It has to be forgiven.
Join us on Sunday at 10am as we talk about what it means to be forgiven of our debts and to forgive those who are our debtors.
See More

Before we ask God to meet our needs, The Lord's Prayer reminds us to get confident, get perspective and get humbled. Check out part 3 of our series on prayer, reminding us that prayer changes things. #welovesundays #thepowerofprayer #wollongongsalvos

Can you picture this? A teenage girl stands at her open wardrobe, packed floor to ceiling with shirts, pants, dresses, shoes, jumpers, jackets and everything in-between. Her eyes scan back and forth, up and down. She pushes clothes on hangers left and right, looking for something, anything, that suits her fancy. Her face is locked in an expression bordering on disappointment, disgust and frustration. Then she says it. While standing in front of a wall of clothes that could dr...ess a medium-sized village of people, she cries out, "I don't have anything to wear!"
I have to admit that I'm like this sometimes, except not with clothes, with food. I can spend minutes rummaging around in the pantry, or the fridge looking for a snack. Sometimes I go away and do something else because I can't find something and then I come back again, trying to find that elusive snack. It doesn't matter that there are boxes of cereal, biscuits and other things in the pantry, or eggs, cheese, bread and other things in the fridge. I've been known to say in an exasperated tone, "Why is there nothing to eat in this house?!"
Jesus taught us to pray, "Give us this day our daily bread." It's annoying to watch a teenager complain that they have nothing to wear when they have so much and I am sure it's annoying to my wife when I complain that there is nothing to eat in the house, when clearly there is plenty. The truth is, we have everything that we need, but because we spend so much of our time comparing and contrasting ourselves to people around us, we find ourselves wanting more and more of what we don't actually need. How do we deal with the feeling of not having enough, or not being enough?
Join us this Sunday at 10am as we ask ourselves the question, how do we truly pray, "God, give us this day our daily bread?"
See More

Instead of asking, "WHAT do you want to be when you grow up?", we should be asking, "WHO do you want to be when you grow up?" Such a great reminder from Travis on Sunday that we should be spending our lives seeking to know God better. If you missed the message and recap of our School Holiday Funday, you should definitely check it out!

“What do you want to be when you grow up?”
When I was 8 years old, I wanted to play basketball for the Opals. When I was 12, I wanted to be a marine biologist. When I was 17, I wanted to be a lawyer. When I was 18 I wanted to be a police officer, and then a teacher, and now, I’m a youth and community worker. The truth is, I’d never really had a clear picture of what I wanted to be when I ‘grew up’, but I did have this strong desire to do whatever God wanted me to do.
Colossi...ans 3:20 says, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as though you were working for the Lord and not for people.” What I have learnt as I have ‘grown up’, is that who I am is far more important than what I do. The fact that I am a lawyer or a teacher or a police officer matters far less than the person that I am. What matters most is that I am kind, loving, compassionate and Christ-like as I live out what I believe God’s calling me to do, and that I work at it with all my heart.
On Friday, kids from our community gathered for our School Holiday Funday and explored what and who they want to be when they grow up. We would love it if you would join us this Sunday at 10am as we hear from our kids and celebrate with them.
See More

Looking for a fun activity these school holidays? Come along to our Funday at Wollongong Salvos this Friday! #wsakids

Brian Horan

Great message from Sarah this week! “When we pray, do we really and sincerely pray God’s agenda first?” Tune in if you missed it. #prayer #wollongongsalvos

For a number of years now the Social Justice Department AUE has been encouraging social media users to use the #KOG or ‘Kingdom of God’ hashtag on images that give us a glimpse of God’s kingdom here on earth. In the midst of our day-to-day lives in a world that is messed up, confusing and sometimes so different to His kingdom, we can see a glimmer of hope. Perhaps it’s something beautiful, somebody being kind to someone else, or maybe it’s one of those moments when we are ove...rwhelmed with thankfulness for a friendship, or for all that God has given us. Those moments, those glimpses of the kingdom of God, are just a taste of what is to come when God makes this world all that it is meant to be.
Over the past couple of years, this social media campaign has reminded me of two things. Firstly, that God’s kingdom is not some far-off, mystical place that I will one day get to rest in. God’s kingdom is his ideal plan for the world, and it is unfolding all around me. It has also reminded me that I have a role to play, both in identifying where God is already at work in the world, and in bringing his kingdom to earth. For me, this begins by reading, understanding and praying the same words Jesus taught his disciples, “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” This prayer is more than just well articulated words for Christian’s to recite; it is revolutionary. God’s kingdom, as Jesus describes it, though completely upside down compared to the world we live in, is coming, and we can each play our part in joining with the God who rules it all.
Join us this Sunday at 10am as we continue to understand The Lord’s Prayer, seeking his will above our own and helping bring God’s kingdom to earth. #KOG
See More

"Some people are great at reciting the Lord's Prayer, but not at praying it." Yesterday we launched our new series "Praying with Power', focusing on the Lord's prayer. Phil reminded us of the 'Who, Where and What of Prayer' by looking at what it means to pray, "Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be your name." If you missed it, take a listen. #welovesundays #LordsPrayer #PrayingwithPower

Over the last few weeks I have been working in the Salvation Army National Head Office in Melbourne. I have been working with a brilliant team helping the national leaders of the Salvation Army design a brand new way of running the Salvation Army in Australia.
A common feature of project work is meetings. Lots of meetings with lots of different people to make sure things aren’t duplicated or wasted. Meetings to make sure things aren’t missed or overlooked. At least half... of every day is taken up with meetings. Early on in my time there I would often find my mind wondering in those meetings. I would lose focus, I would daydream or start thinking about other things. I didn’t really know who they were talking about, I didn’t know what they were talking about and I didn’t know where it all fit so I found it hard to engage and stay focussed. Over time I got to know people, I began to understand what was at stake and started to see how it all fit together and suddenly I was engaged and interested in every moment of the meeting.
A similar thing happens sometimes when I try to pray. Sometimes I lose focus my mind wanders and I get distracted. I forget who I’m praying to, where prayer fits in my life and what I’m praying for.
This Sunday we begin a series called “The Power of Prayer” and we begin by investigating the line, “Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.” Join us at 10am this Sunday as we explore the who, the where and the what of prayer. #ourfather #prayer #Wollongongsalvos
See More

A challenging conclusion to our 'Different' series yesterday from Rebecca, reminding us that if we are living boldly for Jesus we are going to face opposition. We should not to be surprised in the face of persecution; we should keep living God's way and trust him with the results. If you missed the message, or would like to catch up on any sermons from our series, you can watch on our YouTube Channel. #different #welovesundays #wollongongsalvos

Is a good place to go 4 coffee and tea and to meet up with your friends and family and meet with new friends

Is a good place to go 4 coffee and tea and to meet up with your friends and family and meet with new friends

Is a good place to go 4 coffee and tea and to meet up with your friends and family and meet with new friends