Remote and rural areas have always been places where the people of God are found. The book of Acts tells the story of how the message of Jesus Christ went out from Jerusalem and Judea through Samaria and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).

In Acts, when considering the Apostle Paul, he clearly wanted to reach as many people as possible with the news of Jesus Christ. This meant that as well as preaching to countless peoples in the cities, Paul also preached to countless peoples living the middle of nowhere. His work was not confined to those major city centres. For example, we read that after persecution, Paul and his companions ‘…fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding country, and there they continued to preach the good news. (Acts 14:6-7) These rural places, the surrounding country, were probably small and insignificant … but the gospel still reached there. In Acts 17:10-15, Paul and Silas stay in the small town of Berea. And when Paul goes on to Athens, his co-workers Silas and Timothy stay in Berea to see the church established. For even though they could have all gone to the crucial city of Athens, God’s church where ever planted is of value, even in a small backwater and seemingly insiginificant part of the world.

This Sunday we welcome Ted Brush from Bush Church Aid. Over the last century BCA has enjoyed responsibility for ministries ranging from flying padres, church services, Scripture in schools and family counselling, to welfare and medical services. Mission vans, hostels, hospitals, the Flying Medical Service, Mail Bag Sunday School, clergy, nurses and others played their part in taking the love of Christ to all corners of our vast continent. Men and women took the good news of Jesus and shared His love in practical ways. BCA worked hard to meet people’s physical, emotional and spiritual needs in locations that were starved of services and support systems.

We hope you are encouraged by Ted Brush’s visit this week.

St Phils Editorial