March 21, 2006 One Heart National Consultation - Day Three - Launceston

We gathered at Graeme Cann’s house at 7:30 to set out for Melbourne Airport. There was some possibilities that the freeway would be blocked or very slow. Even though our plane didn’t leave till 10:30 it was good to be there by about 9:00 and wait around in the cues to the check in. They always seem to be long and slow no matter what time you are there. Graeme joined us for this part of the journey and it was good to have the opportunity of more time to talk over what happened yesterday and to talk through issues to do with the Melbourne situation with him. He is such a great bloke and obviously has an anointing from heaven to give leadership in that sphere. The good sized number that gathered at Syndal Baptist church the day before were all there as a result of an email he sent calling people to recognize that the church in Australia had operated on a sectarian basis for two hundred years. Today Ian an I encouraged him to recognize that God had given him a mantle for this and even though it was one that did not sit comfortably on him because of his genuine godly humility, it was there nonetheless.

We arrived in Launceston at a bit after 11:00. I had been talking with a young German back packer on the way down called Inger (spelling might not be the best). She had been in Oz for ten months and was going to be in Tasmania and Canberra before returning to Sydney and back home to start a degree in politics. We connected well and I was able to share with her some of the things that belonged to having faith in Jesus. She was at least polite and at best open. I gave her my “Life Purpose Consultant” card and offered to link up with Nola and I (and I mentioned Ingrid Ross in dispatches and suggested the possibility of some genuine German cooking might be possible if she was feeling at all homesick for some). She was at worst polite and at best open to the idea as before.

We were taken from the airport to a church called, Door of Hope. It is a Church of Christ church in Launceston that has taken over a very large factory. I think there are 8 acres of space under the roof. They have done a terrific job of fitting it out and Craig Spalding is the senior guy and has a great love for the city and for the church in the city.

We were given lunch there and were then treated to the stories of the people who make up the core of Launceston Together, the Network of pastors and leaders in the city. They have a five point plan to touch the city: unity among the churches, prayer, evangelism, serving the city and one other I can’t remember. The local people who spoke were all excited and hopeful because of what God had been doing and what was ahead. There were stories of increase in all those areas. The prayer team had taken stock of the things in the past that had impacted the people of Tasmania and had been praying that there would be no way the enemy could hold people in bondage as a result. They cited a number of things that had happened that were, in their view, results of this prayer: some of the usual suspect figures had dropped (crime, drugs etc.) and there had been some significant wins in values (as well as a few areas still being fought).

Some of the evangelism city wide stuff is good. They go around giving out 4,000 plus batteries to people for their smoke alarm systems at the change of daylight saving with a little message from the churches about Jesus. They clean up after the racing carnival and gain huge mileage with the city governing bodies and many businesses.


I stayed with Mark and Rachel Comino (spelling may be adrift). They have three great young boys and run a small house church in their home. Great people with a great heart for God and a great sensitivity to the Spirit.

Tonight we met with people at Richard’s church. There were only about twenty five or thirty people there, but we had a great time. Myself and Graeme shared our stuff about the power of the local church to block the oneness of Christ in a city. Les and Colin shared stories of oneness in Toowoomba and New Zealand and then Ian moderated a question and answer time and finished up with a short encouragement. It was just a great smorgasbord of encouraging and prophetic proclamation. Everyone did a great job and the people were so encouraged. They couldn’t say enough. We had some great prayer times about the things we had spoken about. Richard does a great job in giving heart leadership to the work. People really respect him and his genuine love is appreciated and carries the message he represents.