Standing Together In Unity

Transforming Melbourne is a movement with a vision to see the Kingdom of Jesus be established in this city: The Spirit of Jesus transforming Melbourne in this generation! We believe the Spirit of Jesus is calling the Body of Christ in Melbourne to arise!

Many Christian ministries, many individual Christians are encountering challenges including confusion, interpersonal conflict, discouragement and much of this manifested while our city hosted the Parliament of World Religions.

TM apologises that some of our recent communication regarding the recent World Parliament of Religions was ambiguous. Some comments could be read as if we welcomed the hosting of this function by our city and celebrate that Melbourne as a multi-faith community. Clearly we repent that this city has hosted an international event that honoured and worshipped other spirits.

We believe in one God – Father, Son Jesus Christ and Holy Spirit – and in having no other gods.

So we do not support multi faith worship in our nation nor welcome the worship of other gods in our city. In the lead-up to the "Parliament" TM called for united prayer for the living God to be revealed in simple testimony in the natural realm and proclamation in the spiritual realm. We sought Christians to be a positive witness to Jesus Christ in our city and to the fullness of life in this city and nation because of our Christian heritage. We prayed visitors to our city would encounter Christians showing relational grace, hospitality and clear testimony to who Jesus is and that a positive witness to Jesus’ love for all the people will be carried to all the people groups of the world.

The unity of the Body of Christ is a critical weapon of Jesus so we pray that we can stand as one. Division expressed through denominational and theological conflict does not reflect Jesus’ prayer that we be one. We repent of this on behalf of God’s church in our city. We seek that the world might know God’s love for them by the love we have for each other. We seek the authority of Christ alone in our city and nation and acknowledge no other god.

While we stand against the worship of other gods and uphold the sword of Christ in the spiritual realm – we are called to be servants and to love our neighbours. God loves each person and has sent Jesus to save each one and we are called to reflect Jesus’ love for all the people groups of our city, including people of all religions. We need to have relationships and communication with our neighbours and with civic and religious leaders across our city and to work together to confront shared social issues such as street violence, injustice, human trafficking etc.

The richness of the ethnicity of our city is opportunity for mission and we celebrate and join with Ethnos (formerly Melbourne Conferences for Ethnic Evangelism) in praying for and joining in mission to all the people groups of our city. The Church in Melbourne has a rich opportunity through the high instance of international education and migration to spread the gospel to the nation if we are intentional in rising together.

We invite you to stand with us to declare, honour and reaffirm the sovereignty of Jesus Christ as our Saviour, King of Kings, Lord of Lords in Melbourne!

We need to stand together as spiritual watchmen and elders in Melbourne in this very critical spiritual season. Join us from 17^th February for 40 days of Prayer and Fasting for our city. More information on this will be posted in mid January.

Generation Fire

Apart from citywide connections and partnerships, Transforming Melbourne also has relationships in the national and global contexts. One of the organisations that we affiliate with is Generation Fire, which is a Youth Prayer Movement with a vision to raise up a generation of 'firestarters' who would go lighting revival fires across cities and nations.

On the 21st October a meeting was organised by TM at Arrow on Swanston whereby people gathered to connect and hear the vision of Generation Fire - the presence of Jesus.

We were challenged by the following message:

Have you ever dreamed about a generation that God would raise that would be branded by fire, called for such a time as this? A Generation that has been totally in love with Jesus, healed and restored, dead to self and ready to be vessels of God's glory, fire and presence?

In Ezekiel 10:2, The LORD said to the man clothed in linen, "Go in among the wheels beneath the cherubim. Fill your hands with burning coals from among the cherubim and scatter them over the city." The furnace is an expression of these coals being strategically scattered across a city. Anything that touches the coal will catch alight.

Generation Fire is looking for those God is calling or raising up as Firestarters - those whose heart burns for Jesus.

If you would like to become involved in helping fan the flame and spreading the fire, and start a furnace in your community please express your interest by emailing the team
thefurnace@generationfire.com.au or info@generationfire.com.au

Pastor Appreciation Month

October is Pastor Appreciation Month. It is a special time that congregations set aside each year to honor their pastors for the hard work, sacrificial dedication and blessings provided by these special people. It is typically scheduled in October, but can be held at any time that is convenient for the church and the community. It is also important to remember that appreciation, affirmation and prayer support of our spiritual leaders is appropriate throughout the entire year.

Why is Pastor Appreciation so important?

The nature of the service provided by pastors and their families is unique. God has entrusted to them one of the most precious of assignments — the spiritual well-being of His flock. Pastors and their families live under incredible pressures. They are expected to always be available, and to have all the answers we need to keep our own lives stable and moving forward. Those are unrealistic expectations to place on anyone, yet most of us are disappointed when a pastor becomes overwhelmed, lets us down or burns out.

"The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching" (1 Timothy 5:17).

Let's appreciate, acknoweldge and affirm what our pastors are doing in advancing the Kingdom of God, support them and pray for them always.

The Power of Prayer to Bring Transformation

Fifteen years ago a series of murders brought fear to the people of Frankston. After a number of murders the police called the community together – but not the churches. Some of the pastors heard about the meeting and decided to meet and pray once a week. The police made no progress in solving the crimes, but after the times of united prayer they brought in a suspect. They had no success in questioning him and were at the point of having to release him. At that point, a junior police officer (a Christian from a local church) was guarding him while the Homicide squad was having a break. He started to pray and sensed God was telling him the man was guilty and some personal information he could not have humanly known. When this young officer told the suspect what God had said the man confessed and the crime solved.

WE ENCOURAGE PASTORS & CHURCHES and INDIVIDUALS TO MEET IN UNITED PRAYER FOR GOD TO BRING TRANSFORMATION AND HIS PEACE TO OUR CITY.