{"id":2572,"date":"2021-01-31T02:17:00","date_gmt":"2021-01-31T02:17:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/clone\/2021\/01\/31\/good-news-from-australia\/"},"modified":"2023-06-02T07:02:15","modified_gmt":"2023-06-02T05:02:15","slug":"good-news-from-australia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/good-news-from-australia\/","title":{"rendered":"Families United in Christ During Australian Lockdown"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><span><span>In a year that was turbulent and unsettling for many, God continued his work, as proclaimed in John 4. We witnessed him at work in the <\/span><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.melbournecoc.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Melbourne Church of Christ<\/a><span><span> during one of the strictest COVID lockdowns in the world. <\/span><\/span><\/p><p><span><span> The first experience was Emily and Daniel, a couple who connected with the fellowship through Emily\u2019s sister, Kelly Wells. Emily visited the church and studied the scriptures on and off for ten years. During the COVID pandemic, Emily and her fianc\u00e9 Daniel found life difficult, balancing the upbringing of two young daughters along with Dan\u2019s serious back injury. Emily sincerely wanted to seek God. However, she also hoped that Daniel would partner with her in this spiritual quest. <\/span><\/span><\/p><p><span> God answered her prayers in the most amazing way! Daniel, who did not believe in God and perhaps in his own words was \u201ca staunch atheist\u201d, wound up in the hospital requiring an operation to reduce his severe back pain. Couples from the church visited him, prayed and loved him despite his beliefs. After God&#8217;s continuous intervention, he began to believe. Daniel and Emily studied the Bible over Zoom and were baptized into Christ in November. Several weeks later, they got married in an intimate ceremony with their two beautiful daughters as flower girls. A fairy tale beginning to a new chapter in their lives through Jesus! <\/span><\/p><center><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"461\" height=\"629\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/DanandEmily_KellywitnessviaZoom.jpg?resize=461%2C629&#038;ssl=1\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/DanandEmily_KellywitnessviaZoom.jpg 461w, https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/DanandEmily_KellywitnessviaZoom-220x300.jpg 220w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 461px) 100vw, 461px\"><\/center><p><br><span><span> The second experience involves the Cheng family: Ray, Judy, and children Natalya and Hugh. As disciples for 20 years, Ray and Judy had been avidly praying for their family\u2019s salvation. God answered when their daughter Natalya was converted in the Melbourne teen ministry. In early 2015, Judy\u2019s mother Jean studied the Bible and was converted at the age of 87. Two years later, Judy\u2019s father George was also converted at the age of 95 before going to be with our father. <\/span><\/span><\/p><p><span> God continued to work when Ray\u2019s mother, Kwan visited Australia. She was unable to travel back home as planned due to the lockdown. Soon after she started to study the Bible and in April, on the day she was originally scheduled to fly back home, she was baptized into Christ. While this was happening Ray and Judy\u2019s son Hugh was studying the Bible and became our brother in Christ. All seven members of the Cheng family now are united in Christ. A powerful answer to consistent, specific prayer! <span> \ufeff <\/span><\/span><\/p><center><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"314\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/ChengFamily_KwansBaptism.jpg?resize=400%2C314&#038;ssl=1\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/ChengFamily_KwansBaptism.jpg 400w, https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/ChengFamily_KwansBaptism-300x236.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\"><\/center><p><br><span><span> We are truly humbled by the great power of God who saves in times of prosperity, and also in times of confusion and uncertainty. We are reminded in Matthew 9: 37-38, <\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-style: italic\"> \u201cThe harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In a year that was turbulent and unsettling for many, God continued his work, as proclaimed in John 4. We&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":2573,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ghostkit_customizer_options":"","ghostkit_custom_css":"","ghostkit_custom_js_head":"","ghostkit_custom_js_foot":"","ghostkit_typography":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_hide_featured_image":false,"_jetpack_featured_image_duplicate_dismissed":0,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[12],"tags":[52],"post_folder":[151],"class_list":["post-2572","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-testimonials","tag-australia"],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/ChengFamily_KwansBaptism.jpg?fit=400%2C314&ssl=1","author_info":{"display_name":"dtadmin","author_link":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/author\/dtadmin\/"},"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/phsvEw-Fu","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":497,"url":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/recap-of-asian-leadership-conference-2015-and-daniel-summit\/","url_meta":{"origin":2572,"position":0},"title":"Recap of Asian Leadership Conference 2015 and Daniel Summit","author":"Sunday Awolowo","date":"September 23, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"It was a great honor and privilege for the\u00a0Hong Kong Church of Christ\u00a0to host the Asian Leadership Conference last week. Over 150 church leaders and staff from around the Asian and China churches gathered together for lessons and fellowship. The delegates meeting was also held to vote on important issues\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"2015 Asian Leadership Conference","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/2015_ALC.jpg?fit=669%2C530&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/2015_ALC.jpg?fit=669%2C530&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/2015_ALC.jpg?fit=669%2C530&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5503,"url":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/commentary-oneness-item-8973-black-history-month-i-have-come-to-testify-to-the-truth\/","url_meta":{"origin":2572,"position":1},"title":"Black History Month: \u201cI Have Come to Testify to the Truth\u201d","author":"dtadmin","date":"February 28, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"This Black History Month sermon, \"I Have Come to Testify to the Truth,\" is a lesson on why the word of God does not sanction what scholars now call \"American slavery.\"","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Commentary&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Commentary","link":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/category\/commentary\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/richard_rodriguez-4a2b0c26.png?fit=548%2C393&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/richard_rodriguez-4a2b0c26.png?fit=548%2C393&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/richard_rodriguez-4a2b0c26.png?fit=548%2C393&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3520,"url":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/my-family-and-jesus-30-years-and-five-churches\/","url_meta":{"origin":2572,"position":2},"title":"My Family and Jesus: 30 Years and Five Churches","author":"dtadmin","date":"April 11, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Recently, I had the unique opportunity to walk a few blocks through downtown Dallas with Roger Lamb. We had met several times over the years but never really had the chance to get to know each other. As we walked he asked me about my family, to which I replied,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Testimonials&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Testimonials","link":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/category\/testimonials\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/7234af3f-f10c-4f3a-affc-f754d3003e1c.jpg?fit=960%2C640&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/7234af3f-f10c-4f3a-affc-f754d3003e1c.jpg?fit=960%2C640&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/7234af3f-f10c-4f3a-affc-f754d3003e1c.jpg?fit=960%2C640&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/7234af3f-f10c-4f3a-affc-f754d3003e1c.jpg?fit=960%2C640&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4729,"url":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/from-generation-to-generation-and-family-to-family\/","url_meta":{"origin":2572,"position":3},"title":"From Generation to Generation and Family to Family","author":"dtadmin","date":"January 25, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Scripture is clear that our God is one that desires to restore, to make whole and to redeem. It is also clear from the very beginning and throughout humanity\u2019s history that family is at the core of his great plan. Family is one of the primary ways by which the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Families&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Families","link":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/category\/families\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Brewerfamily-c25ded89.jpg?fit=1200%2C519&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Brewerfamily-c25ded89.jpg?fit=1200%2C519&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Brewerfamily-c25ded89.jpg?fit=1200%2C519&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Brewerfamily-c25ded89.jpg?fit=1200%2C519&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Brewerfamily-c25ded89.jpg?fit=1200%2C519&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2763,"url":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/a-leap-in-science-and-a-step-of-faith-new-book-on-christian-apologetics\/","url_meta":{"origin":2572,"position":4},"title":"&quot;A Leap in Science and a Step of Faith&quot; \u2013 New Book on Christian Apologetics","author":"dtadmin","date":"October 12, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Dan Zachary, a scientist, biblical apologist, and member of the Northern Virginia Church of Christ, recently published a new book on Christian apologetics that looks at the intersection of science and faith.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Bible Study&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Bible Study","link":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/category\/bible-study\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/leapinscienceandstepoffaith.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":10363,"url":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/sydney-church-of-christ-celebrates-40th-anniversay\/","url_meta":{"origin":2572,"position":5},"title":"Sydney Church of Christ Celebrates 40th Anniversary","author":"dtadmin","date":"November 21, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Sydney Church of Christ celebrates its 40th anniversary.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/sydney40th.jpg?fit=936%2C624&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/sydney40th.jpg?fit=936%2C624&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/sydney40th.jpg?fit=936%2C624&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/sydney40th.jpg?fit=936%2C624&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/ChengFamily_KwansBaptism.jpg?fit=400%2C314&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2572","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/25"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2572"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2572\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2573"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2572"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2572"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2572"},{"taxonomy":"post_folder","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/disciplestoday.org\/clone\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post_folder?post=2572"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}