‘Authentic’.

That’s how I’d describe Tim Scheuer. Tim is the National Director of Church Army, Australia. He’s a bloke who loves Jesus and is determined to make a Kingdom difference not only in his professional role, but also in his personal life. Tim is wanting to reach out to his unchurched neighbours in culturally appropriate ways. The following interview outlines one aspect of his strategy.

Tim, how did you come to faith in Jesus?

I was in the US Army when I committed my life to Jesus Christ. I had been in a lot of trouble. I tried to bring change in my life by moving from place to place but I couldn't change anything on the inside. A young girl shared her faith with me and challenged me to commit my life to Christ. The things I’d looked to for peace and meaning were all dead ends. I had run out of alternatives (and excuses) so I asked God to forgive me for my selfish life. I expressed my belief in Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. I asked God to give me a fresh start and his Holy Spirit. What I began to experience was the deep, real and lasting change that only God can bring on the inside.

That’s wonderful. So tell us about your community - the kinds of people who live about you.

I live in a relatively new area within Glenmore Park. The neighbours are quite friendly. Very few around us are active in any kind of church. They seem to be good people but definitely not Christian.

How did the idea of a fishing club and a tournament come to you?

I love fishing and local mission intrigues me. I have realised that the majority of Aussies are not interested in attending church. The "attractional" model of evangelism seems to be less and less effective. We need to learn ways to get into the lives and communities of the non-churched. One of the things that the men in my neighbourhood really enjoy is fishing. A number of them have boats. Many of us have fished together and hung out in the shed exchanging stories over a cold beer. It seemed that a good next step in developing these relationships would be to organise a club and a fishing tournament. I was able to use my passion for fishing and for local mission and my leadership skills in getting this thing off the ground (or into the water!). We held our first tournament just prior to Christmas and it was heaps of fun; a great success.

Did people respond well and what exactly happened on the day?

I think people did respond well. I had lots of contact before the event as we organised rules, registration, fees,  prizes, food and promotion. On the day, five boats headed out with twelve registered fisherman from my street aboard. One lady came along too! It was a great day’s fishing. All boats brought in good catches. The weigh-in at the local park was scheduled for 5.00pm. We invited all the neighbours. There was a significant crowd to witness the weigh-in and prizes. Friends, spouses, parents, children and grandchildren showed up.

I think they especially liked the idea of the BBQ following the weigh-in. It actually began to rain after the prizes were awarded so one of the guys with a big undercover BBQ area invited the whole crowd down to his place. We anticipate that we’ll double the number of boats next time round.

I understand you also want this group to help others in the community?

Right. In the process of sharing ideas about what this club could continue to do, I slipped in a suggestion that we might find someone in Glenmore Park with a practical need ...a widow or single mother, and use our spare time, skills and money to help this person. I was amazed at how positive the guys were about this suggestion. One neighbour even suggested he could contact social services to find a willing recipient of our help. I think a lot of people want their life to make a difference.

Where does the gospel fit in all of this?

All the neighbours know that I work for a Christian organisation and attend church regularly. They have been curious about my journey to faith. Spending time with them in the shed and in the boat helps them see I don’t have two heads! They want to hear my story - how I came to placing my faith in Jesus Christ. It has been very easy to share with them when they are asking questions. I really like these guys and like spending time with them.

What are your dreams for this group?

For God to so work in their hearts that they will hunger and thirst for what He has to offer. I would love to be the vessel of God's saving message to them. I also want to help form this "fishing community" into a new "faith community"!!

What are the ‘missional’ principles that inform what you do?

Well, Jesus looks on the harassed and helpless sheep of this world with deep compassion. It is interesting that he calls them "sheep" and not "sheep and goats". He sees not just their plight but their potential when he describes them as "harvest". He says, "the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into this harvest field.” My passion, Stuart, is to see more workers doing local mission in the "harvest field”. We need people working among those who are "without hope and without God in this world". I think we have focused way too many resources in equipping workers for and sending them into "church buildings". The harvest isn't in church buildings. The harvest is out in the field! Jesus' words seem very clear about that.

Stuart Robinson is the National Mission Facilitator for the Anglican Church of Australia and the rector of St Paul’s Anglican Church, Chatswood.