Letter from Australia 131 – Yet Not I

(This post first appeared on my substack here)

Dear brothers and sisters,

I’m writing this to you in the week that I’m about to be inducted as the Minister of Scots Church Presbyterian Church in Hamilton, Newcastle. When we left our beloved Scotland in 2019, this was not even foreseeable.

I have just been reading a marvellous series of sermons by William Bridge on Galatians 2:20 which in the King James version reads “I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Sonn of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me”. Bridge actually preached five sermons on the phrase “nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me”. They are deeply insightful. When I explain to you the following please understand that when I speak of what has happened – it is always ‘yet not I’. It is Christ. When I get it wrong – it is I who get it wrong. But when God works, it is God who works.

When I left my beloved Scotland, (which I still miss), I thought I was also leaving pastoral ministry. We had been greatly blessed in seeing growth in Brora and in Dundee (six years in the former, 27 years in the latter). We had many ups and downs in both places – so many times you feel like giving up and yet there was abundant blessing. When we arrived in Tayside there were around 50 people between the two Free churches – when we left there were six churches and hundreds of people. Yet not I….

As I’ve indicated in previous posts, there were various push and pull reasons for us leaving. https://theweeflea.com/2022/06/01/letter-from-australia-111-why-have-we-returned-to-australia/

Not the least being that the burden of running what had become a large church in St. Peter’s, as well as the fact that doing the evangelistic and writing work that I was involved in, was too much. Plus, in both challenging the apostasy within the Church of Scotland, the degradation in Scottish society and seeking to reform the Free Church, there were a lot of bridges that were burned. The level of opposition, publicity, and what amounted to personal animosity was difficult for both myself and Annabel. Nevertheless, it was with a heavy heart that we left – not least because of leaving family behind. I have sometimes doubted if it was the right decision. One reason I think it was, is that St Peters has continued to grow and develop without us. Yet not I……

We didn’t come to Australia because we were running away – or to retire. I could have gone into other forms of ministry in Scotland or the UK. We came to Australia because we were invited to develop my ideas on evangelism with City Bible Forum. When we came, I said at the time, it was like jumping off a cliff. And for the next four years, I found myself repeating the same mantra. “We jumped off the cliff, and we still didn’t know where our feet had landed.”

City Bible Forum

Living in Sydney was a wonderful experience. Working with City Bible Forum was challenging, informative, and in some ways encouraging. But I am not a corporate person. And my ideas on evangelism really did not fit with City Bible Forum. I was a bit of a square peg in a round hole. So after two years I left. I am thankful for CBF for bringing us here and I wish them well. I’m delighted that Third Space, which Steve McAlpine and myself set up, is still going. Yet not I……

Sydney Anglicans

After I left CBF I then worked for a couple of years with Evangelism and New Churches of Sydney Anglicans. Again, it was an enormous privilege to work alongside Phil Wheeler and his team. I loved my wee office in Moore College, and I loved the job description. That was my dream job (at least on paper), to help churches with evangelism. But it too didn’t work out. Again, I was a square peg in a round hole. Sydney Anglicans are a wonderful group, but they have a suspicion of outsiders and especially those who have not been trained at Moore College – and those who put pebbles in shoes and question the unspoken rules, narrative and culture. The Wee Flea would never be permitted to take off! There were some wonderful churches that I was involved in, but I felt that there were issues that were not being faced. And I certainly didn’t want to get involved in church politics. I saw things that I did not want to see.

In both the experiences of City Bible Forum and Sydney Anglicans, I would say that there was good work that was done. And I don’t feel that my time was wasted at all. To be honest, I think I was pretty useless. But God still used what was done. Yet not I….

The Call to Newey

And then came the call to Scots Kirk. It was a call that at first I wanted to instantly reject. Stephen Taylor, the minister of Charlestown Presbyterian Church, had the vision of seeing Scots Kirk renewed, and realized it needed a minister who was also an evangelist. And there are not too many of us in the Pressies. When I came up, I saw that its location was absolutely superb for outreach. But as a church, it was nearing the end. When I showed the job spec to Annabel, her response was immediate and to me, surprising. “You have to consider it. It’s what you do.” Well, thank the Lord for a wise wife, because I realized that what she said was true. So, we agreed that if, in the unlikely event of the Presbytery accepting this unusual arrangement, we would come. They did.

My previous two ministries had both been in churches which were in need of revitalization and renewal. A congregation of 20 largely elderly people with no families, children, or young people, was certainly in need of revitalization. Lord can these bones live? (Ezekiel 37:3). Although I guess revitalising churches is what I do, I did not know what to do…yet not I….

When I came here, I came as what the Presbyterian Church here calls a Commissioned Gospel Worker. Although I was soon accepted as a minister within the Presbyterian Church, I’ve remained that until now (hence my induction this Friday). The initial advice I was given was to follow something that I had seen in Sydney Anglicans many times – let the older congregation continue and just gradually die out and start up a new church. We began a service at five o’clock, but I realized within a few weeks that this would never work (I think as usual that Annabel got there quicker than me!). I’m extremely unhappy about the idea that congregations are an ‘o’clock’. Until I came to Sydney, I had never heard of belonging to an the eight o’clock, or the ten o’clock, or the five o’clock. The phrase ‘welcome 10 o’clock’ still jars!). But we were never going to get a five o’clock church started. Why? Because the people we began to attract were people who’d stopped going to church or who’d never gone to church, which was wonderful. But in order to disciple people, you need leaders. My concern was not to establish programs that attracted young Christian families. My concern was to reach out. And so, our motto from the beginning was, “The harvest is great, the workers are few.”

Teamwork

Now, those of you who know something about church planting will immediately ask, “But didn’t you have a team? Weren’t you given 20 people to start off?” The answer to that is no. Charleston were very good in helping us with our music (especially with Jo, who has coordinated everything in a wonderful way) and provided an umbrella Kirk Session for us. (This was like Dundee where St Peters at one point had more assessor elders and a bigger Kirk Session than the size of the congregation! We have just established our own Kirk Session, with our faithful elder Terry being joined by Cornelius and hopefully a couple more.) And bit by bit, people were added who were mature Christians. But I will say that overall, the level of cooperation between churches here is somewhat limited. I remember speaking to the leader of a much larger church here and suggested that if Scots Kirk took off, it would benefit the whole church in Newcastle because of our location and because of the people we reach. He agreed. But when I asked him if he could spare six students to come and help us, the look on his face told me a very simple message, “Over my dead body.”! Although to be fair to him I suspect he had realised that whilst we shared the same gospel, we worked in completely different ways!

And I think that’s the scenario. People don’t wish you ill. In fact, they generally wish you well. But very few will sacrifice in order to help. Each of us wants other churches to prosper but never at a cost to us. I understand that. And I understand how difficult a mentality that was to break (our experience in planting St Andrews Free Church had taught us what the real costs are in church planting and revitalisation). And so, our urgent plea was, “Lord, the harvest is great. Send workers into the harvest.” I didn’t know what to do except my usual mantra – ‘preach the Word and see what happens”. And over the past three years, there has been a transformation within the congregation. Yet not I……

Loving People

Because the local church has spent a considerable amount of money bringing us here, I had in my head that we were duty bound to stay at least three years. But I am a great believer in McCheyne’s dictum, “I would rather beg bread than want success.” So, if after three years things were not working, then we would have left. It was strange to me and somewhat humbling that although there were general expressions of, “I wish you would come back to Scotland,” there were no invitations. We continue to pray for and love Scotland, and really miss our family (although we are thankful to have some here as well). and we will always be ‘in exile’…..but maybe that’s not a bad place for a Christian to be?!

We had prayed that God would give us a love for Newcastle, and he did. We love this place and its people. We have even got into Rugby League! And we believe that this is where God has called us. God has given Annabel a work that is well suited to her gifts – a pastoral worker with HammondCare. And we have now committed ourselves even further by selling our house in Scotland and buying one here.

There is so much that has happened even in these three years that this would turn into a book if I were to write them all down. And much like Brora and Dundee, I suspect people wouldn’t believe what I said. Yet not I….

Sunday Service

Take, for example, the 9:30 service. We didn’t want to let it die. We liked the people. We didn’t want to give up on any of them. And again, just following the mantra of preach the word and seeing what happens the service itself began to reform and grow. We changed to 10:00. New people started coming. Some people were converted. In many ways, the pattern was similar to St. Peter’s. We saw some younger people starting to come, particularly young men. A couple of whom were converted. Yet not I….

We now have up to 80 people on a Sunday morning, which makes our small building feel quite full. But it’s more than that. It’s the way that the sung praise has improved. It’s the sense of unity and anticipation that God really is doing something. I love coming to church on Sunday. Yet not I….

 

The Lambs

Like St Peters we had no children. But now we have a few. From the beginning I was always prepared to speak to the children who were not there. And gradually they have been coming. Our Sunday School started last Sunday. I love letting the children know that they are not the church of the future – they are the church now. We are a covenantal Presbyterian church where the children belong. Yet not I…

 

More@4

As regards our 5:00 service, we moved to calling it Alive at 5 and making it more of a cafe-style discussion and question and answer. That worked okay, but it ran its course. We have now just started a new More at 4 meeting at 4:00 which is really a Christian education idea. We will see how that goes. I think I’ve given up on the idea of trying to change Australian evangelical culture and encourage Christians to go to two services on a Sunday!

Pentecostal Presbyterians

As I said, the similarities with St. Peter’s are quite intriguing. In St. Peter’s, we had a lot of people who came from a Pentecostal or charismatic background, and that seems to be developing here as well. We have warm relationships with the Pentecostal church which meets across the road, Generation. Its young pastor, Jono, has been a great encouragement. And speaking of charismatics, for some Christians here it seems a bit strange that one of the people who has joined us is Geoff Bullock, one of the founders of Hillsong and its first praise leader. He’s extremely well known here in Australian Christian circles. How he and his wife came to us is another story. But we love having him in the fellowship and helping us with our singing at times without being the superstar worship leader. One lady said to me, “I cannot believe it. The Pentecostal praise leader and the Presbyterian preacher.” Neither can I. Yet not I.

Cross Cultural

Another aspect of our time in Dundee was the development of Asian Outreach, which became Dundee Internationals. Here I am delighted to be the interim moderator of the Samoan Presbyterian Church. I really love the Samoan people.

Also, at the time of writing this, we’re hoping to develop a new project called The Omega Way, where we are hoping that an Egyptian Presbyterian pastor will come and help us reach out, especially to immigrants and Muslim communities. This again reminds me of Dundee where we started up Solas (who I see have just appointed their third evangelist to the team) ……Yet not I.

 

Redeveloping Buildings

Yet another similarity is that in Dundee we had to redevelop our building, and here we have been doing the same. Our hall has a new roof, renewed floor and aircon and tech. The church has aircon. But there is more to be done. And of course the finances needed revitalised and still need to be revitalised.

 

Students

As some of you will know, our church in Dundee started off with no students and then became a very strong student church. Here I was told that we would never be a student church because we didn’t have any students, and therefore students wouldn’t come, which is the ongoing circle. The university has been a hard nut to crack, but bit by bit, doors are gently beginning to squeeze open. As I write this, I’ve just returned from a student lunch. A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of doing some work with Newcastle Christian Students together with the University Philosophy Society. For me, it’s one of the most encouraging things I have done in years. Last Sunday, two of the students from the Philosophy Society turned up at our morning service. Yet not I.

Community Contacts

In Dundee, we bit by bit began to develop stronger links with the local community. Here it is the same idea. The local councillor has visited us, as has the local MP, and I’ve enjoyed meeting with a couple of the community workers. Again, as with the Dundee Courier, I’ve been trying to get onto the local newspaper, the Newcastle Herald, and I’ve had the privilege of having a couple of articles published in that. Yet not I…

Media Outreach and Church Politics

In terms of media work, of course, I’ve continued the podcast, “Beauty for Ashes.” It was “Quantum of the Wee Flea,” but when we tried to put it on Rhema Radio, we changed the name and adapted it for radio. Sadly, for various reasons, that did not work. Again, perhaps one day I’ll tell the story. The podcast itself continues to grow and develop.

I have continued the ‘Coffee with…’ series of short YouTube videos – 3-5 minutes each day going through a book of the bible. We are currently at number 360 of ‘Coffee with Jesus’. I enjoy the discipline of doing that. But in my view, there is a drip, drip, drip effect through all these community and media involvements. We’re sowing seed that one day will reap a harvest.

I continue to write for various people, but not least AP, the online magazine of the Australian Presbyterian Church. Here is one example – https://ap.org.au/2026/04/26/a-clear-and-present-danger/

That has not been without its controversy, and as a result, I’ve been finding myself getting drawn into wider church issues, which I definitely did not want to. I was burned from that in Scotland. But Annabel encouraged me to use my experience in Scotland, and although I have to say that it’s not been easy, I can see that it is worthwhile. I am unsure about the state of Presbyterianism in Australia. I am not really qualified to comment – but what I see (and I have preached in every state except Western Australia – and that will be remedied next year) is a real mixture – the good, the bad and the ugly! We really need renewal and reformation…… Yet not I….

I also do a fortnightly interview for Vision radio here in Australia, and a monthly show for Janet Parshall on Moodly Radio in the States…as well as various podcast interviews from time to time.

The Joy of the Undershepherd

I think that what I missed most in Sydney was the pastoral ministry. I know it sounds strange, but I just love connecting with people at funerals, baptisms, weddings. I even love going to care homes. I think spending time with elderly saints who are coming towards the end of their years is not a waste of my time, and nor with those who as yet may not be believers, but their time is short. And again, as in Dundee, the variety of people here that I meet with and that are coming to the church is beautiful. Gay, straight, trans, rich, poor, Australian, Scottish, Chinese, Pacific Islanders, Indian, Greek, European, English, musicians, artists, writers, tradies, health carers, seekers, rebels, atheists, agnostics, Catholics and charismatics……even some Calvinists! There is just an endless fascination and joy in being with the diversity of the people God has created on Earth. And the great thing for me is that I get to teach the Word of God every day to the regulars and the irregulars. Because of the lack of going to Church twice on a Sunday – and not having a midweek meeting (in Scotland I was used to three services per week) I am conscious that people need a lot more bible teaching. Which is why I now produce weekly bible notes and am looking to encourage other ways of learning…. (including the More@4). Yet not I.

Disappointments and Failures

Of course, there have been disappointments. A teen Bible study that didn’t work, a teaching English as a foreign language course that didn’t take off, a failed attempt at a Sunday school. And there are other personal heartaches and difficult things that happen. People who backslide, people who turn against you. The mistakes you make. All the usual ups and downs of real pastoral ministry.

One disappointment has also been a great encouragement. A young man called Jacques came to us, and I realized that there was something special about him. He’d trained as a Presbyterian minister but didn’t have a charge, so we worked together. I loved meeting with him every week. He was my Timothy. The disappointment was that one day he told me that he was going to receive a call to Roseville Presbyterian Church in Sydney, and his inclination was to take it. At the time, I was absolutely gutted, and yet I also felt it was the right thing for him to do. (Again, this was so like St Peters – like the year we lost several key people for various reasons, just when we were beginning to take off and I was confused by why it was happening – and yet God replaced and renewed). But I do remember asking the Lord to provide in his place. In my head, I had an idea that he would be my successor. I’m not getting any younger. I’m 64 years old. I would like to stay here as long as I possibly can, and as long, obviously, as God wants me to. But you have to prepare for the future as well. But many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it’s the Lord’s purpose that prevails. (Proverbs 19:21) So we sent Jacques with our blessing, and he has been a great blessing in Roseville. I hope that we have many other people who come to us who go off and be a blessing elsewhere. We don’t want to be a mega church here. We just want to be a conduit for God’s grace. Yet not I….

And Jacques has been replaced. His parents have retired and come to us. And other people have come to help and be part of the fellowship here. I think one of the things that has surprised me is that there is a relative degree of unity between the few older ones who are left and the new people who have arrived. Yet not I.

Yet Not I

So, I leave you with a final thought from a great aspect of this area. I love Beaumont Street, and it has many troubles, but one of its great joys is Q’s Bookshop. Over a year ago, I discovered the 19th century “Life of William Cowper” set. I think there’s seven volumes. I’ve enjoyed reading them over these past months. In volume five, I read this: “The wisdom of God evidently designs by these events to check the thirst for human praise and distinction by showing us the precarious tenure by which they are held. We are thus admonished to examine our motives and to be assured of the integrity of our intentions, neither to despise public favour nor yet to overvalue it, but to preserve that calm and equable temper of mind and that full consciousness of the rectitude of our principles, that we may learn to enjoy it without triumph or to lose it without dejection.”

I write this to ask for your prayers, not for praise, nor for contempt or argument. It’s just a personal reflection. It’s a way for me to think through these things and to be deeply grateful for what God has done. I feel I’m not really able to do anything. And yet, not I…

 

Bridge argues that a believer cannot endure to write an ‘I’ upon his own performance. ‘He will obey God, but he will not have an I to be written upon his obedience’.

He goes on to say in his third sermon, “I laboured more abundantly than they all, yet not I. I’ve been a preacher of the gospel and have been a means to convert many souls unto Jesus Christ. Yet not I, but the grace of God with me. I’ve comforted many afflicted souls, yet not I. I have been a means to plant many churches, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.”

“He will not have his work defiled with self or this ‘I’ to be written upon what he does.”

This is what happens when the gospel comes in life, truth, and power. I leave you with Bridge’s advice. “Look much into the gospel. Study much the gospel and the way of the gospel. The more you see a humble Christ, the more you will learn humility.”

Yet not I, but Christ in me…

Yours in Him,

David

PS. If you can join us this Friday at 6pm for the induction (online if not in person). And pray for the Father, Son and Holy Spirit to be glorified in His work at Scots…. in Newcastle and throughout this great nation.

PPS. Here is my previous letter – https://theweeflea.com/2026/07/27/letter-from-australia-130-nothing-else-matters/