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Alison Bannister

Education Director Commissioned

Rev Bob Frisken AM

At a Commissioning Service at Northlakes Church, Charmhaven on Sunday 25th February Alison Bannister was commissioned as the Education Director for New Hope International. The service was conducted by David Meader Senior Pastor of the Northlakes Church a large, vibrant and growing church at Charmhaven on the Central Coast of NSW. The Chair of New Hope International, Sue Skuthorpe and President Bob Frisken also took part in the Commissioning along with leaders of the Church. Bob Frisken announced the appointment of Alison and explained her new role.

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Bob Frisken AM, President of NHI speaks to Ali

Alison's Role
As Education Director, Alison will work along with the President, the Business Director and the other staff in the development of, support for and the promotion of New Hope International among schools and churches in Australia and New Zealand and where applicable in other developed countries of the world. She will also be responsible for the development and maintenance of the New Hope network of schools and tertiary colleges. As well as the development of training materials and seminars, the supervision and coordination of Project Officers and Field Representatives when appointed, and for facilitating school mission opportunities and overseas school visits, lecturing and/or speaking in seminars arranged by NHI.
The position calls for Alison to raise her own support and she has prayerfully accepted this challenge. New Hope International will support her and pray for her in this task and will provide the finances to cover the expenses she needs to undertake this ministry. The schools and many other people that are part of the New Hope International network will also provide prayer backing for her in this ministry.

Pastor John leads the Commissioning

Pastor David Meader Commissions Alison
Pastor David Meader commissioned Alison saying, “Alison in response to your acceptance of the call to serve the Lord as Education Director of New Hope International, the Northlakes Church along with New Hope International now sets you apart for this service to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. In doing so, we commit ourselves to support you in prayer in fellowship and in other ways as the Lord may lead us.”

Alison with Sue Skuthorpe Chair of NHI

Alison's Testimony
My name is Alison Bannister. I am a single parent with four children and one beautiful granddaughter and I live at Wyee on the Central coast of NSW. For the past 14 years I have been leading the ministry of Wyong Christian Community as Principal. This was a challenging but very rewarding role that I loved doing. However at the beginning of 2006 the Lord told me it was time to leave this position. This was discussed with the school Board and in obedience to the Lord I tendered my resignation for the end of 2006. However, the Lord did not tell me where I was to go or what I was to do next. In April 2006 God called me to be part of the "Hope Rwanda: 100 days of Hope" education team, a Mark and Darlene Zschech initiative. This project saw me in Africa, with a team of 25 teachers whose mission was to provide some teacher training in the resource-poor schools of Rwanda. I returned from Africa unsettled by the fact that here in Australia we have an abundance of wealth/ resources, no shortage of training and professional development and enjoying the benefits of Government support and finances. Whilst in Africa there was none of the above, the African people I met were filled with a burning desire to see not only their country educated but a longing to see their people trained in the ways of the Lord. I asked myself, "Can we meet this need? How can we do it best? Who would finance this? Can we truly bring real HOPE to these people?"
I read in the Bible "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life".
(Proverbs 13:12) This verse and these questions about HOPE were resounding in my heart when God arranged for me to meet up with Bob and Maryanne Frisken at a regional CSA teachers' conference in July 2006.
I asked them if we could meet for lunch during the conference without really knowing why I wanted to talk to them. In a conversation over lunch, God planted a seed of an idea in my heart that perhaps I could join Bob and Maryanne as they sought to answer these very same questions. When Bob mentioned they were looking for an Executive Officer who would be prepared to find his or her own financial support, I did not say a thing but later I asked God, "Lord what are you doing?"
I did not do anything about that then but later I emailed Bob to ask if there was any way I could help New Hope International in the next year when I would be taking some leave. Sometime later Bob rang me to ask if I would consider applying for the position of Education Director. I told him I would pray about it and I did and the Lord laid on my heart the strong conviction that this was what he wanted me to do next.
So now I have joined with New Hope International in bringing "new HOPE to a needy world".
My new work will involve helping to develop our network of schools and tertiary colleges in Australia and New Zealand and in developing training materials for NHI's exciting programme of "Educating for Change" which is being developed to strengthen Christian schools in the less developed countries. I look forward to being able to go to Africa next year and begin to be part of the team to bring hope to the people of Africa and other countries too. Please join in prayer for me as I work with New Hope International to plant a seed that will grow into a "tree of life" in needy countries through education and community development. Also please pray for me as I step out in faith trusting in the Lord for my direction and to meet our family's financial needs.

Katty Jaeger who preached at Alison's Commissioning

Faith Challenge
Katty Jaeger, who is on the staff of Wyong Christian School, where Alison served for 14 years, was the preacher for the Commissioning service. She brought a message challenging people to live by faith and not by fear. This message was a great encouragement to all there but especially to Alison and the Board of new Hope International as they step out in this new step of faith:

Pastor David Meader and some of the Leadership Team that Commissioned Alison

FAITH NOT FEAR
1. Faith Is Being Sure
Faith is being sure about something. Christian faith is having confidence in God and the belief that he does what He promises. (Hebrews 11:1)
Faith is then opposite of fear yet both faith and fear are based on what is not known. Because our faith is in God our faith needs to be stronger than our fear. We need to understand what fear is: False Expectations Appearing Real. Faith can overcome fear because it involves trust in God who is real. Our faith is not in what we can do but in God alone.
In Judges 4 we read of a woman of faith Deborah, a prophetess and judge of Israel who called on Barak a leader of the tribes of Israel to take 10,000 men and attack Sisera, the commander of Jabin, the Canaanite king,. He said he would only go if she would go with him and she agreed to go with him and thus strengthened his faith. It's remarkable that Barak is listed in Hebrews 11: 32 as a man of faith despite his first faltering steps. Deborah's' faith in God strengthened him and enabled his faith to grow. Deborah showed us that we can walk in faith with others and so strengthen their faith. As we partner with others their faith can arise and so can ours. This account reminds us that faith is a journey and we are called to walk the life of faith and to persevere on it.
2. Faith Is Not a Feeling
Faith is not a feeling but a decision. Barak felt afraid but he made the decision to obey. He went and so won an amazing victory and a place in the list of men of faith.
When God calls us we have to obey. Faith involves us stepping out despite feelings of inadequacy and a hesitation to commit ourselves. Faith is stepping out "Just do it!"
3. Faith Overcomes Fear
Faith is not being controlled by the fear factor. Fear God and you need fear no one else.
Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about Him spread through the whole countryside. (Luke 4:14 NIV) Faith is walking in the Power of the Spirit of God. His power enables us to do what we can never do without Him. Faith is walking inn the plans of God who goes before us. Faith says, "Have no fear for God is near". Fear says "No way! You can't do it!" Faith says, "You can do it!"
Fear keeps us contained and limited. Faith says "Do it, being afraid, but do it."
Jesus lay down in a boat asleep in a terrible storm while His disciples panicked with fear. When they woke Jesus up He said to them "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" Mark 4:40. The David, the psalmist reminds us "The LORD is my light and my salvation-- whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life-- of whom shall I be afraid?" (Psalm 27:1 NIV)
David also said to Solomon his son, "Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you." (1 Chronicles 28:20 NIV)
4. Rise up in Faith
Rise up in faith let go of fear. There are moments in our life when we need to rise up in faith- to summon our faith and act on it.
Faith does not lie whimpering in the boat hoping against hope. Faith rises up and speaks into the situation. As Jesus did in that storm
The prophet Isaiah called to God's people "Awake, awake, O Zion, clothe yourself with strength. Put on your garments of splendour, O Jerusalem, the holy city". (Isaiah 52:1 NIV). As God's people, His new Jerusalem, we need to clothe our self in His strength, put on the coat of confidence in our God and rise up in faith.