The One Thing – Details, episodes & analysis

What happens when denominational leaders get in the same room to talk about gospel growth in Australia?

In this episode, Derek and Scott reflect on a recent national gathering hosted by The Gospel Coalition—a moment of unity, clarity, and challenge.

A bold vision was laid down: double the number of Reformed evangelicals in Australia over twenty years.

• Why Reformed evangelical Christians rather than all Christians?
• Why is this a 20 year vision?
• What needs to happen in the local church to make this happen?
• Why this needs to be more about doing than just talking
• What are some of the ways we can be doing together?

TOOLBOX:

• Join the Reach Australia prayer group to pray for Australia and monthly newsletters to keep up to date.
• Reach Australia Vision
  
• Place mission at the centre of your church 
• Now-Where-How Planning Tool

CREDITS:

This episode was brought to you by Stanton Dahl Architects

The One Thing is brought to you by ⁠⁠Reach Australia⁠⁠

To pray for Reach Australia, join our ⁠⁠WhatsApp Group⁠⁠

For ideas or questions please email ⁠⁠resources@reachaustralia.com.au⁠⁠

Support Reach Australia's online library

Carla and Corey Matthews have been part of two church plant launch teams — not as planters or staff, but as everyday church members offering time, energy, and faith. 

In this episode, they share:

• Why they said yes (twice!) to joining a launch team
• How it shaped their spiritual lives
• What it’s really like to serve on a team from day one
• The costs and sacrifices of leaving a comfortable church
• And why church plants need more than just planters

Whether you're curious about church planting or wondering how God might use you, this honest conversation is for you.

Carla and Corey helped launch Cornerstone Anglican Church Box Hill, Sydney and Rouse Hill Anglican Church, Sydney.

TOOLBOX:

TOT 375 Learning from two new churches that launched in 2024

Church Planting Australia Podcast

Opportunities to Plant

CREDITS:
This episode was brought to you by Church Suite

The One Thing is brought to you by ⁠⁠Reach Australia⁠⁠

To pray for Reach Australia, join our ⁠⁠WhatsApp Group⁠⁠

For ideas or questions please email ⁠⁠resources@reachaustralia.com.au⁠⁠

Support Reach Australia's online library

Matt Gorton and Scruff chat about common mistakes in kids' ministry:

• Assuming biblical knowledge
• Using Christian jargon without explanation
• Lack of visual engagement
• Trying to teach too much at once
• Neglecting dramatic conflict

Matt Gorton is the Creative Director of Quiz Worx, an organisation focused on sharing Jesus with kids, primarily through live puppet shows in schools.

Their approach deliberately fills a gap, doing things most local churches can’t—like extensive show preparation, high-level puppetry, and engaging storytelling with theological depth.

Puppets like Scruff play a crucial role by creating dramatic tension, challenging the human presenter, and asking the tough or silly questions kids might be too shy to ask. This keeps shows engaging and relatable while allowing clear gospel communication.

TOOL BOX:

Quiz Worx

CREDITS:
This episode was brought to you by  Kidswise Masterclass

The One Thing is brought to you by ⁠⁠Reach Australia⁠⁠

To pray for Reach Australia, join our ⁠⁠WhatsApp Group⁠⁠

For ideas or questions please email ⁠⁠resources@reachaustralia.com.au⁠⁠

Support Reach Australia's online library

It's the time of year where we need to start planning 2024! Derek talks to Des Smith from Trinity Church Lockleys about how to plan out a preaching series:

• Is it the role of the senior minster or is this something that can be delegated?
• What are the principles we need when planning out a series and why smaller passages might be better?
• Why seasons of the year and genres of books matter when planning out series.
• Des will take us though his preaching plan for 2024 and why he did what he did
• What happens when we don't plan?
• How tight we should hold to our plans?
• How our plan affects other aspects of church?
• Why outputs should be guiding our plan?

SHOW NOTES:

Des' 2024 Plan (which might change!):

• Jan: Psalms
• February/ March: Book of Acts
• April: Is Anybody Out There? (God's Revelation)
• May: Ruth
• June: Job
• July: The Doctrine of the Trinity
• August/ September: Romans
• Oct: 2 Thessalonians/ What Should I Do With My Life?
• November/ December: Book of Numbers

More on Preaching:

Rory Shiner on Preaching

Des Smith on Preaching

Phil Colgan on Preaching

Adam Ch'ng on Preaching

Al Stewart on Preaching

CREDITS:

The One Thing is brought to you by Reach Australia.

For ideas or questions please email resources@reachaustralia.com.au

To support the Reach Australia Online Library head here.

We all have identity issues and it has become the hot topic around the place at the moment. But how does it affect gospel workers particularly? James Lewis from Norwest Anglican church reflects on his own experiences as he prepared talks on identity:



SHOW NOTES:

Norwest Anglican Series on Identity on YouTube

You Are Not Your Own by Alan Noble

Compared to Her by Sophie de Witt

Reach Australia Development Programme



CREDITS:

The One Thing is brought to you by Reach Australia.

For ideas or questions please email resources@reachaustralia.com.au

To support the Reach Australia Online Library head here.

Term 4 is not the time to slow down, we have great opportunities in events like Christmas but also planning for 2024. Make sure you are ready to go. You need to ask questions like:

• How do I make the most of Christmas and more importantly what comes next for people who are interested in finding out more?
• How are you increasing mission heat leading up to Christmas and in January?
• Have I planned out 2024?
• Are you doing ministry audits for what is going on?
• Are you talking to exisiting and new leaders for next year about their ministries?
• How are you saying good bye to people who are leaving like student ministers and trainees going to college?
• Are you transitioning people into different levels of life? Primary to youth? Youth to young adults?
• Can you take some time away to plan or refresh?

SHOW NOTES:

Season 21 of the Reach Australia Podcast

Mission Funnel PDF

262 Dave Keun on making the most of Christmas

280 Joining a New Staff Team

CREDITS:

The One Thing is brought to you by Reach Australia.

For ideas or questions please email resources@reachaustralia.com.au

To support the Reach Australia Online Library head here.

"Referring people on to experts is an act of love". Lauren Errington is asked about when is it a good time for someone to see someone professionally about a mental health issue.

She recommends asking ourselves:

• Do you have the expertise?
• Do you have the capacity and time to deal with this?
• How do I have the conversation that someone needs some help?
• Who should they see?

SHOW NOTES:

Reach Australia Care List. A list of resources that might help you.

The Family Systems Institute Website

The Mental Health and Pastoral Institute where Keith and Sarah Condie have some great resources.

The Better Access Scheme explained.

CREDITS:

The One Thing is brought to you by Reach Australia.

For ideas or questions please email resources@reachaustralia.com.au

To support the Reach Australia Online Library head here.

Pastors what to help people, but when does this desire get the way of actually helping people?  Lauren Errington from the Family Systems Institute addresses some of the questions we need to ask when it comes to helping people, even well intentioned help:



- Who is actually responsible for what?

- Have we confused empathy with needing to feel all the feelings the other person is feeling?

- Is the best way of helping people to step back and let the person grow themselves?

- Are we curious and thoughtful before we are ready to jump in and help?

- Is the help actually about helping them or dealing with our own anxiety and need to step in and help?

- What does it mean to be in "good contact" with someone?

SHOW NOTES:

• Lauren's Workshop at the Reach Australia National Conference 2023
• The Family Systems Institute
• ‘Bowen Family Systems Theory in Christian Ministry: Grappling with theory and its application through a biblical lens’ (Ed. Jenny Brown and Lauren Errington)
• Family Systems and Congregational Life by Robert Creech
• Growing Yourself Up by Jenny Brown

CREDITS:

The One Thing is brought to you by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Reach Australia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

For ideas or questions please email ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠resources@reachaustralia.com.au⁠⁠⁠⁠

To support the Reach Australia Online Library head ⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠.

What is 'rest'? In our last episode we saw that rest was more than sleep and not working. Derek and Scott look at the work of Dr Saundra Dalton-Smith on different types of rest.

1. Physical Rest

Giving your body a rest.

2. Mental Rest

It could be that you need to give your mind a rest.

3. Emotional Rest

We can get emotionally tired when we are not paying attention to our emotions.

4. Spiritual Rest

Reconnecting with God

5. Social Rest

Different relationships can ones that build us up or drain us.

6. Sensory Res

Especially with screens.

7. Creative Rest

Creative rest is not about putting a demand on your creative ability; that’s not rest, that’s work. It is the opposite. It’s allowing white space in your life and giving room for your creativity to show up. Creative rest lets you focus on your basic need for wonder. You can enjoy fulfilling that basic need in ways that don’t put any pressure on your being creative. Yes, creativity may bloom from the seeds planted, but creativity is not the objective, only rest.

Summary

• Don’t have to do all of these every day, or every week. But it is helpful to be aware that there are different ways to rest and different people will rest in different ways

SHOWNOTES:

⁠⁠Sacred Rest: Recover Your Life, Renew Your Energy, Restore Your Sanity⁠⁠⁠ by Dr Saundra Dalton-Smith ⁠

TED Notes from Dr Saundra Dalton-Smith ⁠

TED Talk from Dr Saundra Dalton-Smith ⁠

Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less⁠ Alex Soojung-Kim Pang

⁠Atomic Habits⁠ by James Clear.

CREDITS:

The One Thing is brought to you by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Reach Australia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

For ideas or questions please email ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠resources@reachaustralia.com.au⁠⁠⁠⁠

To support the Reach Australia Online Library head ⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Is the reason that gospel workers are tired because they don't understand what rest is? Derek and Scott discuss three myths of rest:

Myth #1: Doing more work does not make us better workers: 

Truth #1: Resting makes us better, more effective workers

Myth #2: I don’t need to rest, that’s what holidays are for

Truth#2: You can’t binge your rest, it needs to be a habit

Myth #3: I get some sleep each night.  That’s rest.

Truth #3: Sleep is important but is not rest.

Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less
Alex Soojung-Kim Pang

Sacred Rest: Recover Your Life, Renew Your Energy, Restore Your Sanity by Dr Saundra Dalton-Smith 

Atomic Habits by James Clear.

Burnout and Rest by Valarie Ling  

List of things to improve your sleep by Matthew Walker 

CREDITS:

The One Thing is brought to you by ⁠⁠⁠⁠Reach Australia⁠⁠⁠⁠.

For ideas or questions please email ⁠⁠⁠⁠resources@reachaustralia.com.au⁠⁠⁠

To support the Reach Australia Online Library head ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠.