(These Australian Christians have generously contributed to this site by invitation. They have written their own responses to Jesus’ words, writing as individuals, not as representatives of particular Churches or organizations. They do not necessarily endorse other views or links connected to this site. Responsibility for all other content on the site remains with the author, Geoff Francis.)

Diane Adams has been involved in ministry since 1970 with Fusion Aust Ltd, the Australia wide, and now international Christian Youth & Community organisation. (www.fusion.org.au)  Her husband Bob, who died in 2003, played a key role in Fusion’s development, especially in youth work training and media, and together they have been part of Fusion’s work in Victoria, Queensland and Tasmania, working alongside mainline churches and Christian and secular community organisations who have a heart for marginalised young people and their families. Diane currently resides and works in accounts administration at Fusion’s national base in Poatina Tasmania – http://poatina.wordpress.com. (Headline 37)

Dave Andrews, his wife Ange, and their family, have lived and worked in intentional communities with marginalised groups of people in Australia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and Nepal for more than thirty years. Dave is particularly interested in radical spirituality, incarnational community and the dynamics of personal and social transformation.  Dave and Ange are currently a part of the Waiters Union, an inner city Christian community network working with Aborigines, refugees and people with disabilities in Australia.  Dave has published a collection of inspiring  biographies; “People of Compassion” (TEAR Australia 2008) www.daveandrews.com.au;  www.waitersunion.org (Headline 44)

Bruce Baird was Australian Trade Commissioner in New York before entering NSW Parliament in 1984. He held various senior ministerial posts in the State Liberal Government, including leading the successful bid for the Sydney Olympic Games. In 1998 he was elected to Federal parliament as the Member for Cook, where he served until 2007. In 2009 he was appointed Chairman of the Refugee Resettlement Advisory Council by the Labor Government. He has written on “Double Citizenship” – headline 46.

Rod Begbie lives in Melbourne with his wife Susie and daughter Tilly. He teaches English as a Foreign Language part time, and spends the rest of his week looking after Tilly, writing music, and reading as much as he can. He has belonged to and worked for various small church communities over the years, and is currently searching for another. He comments on headline 13.

Neil Bell and his wife Faye, moved to the Northern Territory in 1974 to teach in the remote indigenous Utju community, west of Alice Springs. As principal of the Areyonga School, Neil was involved in the Pitjantjatjara/English bilingual education program. He speaks Pitjantjatjara.  He was elected to the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly as the Labor member for MacDonnell, where he served until 1997, holding various shadow portfolios.  Since 1998, he has practiced as a lawyer in Kalgoorlie, Alice Springs and Melbourne, and has advised a number of indigenous corporations in various jurisdictions.  Neil comments on reconciliation (headline 10).

Peter Breen is a radiographer and ordained Wesleyan Methodist Pastor. He has served in Churches in Bundaberg and Brisbane, over the last 18 years. He, with his wife Mavis, established Urbaneyes, an urban mission initiative in inner Brisbane focussing on the arts, justice and spirituality. Their passion is to connect with those outside the church. (Headlines 8 & 29)  (see www.urbaneyes.com.au and www.cafejugglers.com)

Brad Buchanan works in the magazine publishing industry. He has been a pastor in a Melbourne church, and taught Bible and coached basketball at Flinders College, Carrum Downs. He writes on true wealth and false prophets. (Headlines 19 & 28)

General Eva Burrows was world leader of The Salvation Army from 1986 to 1993. She was the first Australian and only the second woman to hold the position. Trained as a teacher, her career as a Salvation Army Officer included service in Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka, London and Scotland. In her retirement, she continues an active program of travel and speaking engagements. (Headline 50)

Malcolm Campbell entered the Uniting Church Ministry in later life, after working as a teacher and an educator of teachers. He worked for 9 years in Vanuatu, overseeing the work of Presbyterian Church Schools. He writes on God’s generosity (headline 25.)

Professor Graeme Clark led the Melbourne University team that developed the “Bionic Ear”. In 1967 he left his practice as an Ear, Nose and Throat surgeon to pursue research into helping the profoundly deaf. In 1978, he performed the first human cochlear implant. Professor Clark is Professor of Otolaryngology at the University of Melbourne, and the Director of The Bionic Ear Institute in Melbourne. He comments on “Moving Mountains”. (Headline 39)

Denise Cooper-Clarke is a graduate of medicine and theology with a Ph.D in medical ethics. She is a voluntary researcher with ETHOS (Evangelical Alliance Centre for Christianity and Society), an adjunct Lecturer in Ethics at Ridley Melbourne, and a tutor in medical ethics at the University of Melbourne. She is also chair of the Ethics Committee of the Christian Medical and Dental Fellowship of Australia, and a Fellow of ISCAST (Institute for the Study Of Christianity in an Age of Science and Technology). She comments on “God’s rules don’t change!” – headline 9.

John Cranswick (1926-2007) was a GP in Eastern Melbourne. He and his wife, Joy, worked in rural medicine for the Church of South India for 15 years, where John trained medical graduates to practice in areas of greatest need.  He has written on “Two basic rules”. (Headline 47)

Rowland Croucher is a Melbourne counsellor and writer, Baptist minister and founder of John Mark Ministries. (jmm.aaa.net.au).  He comments on headline 43; divorce and the sexual issues of today.

Sir William Deane served as Australia’s 22nd Governor-General from 1996 to 2001, following 14 years as a judge of the High Court of Australia. In his five-year term as Head of State, he won wide-spread respect and affection for his leadership, particularly at times of national mourning such as the Port Arthur shooting and the Interlaken tragedy. He “combined compassion and spiritual and emotional clarity with intellectual vigour.” (Tony Stephens; “Sir William Deane – The things that matter.” Hodder 2002, p 2.)  Sir William comments on “The Ultimate Test”. (Headline 51)

Costa Englezos lectures in business at RMIT School of Accounting and Law. He is an elder at Edge Church, East Doncaster. He has provided comments on “The Invitation”, and “The Sign of Jonah”. (Headlines 32 & 35)

Geoff Francis, the author of this web-site, works as a General Practitioner in Melbourne’s Outer East. Geoff and his wife, Jenny, are members of East Doncaster Gospel Chapel, known as “Edge Church”. (Headlines 1-3, 11, 36, 52)

Joanna Francis worked in Herat, Afghanistan during 2003 as a project manager for War Child UK, an International Aid Organisation. She has been a core member of Amnesty International Victoria’s Children’s Rights Team. In 2005 and 2006 she managed child protection projects with UNICEF in East Timor. (Headline 40)

Archbishop Harry Goodhew was Anglican Archbishop of Sydney from 1993 to 2001. He has wide experience of ministry to both victims and perpetrators of injustice. He writes on headline 41 concerning mistreatment of children. (Headline 41)

Nell Hodgson (1920-2009), retired nurse, grandmother and poet, lived in Morwell, Victoria, with her husband Norm for many years. They were active in the Salvation Army corps, and many community activities. They developed a prayer network, “Prayer Power for the Valley”, encouraging Christians from all the Churches in the Latrobe Valley to pray together for their community (Headlines 26 & 33)

David Juler was a lecturer in English language and literature, and teaching studies in the Faculty of Education. In his retirement his interests include reading, gardening and oil painting. (Headlines 23 & 45)

Elizabeth Kendal, international religious liberty monitor and analyst, is now Principle Researcher and Writer for the World Evangelical Alliance Religious Liberty Commission (2002-April 2009). She authors a weekly Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin (RLPB). (To subscribe (free) send an empty email to join-rlpb@hub.xc.org.) She writes on Headline 7.

Merril Kitchen, trained as a medical scientist. In 1973 with her husband Paul, she worked in Nazareth Hospital, Israel.  Since then she has maintained a long association with the hospital, (Nazareth Hospital) and associated projects; the Nazareth Village, (a reconstruction of first century Nazareth that shows how Jesus would have lived), and the Mar Elias Educational Institutions.  She has also pursued a life-long passion to build understanding between Christians, Jews and Muslims. She began theological studies in 1986, and served for 10 years  as Principal of Churches of Christ Theological College in Melbourne. (She has written on “Love your enemies”, and “Man-made structures”; headlines 14 and 48.)

Jason Lau is a photographer, artist and art teacher at Oxley College. Jason comments on “ Prayer – just between you and God.” (Headline 16)

Kevin Maddock is Field Director with Prison Fellowship Australia (Victoria.) He pastors the Five8 program, a mentoring network for prisoners and ex-prisoners. He is an associate Pastor at Footscray Church of Christ, and has worked in pastoral ministry for Concern Australia. He started visiting prisons regularly in 1979 while farming in North East Victoria. Kevin started a spiritual journey with the thought, “If the Good News isn’t relevant and life changing here in the prison then it is not relevant anywhere.” He started to see lives changed as men sought and found forgiveness through Jesus; and as they discovered God’s grace and peace in action in their lives. He is still on that journey. (Headline 31)

John Menadue has held many senior positions in Australian public life, including Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, (before and after the dismissal of the Whitlam Government), Ambassador to Japan, and CEO of Qantas. He was a signatory to the “Call for Truth in Government”, published by 43 former Service Chiefs and retired Diplomats and Department Heads before the 2004 federal election. His autobiography, Things You Learn Along the Way was published in 1999. (Headline 12)

Steve Messer has worked as a secondary teacher and as pastor of Warragul Community Church. He leads “Steve Messer’s Strange Country”, an award winning electric-acoustic band. (more) The band’s sound fuses elements of country, bluegrass, blues and gospel, and presents songs “rich in life’s joys and struggles, hard times, high hopes and the triumph of faith.” Steve’s own song “Maybe today” tells how the hope of Jesus’ second coming is making a difference in the lives of people around the world and especially where it’s dangerous to be one of his followers. (This is the subject of Headline 49)

Alan Nichols is a journalist, writer and Anglican Minister. He has a long history of involvement in social care in Australia and overseas. He has been director of The Mission of St James and St John, and has worked with refugees in Thailand and Ruwanda. He has served as a consultant to Government and other organisations on Ethics and Social Policy, including health care and refugee issues. He is a member of  St Stephen’s Anglican Church, Warrandyte, Victoria. (Headline 4.)

David Price practised as a general surgeon in Mornington until his retirement. He has also worked in Thailand, Nepal and the Middle East. He is passionately involved in issues of peace and the environment.  He has written about “Peacemakers”. (Headline 6)

Davin Price is an Electrical Engineer designing control systems for bulk handling machinery. He writes and performs drama at EDGE Church and is co-leader of a young adults Bible study. (Headline 27)

Peter Sanders is a Uniting Church minister, in Melbourne. He has worked for 14 years as the coordinator of hope springs, a crisis support service providing help for partners, families and friends of people affected by mental illness. The service is based at the Rosanna Uniting Church. (Headlines 15 & 22)

Bruce Saward is an accountant, and partner of Melbourne accounting firm Saward Dawson. “He regards lateral thinking and the ability to think outside the square as an important part of his role both as a consultant and a leader within the firm.” Bruce has maintained an active involvement in church leadership and community groups over many years. He writes on “God and Money” – headline 21.

Tom Slater worked as a primary teacher before pursuing his passion for Chrictian camping with Scripture Union. He established the year-round school camping program at Camp Coolamatong in East Gippsland. Tom became the founding president of the Camping Association of Victoria in 1983, and has written three books on camping including The Temporary Community (1984) and The New Camping Book (1990).  He has served as the Victorian Director of Scripture Union, and the National Director of Australian Evangelical Alliance. (Headlines 17 & 30)

John Steward is an agriculturalist who has worked with small groups of community development workers from over 50 countries, has lived overseas for 15 years, and managed staff and programs for World Vision in Australia, Indonesia and Rwanda. He now lives in Melbourne and visits Rwanda every six months to mentor Africans committed to efforts to rebuild peace. John is presently absorbed with the challenge of unforgiveness and its effects on human relations. (Headline 18)

David Williams is a medical doctor and ordained Anglican minister from London, UK. He spent 9 years in Kenya, where he was Principal of an Anglican Theological College. He now heads St Andrew’s Hall, an Anglican College in Melbourne, training candidates for ministry in other cultures. His passion is to understand and teach the message of Jesus as it applies to the whole person. David writes about mercy and purity. (Headline 5)

Roy Williams is the author of God, Actually (ABC Books, 2008), a reasoned defence of Christianity.  He attended Sydney University in the 1980s, winning the University Medal in law, and went on to a twenty-year career in the legal profession.  He was a litigator at one of Australia’s leading firms, Allens Arthur Robinson.  Stricken by a life-changing illness in 2004, he took time to recuperate before deciding to become a writer.  God, Actually has been a best-seller in Australia, and has recently been published in Britain and North America by Monarch Books. (Headline 24)