Packed church for Freedom Sunday
At Nights this week we held Freedom Sunday with guest speaker Dave Jensen and 29 people indicated, “I haven’t been living for Jesus, but today I want to start living for Jesus.” As Mission Director, I get a front-row seat to these moments, but they only happen because a lot of you take small, courageous steps together.
So many of you invited friends that we couldn’t fit in the auditorium, so we had to open an overflow space. Dave Jensen spoke with urgency about how Jesus is our rescuer. His message cut through the noise of “try harder” religion and pointed us to the heart of Christianity: not what we do for God, but what He has done for us in Jesus. It was a call to consider whether we’ve truly accepted that rescue.
There was a great sense of teamwork as people chipped in to make it special. From the car park to the stage, people were serving with sincerity. Downstairs, a team assembled to look through the response cards and follow up with people to take their next step in faith. The room was filled with joy for the 29 people who indicated, “I haven’t been living for Jesus, but today I want to start living for Jesus.” That’s 29 stories of change, forgiveness, and new direction. Seven out of the 29 also identified as already following Jesus, perhaps marking a moment of renewed commitment or clarity. Alongside that, 32 people expressed interest in Monday Dinners, a space to ask questions, explore faith and grow in community. It was a powerful reminder that God is still drawing people to Himself and that simple, clear gospel proclamation matters.
I went home on Sunday feeling grateful to God for His mercy to save and for His kindness to raise up a church filled with people who serve, invite and pray for new life. What we saw wasn’t about a big event or a single speaker, it was the fruit of a church family playing their part, with God at work through us.
Earlier in the day, we saw that same heart for mission spill out into our local community at the Village Green. A passionate team from Nights hosted a free BBQ with face painting, henna, hair wraps, sports games, live music and a personal testimony. The goal was simple: to connect with local families, share the love of Jesus and start meaningful conversations. It was a joy to see people linger, chat and engage—creating space for relationships that we pray will continue to grow.
As we look ahead, we now turn to the Sydney Anglican Day of Prayer this coming Sunday. After the weekend we’ve just had, prayer feels like the natural next step. We want to bring these moments before God, thanking Him for changed hearts and asking Him to continue His work in our church and community.
Here’s a video with Archbishop Kanishka Raffel calling all the churches in Sydney to pray:
