Bougainville Team 2004 | Tehillah - Who Are We? Tehillah Ministries Inc is a not-for-profit missions organisation, incorporated in Queensland Australia, and a registered Australian charity, formed in January 2000.
We exist to provide Christ-Centred Ministry for the relief of poverty, suffering, distress, misfortune and helplessness of people both spiritually and physically, in the South Pacific.
Our motto is “Equipping the Church”.
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During the 1990’s, some of our missionaries were deployed in Papua New Guinea. They observed first hand the difficulties faced by the leaders of the emerging National church as missions handed over total responsibility to them, then withdrew from their country.
Gradually, through lack of finances, resources, on-going training, encouragement and sometimes discipline, some leaders faltered. Others gave up, some even succumbed to the temptations of power and authority. The majority however, continued to faithfully serve the Lord, but under ever increasing difficulties. |
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Can't wait for the training | VISION Ernie & Marilyn Gunders, at the end of a term of service in PNG, while debriefing with mission leaders, shared their vision for future service. They had the seeds of a new idea to address the problems they’d encountered on the field; A self-contained “Mobile Resource Centre”, able to support missionaries in remote and isolated areas for extended periods of time. Additionally it should be able to carry any resource materials which might be needed in teaching, helping, equipping and providing for the needs of communities, and especially of churches in these remote areas They were encouraged to pursue this God-given plan, and wait on Him for further guidance.
To fulfil their vision they needed a boat, specifically a sailing yacht, something not readily available to typical missionaries, and they tried unsuccessfully to obtain a boat.
For 18 months they prayed and waited for God to reveal His plan and purpose for them. They undertook sailing lessons, formed Tehillah Ministries, and became affiliated with Coastlands Ministries Inc, an organisation which facilitates the operation of Christian boats operating in the South Pacific. By then they felt ready to continue their ministry - but there was still no boat.
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Anchored - Mortlocks |
And then it happened… Unexpectedly, an email arrived at Coastlands from an unknown couple in the USA. “We have a 32 foot yacht, could you use it?” Coastlands immediately contacted Ernie, and together they discussed a possible response. Ernie emailed his resume to America and 10 days later came the reply, “My wife and I would love to give our yacht to Ernest and his ministry.”
So began a wonderful relationship with Pastor Brett and Leigh-Anne Monk in the USA which continues to strengthen today.
Brett and Leigh-Anne had a similar vision: to use a yacht for ministry to isolated people. They purchased a suitable boat, named it “Special Effects” and spent some years refurbishing and preparing it for the work ahead. By 2000 they were ready to go, just as Brett was ordained and took up the leadership of a new church. Now they had no need of their boat! Had they misread the Lord’s direction in buying the boat in the first place? Or was it meant for some other missionaries?
They searched the internet for a mission organisation who could make use of their boat and found Coastlands, thinking it was based in the USA.
And that was the boat Tehillah was praying for!
It came “home” from the USA on the deck of a cargo ship and was unloaded in Brisbane. Because we are a charity, there was no Customs duty or import tax to pay. Friends of Tehillah sent their semi-trailer to Brisbane, loaded “Special Effects” and delivered her to Hervey Bay.
Since then she’s operated in the Torres Strait, north of Australia, and into Bougainville, PNG. She’s proven the point - this is a very effective way to minister to the isolated and remote - in a “Mobile Resource Centre”, actually a floating mission station.
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Unloading - Buka Passage
Plaque on Special Effects |
Agreement
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Tehillah's vision for Equipping the Churches will be through providing training of National Pastors as we work towards our eventual replacement with National staff who will take on this role
Local churches are asking for training for their Sunday School teachers, Youth Leaders, Women’s Fellowship Leaders and others. They also need resources.
Local communities are asking for vocational training in many areas.
Needs and opportunities to help are everywhere.
Tehillah is there and working on many projects, Click Here to find out more. |
Palm Trees at Plantation |
