While still recovering from an acute attack of Shingles to my buttock and private parts I was contacted by the Director of Ministries of the Baptist Churches Western Australia to see if I was available and willing to serve as interim pastor of the Newman Community Baptist Church (NCBC), situated in the remote Pilbara Region, north-east of Perth (4,000+ km away from my home). The town of Newman was established in 1966 by mining company BHP Billiton for the purpose of mining iron-ore.

During my first worship service with NCBC two years earlier in September, 2018, I sensed a deep belonging to the church family. As I walked back to the church residence that day, I remarked to the Lord with amazement, “The spiritual soil here is rich and receptive!” And, so, for the duration of my three months at Newman I diligently worked the Lord’s harvest field – turning over the soil, weeding, seeding, watering, fertilizing, and pruning. I had never before experienced such a magnitude of God’s presence and power at work in my life, and through my life. I found myself asking God, each time I walked to the church facility on Sundays… “Please, knock the ball out of the ballpark!” And, each Sunday He did just that! Miracles abounded all around as I faithfully walked with Him, witnessing (reporting) His love, grace, justice and mercy, at work in the lives of many people.

On several occasions, I found myself testifying to the church family that the Lord had brought me to Newman to further my learning and development. Indeed, I learnt a lot more at Newman, more than I had imagined. The person who returned home to his wife was not the same person who had left for Newman three months earlier. Incidentally, as I was packing to leave for my return flight home, I sensed God saying to me, “Your work at Newman is not finished!”

In March, 2020, I received a telephone call from a council member of NCBC, extending an invitation on behalf of the church family for me to return to Newman to help them in their search for someone God had prepared and anointed to pastor their church. For 15 years the Newman church had been pastorally cared-for by short-term, interim pastors – well-meaning godly men, but not staying long to be effective enough to take the church forward.

Well, after battling against satanic opposition, and overcoming Covid-19 political barriers, I found myself back at Newman, having arrived on July 20 (2020)! I returned to complete the special assignment the Lord had commissioned me with in 2018. I was there to function as the forerunner of God’s New Man for Newman! (To be continued.)

Best Wishes

Bill Joukhadar