RTC Australia

Book review 📚 Full of Grace and Truth: The Gospel and Sexuality in the Global Church (Vaughan Roberts).

By Dr. Andrew Stewart, lecturer in Systematic Theology

Vaughan Roberts’ Full of Grace and Truth is a pocket size booklet about a very big topic.

Human sexuality figures prominently in contemporary secular conversations about ethics and identity. Christians have a significant and gospel focused contribution to make to those conversations.

Read more: https://rtc.edu.au/book-review-full-of-grace-and-truth-the-gospel-and-sexuality-in-the-global-church/

It was a delight to welcome prospective students onto campus last week for our semester 1 Open Day.

Thanks to all who joined us in person and online!

Wonderful to be led in community devotions by first year student Nancy, and hear preaching from Murray Capill. Guests had the opportunity to join different classes across the day, enjoy lunch with current students and staff, and hear more about RTC from Principal Phillip Scheepers.

If you couldn’t make it to Open Day, or are interested in exploring study options, feel free to get in touch! www.rtc.edu.au

Join us for RTC’s 2026 Preaching Conference!
Guard the Gospel: Preaching the Pastoral Epistles with Courage and Grace.
15-16 July, Melbourne

In an age when gospel faithfulness can feel both costly and confusing, the Apostle Paul’s letters to Timothy and Titus speak with fresh urgency. They remind us that guarding the gospel isn’t just about holding the line, it’s about preaching with courage, grace, and deep pastoral care.

This year’s Preaching Conference, Guard the Gospel: Preaching the Pastoral Epistles with Courage and Grace, will open up the riches of these letters for today’s church. Join a gifted team of Bible teachers as we explore what it means to preach them with clarity, conviction, and compassion.

Over two days of sermons, talks, and discussions, we’ll consider how to handle difficult passages, preach to the whole church, and embody gospel-shaped ministry in our own lives. Whether you’re a pastor, elder, or ministry leader, come ready to be strengthened, encouraged, and equipped to guard the gospel in your generation.

Learn more & register via our website:
https://rtc.edu.au/pc26/

Book review 📚You Will Be My Witnesses: Theology for God’s Church Serving in God’s Mission (Brian A. DeVries).

By Dr. Phillip Scheepers, RTC Principal and Lecturer in Missions and Church History.

What do you think of when you hear the word ‘mission’ and how does mission relate to the calling of the church? The answer to these questions can often reveal quite a bit about a person’s theology and convictions about Christian engagement in the world.

“You Will Be My Witnesses” is a great book for those preparing to serve in missions, for church leaders seeking to better articulate the outward calling of the church, and indeed for all Christians seeking to wrestle with how the Great Commission applies to them.

Read more: https://rtc.edu.au/book-review-you-will-be-my-witnesses/

Library Opening, 12 June 2026, 4:30 – 6:00 PM: Please join us as we officially open our new Melbourne library, to be named the ‘Alexander Barkley Library,’ after RTC’s first principal, on the 12th of June. Registrations are essential for catering purposes, please click here: https://rtc.edu.au/alexander-barkley-library-opening-ceremony/

‘Beyond Local’ new ministry spot by Murray Capill.

One of the appeals of travel is the opportunity to go somewhere that is different to where we usually live. It’s great to see a different area, walk somewhere else, try new cuisine, experience another culture.

That’s also healthy in ministry. It’s easy to be so invested in our local church or para-church ministry, we get little chance to see, learn from, or be refreshed by what is happening elsewhere. We focus on our corner of the harvest field and mostly only interact with people from “our tribe”.

Read more at: https://rtc.edu.au/beyond-local/

What a great couple of weeks!
Wonderful to welcome so many students onto campus last week for intensive week.
Men and women were equipped for ministry through two units: Introduction to Biblical Theology with Dr. Andrew Stewart, and Theology of Mission with Dr. Phillip Scheepers.
This week all regular classes are back for week 8 of semester. We are enjoying all of the chats about life and faith and theology over meals and in our new kitchen space.
Always a joy to have James Hoey come and bless us through preaching during our Tuesday devotions.

Book review 📚 Enjoying Jesus: Experiencing the Presence and Kindness of the Son of God in Everyday Life (Tim Chester).

By Aleesha Bransgrove, RTC’s Women’s Ministry Development Worker.

This book helped me to enjoy Jesus more.

Like me, I suspect many Christians have gone through dry patches when it comes to faith in Jesus. When Jesus feels distant. When he feels unrelatable, or impersonal. When we’re just “going through the motions”, and it seems Jesus has little to do with day-to-day life. When being a Christian has lost its sparkle.

If you can relate to that at all, then this is a great book to pick up.

Read more: https://rtc.edu.au/book-review-enjoying-jesus/

‘Why Congregational Singing Matters’ - ministry spot by Stephen Lewis.

Singing is a God-prescribed way for the Word of God to dwell richly in us. Music not only does wonders for the brain, it has a unique way of proclaiming the gospel all week long as the song resurfaces in your mind. Singing psalms and hymns with rich biblical content can powerfully pe*****te the heart of the unbeliever while simultaneously shaping the heart of the believer.

Read more: https://rtc.edu.au/why-congregational-singing-matters/