Australia
FFC Australia Network Ministry
What is a network ministry?
A network ministry typically refers to an organisation or group that operates within a faith-based context, aiming to connect individuals or smaller ministries across various locations to improve collaboration, resource sharing and support. A network ministry operates much like a professional network, but is grounded in shared religious or spiritual values, focusing on enhancing the collective effectiveness and impact of its participants in their respective missions.
A network ministry typically refers to an organisation or group that operates within a faith-based context, aiming to connect individuals or smaller ministries across various locations to improve collaboration, resource sharing and support. A network ministry operates much like a professional network, but is grounded in shared religious or spiritual values, focusing on enhancing the collective effectiveness and impact of its participants in their respective missions.
Who are we?
Firefighters For Christ (FFC) – Australia Network Ministry is a network of Christian firefighters from various fire and emergency services throughout Australia. Ministry supporters may be operational or non-operational, both active or retired, and include family members and friends. With over 200,000 career, part time and volunteer firefighters in Australia, the task of networking with potentially such a large number of individuals or groups is challenging. With many volunteer firefighters being embedded deeply in their own towns and rural and remote communities, the potential reach of the Christian message through a broader community-based firefighter network is wide reaching.
Firefighters For Christ (FFC) – Australia Network Ministry is a network of Christian firefighters from various fire and emergency services throughout Australia. Ministry supporters may be operational or non-operational, both active or retired, and include family members and friends. With over 200,000 career, part time and volunteer firefighters in Australia, the task of networking with potentially such a large number of individuals or groups is challenging. With many volunteer firefighters being embedded deeply in their own towns and rural and remote communities, the potential reach of the Christian message through a broader community-based firefighter network is wide reaching.
With a mission goal to encourage firefighters to live their lives for Jesus Christ (Hebrews 10: 24-25), we aim to meet regularly for fellowship and encouragement, bible study, prayer, and to plan local ministry activities. Meetings may take many forms from organised gatherings to informal prayer meetings, a casual catch up over coffee or a meal, taking every opportunity where possible to invest in one another and spur each other in our journey of faith.
Our purpose?
•To glorify God in the fire service
•To fellowship together for individual growth in the Christian life
•To serve the cause of Christ through a Bible believing church of one’s calling
•To encourage those in the fire service in their Christian life
•To bring all Christians in the fire service to a common goal of praying for the fire service and its members
•To be perfected in unity so that the world will know that God has sent His Son Jesus Christ
“I in them and you in me – so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will
know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me”. John 17:23.
•To glorify God in the fire service
•To fellowship together for individual growth in the Christian life
•To serve the cause of Christ through a Bible believing church of one’s calling
•To encourage those in the fire service in their Christian life
•To bring all Christians in the fire service to a common goal of praying for the fire service and its members
•To be perfected in unity so that the world will know that God has sent His Son Jesus Christ
“I in them and you in me – so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will
know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me”. John 17:23.
Where are we headed?
In line with the mission statement for FFC International, our hope is for every fire and emergency responder in Australia to be connected locally with likeminded, Christ following, bible believing groups of people who will encourage them to lives their lives for Jesus Christ and reach fellow emergency responders with the good news of the gospel. Our aim is that every firefighter who may feel that they are the only Christian firefighter in their station, district or region, would be encouraged to know that there are other firefighters close by, living their lives for Jesus Christ.
We aim for future Australian chapters of Firefighters For Christ to be connected regionally, nationally and internationally as a collective network for support, encouragement, prayer, mentoring, teaching, equipping and providing opportunities for service through training, training missions and also where appropriate real time emergency relief.
In line with the mission statement for FFC International, our hope is for every fire and emergency responder in Australia to be connected locally with likeminded, Christ following, bible believing groups of people who will encourage them to lives their lives for Jesus Christ and reach fellow emergency responders with the good news of the gospel. Our aim is that every firefighter who may feel that they are the only Christian firefighter in their station, district or region, would be encouraged to know that there are other firefighters close by, living their lives for Jesus Christ.
We aim for future Australian chapters of Firefighters For Christ to be connected regionally, nationally and internationally as a collective network for support, encouragement, prayer, mentoring, teaching, equipping and providing opportunities for service through training, training missions and also where appropriate real time emergency relief.
Our History
A founding member of our network had a chance online meeting with a Christian firefighter in California USA in April 2019. Having lost contact for nearly two years they met again online in March 2021, through God’s perfect timing, and struck up a lifetime friendship.
With no FFC representation current in Australia at that time, a connection was made with FFC Europe Virtual Chapter led by retired UK whole time and on-call firefighter Simon Hewitt, who had started a virtual network of Christian contacts across the UK and Europe, and as far away as Kenya in Africa. The FFC Europe Virtual Chapter linked Christian brothers and sisters through the Covid years and maintained a way to fellowship through the lockdowns, providing a virtual connection to meet on the first Saturday of each month, a schedule that continues to this day.
Firefighters For Christ (FFC) Australia Network Ministry came into being, with a small group of Victorian-based firefighters, family and friends in Melbourne’s outer-east, forming a faith-based working group in May 2024 to establish an outreach of FFC International in Australia.
With no FFC representation current in Australia at that time, a connection was made with FFC Europe Virtual Chapter led by retired UK whole time and on-call firefighter Simon Hewitt, who had started a virtual network of Christian contacts across the UK and Europe, and as far away as Kenya in Africa. The FFC Europe Virtual Chapter linked Christian brothers and sisters through the Covid years and maintained a way to fellowship through the lockdowns, providing a virtual connection to meet on the first Saturday of each month, a schedule that continues to this day.
Firefighters For Christ (FFC) Australia Network Ministry came into being, with a small group of Victorian-based firefighters, family and friends in Melbourne’s outer-east, forming a faith-based working group in May 2024 to establish an outreach of FFC International in Australia.
Visited three months earlier in February 2024 by Simon Hewitt travelling from the UK, and also FFC President Joe Lindaman, who made the trip across from USA, the group had week long meetings and visits to fire stations to meet with fellow firefighters.
The FFC Australia Network Ministry has a small organising and supporter group scoping out a way forward to bring the message of Christ’s salvation to firefighters and their families Australia wide. The aim is to encourage and support fellow firefighters to live their lives for Jesus Christ and walk in His Spirit daily, both at the fire station whilst on duty and when at home with family, neighbours and friends.
The FFC Australia Network Ministry has a small organising and supporter group scoping out a way forward to bring the message of Christ’s salvation to firefighters and their families Australia wide. The aim is to encourage and support fellow firefighters to live their lives for Jesus Christ and walk in His Spirit daily, both at the fire station whilst on duty and when at home with family, neighbours and friends.
Our vision for the future is to network with Christian firefighters across Australia to spread the Gospel message with our peers, and share news of the work of Firefighters For Christ around the globe in supporting one another to greater things. We are called to love God and to love one another.
Jesus said “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it, love your neighbour as yourself”. Matthew 22:37-39
Our current network ministry does not operate as a formal FFC Chapter in itself but aims to share information with fellow firefighters and first responders, leaving God Himself to call out the men and women He has already set His plans and Will in motion to become future Chapter leaders in the various state, territory and regional areas across our large continent.
FFC Australia Network Ministry will work with our international brothers and sisters to share ministry resources and maintain close fellowship as we co-labour with Jesus Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit here on earth.
Jesus said to His disciples after His resurrection “All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me”. Matthew 28:18.
“For I have come down from heaven not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me”. John 6:38.
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age”. Matthew 28:19-20.
Jesus said “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it, love your neighbour as yourself”. Matthew 22:37-39
Our current network ministry does not operate as a formal FFC Chapter in itself but aims to share information with fellow firefighters and first responders, leaving God Himself to call out the men and women He has already set His plans and Will in motion to become future Chapter leaders in the various state, territory and regional areas across our large continent.
FFC Australia Network Ministry will work with our international brothers and sisters to share ministry resources and maintain close fellowship as we co-labour with Jesus Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit here on earth.
Jesus said to His disciples after His resurrection “All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me”. Matthew 28:18.
“For I have come down from heaven not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me”. John 6:38.
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age”. Matthew 28:19-20.
Australia
Firefighters For Christ Australia Network Ministry
Rod Stebbing and Darren Williams
FFC Australia
Click to email Firefightersforchristaustralia@gmail.com
Rod +61 493 296 901
Darren +61 407 363 000
Firefighters For Christ Australia Network Ministry
Rod Stebbing and Darren Williams
FFC Australia
Click to email Firefightersforchristaustralia@gmail.com
Rod +61 493 296 901
Darren +61 407 363 000