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About the Guy Behind the Blog

 

What makes Berni tick?

Well, here’s the thing. I came to faith in Jesus later in life – age 36. It was a terribly difficult time. A dark time. And somewhere in that place, Jesus came to find me.

Me! I still can’t believe it.

Why me? I didn’t deserve it. In fact, I should have been way down at the end of the queue. And then, not long after He came for me, I learned about grace. I’m still trying to wrap my heart around that mind-blowing concept. God’s grace!

I knew not long after I gave my life to Christ, that I couldn’t just sit there. I had to tell people. This isn’t just good news – it’s stunningly fantastic news – that the world needs to hear.

That’s why I became involved in the ministry of Christianityworks. Well … it’s not so much a ministry as a movement. A bunch of friends who believe that by telling people about Jesus, by sharing the good news of Jesus with millions of people around the world – in a way that speaks into the realities of life, in a way that helps people discover how it is that Christianity actually works – we’ll see God changing their lives.

In fact … your life and through you, other people’s lives.

And so every day when I wake up, that’s what makes me tick.

Telling a lost and hurting world about the love and the mercy and the grace of Jesus. Seeing Jesus transform people’s lives. Making new friends who in turn become part of this movement, this crazy bunch of friends, who believe that by telling people about Jesus, we can see lives changed … one by one.

So … what does Berni do?

After graduating from the Royal Military College Duntroon as an officer in the Australian Army, and then running an international IT consulting firm with my two business partners … these days, I’m blessed to be able to share the good news of Jesus through my radio programs as the CEO and Bible teacher of the Australian-based, global media ministry Christianityworks.

Each week literally millions of people listen in to those messages through over 1,000 radio stations in 160 countries around the world.

And each time I wander into the boring, grey little recording studio – normally on a Friday morning – to record that week’s programs, I still can’t believe that God could or even would ever use someone like me.

And there’s something else. I encourage others to join me and become part of this movement we’ve called Christianityworks. Just ordinary, everyday people like me I guess; people who love the Lord and want to make a difference in this world. Because there’s a ripple effect that happens when we each start sharing the love of Jesus with the people around us – whether you live in Birmingham, Boston, Brisbane or Benin … the world starts changing. One life at a time.

What makes Berni … different?

I guess … how can I put it … it’s the desire not just to tell people about Jesus. But to help them discover this radical, subversive, misunderstood Saviour who wandered the dusty roads of first century Israel. Not just in theory.

The theory’s great, but the theory isn’t what makes the difference. Jesus makes the difference. A personal, dynamic, passionate relationship with Jesus. And not just on Sunday mornings, but in the midst of all the highs and lows of life. The real stuff we travel through day after day.

My heart is to open the Bible in a way that it makes sense to you and to me in the middle of the stuff we’re going through. Because it’s in that place that Jesus wants to meet us. It’s in that place that He wants us to discover the awesome power of the Holy Spirit to radically transform our lives.

What does Berni enjoy doing aside from ministry?

Well, I have a grand piano in my study where I do most of my writing. I love turning around and playing that from time to time – worshipping God.

And I love walking. I live in a beautiful part of the world – Sydney Australia – so I love getting out and exercising by walking around the harbour foreshore.

I love blogging – oddly, that’s just not work at all.  I’ve really caught the bug there!

But more than anything, I love going out on a date with my beautiful wife and my best friend Jacqui – especially Saturday mornings down to our favourite cafe.

9 Comments

  1. My wife and I were listening to CCRhema this Sunday to your segment on Christianity works, love the show. You mentioned Phil Littlejohn, Phil married us at the Oyster Bay Baptist Church 30 years ago. What a lovely and great man of God he is. Phil changed our lives and I believe he lives on the Central Coast. Thanks for you broadcast Berni, they are inspirational. God bless.

    • Thanks for that word of encouragement Robert. Yep, Phil is one of the giants of the faith in the lives of so many of us. He doesn’t live on the central coast … he’s still in the shire. I will pass your comments on to him together with your email address. Bless ya heaps, Berni

  2. I like to tell people about God and occasionally God gives me a gem to share so here is the latest one.
    “What do you mean sacrifice, Jesus died because it’s what God wanted? I’ll never understand that” Fair question from someone who doesn’t believe. To which I replied, “You said you had cancer, did you understand chemotherapathy or radiation treatment, how it actually works.” The reply was “No” Then i went on to say “Well it saved your life yea. Let jesus save you from an eternity in hell” words to that effect. It left an impression hopefully, eventually his salvation.
    Just another example of how we can witness.
    Bless ya

  3. Berni, my friend.. you are an inspiration to just so many, and I feel very blessed that I have had the opportunity to meet you and Jacqui. Your message transforms just so many lives. Bless you.

  4. Sir,the 2 sermons delivered by you were really awesome and Iam so much blessed by them. I now plant my FAITH OF SIZE OF A MUSTARD SEED in Christ and want to build it firmly in him. I am grateful to you for such a real,apt timely message on Faith, for those circumstances which Iam going through in my life now. I wish,it would be more blissful and blessing to have you again amidst us in future. May Our Lord Jesus Christ abundantly bless your ministry and rescue many more perishing souls through your goodnews everyday. Amen…

  5. PRAISE THE LORD…In the almighty name of our Saviour Christ,I wish my greetings to you,Sir…Really its a great blessing and privilege to have you amidst us in GUNTUR,ANDHRAPRADESH,INDIA on 18 &19march,2017. I thank my Lord and also you for spending time with us,delivering a really ‘SPIRITUAL SERMON’ on FAITH IN CHRIST and igniting my faith.

  6. Would love to meet you one day…you are a blessing.
    I used to sing on Turn Round Australia with Gordon Moyes, and have travelled with Ps Hordon Gibbs in his ministry team, as his vocalist.

  7. It’s great the way you have made your faith shine through in such a strong way.

    Ruth

  8. berni, i love to hear what comes from your relationship with the lord, its inspiring! I STRUGGLE FOR THAT.Merry Christmas mate and god bless.

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