About the Church And State Summit
The annual Church And State Summit started in February 2018 with the Hon John Anderson OAM (former deputy PM) as the keynote speaker. Every year the large line up of speakers is always of the highest calibre, earning a reputation for being one of Australia’s most significant conferences.
We’re increasingly asked, “What church group is organising this event?” The answer is, none.
Church And State is an independent, unaffiliated, non-denominational and non-partisan marketplace ministry. Everyone involved belongs to different local churches. Christians of all flavours and many political philosophies who simply agree that Jesus is Lord and the Bible is His Word come together to teach, preach and learn about the Kingdom of God in the public square.
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ “
(Matthew 7, NKJV)
Beginnings
The convenor of Church And State Ministries is Christian commentator & political educator, Dave Pellowe. Since 2017 he’s interviewed everyone from Pauline Hanson to Nigel Farage and academics to abortionists about a wide range of important public issues affecting the neighbours we’re called to love practically. Dave’s articles have been published in The Spectator Australia, Quadrant Online, Caldron Pool, Eternity News and others internationally. He also preaches in and/or hosts Church And State regional events partnering with groups of local churches around Australia, teaching faithful stewardship of our God-given political freedom in a way that promotes the unity and harmony of the Body and the Gospel of Christ.
The mission of Church And State Ministries is to help Christians first be better informed about the Biblical basis for political involvement and to then be better involved in providing the imprimatur for justice and wisdom in government. Our vision is that Christians in every electorate would resolve to take the simple political steps within everyone’s ability to proactively influence culture, motivated by obedience to Christ and love of neighbour.
“The Church must be reminded that it is not the master or the servant of the state, but rather the conscience of the state. It must be the guide and the critic of the state, and never its tool. If the Church does not recapture its prophetic zeal, it will become an irrelevant social club without moral or spiritual authority.
If the Church does not participate actively in the struggle for peace and … justice, it will forfeit the loyalty of millions and cause men everywhere to say that it has atrophied its will. But if the Church will free itself from the shackles of a deadening status quo, and, recovering its great historic mission, will speak and act fearlessly and insistently in terms of justice and peace, it will enkindle the imagination of mankind and fire the souls of men, imbuing them with a glowing and ardent love for truth, justice, and peace.
Men far and near will know the Church as a great fellowship of love that provides light and bread for lonely travellers at midnight.”
“The Church must be reminded that it is not the master or the servant of the state, but rather the conscience of the state. It must be the guide and the critic of the state, and never its tool. If the Church does not recapture its prophetic zeal, it will become an irrelevant social club without moral or spiritual authority.”
– Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
