Tronson du Coudray 'Options'
The young writer program with Christian Today has had many winners of the Basil Sellers Awards and like school reunions, we ask 'Where are they now?'
I attended the 40th anniversary of the Narrabundah High School (Canberra) school reunion and as I'd kept in touch with a couple of my school mates over the years, it was fascinating what had come of those in my school year.
This was not in any way to ascertain whether they had become millionaires, rather to ascertain, in my case, how they had gone in this thing we call life. In my year, there were doctors, lawyers, accountants, firemen, business people, public servants, home makers and in my case, the Christian ministry.
Then again, in my theological year at seminary, those of us who had graduated, like any group people, having spent four years together - then the years go on and its fascinating that this group were not that much different from my school year in what had transpired over the years – in my case 40 years.
Tronson du Coudray 'Pointers'
Young writers
Our young writers are only occupied once every fifth week, a small part of their overall lives, but in so doing they each revealed a great deal about themselves in their articles. This is simply a cursory list but it illustrates where the Lord has led them over these short years.
2013 Australian Basil Sellers Award winner Alison Barkley has for some years now been wonderfully serving in an NGO in the Philippines.
2013 Australian Basil Sellers 2nd place Laura Veloso is a mum of three and very much engaged in local ministry and serving the young writers as an Australian Panellist.
2013 New Zealand Basil Sellers winner Daniel Jang served the Lord in missions and has earned a Masters in Divinity and is with FIFA in the South Pacific region.
2013 New Zealand Basil Sellers 2nd place Sophia Sinclair is a mum of two and developed a ministry in literary genre, last year Chief Editor of the young writers and is now a New Zealand young writer Panellist. Sophia in 2017 is the ARPA Ramon Williams Scholarship winner (huge accolade).
2013 Theology award winner Sam Burrows heavily engaged in ministry, teaching and his main focus is music for which he has excelled.
2014 Australian winner Danielle Stott is a mum and heavily engaged with inner-city ministry in Melbourne with her husband Daniel. They both serve as panellists for the international young writers.
2014 Australian second place Sarah Young is a psychologist and heavily involved in the Melbourne Anglican parish ministry with husband Jimmy Young.
2014 New Zealand winner Casey Murray been in corporate marketing for many years and won the prestigious ARPA 2015 'Gold' for Best Article – brilliant wonderful writer!
2014 New Zealand Theology award winner Jeremy Suisted is engaged in ministry and runs his highly acclaimed ministry blog. Jeremy is a brilliant solutions adviser.
Tronson du Coudray 'Crisp'
On and on
These young writers are inspiring illustrations and moreover demonstrate the strength of purpose in the Lord - they put in - to receive such awards.
We remember the Apostle Paul's teaching in 2 Corinthians 3 where he describes each believe as an epistle (letter) for people to read, today refers to us as an email or a text or a snapchat.
Moreover I'm aware of Gideon and his remarkable victory in Judges 7 where he undertook numerous tests to ensure he was the one called by God to deliver a great victory into the hands of the Israelites. Finally the army was reduced to 300 men over against a vast horde and their victory is recorded as one of the most popular stories in the Old Testament.
The story continues though, that in Judges 8, we see that Gideon eventually dies a natural death in the midst of peace and prosperity for the Israelites and after he dies, the people return to idolatry. There was no succession plan. In other words, in whatever we do in the strength of the Lord, ensure a path is marked clearly for those who come after us.
Tronson du Coudray 'Spilt ideas'
Dr Mark Tronson is a Baptist minister (retired) who served as the Australian cricket team chaplain for 17 years (2000 ret) and established Life After Cricket in 2001. He was recognised by the Olympic Ministry Medal in 2009 presented by Carl Lewis Olympian of the Century. He mentors young writers and has written 24 books, and enjoys writing. He is married to Delma, with four adult children and grand-children. Dr Tronson writes a daily article for Christian Today Australia (since 2008) and in November 2016 established Christian Today New Zealand.
Mark Tronson's archive of articles can be viewed at
http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/mark-tronson.html
Dr Mark Tronson - a 4 min video
Chairman – Well-Being Australia
Baptist Minister 45 years
- 1984 - Australian cricket team chaplain 17 years (Ret)
- 2001 - Life After Cricket (18 years Ret)
- 2009 - Olympic Ministry Medal – presented by Carl Lewis
- 2019 - The Gutenberg - (ARPA Christian Media premier award)
Gutenberg video - 2min 14sec
Married to Delma for 45 years with 4 children and 6 grand children