Trevor Hodge, Music minister, Figtree Anglican Church

Southern Cross: Why did you go into full time ministry?

Trevor Hodge: The rest of the world uses music and the arts to communicate its values and ideologies – how much more reason do we have to use the arts to communicate and celebrate Jesus and what he’s done. This has been my passion since I first knew Jesus.

SC: A quote that best describes your job?

TH: “Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs.” Ps 100:1-2

SC: How would you describe your church?

TH: They are a big bunch of the most generous people I’ve had the privilege of sharing my life with – they’re awesome!  Our vision is to “Impact the Illawarra, model to the nation and send to the world” – all through lives being transformed by, and for, Jesus.

SC: In what ways is the gospel impacting people?

TH: In so many ways. People are being supported and cared for by our Manna House team. Kids are coming to know Jesus through scripture and the weekly Pulse nights. For the second year running, at the Lord Mayor’s request (and expense!) thousands of Christians will meet together in the WIN Entertainment Centre to pray for the city. And across our services and small groups, we are seeing people coming to know Jesus as their Lord.

SC: What’s the hardest thing about your job?

TH: We’re always encouraging people to remember that worship is our response to God all day every day, not just during “religious” services.  So I always need to be thinking about worship – I can’t just leave it at work…which is at the same time one of the best things about this job!

SC: What would you like more of?

TH: I’d love to see the church focus less on the form of worship – and focus more on the “who and why”. I get the feeling that the more we are full of the knowledge of the glory of God in Christ, the less we are going to care about some of the things that so easily divide us.

SC: The strangest thing you’ve ever done?

TH: I’d organised two weeks off in February last year, with the very vague plan of spending time with God and friends. God had the same plan, but a different location in mind! The day before my holidays started, a friend living and serving in Oman called me, desperate for someone to run the worship strand of their youth conference in Dubai – I ended up in the Middle East the next day!

Trevor Hodge spoke to Allan Dowthwaite.