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Who is Jesus? Who does Jesus say he is? What is our response to who Jesus says he is? This Lent, explore these questions through the seven ‘I AM’ statements of Christ recorded in the Gospel of John.

View and download a PDF of the whole Series here. 

View and download a PDF of this cover page here. 

View and download a PDF of a conclusion page here. 

You can find PDF links to each individual Lent Teaching via the icons below. 

Every year, millions of Christians around the world prepare themselves for Easter by recognising the season of Lent, a time to walk with God in anticipation, reflection and humility.

This year Common Grace’s Lent series is focused on being attentive to the centre of our faith. Who is Jesus? Who does Jesus say he is? What is our response to who Jesus says he is? The seven ‘I AM’ statements of Christ recorded in the Gospel of John provide a focal point around which to reflect on these questions.

To navigate an increasingly polarised world we need to keep focused on what we hold in common. We need to keep the centre as the main thing in our vision. While we recognise our diversity and differences, what keeps us united is Jesus himself and his generous welcome and invitation to find in him all we need to live faithfully and justly in God’s beautiful broken world.

To this end, we've invited Christian teachers from across the country to journey us through the ‘I am’ statements. View the Series below and be ready to receive Jesus again; being nourished, illumined, protected and led by him. To ask what does following one like this mean as we hunger for justice and seek to live beautiful lives in our broken world today?

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I am the Door - A Lent Teaching Series

A safe place for folks with questions. A safe place for people seeking respite and peace. A safe space for those society rejects. A safe space for anyone who isn’t perfect. Bishop Chris McLeod looks at Jesus’ statement, “I am the door”.


Meet our inspiring contributors to this series

  • Charlene Delos Santos
    Surrender Australia
  • Pastor Dave Andrews
  • Dr Janice McRandal
    Wesley Mission Queensland
  • Bishop Chris McLeod
    Anglican Diocese of Adelaide
  • Lt. Colonel Lyn Edge
    Salvation Army
  • Pastor Josh Dowton
    Northside Baptist Church
  • Aunty Dr Anne Pattel-Gray

Charlene Delos Santos was born in the Philippines and moved to Naarm (Melbourne) when she was six years old. She lives in Maribyrnong, with her husband Michael and is part of Dwell Ascot Vale Church of Christ. She is the director of Surrender, an organisation calling Christians to follow Jesus to the margins, and also coordinates 2nd Gen youth ministries with the Baptist Union of Victoria. She has a youth work background, having previously worked with Scripture Union Victoria in schools ministry for over a decade. She holds a Bachelor of Social Science (Youth Work) and is currently studying theology at Whitley College. She is passionate about seeing the church flourish in cultural diversity.

Dave Andrews is an author and organiser who has worked with dispossessed and marginalised peoples in India and Australia. He teaches courses on community development in Australia at the Bible College of Queensland, the Queensland College of Theology and Australian College of Ministries, and in many countries including Cambodia, India, and Afghanistan as a consultant with Tear Australia, a Christian Aid Agency.

Dr Janice McRandal is the Director of The Cooperative, a soon to launch centre of public collaboration and theology at Wesley Mission Queensland. Previously the director of systematic theology at Trinity College Queensland, Janice is a feminist theologian who has been teaching and publishing theology for the last decade. Her publications include Christian Doctrine and the Grammar of Difference: a contribution to feminist systematic theology (Fortress Press, 2015) and Sarah Coakley and the Future of Systematic Theology (Fortress Press, 2016). She is currently completing a book on sport and theology, and approaches all her scholarly work as work toward liberation.

Bishop Chris McLeod is an Assistant Bishop in the Anglican Diocese of Adelaide and the National Aboriginal Bishop, with special responsibilities to support Aboriginal Anglicans, and to be an Aboriginal episcopal voice in the house of bishops in the Anglican Church of Australia and wider Anglican Communion. Chris is of Gurindji descent and his mother was a member of the Stolen Generations. Bishop McLeod has a a BTh from Flinders and a MMin from Tabor College, Adelaide.

Lt Colonel Lyn Edge is currently the Secretary for Mission for The Salvation Army Australia. Her current role brings together her background in social, pastoral and theological work as she leads The Salvation Army social and community mission delivery. Lyn has been a Salvation Army officer for over 20 years, working in both Sydney and Paris before moving to Melbourne. She has a Doctorate of Ministry in Missiology and has co-authored the book, “Partnering with God: Being a Missional Salvationist”.  

Josh Dowton is now the Associate Pastor at Northside Baptist Church, having previously lectured in New Testament and early Church history, biblical languages, and theology of social justice. Josh has a special interest in the book of Revelation as political resistance literature.  

Dr. Anne Pattel-Gray was the first Aboriginal person to graduate with a Ph.D., from the University of Sydney and has a Doctor of Divinity. She is a recognised scholar, Aboriginal activist and prolific writer with several publications –chapters, articles, edited works and authored books. 

 


These videos were filmed and edited by Fusion Australia.