Over the next few months, we’re interviewing some of our Anchor Family to find out how God has been working in their lives. Time to meet Laura Buchanan!
1. What do you love about Anchor Church?
I love the authoritative and biblical preaching at Anchor. I love being surrounded by young families, epic hospitality, the nurtured culture of prayer, a wisely curated diet of recommended reading, and the passionate pursuit to see the name of Jesus honoured and treasured in our city.
2. How has God been at work in your life since joining Anchor?
There is an overwhelming joy at experiencing a gathering of God’s people who do not think that an encounter with God involves making a choice between the convictions of the mind and the affections of the heart. Head and heart, thinking and feeling go together, and it has been incredible to actually ‘experience my theology’ since joining Anchor.
3. Tell us about your experiences of being in community at Anchor.
It’s really hard to answer this question clearly. Community has an element of beautiful chaos about it. It’s being well-fed, gathering around God’s word in a lounge room, a lot of laughter, confessing sins and struggles, attempting to make enough curry for 22 people, meeting people’s needs, getting to know the kids, opening homes, pursuing an Acts 2:42–47 kind of life, rejoicing when prayers are answered, letting yourself be vulnerable, building new friendships, being held accountable, wrestling with hard truths together, sending new groups, learning to roll electrical cords, worshipping God, trying new projects—and not being afraid if they don’t work out—sharing tears, and reminding one another of the gospel. All of that creates an identity, and it’s really precious to be in community, on mission, for Jesus. I’m convinced that Christian community is at the heart of God’s character and purposes.
4. How does Anchor equip you to live on mission in everyday life?
Anchor has helped me be more natural with sharing my faith intentionally day-to-day through relationships, rather than compartmentalising ‘mission’ as a concept that only happens at a dedicated evangelistic event, over summer in a tent for 10 days or something only trained missionaries do overseas. I truly feel part of a family of missionaries sent by God to proclaim the gospel to Sydney, in whatever context we find ourselves in.