Click for Gallery

Seamen's Christian Friend Society

"Taking the Message of Life to Seafarers"

Introduction:

The Seamen’s Christian Friend Society is and inter-denominational Christian Mission that is committed to “Taking the message of life to seafarers.” Rob Flinders is the Port Missionary at Port Botany and a member of our church.  SCFS is proudly supported by MCF.

International Shipping:

Transport by sea accounts for 90% of all trade and there are some 6,000 commercial ports in the world. These are linked to one another by a merchant fleet consisting of about 80,000 ships. These ships carry a wide variety of cargoes and often spend extended periods of time at sea. They are manned by over 1.5 million seafarers, mostly men, who come from many different countries. It is not unusual to find men of several different nationalities working together on one ship.

Life for Seafarers:

Life for seafarers is lonely, arduous, and dangerous. The majority of seafarers are contracted to work onboard a ship for a minimum period of 9-10 months at a time. Seafarers then normally spend 2-3 months at home, without pay, before leaving to join another ship. In a 6 year period, a seafarer may spend only 1 year at home with his family.

Ships typically spend 85% of their working life out at sea. During this time seafarers have little or no contact with their families because of the high cost of satellite communications. Times in port are usually brief, with few opportunities to go ashore. Whether at sea or in port, seafarers work 10-12 hours a day for 6-7 days each week.

Every year over 100 ships are lost at sea and over 1,000 seafarers die. The causes are many: severe storms, fires, collisions, stranding, and the structural failure of ships. In certain parts of the world, seafarers also face the possibility of injury or death at the hand of pirates.

With only brief periods in port and extended time at sea, seafarers tend to be inaccessible, unseen, and forgotten. Having few opportunities to hear the Christian message, they constitute one of the world’s unreached people groups.

SCFS Port Missionaries:

SCFS port missionaries in various countries visit seafarers onboard their ships. Seafarers who want to learn about the Christian faith are offered free Bibles and Bible Correspondence Courses, along with Christian books, Christian magazines and Scripture portions. In addition, CDs and DVDs communicating the Gospel and other Christian teaching are loaned to seafarers.

Seafarers are encouraged to think seriously about their relationship with God and the importance of submitting to Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour. SCFS port missionaries also provide practical help and hospitality to seafarers.

SCFS port missionaries around the world maintain regular contact with one another. This enables them to arrange for seafarers, who have been contacted in one port, to be followed up by port missionaries in other ports.

Christian Seafarers:

During visits, SCFS port missionaries are always keen to locate seafarers who are Christians, because these men are in a unique position to share the message of the Bible with other seafarers on their ships.

The SCFS port missionary will offer a Christian seafarer fellowship and encouragement. He will also try to motivate and equip him to reach out to other seafarers onboard.

The Harvest is plentiful:

For more than 150 years SCFS port missionaries have faithfully taken the message of life to thousands of seafarers.

Through the power of His Word and His Holy Spirit, God has graciously caused many of those seafarers to surrender control of their lives to Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour.

The labourers are few:

There are 40 commercial ports in Australia. More port missionaries are needed to keep on ”Taking the Message of Life to Seafarers.”

The Power of the Word of God

Some years ago a Russian oil tanker arrived in a Scottish port. A port missionary went to visit the tanker, taking some Russian Bibles with him.

On arrival he was refused permission to board the ship. Undeterred, he offered a Russian Bible to some seamen leaning on the ships rail. One of them reached across and took the Bible. Unable to do more, the port missionary returned home. The following morning the oil tanker put to sea.

Some months later the port missionary received a letter from Russia. It came from Sergei, the man who had accepted the Bible. Sergei said he had read the Bible but had many questions. He asked if he might come to Scotland to visit the port missionary. The missionary agreed.

For six months Sergei and the port missionary studied the Bible together and talked a great deal. Sergei decided to follow Christ as Lord. Rejoicing, he returned home to Russia.

Not long after, Sergei led his wife Irina to Christi. They made contact with other Christians in Russia. Sergei decided to give up his life as a seafarer to tell others about Christ.

Since then Sergei and Irina have led many men and women to Christ. They are now full-time missionaries faithfully sharing the gospel in Russia.

Click on the thumbnails along the left or below for the gallery.