About

Grahame and Elizabeth Martin

334 Colchester Road, BAYSWATER NORTH, 3153

Grahame (Innisfail) and Elizabeth (Melbourne) Martin were converted in the 1959 Billy Graham Crusade in Melbourne. Grahame became a member of Wesley Central Mission and Elizabeth became a member of Ashburton Baptist. Both attended the Melbourne Bible Institute: Grahame in 1963-65, Elizabeth in 1969-70. Both worked in team church planting at Broadmeadows, but at different times. Both joined Asia Pacific Christian Mission and went to PNG: Grahame to Suki where he was involved in youth ministry, evangelism, leadership training, Bible teaching/translation in 1966-1987. Elizabeth nursed at Rumginae during 1971-1973, where they were married and moved to Suki, where she continued nursing. They have three daughters (Keryn, Christine and Rosalind).

At Suki, Grahame was part of a team that completed the translation of the New Testament and trained pastor/evangelists. During this time he wrote a book called Headhunter. They also commenced an outreach with national pastor/evangelists to Arufe, where Grahame began translation in that language. In 1979 they lectured at the Christian Leaders Training College. Grahame completed a B.Th. (1980-85) through BCV and Ridley College.

In 1981, after completing their work at Suki, they moved to Arufe to continue a similar ministry until 1987. In 1986, Grahame was appointed acting-General Secretary of the Evangelical Church of PNG, and in 1987 took up the task of Director of Church Ministries visiting many churches giving Bible teaching, encouraging pastors and problem solving. They went to the Zimakani, Kuni, Aaramba, Dimsisi, Bituri, Gogodala, Wawoi, Orokana and Tabo peoples. This resulted in an awareness of the christopagan understanding of Christianity among the churches and the need for contextualization of the gospel in the various cultures.

Owing to their daughters’ educational needs the Martin family returned to Australia at the end of 1987, and Grahame became a lecturer at the Sydney Missionary and Bible College (1988-2002). He was the teaching elder at Campsie Community Church and Elizabeth lead the women’s ministry. The Martins were involved in the mission leadership in New South Wales of Pioneers of Australia. Grahame has written a major study of the Arufe people’s culture for which he has been awarded a Ph.D. by the University of Sydney in 2002. Since moving to Melbourne at the end of 2002, Grahame has been lecturing part time at BCV and Tabor College, while Elizabeth has been nursing part time at Knox Private Hospital. He is also writing books on missionary matters (spiritual warfare, translation, church planting and economic development).

During 1988-2002, Grahame and Elizabeth have taken many teams of students to PNG, seeking to address problems in the churches, teach the Scriptures and to train young Australians in mission first hand. In December 2002, a team of Christians formed “Train to Teach” which seeks to train young Australians and PNG nationals and Grahame is the president of this organization. They plan to make trips every year to PNG to implement a tried training program of ‘one to one’ mutual discipleship, small group ministry and teaching an overview of the Bible. This has been used in differing forms in Australia (Innisfail, Atherton, Ballina, Terrigal and Campsie) and PNG (Rumginae, Balimo and Arufe)). Grahame will also check translations in the Suki and Arufe languages during these times. There are many tribes in this area who do not have any Scriptures in their own language.