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Baptism at Church on Vogel

Last Sunday of March, Anika (pictured below) was baptised at Church on Vogel in Palmerston North....

Taking the high road

By Mark Grace, CCCNZ AmbassadorAe ra, e tohe ana ahau ki a koutou, kia kaua ahau ina tae atu e maro ki te whakaputa i te maia, pera me taku e mea nei kia maia ki etahi, e whakaaro nei ki a matou, ano ko ta matou whakahere no te kikokiko.‘Ou te ‘ai‘oi atu ‘iā te ‘outou, ‘ina ‘ia lē fa‘amalosia lo‘u tautala atu ma le lototele pe a ‘ou i ai ‘iā te ‘outou, i le fa‘aali atu o le fa‘amalosi ‘ou te iloa e tatau ‘ona fa‘amalosi atu ai i nisi, o ē o lo‘o manatu o l...

Servant-hearted leadership and passion for theology

Marina Shannon is Youth Pastor at Orewa Community Church (OCC), and at last year’s CCCNZ Auckland Regional Summit she brought along Martin Vorster (pictured) from the youth group. Martin was able to chat with Scholarships Enabler Liz Hodge at the Summit, and in 2025 he began studying toward a Diploma in Christian Studies at Pathways Bible College, supported with an internship gift from Lichfield Lands.The course means Martin is involved in a su...

The Lord's commendation

By Mark Grace, CCCNZ AmbassadorIn 2 Corinthians 10, Paul defends his ministry against a group of antagonistic leaders in the Corinthian church. In his letter, he will ironically call this group ‘super apostles’ and expose them for what they are: false apostles and deceitful workers.His main argument becomes clear in verse 18. “For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.”While making his case, Paul says in verse 12:“We d...

Willow Park joins Te Maru

On Tuesday 40 people gathered at Eastern Beach in Auckland to celebrate the integration of Willow Park Christian Camp into the Te Maru whānau....

Risk & Liability Workshops in Southland

Earlier this week Jan De Lange, CCCNZ National Advisor, along with Tim Hodge, CCCNZ South Island Regional Enabler, ran two Risk & Liability workshops in Invercargill. This is to help elders, deacons and trustees consider changes in charities legislation and establish appropriate responses for their own local churches.Tim says:"It was a joy to serve Edendale Christian Fellowship, Elles Road Bible Chapel, Gore Christian Fellowship, Rosedale Bible Chapel and&n...

Working together to invite seniors into community

Mangonui Bible Chapel and Cooper’s Beach Youth Camp are working together to reach seniors in their local community. Every month a team comes together to run Brighter Days, a ministry inviting older people to join them at the campsite for a day of activities, food and friendship....

Feilding Bible Chapel Church Camp

We had an incredible weekend at the Feilding Bible Chapel (FBC) family camp last weekend at Foxton Bible Camp. Rob Morton from the Tim Course in Christchurch spoke from 1 Peter, showing how Peter encourages believers to endure suffering with the hope of future glory. It was so cool to see so many of the church family serving each other across the Sunday service and meals. ...

Waikato & Bay of Plenty Summit

I loved being amongst 100+ people from 17 Waikato and Bay of Plenty churches on Saturday at the CCCNZ Regional Summit, held at Tōtara Springs Christian Centre in Matamata....

Onslow Community Church Camp

Onslow Community Church enjoyed an encouraging time together at their church camp over the past weekend at Foxton Bible Camp.Pastor Peter Rhodes-Robinson writes:“We were thrilled to have Kerry & Aliza Rickard (Kingston Community Church) and Ray & Glenys Cooper (York Street Chapel) with us for the weekend. Kerry shared a series of messages from Colossians 3:1-17 linking into our 2025 teaching theme of “Living Hope” (1 Peter 1:3). Kerry’s sessions were followed by all-age discussio...

Being Equipped to Equip Others

Lydia Ellis (right) has been serving as Women’s Worker with Emmett Street Community Church in Christchurch for the past 18 months, with the primary role of evangelism and discipleship among the women in the church and wider community. The church meets in one of the most socioeconomically challenged areas in New Zealand and has observed that a distinctive feature of their community is its strong matriarchal nature, where women often take on the responsibility of raising fami...

Prime Time Conference

Last weekend, 42 people gathered at Lakeland Park Camp (Queenstown) for the 2025 Prime Time Conference, aimed at those aged over 50 from our wider movement.It was great to see people coming from various churches within the CCCNZ/Open Brethren Heritage movement, including Manawarū Bible Chapel (Waikato), Bryndwr Chapel (Christchurch), Orwell Street Church (Oamaru), Cornerstone International Bible Church (Dunedin), Edendale Christian Fellowsh...

Baptisms at Mt Wellington Community Church and Feilding Bible Chapel

Last Sunday, two people were baptised at Mt Wellington Community Church (MWCC) in Auckland and six at Feilding Bible Chapel (FBC) in the Manawatū. Russell Grainger, Senior Pastor at MWCC, writes:“It was incredible to hear their testimonies of how God has been, and still is, working in their lives. These guys have been through a lot in their lives with so many stories to tell....

Conflicts on the Outside, Fears Within

By Mark Grace, CCCNZ AmbassadorI to matou taenga mai hoki ki Makeronia, kihai i whai okiokinga to matou kikokiko, heoi mate ana matou i nga taha katoa; i waho ko nga whawhai, i roto ko nga mataku.Auā e moni lava ‘ina ‘ua matou ō mai i Maketonia, sa leai se mapu i o matou tino; ‘ae sa puapuagātia i matou i mea uma; o tau‘a i fafo a o le fefe i totonu.For when we came into Macedonia, we had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn—conflicts on the outside, fears within. 2 Cori...

Missions Retreat and IBCM's Director Visit

David Smith is the International Director of the IBCM network. IBCM is a global movement working amongst 40,000+ independent Open Brethren Heritage churches in 160+ countries. The heart of the IBCM is to see independent churches and church leaders working together to point more people to Jesus through the gospel from the Bible. It’s been remarkable hearing of younger leaders from movements like ours in Africa, Asia, and South America coming together to work together to mobi...

Christ-like confrontation

By Mark Grace, CCCNZ AmbassadorNui atu toku maia ki te korero ki a koutou, nui atu toku whakamanamana mo koutou: ki tonu ahau i te whakamarie, hira ake toku koa i o matou matenga katoa.‘Ou te tautala atu ‘iā te ‘outou ma le mautinoa; ‘ua tele lo‘u mitamita ‘ona o ‘outou. ‘Ua fa‘atūmuina a‘u i le loto tele; ‘ua fa‘atūmuina a‘u i le ‘oli‘oli i o matou puapuagā uma lava.I have spoken to you with great frankness; I take great pride in you. I am greatly encouraged; i...

Carriers: Leadership Development in Community

Riccarton Community Church (RCC) runs a programme called Carriers, a one-year leadership development commitment designed to fit around a day-a-week schedule.Carriers is short for 'Carriers of the Vision', with the idea that participants are engaged in the church's vision "to see our city become a place of Christ's transforming hope for the world". Typically this includes a half day of service in a ministry, their regular class times, reading, and reflection.Carriers interns t...

Headspace Interns

Last week, Scolarships Enabler Liz Hodge and South Island Enabler Tim Hoge visited Headspace interns in Christchurch.Headspace is the programme GC3 relaunched this year. It’s a residential 10-month programme that combines theological studies, involvement with local mission outreaches, and two months with long-term missionaries overseas.  The four interns for 2025 (pictured below) are Sarah Jensen and Lizzie Nepia from Crossroads ...

100 Years of Christian Camping

At the recent Christian Camping Hui, Graham Ashby launched the book 100 Years of Christian Camping, which is in its final stages of editing and design before being printed.Graham is very grateful to the Trusts that initiated this project and the excellent team that has worked with him during the last two years. Graham says, “I was pleased to acknowledge the importance of having this Christian camping history as a powerful reminder of what our pioneers established”....

Fellowship of the Word - Waikato

10 people from four churches (Chapel Hill Community Church, Hillcrest Chapel, Raleigh Street Christian Centre, and Manawarū Bible Chapel) gathered at Chapel Hill last Friday and Saturday for the Fellowship of the Word training. ...

Yes, No

By Mark Grace, CCCNZ AmbassadorWhakamoemititia a Ihowa. E toku wairua, whakamoemititia a Ihowa. I ahau e ora nei ka whakamoemiti ahau ki a Ihowa; ka himene ahau ki toku Atua i ahau i te ao nei.Ia outou vivii atu ia Ioa. Lo‘u agaga e, ia e vivii atu ia Ieova. Ou te vivii atu ia Ieova a o ou ola; ou te fai pesega i lo‘u Atua a o ou tumau i le ola nei.Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord, my soul. I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.Psalm 146:1-2The in...

Children's Ministry Training in Christchurch and Wellington

Children’s ministry volunteers from Emmett Street Community Church, Halswell Community Church and Rutland Street Church in Christchurch gathered in early March for a workshop run by Julie McKinnon (CCCNZ Children and Family Ministries Enabler), that explored how our understanding of children shapes our ministry practice....

Waikato NZ Rally Camp

Last weekend, around 180 kids and 60 leaders gathered at Tōtara Springs Christian Centre for a NZ Rally Camp.Nikki McBride and Micah Church (The Orchard Rallies) led the Rally leaders. The theme this year was the Olympics. Ray Cooper (York Street Chapel) and Anthony Samuels (Tāmaki Community Church) followed this theme in their Bible exploring sessions. Ray spoke to the younger kids and Anthony to the older kids. Caleb Mills from ...

Crossroads Latino Launch

It's 7pm on Saturday night, I'm at Crossroads Church in Palmerston North with 70 other people. We're singing, praying and listening to the sermon in Español—all for the launch of Crossroads Latino, a monthly Spanish-language service. It was such a joy to see my EA Paula Almada (and other volunteers and Crossroads staff) lead the group in worshipping together.Paula, along with her husband Saverio Malgeri, her sister Ana Almada, and brother-in-law Ma...

Deepening faith and service through practical theological learning

Ane Ponifasio and Dolly Kirubakaran from LifeChurch, along with Joy Fountain from Eden Church in Auckland, are together studying part-time as a cohort toward the Level 6 Diploma in Christian Studies (Christian Leadership) through Pathways Bible College.On Friday last week, they gathered for a block course day in Auckland, facilitated by Richard Goodwin (from Raleigh Street Christian Centre).These students are now in their second year of...