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A Foundational Year of Study

Xavier Giles (third from right) celebrates his graduation.I was grateful to have the opportunity to celebrate with students, their mentors, and their church families at the Pathways Graduation in Tauranga on Friday night.  A particular highlight was seeing the growth in students like Xavier Giles (above) through the mentoring and ministry at Rutland Street Church, complemented by his studies at Pathways. Xavier completed his NZ Diploma in Christian St...

Christmas outreach events

It’s so encouraging to hear how churches around the movement are pointing people to Jesus through the gospel by bringing the biblical story to life at Christmas.Events like these, whether large or small, involve everyone using their gifts and abilities to point people to Christ.A huge thank you to all of you who are involved....

A new beginning

By Mark Grace, CCCNZ AmbassadorKo te pukapuka o te whakapapa o Ihu Karaiti, tama a Rawiri, tama a Aperahama.O le tala lenei i le gafa o Iesu Keriso le atali‘i o Tavita, le atali‘i o Aperaamo.This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham:Matthew 1:1In the first century, your genealogy told a person almost everything they needed to know about you. It was almost like a resume or a CV today.What’s fascinating is that in the genealogy that Matthew presents, Jes...

Youth Service and Baptisms at Hope Community Church

It's such a blessing to hear that last Sunday the Youth at Hope Community Church led the service, which was followed by the baptisms of David, Carter, Helena, Pieter, and James, and a picnic lunch at Aniseed Valley in the Tasman/Nelson region.Pastor Daryl Bay writes:“We've been so encouraged by the fruit in our youth ministry this year with a steady stream of baptisms through the year, eight this past month. The youth ministry has bee...

Lunchtime Prayer Conversations

What an encouragement to hear about the Lunchtime Zoom Prayer conversations that Prayer Enabler Jackie Millar has been facilitating.These are 30-minute conversations where a topic is introduced, there is a chance to hear directly from a church about what they are doing in their context, to ask questions, and to pray together. Some of the recent conversations focused on:Creating Dedicated Prayer SpacesPrayer and FastingGetting the corporate prayer gathering off the groundJackie say...

Grief will turn to joy

By Mark Grace, CCCNZ AmbassadorHe pono, he pono taku e mea nei ki a koutou, Ka tangi koutou, ka aue, ko te ao ia ka hari: e pouri ano koutou, otira ka meinga to koutou pouri hei hari.O le ‘upu moni lava ‘ou te ta‘u atu ‘iā te ‘outou, e fētāgisi ‘outou ma taufai tagiauē, ‘ae ‘oli‘oli le lalolagi; e fa‘anoanoa ‘outou, ‘ae liua lo ‘outou fa‘anoanoa ma ‘oli‘oli. Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your...

A Journey South

In October Camping Enabler Richard Davis and South Island Enabler Tim Hodge took a trip to Canterbury, Southland and Otago to visit some different church leaders and campsites, what an encouragement to see how connected churches are with their local camps, taking active steps in gospel partnership.  ...

Celebrating the Life and Legacy of Tegan Hill

It was deeply moving to join hundreds of others in celebrating the life and legacy of 25-year-old Tegan Hill at Hukanui Bible Church in Hamilton on Tuesday.Tegan died from injuries sustained in a car accident on Saturday 23 November. Tegan is a daughter of Geoff and Sandra Hill. Geoff is a pastor at Lakes Church Rotorua. I was incredibly moved to hear of Tegan’s love of Jesus, love of others and love for life. What a privilege to hear of her deep fa...

From darkness to light

By Mark Grace, CCCNZ AmbassadorKo koutou ia he iwi whiriwhiri, he tohungatanga kingi, he iwi tapu, he iwi kua riro pu mai ma te Atua; hei whakapuaki i nga pai o te kaikaranga i a koutou i roto i te pouri ki tona marama whakamiharo:A o ‘outou o le nu‘u ‘ua filifilia, o tupu ma ositaulaga, o le nu‘u pa‘ia, o tagata lava o le Atua, ‘ina ‘ia ‘outou fa‘aali atu galuega ofoofogia e lē na vala‘auina ‘outou mai le pouliuli i lona lava malamalama ofoofogia. But you are a chose...

Church-based Internship at Fenton Park Bible Church

Caleb Mills is an intern at Fenton Park Bible Church, where he serves in their Kids Rally, church holiday programmes, the youth group, and street evangelism, all while doing some theological study under the guidance of one of the elders....

Acknowledging the final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-Based Care

To all the churches in the CCCNZ/Open Brethren Heritage movement:  On Wednesday 24 July, the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-Based Care released the final report of the inquiry, called Whanaketia: through pain and trauma, from darkness to light. (1)   The Royal Commission met for six years and heard from more than 3,000 survivors of abuse. Horrifically, the report estimates that between the years 1950-1999 up to 200,000 people were abused in c...

Nelson Regional Summit

We long to see independent churches (and the regional campsites and national ministries that serve them) working together to point people to Jesus, through the gospel from the Bible. For that reason, I loved being at the Nelson Summit on Saturday.More than 90 leaders from 4 churches along with leaders from two camps gathered in Grace Church, Richmond, for the event....

Christ's supreme authority

By Mark Grace, CCCNZ AmbassadorA tukua ana e ia nga mea katoa ki raro i ona waewae, meinga ana hoki ia hei i runga i nga mea katoa mo te hahi, Ara mo tona tinana, e ki tonu nei i a ia, i te kaiwhakaki o nga mea katoa i roto i te katoa.‘Ua tu‘uina fo‘i e ia mea uma lava i lalo o ona vae, ma ‘ua faia fo‘i o ia ma ulu o mea uma lava mo le ekalesia, o lona tino lea, o le tumu o ia o lē na te fa‘atūmuina mea uma lava i mea uma.And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head ov...

Tasman Church Camp Day

Tasman Church held a church family day on Saturday 2 November at the Teapot Valley Christian Camp. ...

Hate Evil, Love Good

By Mark Grace, CCCNZ AmbassadorKinongia te kino, arohaina te pai, whakapumautia te whakawa ki te kuwaha: tera pea a Ihowa, te Atua o nga mano, ka aroha ki te toenga o Hohepa.Ia outou ‘ino‘ino i le leaga, a e loto atu i le lelei, ma ia outou faatumau le faamasinoga i le faitotoa; atonu e alofa Ieova le Atua o ‘au i e ua totoe ia Iosefa. Hate evil, love good; maintain justice in the courts. Perhaps the Lord God Almighty will have mercy on the remnant of Joseph.Amos 5:15Jeroboam II rules...

CCCNZ and GC3 Staff Conference

On Tuesday and Wednesday this week, the CCCNZ and GC3 staff teams gathered at MiCamp Taupō for a two-day conference. Jeff Orr, Stewards' Trust SEO, also joined them on Wednesday. ...

Pride, a Road to Ruin

By Mark Grace, CCCNZ AmbassadorNa hoki ana a Mororekai ki te kuwaha o te kingi; ko Hamana ia i hohoro ki tona whare, pouri tonu, hipoki rawa te mahunga.Ona foi atu lea o Moretekai i le faitotoa o le tupu; a ua faataalise atu Hamanu i lona fale ma le faanoanoa, ma ua ufiufi lona ulu.Afterward Mordecai returned to the king’s gate. But Haman rushed home, with his head covered in grief,Esther 6:12Haman knew it was all over for him. Hours before his interview with Esther and the king, he weeps and ...

Intergenerational Ministry Workshop at Manawarū Bible Chapel

On Saturday, Manawarū Bible Chapel hosted a workshop about Intergenerational Ministry run by Julie McKinnon, CCCNZ Children and Family Ministries Enabler. The turnout was great, with a mix of ages.Emma Thompson writes,“It was such a helpful workshop for us to think through how we value each generation and how getting the generations mixing and discipling one another is so important. Julie gave examples of what other churches are doing and there were thoughtful activit...

A visit to Wellington region

I really appreciated being in the Wellington region from Tuesday to Thursday. I loved meeting with Elizabeth Eley and Max Faletutulu from Tītahi Bay Community Church. It was encouraging to hear of the Lord drawing people to church for the first time and new children and families becoming part of the church family. It was neat to hear of multicultural elements in the service and their heart to reach Tītahi Bay. ...

Far North Summit

Our vision is to see churches (with the regional camps and national support ministries that serve them) working together to point people to Jesus through the gospel from the Bible. For that reason, it was a privilege on Saturday to join almost 30 leaders from eight churches across Auckland gathered at Coopers Beach Christian Youth Camp for the Far North Summit. A huge thank you to Evelyn Laybourn, Coopers Beach Christian Youth Camp and the Mangonui Bible C...

Hope Community Church Women's Retreat

Hope Community Church recently hosted a Women’s Retreat at Lake Rotoiti. Women from the age of 13 years through to 90 attended. Women’s Pastor Antoinette Irvine said it was “a rich time of fellowship, getting to know one another, great spiritual food, worship, prayer and the great outdoors”.The speaker was Debbie Veale (pictured below), whose teaching ability, in Antoinette's words, “was high calibre, well-prepared and grounded in scriptural truths”....

NZ Rally Training Day in the Bay of Plenty

On Saturday, NZ Rally held a Bay of Plenty regional training with leaders from Greerton Bible Church, The Orchard Church, Paengaroa Bible Chapel, Ōpōtiki, and Fenton Park Bible Church. Also, a small team from Roosevelt Road Bible Church joined them to get a sense of what Rally offers, along with a few leaders from iCare (an after-school programme) who connect the kids they have with the Rally at The Orchard Church....

Prayer Regional Gathering in East Auckland

Prayer contacts from Howick Community Church, Tāmaki Community Church, and Mt Wellington Community Church met in Auckland on Tuesday....

Times of Crisis

By Mark Grace, CCCNZ AmbassadorE whakatika hoki tetahi iwi ki tetahi iwi, tetahi rangatiratanga ki tetahi rangatiratanga: a e puta nga po matekai, nga mate uruta, me nga ru, ki nga tini wahi.E tau le isi nu‘u ma le isi nu‘u, e osofa‘ia fo‘i e le isi mālō le isi mālō. E i ai oge ma mafui‘e i nu‘u uma.Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.Matthew 24:7I take great comfort that much of the New Testament w...

Pride and Prejudice

By Mark Grace, CCCNZ AmbassadorHeoi ka haere mai a Hamana. Na ka mea te kingi ke a ia, Ko te aha kia meatia ki ta te kingi tangata e pai ai kia whakahonoretia? Na ko te meatanga ake a Hamana i roto i tona ngakau, Ko wai atu i ahau ta te kingi e pai ai kia whakahonoretia?Ua ulufale mai Hamanu, ona fai atu lea o le tupu ia te ia Se a se mea e faia i le tagata ua loto i ai le tupu ona ia faaneeneeina o ia? Ona faapea ifo lea o Hamanu i lona loto, Po o ai se isi e finagalo le tupu ona faaneeneeina o...