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Hosanna!

By Mark Grace, CCCNZ AmbassadorJohn 12:13“Ka mau ratou ki nga manga nikau, haere ana ki te whakatau i a ia, me te karanga, Ohana: Ka whakapaingia ia, e haere mai nei i runga i te ingoa o te Ariki, te Kingi o Iharaira.”“O lea sa ‘ave e i latou lālā o le la‘au ma ō atu e fa‘afeiloa‘i ‘iā te ia, ‘ua ‘alalaga fo‘i i latou: “Osana, ia manuia lē o afio mai i le suafa o le Ali‘i, o le Tupu o Isaraelu!””“They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “...

A Far North Visit

It’s Saturday afternoon and I’m meeting Matt Scott (pictured below), youth leader at Clark Road Chapel and camp staff member at Marsden Bay Christian Camp.What a joy hearing about Matt’s heart to see churches working together to reach their communities through camping. A blessing to hear that the community in the area is knocking on the door to register kids for holiday programmes....

City to City Learning Community

On Thursday, it was a real privilege to gather with 10 pastors from CCCNZ/OBH Churches (along with 20 others) in Auckland to hear more about the City to City Church Planting 18-month Learning Community starting in 2024....

God’s Power at the Cross

By Mark Grace, CCCNZ AmbassadorColossians 2:15"Pauhua ake e ia ki raro nga rangatiratanga me nga mana, whakakitea nuitia ana e ia, a waiho ana e ia taua ripeka hei mea whakataka mana i a ratou.""‘Ua tu‘u‘eseina e ia o ali‘i sili ma faipule, ‘ona fa‘aalia mai lea o i latou ‘ia iloa uma, ‘ua manumālō fo‘i o ia ‘iā i latou i lea lava mea.""And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross."In Colossians 2:6-8...

CCCNZ Board Meeting in Christchurch

The CCCNZ Board has spent a very worthwhile time thinking through how we can continue to serve you as you work together as churches to point people to Jesus, through the gospel from the Scriptures.Pictured above: Some of the CCCNZ Board during their meeting. (Left to right) Ane Ponifasio, Alan Aitken, Stuart Bay, and Murray Frost.Over lunch it has been lovely to honour Lawson Scott, the chairperson of elders at Rutland Street Church, for the five years he has served...

Captivated by Christ

By Mark Grace, CCCNZ AmbassadorColossians 2:6"Na, kua riro na te Ariki, a Karaiti Ihu i a koutou, kia pena ano ta koutou haere i roto i a ia"."O lenei, fa‘apei ‘ona ‘outou talia le Ali‘i o Keriso Iesu, ia fa‘apea ‘ona ‘outou ola ai ‘iā te ia"."So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him".These words were written to a church that gathered in the city of Colossae. That ancient city is filled with inscriptions, memorials, and buildings whi...

Riccarton Community Church 75th Anniversary

On Sunday 27 August, Riccarton Community Church celebrated its 75th Anniversary.In the picture above: Cath and Phil Stedman, Senior Pastor at Riccarton Community Church, being prayed for by Murray Robertson, RCC Chair of Elders Bevan Burgess, and one of the church's young people.Associate Pastor Mark Wells writes: "It was a wonderful event—a chance to celebrate with nearly 400 current and past members of RCC, thanking God for His faithfulness thus f...

Onslow Community Church Serving Sundays

“Serving Sundays” have become a regular part of the church’s activities at Onslow Community Church. On Sunday 20 August, church members of all ages helped with various needs within the community.In the picture above: Cayla Fitzpatrick (front), Jo Bond (behind), Breeanna Fitzpatrick, Damon Fitzpatrick, and David Bond (rear).Pete Rhodes-Robinson, pastor at Onslow Community Church, says:“We were pleased to get out after a thunderstorm early on Sunday morning threatened the event and were ab...

Missionary First Party at Crossroads Church

On Saturday 26 August, Crossroads Church in Palmerston North held a fundraising night for their missionaries. Lead Pastor Reuben Porter writes: "It was a great night that was really well supported"....

Senior Citizens Gathering

Every Thursday at 10 am, a group of senior citizens gather at LifeChurch Manurewa. It's a time for fellowship, faith-building and food. The seniors group is made up of people aged 65+ who are both church members and others from the wider community.Tuiloma Apoua Muliaga, Seniors' Director, writes: "Our sessions start with prayer and sharing God’s Word, led by Senior Pastor Lui Ponifasio, followed by a very slow and light Zumba exercise", and end up with a shared lunch and playing games.The chur...

Movement of the Word

On Thursday, a group of elders and pastors from Waikato and Auckland churches joined together to learn how to train people for Christian ministry with the Bible.The group was made up of Jeremy Lind (Raleigh Street Christian Centre), Jonathan Ruthven (Northgate Community Church), Philip Renner (Chapel Hill Community Church), Nam Ho, and Hayden Johns (Auckland Bible Church).The Movement of the Word teaches a profoundly simple but significant way of interpreting the Bible and training leaders, that...

Last Words Matter

By Mark Grace, CCCNZ AmbassadorMalachi 4:2"Ki a koutou ia e wehi na i toku ingoa ka ara ake te ra o te tika, he whakaora mate hoki i runga i ona parirau; a ka puta mai koutou, ka tupekepeke ano he kuao kau no te turanga kau.""A o outou o e matatau i lo‘u igoa, e alu ae ia te outou le La o le amiotonu; e i ai foi le mea e malolo ai i ona apaau; e o atu foi outou ma osooso, pei o tamai povi mai le fale povi.""But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its ...

Kaipaki Bible Church started an Alpha Course in the Tauwhare community

This week I came away from a Zoom call with David Firth (pictured below) from Kaipaki Bible Church in Waikato, super encouraged by a variety of outreaches the church is facilitating around the region....

Churches working together to point children and families to Jesus through Rally

By Mark Grace, CCCNZ AmbassadorI love seeing churches across the movement working together to reach children and youth in their communities through Rally.In late July, over 100 kids from Bunnythorpe Family Church, Crossroads Church, Church on Vogel, Feilding Bible Chapel, Marton Bible Chapel, Queen Street Chapel, Rongotea Bible Chapel, and York Street Chapel held a Winter tournament in the Manawatū / Horowhenua region. Each of these churches Rallies battled it out to take home the trophies.The ...

Jesus Knows Us

By Mark Grace, CCCNZ AmbassadorPsalm 139:23"Tirohia iho ahau, e te Atua, kia matau hoki koe ki toku ngakau: whakamatautauria ahau, kia matau hoki koe ki oku whakaaro.""Le Atua e, ia e suesue mai ia te au, ma ia e silafia lo‘u loto; tofotofo mai ia ia te au, ma ia e silafia o‘u manatunatu.""Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts."In Psalm 139, David is anxious. All through the psalm, he seeks to quiet his worries.Verses 19-24 expose the underlying questions be...

Growing in confidence in church based ministry through theological study

Abbey Grainger (on the right) teaching at HM Rage.Abbey Grainger, from Mt Wellington Community Church, is involved in serving God in her church as a youth leader, on the worship team, and at kids' camps.Last year, she began studying for a Graduate Diploma in Applied Theology through a New Zealand theological college and received support for her fees from a JH Baldwin Scholarship from Lichfield Lands.Abbey writes:"Last semester I took two papers—Introduction to the New Testament and Gospel of J...

A Love That Endures

By Mark Grace, CCCNZ AmbassadorRevelation 6:10'Nui atu to ratou reo ki te karanga, ki te mea, Kia pehea te roa, e te Ariki, e te tapu, e te pono, a kore ana koe e whakawa, e rapu utu mo o matou toto, i te hunga e noho ana i runga i te whenua?''They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?”' 'ua latou alalaga foi ma le leo tele, ua faapea atu, Le Alii e, le paia ma le faamaoni e...

Growing in faith and ministry through practical theological study

Primary school teacher Abbie Gibson (pictured above on the left) always enjoyed serving as part of youth and children's ministries and was keen to grow and learn more. At the end of 2021 Abbie gave up her full-time teaching role to pursue theological study—with the hope that she would grow and be better equipped to continue serving in children’s and youth ministries.Northgate Community Church (NCC) Lead Pastor Jonathan Ruthven says the church has been blessed to...

God Comes Camping

By Mark Grace, CCCNZ AmbassadorExodus 29:42"Hei tahunga tinana tenei e mau tonu ana i o koutou whakatupuranga, i te whatitoka o te tapenakara o te whakaminenga, i te aroaro o Ihowa, i te wahi e tutaki ai ahau ki a koutou, korero ai ki a koe." “For the generations to come this burnt offering is to be made regularly at the entrance to the tent of meeting, before the Lord. There I will meet you and speak to you;" "E faia lenei ma taulaga mu e le aunoa i o outou ...

CCCNZ PastorLink Retreat

It’s early August, which can mean only one thing: It’s CCCNZ PastorLink Retreat at MiCamp Taupō.It has been so good to have over 60 pastoral leaders and their spouses at the retreat, representing 24 churches across both the North and South Islands.We’ve appreciated the wisdom and input from Rowland Forman who joined us via Zoom due to COVID.I’ve enjoyed watching new friendships flourish and existing relationships strengthen. I am grateful for these men and women who ...

2023 Auckland Regional Summit

On Saturday, over 100 leaders from 24 churches attended the Auckland Regional Summit at Willow Park Christian Convention Centre....

Christian Camping New Zealand Conference

This week the Christian Camping New Zealand National Conference took place at El Rancho, from Sunday to Wednesday. Over 140 staff, managers and board members from camps throughout New Zealand attended, with approximately 55 people from camps associated with the OBH movement. Picture above: From left to right, Siobhan Jansen (Teapot Valley Christian Camp), Ross Bay and Stewart Ward (Woodend Christian Camp)Picture below: Tōtara Springs Christian Centre...

Marsden Bay Christian Camp Engaging With The Community

On Saturday 22 July, Marsden Bay Christian Camp (MBCC) invited all their neighbours to gather together—those whose properties back onto the camp and on the other side of the road. There were over 30 in attendance.Marsden Bay Christian Camp Chair, Ian Rowe, welcomed everybody and talked about the history of MBCC from 1956 and the reasons why it was initially purchased and built. Trevor Kerewaro, MBCC Manager, talked about the camp ethos and its Christian roots and ...

Worship Workshop at Kelston Community Church

On Sunday 23 July, worship ministry leader Paul Naveen and a handful of great trainers from Kelston Community Church (KCC) in Auckland led a memorable worship ministry development workshop (the first of four planned).Their more experienced musicians and singers train and coach the less experienced and those interested in being part of the KCC worship ministry....

God made New Zealand

Acts 17:24"Ko te Atua, nana nei i hanga te ao me nga mea katoa i roto, ko ia nei te Ariki o te rangi, o te whenua, e kore ia e noho ki nga whare i hanga e te ringa;..." "The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands." "O le Atua na faia le lalolagi ma mea uma lava o i ai, ona o le Alii o ia o le lagi ma le lalolagi, e le afio o ia i malumalu e faia e lima;..." What does this say about God? God creat...