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Sharing the back story: A legacy of nurture & generosity in Auckland

Movies use flashbacks, a cinematic dip into the past to explain the context of the story. In life there is always a back story—one of God at work. However, awareness of these stories can pass us by; even age does not guarantee insight. Service, love, and generosity can become invisible in routine. As Joshua led the nation of Israel through the dry riverbed of the Jordan River and into the land of Canaan he called them to take stones and set them up as signs, prompts for the people who expe...

YES, NO

CCCNZ Ambassador, Mark Grace...

TIME FOR A REST?

Imagine music with no rests. Continuous noise. Think elevator music on repeat—but even worse than that—no rests even within the music itself. Unceasing, constant sound. No pauses, no sustaining of notes, no breathing space. Music created with no rests would be hard on the ears, generate anxiety in the heart, and leave the listener overwhelmed and wanting to switch off and step away from the ‘music’ altogether.Why do we live cacophonous lives with no rests? We hurry from one thing...

A Hunger for More

Jackie Millar doesn’t often hear the words “joyful” and “prayer” together. But when joy is associated with times of communion with God, she says it signals to her that he is bringing people to life spiritually.  And even though this year has been marked by periods of social isolation, CCCNZ’s Prayer Coordinator says she has seen surprising signs of a culture of prayer in New Zealand’s church communities. “COVID has been a hard thing for many people,” she says, “but hones...

GROWING TOGETHER

“Over the last three years we’ve had our biggest growth; in unity, in people coming along, and in people growing in spiritual maturity.” At the end of 2017 the leadership of the Hukanui Bible Church bought a bulk order of Bibles and set the challenge - let's read through the entire Bible together in one year as a church.By the end of 2018, 60-70% of people from the church were reading through the Bible together. The youngest readers were 11-12 years old, and the oldest in their 70s. T...

THERE'S HOPE

Matthew 1:18-2:18 reminds us there is hope in a horrible year. Mary knows a horrible year. She’ll wear the stigma and shame of her pregnancy every day. The sideways looks, the pity, the growing distance between friends, conversations cut short.  Joseph knows a horrible year. The disappointment, the disgrace of Mary’s pregnancy, the shame and stigma that belongs to her now belongs to him. The Magi know a horrible year. These scholars/astrologers travel the difficult, months-long journ...

CHURCHES & CAMPSITES WORKING TOGETHER

Mark van Wijk grew up in a Christian home, regularly attending Sunday services. But the memory he has of coming to faith took place at a kids camp at Moirs Point in Northland. Many of his significant memories, as well as some lifelong friendships, trace back to Christian camps.  So it isn’t surprising that the community pastor for Summit Church in East Auckland is also involved with local Willow Park Christian Convention Centre. Over the past five years, he and Summit Church have intentio...

KEEN TO GROW IN MINISTRY TO FAMILIES?

Children and Family Ministries Enabler Julie McKinnon launched E-QUIP a few months ago. E-QUIP is an online-based training discussion group for people serving in Children and Family Ministries. Participants work through a book, then meet regularly via Zoom to discuss each chapter, set goals, share ideas, and encourage one another. Rongopai editor Sophia Sinclair caught up with three participants to hear more about E-QUIP works and what they’ve found helpful. Viki Johnson is employed full-time ...

GOD AT WORK

Rongopai Editor Sophia Sinclair caught up with Craig Barrow, Lead Pastor of City Bible Church in Hamilton to chat about how God is at work in the people of Kirikiriroa, Hamilton.  This year has been a pretty strange one for lots of churches and ministries, what have you noticed since the COVID lockdown?  Like other churches here in Kirikiriroa, we’re noticing a lot of people searching since lockdown—it’s not unusual to have 3-4 families visiting each Sunday. People have had t...

Auckland Regional Prayer Gathering 2020

Thanks to everyone who joined us last night at our Auckland Regional Prayer Gathering. 10 churches with people from across Auckland were represented as we came before our great God together in repentance, praise, prayer, and petition. A BIG thank you to all who contributed, and to Howick Community Church for hosting us....

Confidence in the Cross of Christ

Paul’s confidence in Christ and the cross enables him to cope with challenges and change. 2020 has been a year of challenges, change and uncertainty. These are impacting us, our ministries, and our families. It’s likely the level of challenge change and uncertainty will increase in 2021. I’m struck by the depth of suffering, the amount of change, and level of uncertainty faced by Paul in 2 Corinthians 11:22-33. I’m also struck by how he faced these and why he was able to. He...

Loving different generations: Ideas from Whitiora Bible Church

Whitiora Bible Church members in the midst of Tandem Ministries Redemptive Family workshop....

QSM for Lui and Ane Ponifasio

We give glory to God for LifeChurch Manurewa Senior Pastors Lui Ponifasio and Ane Ponifasio who received QSM today, for services to the Pacific Community. Lui Ponifasio is the Senior Pastor of LifeChurch Manurewa and Avondale, and the Auckland Mission Enabler for CCCNZ. He founded Radio Samoa 1593AM and the Samoa Times newspaper. He is a Police Chaplain for the New Zealand Police and has been a member of the Pacific Police Advisory Board. He is a leader of Christian Community Churches Inter...

NEW: Meet the National Youth Team

By CCCNZ Youth Enabler Murray Brown...

Peace amid upheaval

Executed dead men don’t stand among you and offer peace. Three days earlier, Jesus hangs naked and nailed to a tree. Exposed, abused and degraded. Nothing special about this crucifixion. It’s simply one of thousands… Except at this one, the One who created the cosmos is crucified.  It’s evening on the third day. The disciples are together in Jerusalem excitedly piecing the story together from each other; Mary, Peter, Clopas and Simon. None of it makes sense, could it be? No, ...

What does it look like to 'make disciples' in the current climate?

“Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age” Matt 28:19-20  What does ‘make disciples’ look like in Children and Families Ministry in the current climate?  This is a crucial question to ponder as we think about what comes next. We have an unprecedented opportunity to ref...

Training in a COVID-19 world

The Level 4 Lockdown caught many of us in church leadership by surprise. We had to scramble to set up online church, imagine new ways for running home groups and youth groups, and set up new systems to care for our vulnerable.  I have seen churches set up Zoom church, invite their friends to a Facebook Live event, or email out links to YouTube sermons.  It doesn’t matter what platform or App you used – I reckon each one of these is a metaphor for our ministry!  Is your church ...

What comes next depends on whose voice we're listening to

What comes next? Well, that depends on which voice you’re listening to in this season.  Through the storms of change we have all recently experienced, and in the subsequent settling of the dust, we have had to listen to other voices to help get us through.  Voices that educate us in the knowledge of a virus, voices that guide us in ways to stay safe, voices that teach and encourage us to “move church online”, voices on how to work from home, how to guide our children through this...

Back to the Future: What Ezra-Nehemiah teaches us about Leadership at Level 2

CCCNZ Ambassador Mark GraceAre you ready for Level 2 leadership? Level 2 will not be a return to ‘normal’. The story of God's people returning from exile teaches us to trust God in our changing circumstances. God's people had experienced significant loss and hardship under Babylonian captivity, increased freedom and favour under the rule of Cyrus, until they were allowed to return to their homeland and begin to rebuild their spiritual and physical homes.  Ezra...

The core business of youth ministry

The retail operator Blockbuster was once the giant among video stores, dwarfing a mail-order DVD service run by a company called Netflix.  When the market changed one died and the other flourished. Why? Because one saw their core business as providing DVDs while the other saw their core business as entertainment.   Now is a good time to remind ourselves that as youth leaders our core “business” is not to run programmes but to make disciples (Matthew 28:19,20). Programmes contribute...

Called to Contentment

"I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength."Philippians 4:12-13   The Apostle Paul knows his mission. He knows what he is called for. He knows how to stick to it: to be content and to resource it faithfully.  Like Paul, when we know our mission, what God has called us...

Being church vs. Doing church

"…to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ." - Ephesians 4:12-13  The challenges many of us have faced during this time of isolation is how do we DO church.  This has seen us being very creative and dynamic in utilising technology and the resources we have. I commend everyone for DOING...

What comes next is dependent on what comes first

It’s 539 BC. The great Babylonian Empire rules the known world; power unmatched, authority unchecked. Until Cyrus and the Persians crush, confuse, and kill the Babylonians.    The result: A year later in 538 BC Cyrus decrees the people of God can return to their land. Few do, at first (Ezra 8:1). In the weeks ahead we’ll begin leaving our own lockdown ‘exile’... What will we find?   In 538 BC, those who do return find the familiar has become strange, and the new has b...

Prayerfully planning to lead in a post-lockdown world

In Philippians, Paul’s leadership is centred on Christ’s leadership of the Church. Each chapter of the book begins with Paul pointing the Philippians to the Head of the Church, Jesus. Paul continually points the Philippians to Christ out of his dynamic, ongoing experience of the risen Lord, through the gospel from the Scriptures, by the Spirit. A lot of elders and pastors are ministering in this unprecedented moment and asking:'What comes next?' 'What does church look like in Level...

Rest in the tension

David does not hide from the tensions he faces. He names them. He names them all. I'm incredibly grateful for his honesty.  His internal tensions are named: Behind the comfort of the Shepherd's rod and staff is the recognition of David's own sin and idolatry.   His external tensions are named: The valley of the shadow of death, the reality of evil and the presence of his enemies. Each insidious element bores into David’s personal, pastoral, public, and political leadership bri...