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On the edge of Easter

"God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."- 2 Corinthians 5:21 We are on the edge of Easter.We are on the edge of reflecting on what the Father, Son and Holy Spirit did for us in the death and resurrection of Jesus.It is unfathomable to me that the God of the universe, made him (Jesus) who had no sin, to be sin for us. He did this so we might become the righteousness of God.I’m awestruck at the grace of God in li...

Cross-shaped ministry

This ministry moment feels like getting to the end of a marathon, only to find the starting line of the next marathon at your feet!Leaders are tired, fatigued, burdened. On top of this, the course for this second marathon is barely visible. Despite our sense of the 'unprecedented', it's worth being reminded that ministry in the 21st century looks a lot like ministry in the 1st century! "For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. ...

Caring for Children and Families in Isolation

Many families in isolation are looking for activities to keep busy while isolating. The team at Onslow Community Church in Wellington are creating “Iso packs” to support church and community families in isolation. Heather Rhodes Robinson writes: “We have an amazing lady on our pastoral care team who has organised a freezer full of meals for church and community households who are isolating. Our Kids' Ministry team are doing packs for our families that go alongside ...

Prayer Day at Tasman Church

Greig Caigou, pastor at Tasman Church, writes: “A day devoted to prayer was called for recently at our Tasman fellowship. While prayer is important for several reasons in communing with our God, we wanted to be diligent and intentional to gather in collective prayer for our community.  "As we are currently meeting in small groups on Sunday, each group was encouraged to opt for a different time so that we could 'cover the day' in prayer... starting a...

A Prayer For Ukraine

Geoff Stark, WestChurch Our Father in heaven, the author of peace, shown most fully by sending your son Jesus Christ as your human representation and to take our sins by his death on a cross, and so to bring us into a peaceful relationship with you. Father as we look into our own ancestry, we see aggression and conflict. When we look into our own hearts, we are aware of lines we draw that stepping over would make us aggressive and angry. Lord help us to be truly love peace. Sovereign God who rai...

A Prayer For Our Church Leaders

Robert Mitchell, Tasman ChurchMy Father, I give thanks first for past leaders who were faithful to Your calling in using the gifts of grace You gave them, to bear testimony of Christ in the places You put them. I thank you also for today’s leaders, whether a leader of few or a leader of many; whether a leader in the church or a leader in the community; for they are a blessing as they demonstrate faith, wisdom, humility, care, patience and perseverance to those they lead. I ask that You comfort...

Missing the point

Luke 22:7-28 It’s the last supper. The hour is now. The climax of Jesus’ life and work is at hand. The central events of history are happening.  Jesus gathers those closest to him to share the deepest of realities. He is going to suffer. His body and blood are going to be poured out. The result: an argument erupts. It’s not about Jesus. It’s not about his death. It’s about them. It’s about their status. It’s about their significance. It’s a...

Stop doing, keep doing, and start doing

In Revelation 2-4 Jesus takes stock of the seven churches and makes an overall assessment of where each church is at.The assessment shows them what to stop doing, keep doing, and start doing. What they choose to do will depend on how clearly and seriously they see the glorious and risen Lord Jesus. His purity and power. His greatness and holiness. His hold over history. His grace and truth. Their fidelity and faithfulness will be shaped by their focus. Are they...

Our refuge is our resurrected Saviour

Emma and I are reading and praying through the Psalms. This morning it was Psalm 31. David’s external world is crashing in on him. He speaks of a city under siege. He speaks of enemies, the contempt of neighbours, and the dread of friends. He speaks of people crossing the street to avoid him, of traps set for him and of terror on every side. His physical and spiritual worlds are in turmoil. He speaks of anguish that is ageing him, afflictions that weaken his body, accusations th...

Rebuilding, a lesson from Ezra

In Ezra 3:7-13 the people of God go back to the future. After exile, and after returning to the land they rebuild the temple.Before the end of this year, it's plausible that we, as church families, will go back to the future.We will have the opportunity to return and rebuild our gatherings and life together as local churches.What can we learn from Ezra 3?  It’ll be the same but differentThe people of God rebuild God’s temple. It’s the same. It’s God’s temple.&n...

Christian Leadership in a time of dissension

The Church in Ephesus is a mess.False teachers and teaching are wreaking havoc.False teachers focus on feathering their own platforms, power, and wealth in the process. Relationships are at breaking point. What does Christian Leadership involve in a time of dissension? Look with me through 1 Timothy 6:11-21It involves being reminded who we are and whose we are as leaders. Christian leadership in a time of dissension involves: Fleeing the noise (6:11)In 1 Timothy 6:4-5 Christi...

Remember

Paul remembers. He and Barnabas are being sent. Sent to the Gentiles. Sent to preach the gospel. Sent by the apostles.What’s the one thing they are asked to do? What’s the one thing they are charged with? What’s the one thing they should remember?  In Galatians 2:10, Paul recounts,  “All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I had been eager to do all along”.'They' being James, Peter, and John, asking that Paul, in the preaching ...

Declaring Christ Crucified

"But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict". - 1 Thessalonians 2:2 It’s AD 51, churches from Judea to Thessalonica are riven, ravaged, and rattled. Across 2000km it feels like every church is roiled, there’s rumblings… it’s likely hot heads want retribution.At the centre of it is the reviled Apostle Paul and his apo...

God is

The Thessalonians are suffering.Paul and the apostolic team are being persecuted.The Judean churches are being brutalised. The churches in Macedonia and Achaia are being terrorised to the point of destitution.The external pressure on the Thessalonians is immense. The internal pressure within the church from false prophets, and idle and disruptive believers is almost as painful. The conflict is real. Into this powder keg the Apostle Paul shows us Christian Leade...

Standing at the centre

Ephesians Chapter 2:11-22 invites me, a Gentile, to remember where we were and reminds us where we are.  Where we were: "...remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world." (v 12). We were separate from God, excluded, without hope, foreigners, without God in the world. Where we are: "Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, ...

WORKING TOGETHER TO SUPPORT TONGA

Some of the team that helped stock 20 drums heading to Tonga for relief. ...

Connecting during the Delta outbreak

There is no question that the Delta variant outbreak in 2021 was significantly harder than previous outbreaks of COVID-19. Parents have found the home learning and life juggle harder, more people are seeking help for mental health concerns, and churches and church leaders are facing numerous challenges. There’s a cumulative effect from the turmoil of the past 18 months, says PastorLINK Enabler Kerry Rickard, “Church leaders have had no respite from the relentless decision-making that is requ...

Summit Connections

Leslie Scott (left) and Rebekah Reeve (right)...

Connecting at Easter Camp: Siao-wei Huang

“The highlight of the Top of the South Easter camp for me was being able to spend time with other Christians and meet other people. To hear amazing speakers and learn things I might have not noticed before—it reminded me of what God did for us. I loved the way the speakers shared their message, by using stories.“The thing that stood out to me in the talks was that it reminded me again about Easter. Also it reminded me to think that it should’ve been me, everything that Jesus went thr...

Connecting at Easter Camp: Cate Wilson

“My highlight of the North Island Easter Camp 2021 was the Sunday morning service, when so many people lifted their hands either to renew their relationship with Christ or to accept Christ in their lives for the first time.“So many people’s lives were touched by this camp including mine; I have been a Christian for a long time now, but leading up to Easter Camp I felt overworked and stressed out. I had been too focused on making my last year of high school count but I had somehow begun to ...

Connecting at Easter Camp

In 2021 CCCNZ youth leaders in the South and North Islands came together to plan and host Easter Camps specifically for connecting CCCNZ youth groups. Putting on the North Island Easter Camp at Tōtara Springs Christian Centre was a team effort coordinated by Hangyul Cho, the Associate Pastor at Northcross Church. Hangyul said that leaders from at least 10 churches were involved, with each taking responsibility for different elements of the camp. They were pleased with the outcome.“It felt ver...

Regional Connections

It’s isolating work.That’s a surprising fact for those of us who see children’s ministry workers constantly connecting with the most energetic and open members of our churches. But many in those roles regularly describe it that way—isolating.Ten years ago, while working as Children and Families Pastor at Hillcrest Chapel, Julie McKinnon joined a ‘cluster’ meeting for other Waikato-based children’s ministry leaders set up by Karen Warner, who was leading the Baptist Union’s Ch...

Connecting to Support Outreach and Evangelism

Word of Life NZ’s Youth Reachout typically takes place in Fiji and Samoa. It’s a three week trip focusing on evangelism and personal development in a cross-cultural context. But with COVID-19 putting a stop to overseas travel in 2021, it became Youth Reachout Roadtrip. During the July school holidays a team of 20 people (Word of Life staff, their families, and young people) traveled around New Zealand to partner with different churches in hosting evangelistic community events. “It was real...

Camping Connections

“When was the last time you had four or five people in your church, in one morning, say, ‘I want to become a Christian?’” That’s a normal day at Teapot Valley Christian Camp—seeing four or five youth taking the next step towards faith in Jesus. As CCCNZ’s Camping Enabler, Richard Davis has plenty of opportunities to say what he’s been asking for some time: “That’s the opportunity before us; don’t you want to be part of it?” In Nelson, leaders from the trustee churches...

Canterbury Connections

“Connections between people and churches really started gaining traction last year—ironic given 2020 was a year where we experienced increased restrictions because of COVID-19!” Lawson Scott as served as the CCCNZ Canterbury Regional Enabler since 2016, a voluntary role where he seeks to encourage connection among Open Brethren heritage and independent churches, campsites, and support ministries in Canterbury.“We’re all fiercely independent, we look different and feel different as ...