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Seven Reminders From Ephesians

Mark Grace CCCNZ Ambassador The COVID situation is pressing and stressful, but it’s not centralIn Ephesians Paul names his imprisonment twice—it’s significant, but it’s never central. Christ. His gospel. His Church. These are central. The COVID-19 pandemic, and the government’s public health response, have become increasingly significant, but they are not central. Our goal hasn’t changed The beating heart of Ephesians 1 is God’s grace to us in Jesus and his death and resurrecti...

Finding meaning in the mess

By CCCNZ Ambassador Mark Grace The Christmas story in Luke feels messy. Luke leads with messy people, messy politics, and messy births. If you wanted to know who was in the middle of the mess you’d naturally think—Rome! Caesar Augustus has spoken and the region's peoples are on the move. The result: Joseph and Mary are on the move to Bethlehem. Looking deeper into the mess of the first Christmas, we remember the words of Micah centuries earlier, prophesying: “But you, Bethleh...

Hillcrest Chapel's Journey With Prayer

By CCCNZ Prayer Coordinator Jackie Millar In March 2020, I met with two elders from Hillcrest Chapel (Waikato) to talk about prayer in their church community. Their heart for “more” in prayer was evident; not only for themselves or the elders but for the whole church.   Fast forward through various COVID-19 lockdown levels, changes within their church community, including changes in pastoral staff, a few Zoom prayer meetings, and hosting the Waikato Prayer Gathering in August... an...

Planning for the COVID-19 Protection Framework

A church in our movement have developed these Traffic Light planning templates and have shared them here for churches to adjust, customise and use. ...

Biblical Framework: an approach to vaccines and meeting together

Pastor at Manawarū Bible Chapel, Justin Thompson, has shared a Biblical Theology Framework for approaching vaccines and meeting as a church under the COVID-19 Protection Framework....

Knowing the Good Shepherd as you walk in the valley

CCCNZ Ambassador Mark Grace"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,I will fear no evil, for you are with me;your rod and your staff, they comfort me". Psalm 23:4 This season can feel like walking in the valley of the shadow of death. For a number of church families in the New Zealand church it already means death—the death of loved members and leaders. For those in ministry, the valley’s shadow of death casts itself across so much. The decay of a clea...

Questions for talking through the COVID-19 Protection Framework

Elders from two churches have generously agreed to share questions that helped them talk through the COVID-19 Protection Framework and concerns with members....

'Come to Me'

"Come to me all who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest."Matthew 11:28 "Come to me". Jesus is the one who invites the weary and burdened.Jesus is the one who offers his strength and direction.Jesus is the one whose heart's essence is gentleness and humility.Jesus is the one who has come to us and then said come to me.  In this season so many people are saying "come to me". Come to my YouTube channel, my social feed, my group, my cause.The result: roiled people loo...

Guiding Biblical Principles: One eldership's starting point

We as an eldership acknowledge that there is a public health problem regarding the COVID-19 outbreak. Therefore, we are guided by the public health authorities regarding how we are to respond. The effect on the vulnerable, and the potential impact on daily lives sees us seeking to follow public health recommendations, but also desiring to support those who are affected. We are in a season of change. The very world we live in and the lifestyles we have enjoyed are changing. The worldwide pandemi...

Conflict is coming

Conflict is coming. Tension, strain, and pressure are coming. Disagreement is coming. Conflict between leaders is a reality in the New Testament letters. Conflict can turn teams to custard. Conflict can also strengthen, deepen, and sharpen teams. What makes the difference?The complexities of the ministering in the season ahead will confront leadership teams with numerous challenges. Each challenge can easily grow into conflict. How can facing these lightening rod issues ...

What it means to be the Church

1 and 2 Timothy, and Titus are letters written by Paul to younger leaders early in their ministry. He writes to Timothy and Titus who are facing the collision of confusion, false teaching, and opposition to gospel ministry in Ephesus and Crete. I’ve found Paul’s response to each issue a really helpful reminder.  False teaching: Be the ChurchConfusion: Be the ChurchOpposition: Be the Church Paul is encouraging them to 'begin with the end in mind'. In a confusing ...

Hope in the hardship

There is hope in the hardship.  The Apostle Paul is writes 2 Timothy 2:1-13 in prison at the end of his life. It’s hard. He is suffering. He is chained like a criminal. He invites Timothy to join him in suffering; to suffer like a good solider, an athlete, and a hardworking farmer. But hardship is not the end of the story. In the exhaustion, complexity, and challenges of Ephesus, Paul encourages Timothy to be faithful, and to keep going. There is hope in the hardship. ...

Leading people during an incredibly challenging season.

By CCCNZ Ambassador Mark GraceWe are entering a profoundly challenging ministry season. The last 18 months have been challenging, the next 8+ months will be significantly more so. It’s my sense that local church ministry in Level 2 is more complex than Level 3.  Church leaders in different parts of the world have noticed a common trend affecting churches in this phase of the pandemic. Matt Chandler sums this up with a picture of thirds: a third of the congregation...

More like Jesus

By CCCNZ Ambassador Mark GraceThe Apostle Peter wrote his letters to the churches in a complex and changing society. In 1 Peter 1 he calls the churches exiles, scattered. He recognises the suffering, grief, and trials they are facing. He’s writing to churches of ordinary Christians scattered across Northern Asia Minor, modern day Turkey. It’s likely they are facing sporadic, but increasing, persecution under the Emperor Nero. What is fascinating to me is the approach he takes with ...

Same place, different conditions

By CCCNZ Ambassador Mark GraceConditions have changed.Many trampers and hunters have been caught out by quickly changing conditions on the Tararua Range.People can walk up a ridge in the morning in full sunshine, then return back to the base of the ridge at lunchtime to find ‘white out’ conditions.They find themselves in the same place, but in radically different conditions. Those who aren’t prepared for the change face the terrible consequences.Since 1970, 22 have...

The God of the harvest

By CCCNZ Ambassador Mark GraceIn Luke 10 Jesus sends out the 72.Jesus spells out the dangers and difficulties. The mission is dangerous.They are sheep amongst wolves. It’s difficult.  The sent disciples are reliant on others for hospitality.But the thrust and focus of Jesus' words is not on the dangers or the difficulties of being sent. Jesus’s focus is on the God of the harvest and the One who is sending them.We see God the Father, God the Son, and God the...

Are we being scattered?

By CCCNZ Ambassador Mark Grace Delta Level 2 is seeing more of us meeting together outside our facilities than in them. It’s plausible that there are new Covid variants coming. It’s possible intermittent lockdowns and level changes will continue. Is this our new normal? Are we being scattered? In Acts 8 God scatters his Church. What can we learn?  God is at the centre In Acts 1:8 Jesus speaks of the Holy Spirit and states “you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea an...

A disorientating time

It’s a disorientating time. Jessica O'Connor and Dion Reynolds were young Kiwi trampers who went into the Kahurangi National Park in Nelson/Tasman on May 8 2020. They got disorientated in thick fog. 19 days later Search and Rescue discovered them. Once Jessica and Dion knew they were lost they had a choice, either give into distraction and keep wandering, or concentrate and stay in one spot. In this time of disorientation I need to choose between distraction and concentrati...

Faith not Fear

"Last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.’ So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me. Nevertheless, we must run aground on some island.” Acts 27:23–26An angel explains to Paul he must face Caesar but not fear him. Caesar who leads Rome, the ...

The resurrection changes everything

"And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. If Christ didn’t rise from the dead our preaching is pointless and our faith is pathetic." 1 Corinthians 15:14 Where I grew up, I’d often see cars in driveways on blocks without wheels, the hood up and with no engine. Powerless and going nowhere. That’s the image of our faith, hope and future if Christ isn’t raised. Our faith is powerless, it’s pointless and we are to be pitied, if Christ isn’t ra...

Getting over ourselves

CCCNZ Ambassador Mark GraceIn 1 Corinthians 15:8-11, God’s grace to Paul leads to grace-fuelled gratitude, and this gratitude leads to Paul getting over himself! In verse 8, God’s grace comes to Paul in the person and presence of the risen Lord. In verses 10 and 11 God’s grace leads Paul to a recognition of who he was, gratefulness for who he is, and this leads him to get over himself incredibly quickly. Paul recognises who he was, but rests his identity in who Jesus is...

Jesus shows up

In 1 Corinthians 15:3-8 Jesus shows up. Jesus died. Jesus rose. The Scriptures validate it, and Jesus’ resurrection appearances attest to it… Jesus shows up to Cephas, then to the twelve, then the 500, then to James, the apostles, and lastly to Paul. The Risen Lord Jesus shows up. Jesus shows up to Peter, who had denied him only days earlier.Jesus shows up to the twelve. The bewildered, dazed, and confused disciples.Jesus&...

Of First Importance

CCCNZ Ambassador Mark GraceI do love these verses from 1 Corinthians 15:3-5: "For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve".At our heart, we are a movement of independent churches working together to point people to Jesus, through the gospel from the Scriptu...

Finding our identity in Christ

I was chatting with a couple of mums at a church camp recently. We talked about the growing pressure to be running your kids to sports, drama, arts activities... the list is endless! There seems to be a growing pressure to have your kids at everything.  Before the pandemic, experts identified that retirement savings were at risk. Why? Because of the level of travel photography on social media. The pressure to buy.The pressure to experience. The pressure to provide opport...

By this gospel you are saved!

"By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain". - 1 Corinthians 15:2 I appreciate this verse has three parts, but this morning, with the fire on and the sun about to come up, I got stopped at the first part: “By this gospel you are saved”.  Wow.  God, by his Spirit, saved me through Jesus’ death and resurrection. That never gets old to me! I know what I was saved from, and it’s...