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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...

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. ...

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...

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. ...

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...

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 ...

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...

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....

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”....

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...

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....

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...

Auckland Prayer Breakfast

Sitting left to right: Peter Barnes, Salome Mitchell, Ane Ponifasio, Richard Fountain, Glenn Murphy, Catherine Perich, Jackie Millar, Hans Stutz, Hannah Plews, and Tom Crisp.Standing left to right: Lew Meyer, Phil Hutchinson, Lui Ponifasio, Waweru Kanene.How encouraging it was to see CCCNZ-Open Brethren Heritage church leaders gather together to pray alongside hundreds of people from different denominations and churches across Auckland. The theme of “Building Up” shaped the time in prayer.CC...

2024 NextGen Summit

It was a privilege to be with 28 leaders from 14 churches at the NextGen Summit at Willow Park Christian Camp in Auckland this week. ...

Preaching Development in the Waikato

As a result of the Langham Preaching Training week in June, a Waikato regional preaching development training started last Saturday, led by Justin Thompson, Pastor at Manawarū Bible Chapel, along with Craig Barrow (Agora Church) and Nick Goodwin (Associate Pastor, Raleigh Street Christian Centre)....

Auckland Elders' Workshop

On Saturday, 10 leaders from six churches from Auckland’s North and West gathered at Lincoln Road Bible Chapel where Kerry Rickard from Kingston Community Church spoke on developing leaders into eldership....

Children and Families Ministry Leaders Regional Gathering in Tauranga

Children's ministry leaders from Greerton Bible Church, Paengaroa Bible Chapel and Lifezone Church met in Tauranga this week. They welcomed Niky Hardgrave, local children's ministry leader, who shared her vast knowledge and experiences on the topic of neurodiversity.'Neurodiversity' describes the variety of ways different brains work and process information. Neurodivergent people may include kids with ADHD, autism or other neurobiological differences. ...

Thanking Gordon

It was a real delight to honour Gordon and Joy Fountain today. Gordon has served for nine years as CCCNZ Chair, and this was our opportunity as a board to thank him for his leadership. Gordon, we’re grateful for your servant leadership during these nine years. Under God’s good hand, your graciousness, kindness and wisdom have given us the leadership we’ve needed in this founding decade. We’re so grateful to you, Joy, and your family for the contribution you’ve ...

A Visit to Emmett Street Community Church

The elders at Emmett Street Community Church (Christchurch) meet monthly on Friday mornings at 7.30 am. CCCNZ South Island Regional Enabler Tim Hodge writes:“It was so encouraging joining them today. They are focused on together reaching their community of Shirley with the gospel, with many investigating Jesus, often through their Life Course.”...

Do I have a heart like Haman's?

By Mark Grace, CCCNZ AmbassadorA, no te kitenga o Hamana kihai a Mororekai i tuohu, kihai i piko ki a ia, na ki tonu a Hamana i te riri.Ua iloa e Hamanu ua le punou Moretekai, ua le ifo foi ia te ia; ona matuā ita ai lea o Hamanu.When Haman saw that Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor, he was enraged. Esther 3:5For hundreds of years, Susa was the military, political, and cultural centre of the ancient world. It was the beating heart of the Persian empire, made up of 127 states a...

Auckland Elders' Workshop

On Saturday, 27 leaders from 13 churches from across Auckland’s Central, South and East regions came together for an Elders' Workshop at Eden Church on 'growing leaders, finding elders'.CCCNZ Auckland Enabler Richard Fountain writes,"It was a blessing for experienced elders, new elders and potential elders to hear from Kerry Rickard (Kingston Community Church) speaking on developing leaders into eldership."...