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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 ...

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...

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...

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...

Encountering Christ this Easter

'For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.' - 1 Corinthians 1:18 We are Easter Leaders. We always have been but now more than ever. As Easter Leaders we know we encounter our risen Jesus in 'the word of the cross' (1 Corinthians 1:18). In a profound mystery, Jesus meets us in the message of the cross. We encounter the Crucified and Risen Christ when we proclaim Christ Crucified. As le...

Confidence in Christ

Paul and the Philippians Christians face real uncertainty, complexity and difficulty. In chapter 3 Paul is saying Christ is where his confidence starts and finishes. In verses 3:1-10 Paul shows his confidence doesn’t start in religious practices or religious achievements. His confidence starts with Christ’s death and resurrection and his participation in it. Everything else is, to put it politely, refuse. In these days, our confidence doesn’t start with our technology, our reach, ou...

What comes next?

What comes next? 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 c...

CCCNZ Board: Letter to all New Zealand MPs on the Abortion Legislation Bill

We know many of you have been advocating for our most vulnerable for some time: Caring for mothers and their babies; supporting women who face unwanted pregnancies; fostering children; and many have made submissions against this legislation, or walked in support of the March for Life. Thank you. The following is a letter sent today to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and all MPs urging them to vote against the Abortion Legislation Bill at the final reading tomorrow. Feel free to use this lette...

COVID-19: Leading with the reality of Christ

From CCCNZ Ambassador, Mark Grace There is no sugar coating Philippians chapter 1: Paul is in chains, it is a struggle, and he is suffering. The work of the gospel is being opposed in frightening ways. In the same way, we need to be realistic about recent outbreaks of COVID-19. As public health officials have stated, we need to be alert not alarmed. We need to prepare rather than panic. At this stage, we need to be washing our hands and not touching our faces. However, c...

Preparing for COVID-19

What practical ways can we we as churches, admin teams and church leaders be preparing in light of the recent outbreak of COVID-19?  CCCNZ National Administrator Danielle Diprose has consulted with Dr Richard Hoskins (Medical Officer of Health for the Waikato DHB and a member of Hillcrest Chapel) to prepare a document with crisis management questions for leadership teams based on good governance, and a sample plan for churches to use as they prepare for the possibility of COV...

Right people at the right time

In Philippians Chapter 2 the Apostle Paul is in a lock down of sorts. His resources are limited, his movements are restricted and those he’s seeking to support are suffering. How does Paul settle their nerves? How does he speak to his own anxious heart?  He reminds them of three things: In verses 1-4 he reminds them that, because of Jesus, they are the right people at the right time, and therefore they need to serve like Jesus. In these unprecedented days, you, because of Jesus...

Pathways School of Worship Leading Registrations for 2020

Enrolment in the first semester of Pathways School of Worship Leading 2020 is closing this week: 7 February. The School of Worship Leading exists to equip and empower worship leaders, supporting our church communities as they worship corporately in a variety of contexts. Rosie Devery is the School of Worship Leading Coordinator, she says it's a privilege to walk alongside students from a variety of churches around New Zealand as they explore biblical worship: "Our culture lends itself ...

Meet Yvonne: new CCCNZ Worship Enabler

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Ways you can be praying for Australia during bushfire season

We got in touch with Chris Thomas, Teaching Pastor at Raymond Terrace Community Church, a CCCAUS church in NSW, Australia. Chris has also been a speaker at our regional conferences over the past two years, here in NZ.  We asked Chris how we can be praying.  "Here are some general ways you can pray:  Pray for rain and favourable weatherPray for safety for those on the frontline fighting firesPray for believers in the affected zones to demonstrate the gospel in the way they ser...