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Politics and God's Mission

It is that time in New Zealand, when our thoughts focus once again on politics as another election draws near. Don't worry, this is not a party political broadcast and I am not telling you which political party you should vote for. Rather this reflects some of my thinking on how God's mission and human government interact.Politics and the Divine PlanFirstly, it is crucial to remember that God's sovereignty extends over all aspects of human existence, including politics. The Bible gives numerous ...

Tonga House Project

VIEW PAST UPDATES:     December 2022     |     Theresa House Project...

Running with Endurance

Last week I had the privilege of attending the centenary celebrations for Laidlaw College. You may know Laidlaw College as New Zealand Bible Training Institute (NZBTI - 1922-1972) or Bible College of New Zealand (BCNZ - 1972-2008). Over the years many of our mission partners and church leaders have been impacted by this institution, either directly as students, or through the influence of staff and graduates of the college.As I talked with many attending the centenary, I was reminded of Hebrews ...

Without Easter...

Without Easter, there is no mission, because without Easter, there is no Good News, there is no Resurrection. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the most pivotal event in all of history. At Easter, we remember the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  It represents God's ultimate triumph over sin, death, and evil, and the restoration of humanity to a right relationship with Himself.Without Easter, our faith is futileAs the Apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:14, "And if Chri...

NZ Disaster Update

People have given generously to the disaster recovery efforts following the devastation caused by the flooding in Auckland, Hawkes Bay and Gisborne region. Many local community groups, including churches, have responded to the needs in their local area. Some of these groups were able to provide immediate relief to those directly impacted by the disasters. This included providing shelter, food, clothing and personal items to address immediate needs. Many people helped with clean up efforts, allow...

Thinking about Disasters

Over recent weeks it has been impossible to watch the news or read a newspaper without seeing the impact of disasters around the world. Whether it be earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, floods in Auckland, or cyclone devastation on the east coast of the North Island, the impact is far reaching. Lives have been lost, property has been destroyed, livelihoods have been lost and for many, their lives have been changed forever. As I think about these disasters, two questions come to mind, How do I ...

Turkey and Syria Earthquake Relief

You have seen the news. More than 20,000 people in Syria and Turkey have been killed by two massive earthquakes and numerous aftershocks.  Hundreds of buildings have been destroyed and whole buildings full of families, neighbours and friends have been lost.  Winters in this region are severe and it is bitterly cold at the moment, with temperatures below freezing.  Humanitarian organisations are now working in the region.  They face the challenge of providing shelter, foo...

You're One in 8 Billion

According to the United Nations, the world population reached 8 billion people towards the end of 2022.This 8 billion people presents both a challenge and an opportunity for missions. On one hand, the sheer number of people in the world today can be overwhelming and make the task of spreading the gospel seem impossible, but on the other hand, it presents the opportunity to reach more people than ever before with the message of salvation through Jesus Christ. For 2000 years faithful Christians ha...

Peace on Earth?

"And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,  Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men." Lk 2:10â...

Theresa House Project Update

VIEW PAST UPDATES:   Theresa House Project...

Tonga

The Kingdom of Tonga is a sovereign nation located in the South Pacific Ocean, approximately 2000 kilometres north of New Zealand.   The country has over 170 islands – of which 45 are inhabited.  Its covers an area of about 750 kms, scattered over 700,000 kms. Tonga is a strongly Christian nation.  Christian missionaries first went to Tonga in the late eighteenth century.  Today the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, th...

Life is Difficult and then You Die

At some point in our lives, we probably have all asked the question, “What is the Point?” After spending countless hours, exhausting our resources, and putting all our efforts into climbing to the top of the mountain – whether that be building our career, becoming wealthy, enjoying the pleasure that the world has to offer, or focusing on our own sense of worth. And once we reach the top, it is easy to look around and wonder, “Is it worth it?” Questions about the meaning of our life...

A Legacy of Faith

If you are like me, you have watched with both interest and sadness, the death of Queen Elizabeth II and the mourning of so many people from around the world. It has been moving to listen to the stories that have been shared about the encounters that people had with their Queen. But for me, the stories of the Queen's faith have been most significant. The Queen was definitely a woman who had a strong belief in God and a deep Christian faith. One of the titles of the Queen was "Defender of the Fai...

Investing in the Future

Over recent weeks I have had a number of conversations with people about how we can best invest in the future.  When it comes to investing in the future, I think about investing in two things - money and people.  With our money, generally we spend it or we invest it.  When we spend it, we never see again. When we invest our money wisely, it multiplies.  And we also do the same thing with our lives. We can spend them or invest them. A life spent selfishly on ourselves will be ...

I Give Because of Who I Am!!

We are generous! Since joining the Global Connections team, I have been amazed at how generous many of you are. Each week individuals, organisations and businesses give financially to support our mission partners and our aid projects. Last year over three million dollars was donated by you and distributed around the world to enable God's work. But why? Why are so many of you willing to give sacrificially to these causes? I have just finished reading a short book called "The Giving Landscape: Who...

Continue Steadfastly in Prayer

Over recent weeks we have been preparing our annual Daily Prayer Guide. This Guide tells us about our mission partners and most importantly it encourages us to pray for our partners. In praying for the individuals and ministries found in our guide, we join many others in intercessory prayer. Together we unite in prayer and partner together for the cause of Gospel. Throughout the Bible we see examples of men and women praying. Paul prayed for those he ministered to and he also encouraged others t...

Discipleship: deepening the roots of our faith

Go and make disciples is Christ’s final command to the Church. Christians face the twin challenges of making disciples of ourselves and making disciples of others. Discipleship with its twin priorities is perhaps the most pressing challenge that faces the Church. Discipleship is vital for new Christians, turning an encounter with Christ into a walk with Christ, learning to walk alongside others in Christian communities.Discipleship is equally important among people with a long Christian herita...

Here I Am, Send Me!!

There seems to be a social and cultural phenomenon taking place around the world in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Forced lockdowns, working from home, and not working at all have caused many of us to reassess our lives and what we are doing. Many of us are asking the question, “What should I do with my life?” This is not a new question. I am reminded of the Old Testament prophet Isaiah, and his response to a similar question. In Isaiah 6, we read about the prophet Isaiah and how he resp...

India's Church

India’s Church is ancient, dating back (traditionally) to the Apostle Thomas. It is strongest in the south of India and in the northeast. While many of South India’s Christians have a relatively high social standing, most of the rest are from the poorest parts of society, and this affects how Christians are perceived and treated in the nation. India’s Church includes Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant and Independent Christians, plus an unknown number who trust and follow Jesus but remain cult...

Tonga Aid Relief

Read the latest updates: December 2022 ...

The Changing Face Of Mission

Christian mission has passed through several stages:First millennium: During the first millennium, Christians evangelized all the tribes of Europe and Eastern Christians took the gospel across Asia as far as China. Catholic missionary orders: As Eastern Christianity was eclipsed, Catholic missionary orders like the Franciscans and Jesuits became the main bearers of mission vision for several centuries, both before and after the birth of Protestantism in the sixteenth century. The missi...

Accessing the Bible

For most of us, we take for granted the fact that we can access a Bible in our own language.  We probably have many Bibles on our bookshelves, not to mention the many electronic Bibles accessible online.  Now we all know that the Bible is important. The Bible tells us the story of the Creator and his creation. It shares about the highs and lows of the human race. It shows us how much the Creator cares for each one of us and what he has done to save us.  The Bible shares how Jesus,...

Loving God

Recently I was in conversation with a young man who was lamenting the struggle that he felt in loving God. His understanding and appreciation of what God had done for him through the acts of grace was clear. Equally his appreciation of the power and sovereignty of God was an area of clear conviction for him, but is there something more? The lament was sincere. To experience God is a worthy desire. To know God’s love and to love God is of first importance as revealed by God in Deuteronomy 6:4, ...

100 People

Last week, we touched on the distribution of global wealth.  I was challenged to dig a little more and think about the world around us. There are nearly 8 billion people in the world but ... If the World were 100 PEOPLE: 50 would be female50 would be male30 aged under 18 years8 over 65 years of age There would be: 60 Asians including 18 in China and 17 in India16 Africans14 people from the Americas10 Europeans 31 Christians23 Muslims16 people who would not be aligned with a religion15 ...

Missions Source - The Sovereignty of God

God’s sovereignty is defined by his omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence (all knowing, present everywhere, all powerful). Nothing that happens within our world is hidden from God's view or outside of God's provision for rescue for those who would call on Him. The world’s upheaval that includes pandemics and devastating wars, economic upheaval and our personal suffering, struggles or brokenness have not escaped God's attention and can only be answered by His presence, knowledge and powe...