Posts from 2016 (Page 3)

Posts from 2016 (Page 3)

The Names of Jesus

The names of Jesus. Jesus has many names revealed in scripture.  Take time to reflect on these few and give thanks that He alone is Saviour. Cornerstone: (Ephesians 2:20) – Jesus is the cornerstone of the building which is His church. He binds together Jew and Gentile, male and female, all ages and cultures into one faith. Firstborn over all creation: (Colossians 1:15) – He Himself is not a created being, but the creator of all things so that He…

Learning to Preach

Learning to Preach Seminar We invite you to an introductory seminar on learning to preach.  The seminar will be facilitated by Tony Plews of LeaDev-Langham Leadership Development.  The seminar will suit those who show promise in preaching through to the experienced who would like to hone their skills. Introducing Tony Plews Prior to joining LeaDev-Langham in 1996, Tony taught at Laidlaw College, Auckland, having been a passionate and energetic evangelist since coming to know Christ as a young man in 1970. Tony brings…

Who’s that knocking at my door?

We see in Revelation 3:20 the Lord ‘knocking at the door”.  A request asking us to allow Him in and His invitation to dine with Him. What comes before regarding the church at Laodicea is intriguing. We see the terms hot, cold and lukewarm presented to a church that has clearly lost its way. The message from the Amen (Christ) was less than encouraging to say the least. Yet the temperature statements were not lost on them, they knew what lukewarm…

Easter – what is it all about

What is Easter all about? Each week at our church, we look back at the sacrifice of Christ through communion. The taking of the emblems, bread and wine, symbolizes the body of Christ and the shedding of His blood for the forgiveness of the believer’s sin. Each emblem contributes to a stark reminder of the sacrifice Jesus undertook so that we who believe might have the hope (assurance) of eternal life in heaven. Easter likewise is another reference point when…

Quiz Nite – April 8th

  We are heading off on a trip to India and visiting a few of our friends like Freeset in Kolkata (www.freesetglobal.com). We are having a quiz night to help us get there and back in one piece. We would love you to 1) register a team (6 – 10 people) or 2) come and be part of a team. Maximum 20 teams so get in early.  You can register here. $10 per person (pay on the night) plus bring…

Not quite as good as you think

Over the years I have often heard – in response to a discussion regarding a Christ centered faith – I’m a good person. Truth be told prior to my or anyone else’s conversion for that matter, we might have trotted that out once or twice ourselves. What we probably came to realize is our goodness was only based on the comparison to others around us. Given there is probably someone around more wicked than all of us, we had a…

Beach Blessings

Last weekend I was sitting on the beach at Petone reflecting on God’s calling and the responsibility of being a Gospel bearer to a society which gives every indication it doesn’t require a Saviour. If one pauses and reflects too long in these thoughts the task at hand seems very daunting and has a high degree of personal cost attached. Fear of ridicule, being ostracised from family or friends and in extreme cases job security can way heavy on one’s…
Forest Lakes

Church Camp 11 – 13 March

Church Camp 11 – 13 March As we continue to grow our church will move from relationships to mission. This will never mean that we won’t have meaningful relationships within our church, we certainly will at all levels. Our relationships should always be motivated by our love for Christ, keeping His commands as we love and serve each other and the community. We will find our deepest and sometimes most difficult connections serving Christ together. The challenge is to take…
Marriage

The Priority of Relationships

“You must love each other just as I have loved you. If you love each other everyone will know that you are my disciples” John 13 v 34-35 One of the key things we know about God is that he is deeply relational. We see it in the relationships of the Godhead. We see it in his sacrificial love for us and we see it in his calling us to love each other. We were created in God’s image and…