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Winter Bible School and Bible Coalition Intensive

Curches from across New Zealand came together to study the Bible through the Winter Bible School (WBS) and the Bible Coalition Intensive, both hosted at The Orchard Church in Te Puke.It was encouraging to see such wide engagement in the Word, with many churches gathering in person and other ones hosting watch parties. This year, believers from all over the country came together—representing churches like The Orchard Church, Lakes Church Rotorua, Manawarū Bible Chapel, ...

PastorLink Gathering in Christchurch

From left to right: Mato Kariuki, Andre Posthuma, Matt Meek, Lydia Ellis, Jason Winslade, Jonathan Hong, Jordan Simmonds, Mark Wells, Sam Linton, Tim Hodge.It was fantastic to facilitate the Christchurch PastorLink gathering yesterday at Riccarton Community Church (RCC). I enjoyed seeing the various connections. Matt Meek from RCC and Lance Robinson from Rutland Street Church are working on preaching training together.Jonathan Hong from Christchu...

God's Work through His Word

By Mark Grace, CCCNZ AmbassadorNa ka puaki te mangai o Piripi, a, timata mai i taua karaipiture, kauwhautia ana e ia a Ihu ki a ia.‘Ona fa‘amatalaina loa lea e Filipo, ma ‘ua amata i le tusi lava lea ‘ona tāla‘i atu i ai Iesu.Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.Acts 8:35Hot on the heels of the significant ‘Quiet Revival’ UK Bible Society report has come the ‘Finding Jesus: Finding Pathways to Faith in Adulthood’ report b...

Engaging with Scripture at Auckland Bible Church

Earlier this year, Auckland Bible Church (ABC) offered the church family a unique opportunity to reflect on Scripture in a personal and creative way during a Sunday morning service.For the second year in a row, the church created a space called Reflection Stations, 26 thoughtfully prepared stations spread throughout the building. Each one included a Bible passage, reflection questions, and a creative response, inviting people to slow down and engage deeply with God’s Word.The time was sha...

Otago: Over 100 years of Easter Camp in Queenstown

Easter Camp in Queenstown has been running for over a hundred years, longer even than the current home—Lakeland Park Christian Camp—has existed!Several churches from Otago participated, and some from Southland and Canterbury—Edendale Christian Fellowship, Rosedale Bible Chapel, Queenstown Bible Chapel, Riverside Chapel, Caversham Community Church, Cornerstone International Bible Church, and Bryndwr Chapel.They dived into both the book of Jonah and Lake Wakatip...

40 Years of HM Rage

HM Rage Youth Camp marked its 40th year at Tōtara Springs Christian Centre in Matamata over the King’s Birthday weekend.Just over 500 people from 19 youth groups came together to make new friends, play sports, worship, and hear Jesus-centred messages on the unfiltered truth in the main sessions, with Marina Shannon as the main speaker, and electives....

PastorLink Gatherings in Waikato and West Auckland

By Mark Grace, CCCNZ AmbassadorIt’s been a privilege listening to pastors and hearing how God is at work in independent churches across the movement.Last Wednesday, 13 pastoral staff members from 7 Waikato churches gathered at Northgate Community Church for a PastorLink morning tea. Churches present were Chapel Hill Community Church, Hillcrest Chapel, Hukanui Bible Church, Matamata Bible Church, Northgate Community Church, Raleigh Street Christian Centre, and...

Showing Jesus Through the Gospels

By Mark Grace, CCCNZ AmbassadorNa ko tetahi wahine e mate ana i te pakaruhanga toto, ka tekau ma rua nga tau.Sa i ai le fafine na maua i le ma‘i puna toto i tausaga e sefulu ma le lua.And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years.Mark 5:25You might be wondering where a devotion might head based on these verses. Today, instead of a devotion, I’d like to try to show you how a seemingly odd verse or passage like this one can change a life. Ada Lum is well retired ...

Canterbury First Training

Canterbury First Training was run over the King's birthday weekend, with more than 20 young people from Rutland Street Church, Riccarton Community Church and Halswell Community Church joining in....

Lower North Island Summit

Our mission is to invite local churches to work together regionally to disciple and grow leaders who serve, replenish and plant churches. One of the ways we do that is through Summits. For that reason, I really enjoyed being with 100+ ministry leaders and volunteers from CCCNZ/OBH churches over the weekend at the Lower North Island Summit. ...

United by the Gospel

By Mark Grace, CCCNZ AmbassadorI tuhituhi atu ahau ki te hahi: otira kahore matou e manakohia mai e Rioterepi, ko tana hoki e pai ai ko ia kia meinga hei tuatahi mo ratou.Na ‘ou tusi atu i le ekalesia; a o Tioterifi o lē ‘ua fia sili ‘iā te i latou, na te le‘i taliaina i matou.I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not welcome us.3 John 1:9...

Growing in Faith and Commitment

Quinton and his family walked into Kelston Community Church (KCC) one Sunday morning about a year ago, when he was searching for a deeper understanding of the Bible and a more personal growing relationship with God. That day, Pastor Paul Long was preaching a sermon on the life of Samuel as part of an expository series from the book of 1 Samuel. This piqued the interest of Quinton and his wife Sylvia, as their son's name is Samuel. Paul says, “They felt i...

Otago Churches Studying the Bible Together

Three churches from the Otago region -Cornerstone International Bible Church, Caversham Community Church, and Riverside Chapel- are gathering every week to study the book of Revelation.The purpose of this Bible study is to go deeper into the text, and Revelation was chosen as it can often be perceived as intimidating....

God's Work Restoring Hearts

By Mark Grace, CCCNZ AmbassadorHei tuatoru tenei mo oku haerenga atu ki a koutou. Ma te mangai o nga kaiwhakaatu tokorua, tokotoru ranei, ka u ai nga kupu katoa.O lona fa‘atolu lenei ‘ona ‘ou alu atu ‘iā te ‘outou. E pei ‘ona fai mai le Tusi, “O le molimau a tagata e to‘alua po o le to‘atolu e fa‘aleleia ai mea uma.”This will be my third visit to you. “Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.”2 Corinthians 13:1Our church family has b...

Manawatū Young Adults—cultivating ongoing community

Mikaela Hosking, Youth Ministry leader at Feilding Bible Chapel writes,"Following Next Training in February, the Manawatū young adults have kept the fun going by getting together to catch up and hang out. So far we've had a couple of afternoons of volleyball, as well as a dessert and movie night."It has been great to continue to form and grow connections between our three churches (Church on Vogel, Feilding Bible Chapel and Kingston Community Church)."I would encourage other...

Baptisms at Emmett Street Community Church

Five people were baptised on Sunday at Emmett Street Community Church. ...

North Island Easter Camp Pivot

North Island Easter Camp was cancelled due to wind and rain from Cyclone Tam. Northcross Church Youth Pastor Isaac Claasen shares what happened instead:"Despite the horrid weather, youth leaders from Northcross Church, Orewa Community Church and Te Awamutu Bible Chapel came together to host a sleepover for youth who no longer had any camp to attend due to the cyclone! ...

The Great Kiwi Tradition of Easter Camp in Canterbury

Laura Hewett, Youth Pastor at Riccarton Community Church writes:“What a privilege to see God move through 3,500 young people eager to encounter Jesus!"Easter is about Jesus, and Easter Camp is about encountering the Risen Lord through late night toasties, early morning Milos, workshops, and worship gatherings where the youth of New Zealand gather with the brave leaders and parents willing to camp in the autumn weather for the sake of the kingdom."As an immigrant to New Zealand, ...

From Headspace to the Nations

Ashley was commended to the mission field by Elles Road Bible Chapel in 2013, after participating in the GC3 Headspace programme. She has recently received a JH Baldwin Scholarship to further equip herself to continue serving overseas.Ashley was brought up being taken to Sunday school by her aunty and later became involved in the youth group. At the end of high school, unsure about her future, her aunty suggested the Headspace programme. She decided to joi...

Mother's Day Baptisms

On Sunday, Bryndwr Chapel celebrated three baptisms. Karena George says, “I think this was the first time we have had a mum and son baptised on the same day, and on Mother's Day, so a very special time.”...

PastorLink Gathering in Wellington

On Thursday morning, pastors from Onslow Community Church, Heretaunga Community Church and The Anchor Church gathered at The Anchor Church in Whitby for a regional PastorLink gathering.We asked each other the questions:“What first stirred your heart toward pastoral ministry, and how has this changed over time?”“What’s one thing God is currently teaching you—either personally or in your leadership?”...

A Message of Redemption

By Mark Grace, CCCNZ Ambassador"He mea whakatika utukore na tona aroha noa, i runga i ta Karaiti Ihu hokonga:""‘Ua ta‘uamiotonuina fua i latou i lona alofa tunoa, e ala i le togiola ‘ua ‘iā Keriso Iesu.""...and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus."Romans 3:24 Almost two decades ago, there was a controversy in the US over a Christian organisation in Africa. The organisation had been buying bonded servants.  In reality, they wer...

Far North Regional Summit

Our vision as a movement is to see independent churches (and the regional camps and national ministries that support them) working together to point people to Jesus through the gospel from the Bible.For this reason it was very special being at the Far North Regional Summit, at Coopers Beach Youth Camp on Saturday. ...

Gospel-Centred Playgroup at KCC

Playgroup at Kingston Community Church is flourishing thanks to lots of prayer and a great team, says leader Emily Birkin.The playgroup has grown in recent months attracting a mix of church families and those from the community. This growth follows the opening of KCC’s new community hub last year, which Emily says has led to a broader cultural shift within the church.“There’s been a renewed desire from the church to welcome the community into the KCC family,” she shares.Th...

Rally Children Serving

Children from Fenton Park Bible Church Rally recently had a very special visit to Cantabria Lifecare and Village, an aged care facility in Rotorua....