On Wednesday 24th of June, Darrell did not disappoint as he shared his valuable insights into how we can engage well with family, neighbours and colleagues who see the world very differently from us. He spoke from a place of experience and peppered some humorous lines along the way.
If you missed it - you can catch up on our Youtube channel.
We are very excited to be baptising Angus, Otis and Felix Galloway on Sunday 28th June, at Lyall Bay beach after the morning service.
The Galloways would love to invite you to join them at their house for hot soup after the baptisms - 130 Lyall Bay Parade.
If you would like to be baptised, please get in touch to find out more. east@thestreet.org.nz.
Here is the latest Missions Newsletter. Thanks for your interest in our Missionaries and your prayers for them.
It's so exciting to have another exposure team going to Thailand this year. The team is really keen to go, starting to pray into their time away, asking what God would have for them and working together as they prepare. Praise God for the successful fundraiser at Together, which is a wonderful contribution towards their costs. Please keep them in your prayers over the coming months.
I'm also excited that we are working towards a trip to visit Nelson and Rachel in Mazatlan in January 2028. It is a long way off, but the cost will be significantly more, hence the heads-up at Together. This trip will be centred around the YWAM base there and getting involved with some of the projects in their neighbourhood. Please keep this in your prayers also, as we begin to plan and prepare. I expect there will be a lot of interest, but the cost could be a contributing factor to the final numbers.
Meanwhile, back in New Zealand, it's wonderful to see so many God conversations happening amongst students. There seems to be a real hunger amongst young people, many of whom have not grown up with any knowledge of Jesus or the Bible. Please continue to pray for these conversations and those who are working in universities across the country.
If you’d like to subscribe to future newsletters, please register your interest by emailing missions@thestreet.org.nz
Merrie Reddington
Missions Pastor
A movement of missionaries, multiplying disciples & churches for the glory of God.
Thank you for holding us in prayer over the last couple of months. We deeply appreciate it. On Thursday 7 May we landed back in Wellington after two and a half weeks travelling in Germany and Greece. It was powerful to be with three missionary families in various parts of Germany, going out into the harvest field with them, and fellowshipping with the churches they have planted.
Our team mates, Vesna, Jihye and Jonathan joined us in Greece for the first ever gathering of European mission workers in the No Place Left network. It was phenomenal to be with over 50 workers all doing what we are doing, all experiencing remarkably similar barriers to the work, and all seeing breakthroughs as the gospel spreads and bears fruit. God is moving in Europe. The harvest is plentiful; more workers are being prayed for, trained and released.
Thank God for safe travel and good health for each member of our team as we spent time in Europe.
Thank God for the rich learnings and interactions each of us had while at the No Place Left training in Greece.
Thank God that we were able to join the mission work in three areas of Germany, encouraging and strengthening the believers there and sharing the gospel as we went.
Thank God for the time that Vesna (a team mate) spent in Serbia, on her way to Greece, and for the salvations and baptisms while she was there.
Pray for MUCH FRUIT from this time in Europe, both here and abroad!
The Way Queenstown has just planted a new church! The people are devoted to being trained and active in the Great Commission, reaching Queenstown with the gospel.
Thank God for the new church plant in Queenstown in the last month.
Pray for a harvest of souls throughout Queenstown.
A few weeks ago we trained Karl & Helene, a couple currently living in Papua New Guinea who were home in NZ on furlough. They are taking the training back to PNG where they want to see local and ex-pat believers trained and active in disciple-making.
Thank God for Karl & Helene who are taking the training back to PNG.
Pray that Karl & Helene will find willing disciples to train in disciple-making - including key indigenous people - who will themselves become both practitioners and trainers.
The second weekend of June will see us roll out what’s called the “5 in 12 training” in both the North and South Islands. Five trainings over 12 months will be run in both locations, focusing on seeing believers become practitioners and trainers of all things disciple-making! We really value your prayers for this.
Pray for deep conviction in the hearts of Jesus followers of the need to prioritise making disciples.
Pray for the seeds of multiplication - that we will see disciples and churches multiplied, to the glory of God!
Pray for spiritual protection and strength for all those who engage in training.
Thank God for brothers and sisters in Europe who are dedicated to coming to NZ to help with each of the 5 trainings.
Pray for the team from Europe - for their health and safety, their protection, and that the Lord will equip them with all that is needed for the work here in NZ.
Good Stuff Parenting has been launched and the next parenting module is now being developed. This is likely to take the rest of the year, including writing the material, producing the manuals and videos. Please pray for this project!
Thank God for the beginnings of interest across NZ.
Pray for churches and families to grab and run with these courses!
Pray for marriages and families across NZ to be strengthened by Good Stuff.
Thank God for the funds received to date, allowing us to continue to invest time and resources into the development of Good Stuff.
Pray for funds - that we will have all that is needed as we continue to develop Good Stuff Parenting all the way through to the teenage module (2027).
Pray for doors to open into other countries.
Thank you, faithful pray-ers. We pray that you will know the LOVE of God as you serve Him.
Praise God for
New things learned about PTXprint, the open source publishing software of our team and which I am being mentored to do user support.
Connections made with new and advanced PTXprint users and people from other Christian ministries.
Learning about other translation and technology topics - many of which are AI-related e.g. the ethics of using AI, AI and the church, AI and missions etc.
Safe travels and good health throughout the duration of the workshops.
The new Wycliffe NZ executive director, Mark Penny. He will assume the role in August 2026. Pray for Mark and his wife, Jo, as well as their 6 children, as Mark transitions from his Language Technology Consultant role into leading WBTNZ. Mark is mentoring me in my role as PTXprint user support, but he will still have 20% of his time supporting PTXprint when he starts his new role with WBTNZ.
Pray for
The health of our Yiddish translator, Phil Goble, who was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis. Phil is a Messianic Jew, and I have the privilege of assisting in typesetting the interlinear/ diglot Yiddish OT.
Salvation of the family of my brother Alex, as well as the families of my deceased brothers, Oscar and Victor.
Good health for myself as winter approaches
At a personal level, we have enjoyed the Lord’s favour in two different ways over recent months:
One is that Paul was granted three months long-service/sabbatical leave from his work with Langham Preaching. We enjoyed going back ‘home’ to India, wandering around for six weeks, without any responsibilities—and then finishing up on a holiday with our son and his family, who work in South Asia in a mission capacity. Paul also spent (almost) every early morning working on turning parts of his blog into a book—and is hoping to finish the project this year. Here is a photo of the two of us in the pulpit of the church in Mussoorie (India) where Barby’s father was the pastor when we were growing up together.
The other highlight is that after a long, often discouraging, process, we have moved home—from Henderson to Māngere Bridge. We love it, even more than we anticipated! Barby now enjoys a 13 min ‘motorway-free’ drive to work at the Refugee Resettlement Centre. We are much closer to family, church and the airport. Paul has the best study-space he has ever had, by far. We recognise it as the Lord’s provision and look forward to sharing it with others because hospitality is now more possible than it has been for a couple of decades.
Paul has just started his 18th year with Langham Preaching. This ministry seeks to nurture grassroots, heart-language movements of biblical preaching across the countries of Asia, the Pacific, Africa, Latin America and parts of Europe. Studies show that 75% of the preachers in these regions will never get near a college for training. Langham Preaching exists for them, in a ministry now stretching across more than 100 countries.
Over time Paul’s role has transitioned away from training at the coalface to leading from the backroom. This starts with convening, serving and caring for the Global Leadership Team. He has a monthly Zoom with each person—and then they meet as a team each month as well. May we introduce them to you quickly? There is a smaller ‘executive’ with whom he meets each week: Ruth (UK) and Maggy (Egypt). Then there are the four directors of the continental leadership teams: Igor (Bolivia); Emeka (Nigeria); Andy (Hungary); and Dwi (Indonesia). In addition, there are portfolio roles, each with their own global coordinator: in Facilitator Development (Paul, in Kazakhstan); in Small Preaching Group Development (Dionisio, in Colombia); and in Prayer (Esteban, in Bolivia). 52 people are gathered into these teams of various kinds by these leaders. There are plans to add two new portfolios in local fund-raising and local indigenous resource development. So, yes, as you can imagine—Paul gets out of bed each morning to help these people shine on their way to seeing the preaching movements become locally owned, directed and funded.
Two recent highlights in the work has been the invitation to visit South Korea with Dwi (see photo) in order to explore the possibility of starting a preaching movement amongst the 60-70 pastors who have defected from North Korea and who have their own little churches. They feel reunification will happen soon. They want to prepare themselves for a return home with a ministry of the Word that can grow their people into maturity. WOW.
Closer to home—no area in our ministry was hit harder by Covid than the South Pacific. The fledgling preaching movements pretty much ground to a halt. Difficulties in communication and in travel conspire to create (almost) unique challenges. What should we do? Two years ago, Tukana Nakesu stepped into the Regional Coordinator (South Pacific) role—from his home in Suva. Almost immediately he pivoted to a fresh strategy. Rather than trying to commence preaching movements in different countries, one by one, his team carefully selected 20 younger leader-trainer-preachers from across six nations in the region and brought them together in a vanua vinaka (or ‘seedbed’) vision. The plan is to train them first and then build preaching movements around them. Last month Tukana responded to my enquiry into how their first gathering went—"Encouraged is an understatement. I have found my new calling. We were blessed with a good batch that is eager to learn. Afterwards it was hard to leave.” This is the best news to come out of the South Pacific since 2008 when we tiptoed our way into the region.
Leading a global ministry from the edge of the world has so many challenges—and not just the many long hours spent travelling and the many odd hours spent zooming. When Dwi visited New Zealand in December, it dawned on Paul that it was the first time that someone in the team he leads had been in our home—in twelve years! He was offering leadership without offering hospitality. Please pray for grace, wisdom and patience. And pray for the Langham Preaching ministry more widely, as it sails into the most significant financial headwinds that it has ever experienced.
As ever, we are so grateful for the way you continue to journey with us.
Paul and Barby
Dear Whānau,
It’s been 4 months since my move to Dunedin and nearly the end of Semester 1! I have loved being in Dunedin so far and doing ministry with the Otago Student Life team. God has grown my affection for the students in this city and the unique ways He is moving amongst the lives of students at Otago University.
The campus year began with our O’Week Outreach where we were able to reach many students with the opportunity to hear gospel through a free reusable cup! Over the first 4 weeks of campus it was a privilege to get to meet students who were interested in hearing about Jesus! Over the course of the Semester, some that were exploring faith with us through our initial O'Week Outreach have come to faith. We’ve also had socials to foster community, nightlife outreaches where we show God’s love in a practical way by giving out sausages to students going out to town on Thursday nights, regular evangelism on campus, and our weekly small groups (action groups). These things have fed into our Christians students growing in their heart for mission in community, as well as non-Christian students to explore faith.
One new thing we have initiated this semester is our weekly event called Student Life Connect. The heart of this was to create another evangelistic space where students can bring along their friends to hopefully start up spiritual conversations about faith and Jesus while addressing topics they care about!
Personally, I have seen God use this to start up a gospel conversation with a student who is now exploring faith with us! Here’s the story:
Christina and I met through mutual connections. Not sure where our initial catch up would go, I approached our first meet up with hopes that it would lead into an opportunity where Christina would come to know Jesus. But as I met with Christina, it was clear she wasn’t so keen on Christianity or faith. She shared she was an atheist, and even if God existed it wouldn’t matter to her. I was gutted, but recognising she was wanting some sense of community at Uni, I invited her to our StudentLife Connect with a bit of apprehension. And to my surprise she came!! Not only once, but continued to show up week after week. After a talk on the resurrection of Jesus, Christina tapped me on the shoulder and asked, “Would you still believe in God if Jesus didn’t come back to life?” This led to us deciding to have a coffee the next morning to discuss things further. And that following morning, Christina heard the gospel in full for the first time. Since then, Christina has been exploring faith with myself and Avi (student). We meet up regularly the day after StudentLife Connect to chat about life and all the questions she has. This week, as we looked into the evidence that Jesus is God, I asked her, “If Jesus is God, how do you think it would impact your life?” To this she answered without hesitation, “It would change everything. I think I would value life more… because it would mean my life has been intentionally designed by a Creator that is trustworthy. And I think I would be really grateful.”
Christina is one of many students who God is drawing to Himself at Otago Uni. As we continue into the next half of the campus year, please be praying that they would come to choose to follow Jesus.
In the next coming months, we have our annual mid-year conference coming up 3-8 July. Please pray that God would be at work over those 5 days - encouraging students to go all in for Jesus and experience the fullness of what it means to follow him.
Prayer Points:
Exploring students: Please pray for these students who are exploring faith with us to come to a place of putting their trust in Jesus because of God’s transformative power in their lives.
Young Christians & New Believers: Please pray that they would grow in walking in step with the Holy Spirit and desiring to be disciples that go on to make disciples everywhere. And that their motivation to do so would be sustained over the break.
Conference: Please pray for conference. Pray that students would be keen to come and experience life change through it. Pray for all the preparation to be Spirit-filled and led.
Thank you for continuing on in the mission with me and the crew here in Dunedin. This city, and these students truly value your partnership in the gospel.
Hola familia, blessings from Mazatlan, Mexico. We have had such an exciting last few months with the announcement of a little baby brother for Lani due 3rd of November. We will be back in NZ so look forward to hopefully seeing many of you.
March was a big month for our family as Nelson was invited to the States to attend a leadership conference. This was an amazing opportunity to join a 4 year programme of leadership growth and the chance to walk alongside other Christian leaders both in missions and in the business world. The following week Nelson and his team helped host and teach at a week long YWAM event called ‘Next Gen’ in Monterrey, Mexico. The gathering brought together YWAM leaders from across Mexico to grow in communication, recruitment, and mobilization. Nelson shared about social media, marketing, and systems to help ministries better reach and disciple young people. It was encouraging to see different ministries unite with a shared heart to mobilize the next generation into missions.
During this time Rachel helped to organise and run a paediatric brigade with a team and a paediatrician from the States in a community. We were able to treat close to 30 children and babies and alongside kids ministry and bible teaching we were able to prescribe much needed medications and give children supplies of kids vitamins.
The following week, the whole Carreno family travelled to the remote, indigenous village of Zapote de Picachos for a multi-day medical brigade. Rachel has been to this village multiple times in the last 7 years, but it was the first time our family has gone on an outreach to a remote location. We were able to set up our medical clinic in 5 different villages around the river over 5 days, treating 140 people, which has been our dream since Rachel scouted in these smaller locations over two years ago. We were able to pray with many people and support the local Christian leaders.
Remnant surf ministry: One of the biggest reminders of God’s faithfulness this season has been Chava’s story. What started as a simple surf friend, over the past year, we watched God completely transform his life. Chava completed his DTS earlier this year, trusting God to provide for his outreach to Brazil, and is now back in Mazatlán helping lead and disciple other young surfers through Remnant.
Prayer:
For health, strength and capacity over the next three months in Mazatlan and as we prepare to return to NZ to have baby, and so that Rachel can work to maintain her professional certificates.
Finances: we experienced a big loss in finances last December, and we ask for prayer this year as we continue to trust God to restore and exceed our previous income. Prayer for a possible fundraising trip to the States in July.
Pray for moving to a house closer to the base at the end of June. After much prayer, we know this is the best option for the family.
Ministry: Prayer for the family ministry trip coming up in July, where we will travel to the States to promote youth into missions. Also for two local medical brigades and a three maternity health course Rachel is organising.
Prayer for Remnant for the guys attending to continue to have a passion to learn more about God and know Him more.
Reaching students for Christ, changing students for life
Hey Church,
God is at work through TSCF groups on campus! As we head towards the middle of the year, it was so encouraging to pause as a staff team recently, to pray and to hear stories from term 1. We are seeing the fruit of persistence in hard places, and we’re seeing God open new doors to gospel opportunities. We are meeting students from all walks of life and backgrounds, and from all over the world, with the same hunger to explore faith and openness to be introduced to who Jesus is. I’ve recently heard stories of students queuing out of the door to come to start-of-year welcome events, of groups that previously only consistently drew 5 participants to be joined by 15-20 on a weekly basis. I even heard a story of a student being asked if they believed anything about Jesus, only to respond “I was just thinking about that question in the bathroom!”. These are just glimpses of a renewed hunger to explore questions of spirituality.
Earlier this year we were excited to appoint Keri-Ann Hokianga as Te Kaikawe O Te Rongopai (Carrier of the Gospel) in Auckland. Already Keri-Ann is seeing an openness to opportunities as she seeks to pioneer work especially in te wananga o Aotearoa to help students also become carriers of the gospel, across New Zealand and to the ends of the earth. Pray for Keri-Ann as she seeks to build relationships in these new spaces, that she would see where God is leading her and step forward with courage.
Students are taking up the mantle, too, with many stepping into roles of leadership in their groups. This is what we long for – students equipped to be carriers of the gospel to their campuses and trained up and equipped to do that in all of life beyond their student years, too. Pray for more to have courage to step into leadership, especially in locations where current leaders prepare to graduate and new leaders are needed to take the groups forward.
Coming up, from 28 June – 2 July we will be heading to Queenstown for Summit, TSCF’s annual national student camp. This year’s theme is ‘On Earth as it is in Heaven’, looking at what Jesus teaches about prayer, how the Lord’s prayer guides our future hope, and God’s mission in the world. We’re looking forward to having Reuben Munn (Shore Community Church) and Emma Stokes (Carey Baptist College) as the main speakers, but even more so we’re looking forward to students getting alongside one another, learning to be carriers of the gospel in their unique contexts across the country. Please pray that we would fill the camp with students hungry to know Jesus – whether they already do or not – and that we would present him clearly and faithfully. Please pray for God’s protection over this time together, from the final logistics, travels, and on site details. Pray that there would be no distractions from what God seeks to do through our time together.
Whilst there is so much to be encouraged by, there are still pockets of communities struggling to capture the vision that God invites us to be carriers of the good news to those around us. Please pray for these campuses, and the staff who are supporting them, that there would be a renewed love for Jesus. Pray that he would transform hearts to see that his hope is not only for those who already believe in him, but for all people on campus. Pray that he would transform these campuses for his glory.
Thanks, The Street, for joining with me and with TSCF in prayer.
In Jesus,
Caitlin
Konnichiwa Street Whanau!
This last half a year has brought me to some new places and God has blessed me with the privilege of being involved in some new ministries too, I’m excited to unpack it!
Following on from my last update, I’ve been to Japan and back coleading an outreach with two good friends and colleagues. Right away we got involved with some amazing ministries! We partnered with local churches, were involved in programmes for preschoolers, children with special needs, retirement villages and had some really fruitful times of street evangelism. A personal highlight for me was being involved in an after school care for special needs children. I quickly found this to be a community where children received care not just from the staff, but from each other. They treated each other with warmth and inclusivity. The more I went, I found that this really was a result of them receiving rich and genuine love from the staff team of this ministry, those that show up daily for these kids and treat them with fun and care and warmth and... well.. worth! What I saw was an overflow of love from within these kids to each other and it was a beautiful expression of their encounter of God's love through this ministry.
And God's love is truly moving in Japan! I was told that even just a few years ago it was quite hard to even have a conversation of spiritual views with strangers in Japan. But we definitely did not find that to be the case. We found that many Japanese were very open to talking about spiritual views. During one night as our team was carolling and evangelising, a girl named Miyu stopped and talked with some of our girls. She began coming along to some of the church's community gatherings with us and later gave her life to the Lord! God is truly moving through Japan!
In previous updates I mentioned coming to this base hoping to be more involved in Oral Mother Tongue Bible translations however since coming here, it does seem that there is not that much yet to be putting our hands to and so involvement in this currently looks like consistent meeting with our few but faithful team, supporting the global movement through prayer and keeping an eye out for opportunities that we can be involved with (ie. scouting trips to our partner nations, Bible distribution outreaches etc.)
For now though, I have found myself and my skills being put to use in other exciting areas. The Lord has given me a big heart for storytelling! It has taken many forms over the years, music, art, writing but now I’ve been able to pursue this through media. Really, the excitement of storytelling comes from stories that reveal, whether explicitly or not, who God is and what He's doing. So I've been given the opportunity to continue telling stories through photography and videography, which has been exciting to navigate in a more ministry focused setting.
I know in both trying and more restful seasons, it’s prayer to our mighty God that sustains so much of me. I’d love prayer for these areas:
It’s been a steep learning curve, learning the ropes with media. Please pray for discipline to keep learning and vision for opportunities of intentionally building God’s Kingdom through this.
Our base is receiving students for a couple of schools in the June quarter. Please pray for faith and expectancy in both staff and students, for God to touch hearts and speak specifically to students in powerful ways.
Thank you all so much for your continued prayer and support!
Warmth and Love,
Gabe
Greetings from Bangkok! As temperatures peak and we slowly transition into the rainy season, April ends the typical ministry year here in Thailand, and we have an important update to share.
Ben has accepted an invitation to join the Thailand Digital Strategies team! His ministry focus will shift toward reaching Thai people where they already spend much of their time, online. This is especially meaningful for Ben because it closely mirrors the kind of work he was involved in while serving at Cru’s global headquarters in Orlando. (Bekah will continue in her role on the campus ministry team.)
This opportunity is both strategic and timely. Thailand is one of the most digitally engaged countries in the world, with millions of people interacting daily through social media and online platforms. The vision behind Digital Strategies is to meet people in that space with clear, accessible gospel content, creating pathways for conversations, discipleship, and connection to local communities of faith.
What makes this even more compelling is the broader regional impact. Because Thai is mutually intelligible with Lao, content produced here has the potential to cross borders into Laos, an unreached and closed country where traditional missionary access is extremely limited. In that sense, this role wouldn’t just impact Thailand, but could also quietly reach into places where the gospel is far less accessible.
As we step into this next season, we would especially appreciate prayer as we work toward reaching full funding by June 30. At the time of writing this letter, we still need $200 in monthly support. We are trusting the Lord to provide the remaining partners needed for long-term sustainability in ministry.
We would also appreciate prayer regarding housing. We are hoping to move from our current housing situation into a place that would be closer to Ben’s new office while still being accessible for Bekah’s team and ministry responsibilities. We are praying for a home that is more affordable than where we currently live, has room for our family to continue growing (Lord willing), and is close enough to a good kindergarten option for the girls.
Thank you for your faithful support, encouragement, and prayers. We are deeply grateful to be on this journey with you!
For some time now, we have been praying with our East Location for the leaders God would raise up to succeed Simon and Jenny as Location Pastors, enabling them to focus fully on the Senior Pastor role.
We are thrilled to announce that Keegan Harris is stepping into the role of Associate Location Pastor at East. This is a significant moment for our church and a wonderful answer to prayer.
Simon and Jenny will remain as Location Pastors, while Keegan serves alongside them over the next 1–2 years. This intentional season of shared leadership will create space to discern God's direction both for Keegan and for East.
"Kia ora e te whānau,
I'm Keegan, and I am super stoked to be taking on this role at East! I have been around The Street Night, for the last five years. I've loved it and the many opportunities I've had, including being a part of the Night Leadership team as local lead for prayer.
Growing up in Christchurch, I moved to Wellington to study Educational Psychology, finishing that and most recently working in disability support. In my spare time you can find me watching sport, playing a board game, or cruising Wellington's cafes.
I'm eager to get started and get to know everyone better, and see how I can get stuck in and serve East and the wider Street whānau!
Grace and peace"
What a fantastic 10 days of prayer we had through the Pentecost Prayer initiative. Let's not stop praying now though. It is not just important, it is the engine room of everything we do as a church. We long to be a church that prays and sees God move in power as a result. There are so many opportunities to pray with others here at The Street Church.
Every Sunday 9:30am - we gather to pray before the service
Every Tuesday 6.30am - weekly prayer meeting at 35 Park Rd, Miramar
Every Thursday 12pm - weekly prayer for the city at the Wellington Cathedral
Thursday 4th June 7.30pm - fortnightly prayer meeting at Chris and Elwyn's home
We also have a 24/7 prayer room in the Life Centre at Hania Street that you can book through the link: https://signup.24-7prayer.com/signup/d6b3da
Let's be people of prayer and expect great things of God.
Do you have a passion to make a difference in the lives of children and young people?
Have you ever thought about fostering and what it may involve?
The Open Home Foundation is holding information evenings across Wellington. Come along and get your questions answered!
Lower Hutt – Wed 17th June – 7:00pm - Hutt City Church, 22 Marsden St, Melling
Wellington City – Tues 21st July – 7:00pm - Wellington Church of Christ, 95 Webb St, Mount Cook
Tawa – Thurs 24th Sep – 7:00pm - Salvation Army, 177 Main Rd, Tawa
To find out more, head to the Open Home Foundation website. www.ohf.org.nz
The Good News and Mission of Jesus require a response from his followers. Our Heroes of History series is a chance to look at different people from throughout history and reflect on how the gospel changed their lives. The kids will learn about how God equips us to forgive, help, correct, and bring freedom to those around us. Our hope is that kids would see a variety of real-world examples of what it looks like to build their life around God and obey him today.
The Kids Zone memory verse for this series is Philippians 2:13 NIRV:
”God is working in you. He wants your plans and your acts to fulfill his good purpose.”
You can see the Kids Zone teaching videos as they are released on the Kids Zone Online Youtube channel.
Kids Zone Junior are finishing off their ‘I Can Love Others’ series and the moving into their ‘God Created Me’ series! They are also celebrating two special days this term: Fruit of the Spirit and Matariki!
Please join us in prayer:
That children will know that God can and will use them
That they know that God has a purpose for them
That they know God created them and loves them
That they know that they can make a impact on this world for God’s glory
Thank you so much to everyone that made a shoebox for Operation Christmas Child last year. 653 boxes were able to be sent from Wellington and there were 13,840 from New Zealand as a whole! Every box is given to a church pastor to be distributed within their communities, and every box represents a Gospel opportunity, with many children who are discipled as a result. Thank you for the part you played in this incredible blessing!
Check out this video update from our missionaries Rachel and Nelson in Mexico.
Two thousand years ago, a group of people gathered in a room, and the bible says they prayed constantly for ten days. At the end of that prayer meeting, the Holy Spirit was poured out, and the church was born!
With all the challenges the church faces today, we are invited to humble ourselves, seek God in prayer, and ask Him to pour our His Spirit afresh on the church.
Kicking off on the 14th May we are joining with other churches from all around New Zealand to pray in the lead up to Pentecost Sunday. We want to be people devoted to God in prayer. We want to be a church where our story cannot be explained without the powerful ministry of the Holy Spirit through people. This is an intensive period where we will set aside time to draw near to God through daily prayer, praying with our bodies through fasting and praying together as a community.
Throughout this period there will be daily prayer gatherings happening around the Peninsula and we want to encourage you to take a stretch step during this 10 days of prayer. If you’ve never prayed out loud with others, why not come along to one or two of our prayer gatherings during that time and make that your goal. If you love to pray with others, why not aim to pray with others every day during those 10 days. Or maybe a stretch for you will be somewhere in between. Whatever it is, let’s cry out together “Come Holy Spirit”.
We’d also like you to consider joining in with a corporate day of fasting on Monday 18th May. That could involve only drinking water for that whole day, or it could be missing one meal. Or if you’re not able to fast from food, is there something else you could give up for that day? What would be a stretch for you? There is something powerful when God’s people fast and pray together for God to move.
All the details of times and venues for the prayer gatherings are in the newsletter email this week!
This week, Kids Zone is beginning a new three-part series on the Holy Spirit. This series is in line with the wider church teaching on the Holy Spirit. Kids will learn that God is working in us today, building on Jesus’ teaching, the origin of the church and their understanding of Gospel Salvation. They will understand how the Holy Spirit was given to us and supports us to continue God’s Rescue Plan today!
The memory verse for this series is: John 14:26 NIRV: “But the Father will send the Friend in my name to help you. The Friend is the Holy Spirit. He will teach you all things. He will remind you of everything I have said to you.”
You can check out any of the in-house teaching videos as they are published on our YouTube Channel.
Together is on 24th May! The kids (3yrs-Yr8) will gather for their own time of community and festivity, including pizza, live worship and guest speaker/storyteller Ray Cooper! Please register your kids for Kids Zone by May 11th.
Kids Zone Junior is finishing their I Can Love Jesus module by learning about Miriam’s praise in the desert after being freed from slavery. They will then move into their I Can Love Other’s module, and take a week to celebrate Mother’s Day!
Please keep our kids and leaders in your prayers during this season. Please pray:
That children would grow in their appreciation of the Holy Spirit
That children would understand their role in the church/world today, and how Holy Spirit equips and empowers them
That children would encounter Holy Spirit
That leaders would be challenged and encouraged about their own relationship with the Holy Spirit
That families would be used by Holy Spirit to work out Jesus’ mission
We are a church on a mission to help people become total followers of Jesus Christ. We gather across the Wellington region each week to worship and to encourage one another. Each Location is positioned in a local community with a unique heartbeat for the people around them. Have you ever wondered what the other five Locations are like? Where they meet and what it looks and feels like? To increase our unity, deepen a love for one another, and continue to celebrate what God is doing, we are producing a profile video for each Location. We begin with our friends gathering in the Hutt. Click here to watch.
Here are some things the Hutt Location are praying for right now.
- Celebrating how we are a church family, young and old sharing our lives together in community and encouraging one another to become total followers of Jesus.
- People and families being beautifully embraced by practical support going through hard seasons.
- That we would become more familiar with the Holy Spirit in our lives and how we can participate in the work of the Spirit's renewal, empowered by Him.
5.30pm Wednesday evenings at the Strathmore Community Centre / Te Tūhunga Rau. We provide a free dinner each week, but the next few weeks we are likely to be short on help with the food preparation. If you would like to help with this please get in touch with Andrea andreamteng@gmail.com. Big thank you to all our helpers.
We use the acronym BLESS to help us as we engage in the mission that God has given us to go and make disciples. B = Begin with prayer. L = Listen. E = Eat. S = Serve. S = Story.
As we build relationships with people who are far from God, there will be opportunities to share a story with them. Either the story of what God has done in your life, or the Gospel story of how Jesus came to save us. We need to be ready!
One way you can be ready is to prepare your 100-word testimony. There aren’t many moments where someone wants to listen to the 30-minute version of your story, but the 100-word version is easy to listen to. Sharing your story in 100-words is harder than you think, so we need to prepare. Write it out, and learn it so that you are ready to share it when you get an opportunity. It doesn’t need to be about how you came to faith, it could be about what God has done in your life, something he has helped you with - anything that communicates God’s work in your life.
The other way you can be prepared is with the Gospel story - the Bible says it is the only message with the power to save. We have found the Three Circles Gospel Presentation a great way of sharing the Gospel. We have stickers of the diagram you can stick on your phone so you always have it with you and can use it to share the Gospel with others as God opens up opportunities. Watch this video to learn how to do it, and then practice it until you can share it yourself.
Here are some challenges for you this week:
Write your 100-word testimony and learn it
Watch the video of the 3-circles Gospel presentation and practice it every day this week
Look out for opportunities as you BLESS others to share one of these with someone who doesn’t yet believe in Jesus.
Faith Driven Entrepreneur (FDE) is a movement supporting Christians to gather and be equipped in their calling as entrepreneurs. The Street Church is partnering with FDE to support this movement. If you’re looking to connect with others who get your experience as a faith driven entrepreneur, you might be interested to join the upcoming Foundation Group starting in mid April.
What is a Foundation Group?
It is an eight-week journey with 10-15 other entrepreneurs. We will discuss what it means to embrace your call to create and fulfil God’s purpose for your life. We will meet in one-hour weekly sessions, both in person (at the Life Centre on Hania Street) and online via Zoom, for eight weeks.
Click here for the FDE webpage where you can find out more about Foundation Groups.
Our next Foundation Group kicks off on Monday 13th April.
“Is this for me?” you might be wondering. The group is open to anyone who is interested in both faith and business - whether you attend The Street or another church or you’re between congregations at the moment.
If you’re interested, you have a choice of next steps:
A) Jump right in by emailing Nina - nina@ninafountain.com, with 'FDE group’ in the subject line. Nina will respond with the eight week plan and include in future invitations.
OR
B) Attend the online information session on 30th March (12-12:45pm) to find out more. You’ll have the chance to express interest there or make a decision later on. To join the session, email nina@ninafountain.com with 'FDE information’ in the subject line.
I am delighted to invite you to consider joining. I can’t wait to see what God is going to do next.
Nina Fountain
It is with great joy we introduce our newest staff member - Luke Bardsley. The Custodian role Luke will fill is a combination of property maintenance, cleaning for the Life Centre and Worship Centre and other general assistance with building related tasks. As you will see in Luke’s bio below, he has (and we agree!) a sense that this is a season of discovering what God is calling him to. We are looking forward to Luke being a valued part of the team.
My name is Luke and I am very excited to be on staff and working for my church family! I have come from the corporate world and I have never done anything like this, but it is an adventure to follow Jesus and the following has brought me right here! I don't know what the future holds but it is an honour to serve the Kingdom of Heaven and I am slightly terrified but ready to see where taking this role will lead me next. About me - I'm 34 years old, I grew up in Palmerston North but have been in Wellington for 10 years now. I have four brothers, five (soon to be 7) nieces and nephews, Mum & Dad, and so many amazing friends. I have been following Jesus for two years now, and I have been blessed with a church family, a life group to look after, a revival in my family, and abundant LIFE. I am so grateful to be here. God Bless, Luke.
This week, Kids Zone is beginning their two-part Easter series. Our heart for this series is that kids would gain a foundational understanding of the historical events of Easter. After hearing about Jesus’ teachings and life for 4 weeks during our Sermon on the Mount series, kids will now learn how this same Jesus died on the cross and rose again FOR THEM!
Once we return after the school holidays, Kids Zone will spend one Sunday unpacking the concept of ‘Salvation’. Kids will discuss the broken state of the world and the impact of sin on our relationship with God. They will learn how Jesus is the answer and how the events of Easter secure our salvation, and have an opportunity to learn about the invitation to follow him—and potentially accept it! This is the crux of God’s design, human rebellion and God’s big rescue plan! You can check out any of the in-house Kids Zone teaching videos as they are published on our YouTube channel.
Kids Zone’s Memory Verse for these two series is Romans 10:9 NIRV: ‘Say with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord.” Believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead. Then you will be saved.’
Kids Zone Junior are taking a break in their ‘I Can Love Jesus’ series to reflect on Easter too. They will use Beginner Bible stories and crafts to hear about how Jesus was arrested, died on the cross, rose again and lives with us today!
Please keep our kids and leaders in your prayers during this season. Please pray:
That children would understand the Good News of Easter
That children would accept Jesus’ invitation of relationship with him
That parents and children would discuss the meaning of Easter at home together
That the events of Easter would become more real for children
That children would have an understanding of ‘salvation’
That children would understand it well enough to explain it to others
That children would accept Jesus’ invitation of relationship with him
That children would share the gospel to their friends
I (Jenny) am doing some study this year with Dallas Theological Seminary and one of my assignments is to run four small group sessions looking at the book of Jonah (one chapter a week). I’m going to do this on the following dates and wondered if that sounds like something any of you would be interested in? It would be 1 hour each week from 7.30-8.30pm on: 23 March, 30 March, 13 April, 20 April. Let me know if you’d be interested in coming along. You can email east@thestreet.org.nz
Welcome back to 2026, I hope you are all refreshed and ready for another new year.
What New Year's resolutions have you made and how are they going? What have you put in place to make this year different from last year, not just another year on 'rinse and repeat', but a year that will stand out when you look back as '2026 was the year that this changed in my life'?
I have been challenged by the recent Sermon on the Mount series, and Jerram's message on Salt and Light, challenged by the number of muslims coming to Christ amid terrible persecution, challenged by this quote: “The gospel is only good news if it gets there in time.” (Carl F.H. Henry) We are all called to be salt and light; what does this look like in our day-to-day lives?
What comes through in this latest update from our Missionaries is a passion for the lost and a desire to share the Gospel. To be salt and light with people who are lost and hurting. Our missionaries (missionaries in general) may have given up things we take for granted to be that salt and light. Please continue to pray for them, and consider sending them a note of encouragement!
If you’d like to subscribe to future newsletters, please register your interest by emailing missions@thestreet.org.nz
Merrie Reddington
Missions Pastor
Dear Church Family,
We wanted to share a joyful update with you all. On December 20th, 2025, our family welcomed our son, Giovanni Wesley Baker, into the world! We are so thankful for a smooth delivery and for the way God has sustained Bekah and the whole family during this transition.
The girls, Lucia and Rosa, continue to be wonderful with their new brother. Lucia remains an excellent oldest sibling, and both girls are so excited and absolutely smitten. Life feels a little fuller and a little more tired, but we are deeply grateful.
These past weeks have reminded us of the truth of Psalm 127:3: “Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him.” In the midst of new routines and sleepless nights, we are continually reminded that this season is a gift from God.
We are especially thankful for the prayers, encouragement, and care from so many of you. Your support has meant more to us than we can easily put into words, and we are grateful to walk through this season as part of such a caring church family.
Blessings,
Ben & Bekah (and Lucia, Rosa, and Giovanni)
Hi whanau,
We hope you all have had a lovely Christmas and New Year.
We had an amazing time with a lot of family coming and going over the last few months, and as we settle into the groove for this year we are excited at the changes and challenges ahead.
Rachel continues in her role as medical leader in the ship's team. Recruiting medical professionals and helping to organize medical brigades and get the local brigades back up and running. She is still doing classes on base, educating about health in missions and holistic health when stepping into full-time missions.
This year she is looking at ways to promote and create more awareness about women's health in the city, in particular in pre/postpartum care. There is little to no access to education around this topic, and God has opened doors to be a part of a ministry called LifeBearers, which focuses on promoting mothers’ health in Mexico. Rachel is praying for ways to help local women as well as create meaningful relationships with mothers in Mazatlan.
Nelson has stepped into a bigger leadership role as the marketing and media teams merge. So he is now leading more people with a much bigger workload and a wider scope of content. This includes his previous audience of student marketing and recruitment, as well as promoting the wide range of secondary schools, the different ministries the base has as well as showing what God is doing in Mexico through YWAM Mazatlan. Our base director has also asked him if he would attend a leadership conference in the States, which is an exciting opportunity we are praying about.
We are also prayerfully starting to look at different house options over the next year. We realise that with a growing family it would be a lot easier to live close to the base, so we are praying for guidance around this and that doors will open.
We have also had some big changes to our financial support just before Christmas, with a big portion of our support from the states dropping off. Even in this, we can see God working and are excited to see how he will move this year. We would love it if you would join in prayer with us around this, especially for wisdom about how to fundraise.
But we had an awesome first Christmas with Lani in Mexico. She continues to grow so fast as we just fall more in love every day. She took her first steps before Christmas and just turned 1 at the end of January and is on the move!!!! So we are in for a very mobile year.
Prayer points:
Rachel, and the potential women’s ministry, and medical recruitment
Nelson for his growing team and work load and new leadership opportunities
House opportunity
Wisdom around financial fundraising
Continued health and wisdom to raise a baby in missions
Blessings,
Nelson, Rachel and Lani
Dear church family,
Thank you so much for praying for me and for TSCF as we continue in our mission to reach students for Christ and change students for life.
As you read this, the student year will be just getting underway. Most orientation weeks take place in late February and early March, so students across the country will be beginning to find their rhythm. For those new to tertiary study, this can be a daunting season — meeting new people, navigating campus, working out timetables, and developing study habits that work for them.
It is also a critical time for young people as they begin to consider who they want to become as adults, what they believe, and where they will look for meaning and hope. We are grateful to be present on campus in these moments, pointing students to Jesus.
Please pray:
For the many domestic and international students starting at universities, polytechnics, and wānanga — that they would feel welcomed, supported, and open to exploring faith.
For TSCF student groups around the country, and for student leaders who may feel daunted by the task ahead — that God would strengthen, encourage, and equip them.
For our new staff across the country - and here in Wellington specifically for Will, Esther, and Phil as they begin on campus, and for Matt, Anita, Abi, and Esther as they enter their first full calendar year in the office.
For the office team during this busy season, especially as we welcome many new team members — for good communication, unity, and sustainable rhythms.
On a personal note, I’m grateful for a refreshing summer. As I step into another year with TSCF, I’m reminded again of God’s faithfulness and of the privilege it is to work behind the scenes to support students as they explore faith. I would really value prayer for wisdom as I lead this developing team, sensitivity to the Spirit’s direction, courage in conversations, and perseverance in the quieter, unseen parts of ministry.
Caitlin
Pictured: TSCF Staff & Families camp January 2026
Dear Whānau,
I hope the Lord has been meeting you as 2026 is well underway now. As you read this update, campus ministry is at its peak! Over February- March we have our O-Week Outreach, where we get to meet university students in their first few weeks of study and get the prime opportunity to share the gospel with them. You might find that as you are reading and praying at this moment, a student may be hearing the gospel for the first time and the Holy Spirit drawing them to Christ.
A big update is that at the end of January, I made a move down to the South Island to serve with the team on the Otago University campus! It’s definitely a new and exciting challenge, and I’m trusting that the Lord will use this opportunity to reach more students across the country and beyond.
And as I think about the year ahead, I look forward to how in 9 months' time, the students we are meeting on campus right now will be sharing their faith with family and friends, at their work and on Summer Mission Trips because of how God met them this year.
So to encourage your hearts with expectancy, I’ve attached a story from one of our students, Sherry, who spent 5 weeks sharing the gospel in Taiwan on our mission trip this Summer.
Prayer Points:
O-Week Outreach Season (Feb - March). Please pray for students to be open and ready to hear and receive the gospel. Pray that as students receive a free cup, a text/call, or an invite to our events - they would meet Jesus.
Student Leaders. Pray that our student leaders would get the opportunity to disciple and journey alongside key students who are seeking, new to faith or wanting to grow in their heart for the lost this year.
Otago House. The Otago team is trusting the Lord for a house which will hopefully be a place of ministering and reaching students here in Dunedin more effectively and with generous hospitality. Please pray that God would provide a home that we are able to purchase this year.
Settling into Dunedin and into a new team. Please pray for a smooth settling-in period - for practical needs like a flat and a home church to be met. And, for the continued provision of financial support. But most of all, please pray that I would be walking closely with the Lord in this season and that the team would work well in unity with new people joining.
Looking forward to sharing some awesome stories of how God works through your partnership in the gospel in the next update!
Much love & blessings,
Sally
Happy New Year, Street Family,
Each new year always brings an interesting feeling, a mixture of excitement for the year ahead, but slight disbelief that another year has come and gone! This year I am so expectant for the growth, development and… becoming all that God has for me and the ministries He has placed me in.
I finished off last year joining the staff team at YWAM Furnace in NZ and jumped right into staffing a 3-month Word By Heart school. This school had a 2-month outreach to Japan from December-February. I’m writing to you from Japan, but by the time you read this, I’ll have just gotten back to NZ!
This season has stretched my capacity probably more than I have ever been stretched before. My last 5 months have looked like facilitating class learning and ministry times for our students while also living with them, perhaps some mild practice for parenting haha! God has shown me so much of His kindness and grace as I’ve shown up in this school, made mistakes, and gotten things right. He’s shown me, especially in my weaknesses, all the space I have to grow, and in that, it’s been a blessing to experience His strength.
With that, it’s truly been a privilege to journey with our students. They carry a deep hunger for His word, and it was inspiring to see them hold nothing back as they internalised both the fun and heavy parts of the gospel and Jesus’ life. As for the outreach in Japan, it is a place where there are many who have never heard of our God, and I’m often struck by the privilege and responsibility of introducing them to Him for the first time. Japan is becoming softer to God. I hear so many stories, how even just a few years ago, locals were much more closed off to hearing the gospel than now. During our time, we’ve gotten to meet and reach many people through evangelism, relationship building, worship and sharing the Word. We’re truly blessed to have been able to be a part of sharing God’s light here in Japan.
As I head back to NZ, I’d love prayer for settling back in. This will be my first time being in a normal routine with the base outside of the bustle of staffing a school. We’d love to begin navigating our involvement in Oral Mother Tongue Bible translations and need God’s wisdom in this. So those would be my two main prayer points as I begin this next quarter.
As always, I am so thankful to have your prayers and I hope to make a trip down to Wellington sometime to catch up there too!
Warmth and love,
Gabriel
A movement of missionaries, multiplying disciples & churches for the glory of God.
Happy New Year to you all! It is with deep gratitude that we share our prayer needs with you, confident that through your prayers the Lord will do many marvellous things, for His glory.
This year, we continue to lead The Way, training people in Great Commission tools, practices and principles. Time is spent strengthening churches and leaders and ensuring they have what they need to abide in Christ and make disciples. It’s hugely encouraging to hear many stories of ongoing work in the harvest field of NZ as people use what they learn, led by the Holy Spirit, to reach the lost with the gospel. Some people see lots of fruit, others see little. We encourage both to keep going and to trust the Lord of the harvest.
No Place Left Training for The Way is making a huge difference to the work here in NZ. In the month of March, 14 European, British and Australian No Place Left leaders are coming to NZ to train The Way leaders and encourage the churches. We are so blessed to have them come and pray that our leaders will be deeply strengthened. The goal is to identify barriers to the work of the Great Commission in our own lives, churches and ministries - and to see breakthrough!
2026 also sees us launch part one of “Good Stuff Parenting”, an interactive parenting course helping parents to raise children with a deep love and respect for God, self, others and creation. This is unashamedly a discipleship tool and we are super excited about it. At this stage the first three parenting modules are due to be released to the market at the end of March. There is a good level of interest in Good Stuff Parenting from people here in NZ and abroad. Parents everywhere are asking for a Bible based parenting curriculum - Good Stuff is here to help!
April and May will see us back in Europe in order to attend a three day event in Greece. So often we hear “movement” stories from the Asian world. It’s good to be inspired and to learn from these, but the Western “post-Christian” world has its own unique soil, challenges and opportunities. These three days will capitalize on having a laser sharp focus on the Western world. No Place Left leaders from Western countries are gathering to learn from one another. What is God doing through the work? What common barriers do we face, and what are we learning? This is set to be a powerful time of mutual learning and encouragement.
We will also spend a week in Germany with the brothers and sisters who are leading work there, attending and contributing to trainings and on-the-ground ministry.
It is our total joy to take our sister, Vesna from Wellington with us - she will represent the work in Serbia which the Lord has started through her. And also Jihye and Jonathan, also from Wellington, to represent the “GenZ” work here. The Lord has wonderfully provided funding for all of us to go to Greece, and we give thanks for this!
March - May Prayer Points:
March 3 - March 15 : No Place Left Training
Please pray for those coming to NZ to serve us
Please pray for leaders attending trainings in Wgtn and Queenstown
Please pray for a move of God!
Please pray for a deepening unity between us all
March : Good Stuff Parenting
Completion of the first three Good Stuff Parenting modules (Newborn & Baby; Toddler; Preschool) and the creative team pulling this together
Finances to complete the Good Stuff project (all the way through to Teens module)
Receptive responses from the churches and organisations we approach
Effective marketing and promotion, including a promotional road trip
A generation of parents to be BLESSED through Good Stuff!
April 13 - May 6 : Europe & Western Countries Gathering
Nick and Sarah, Vesna, Jihye & Jonathan - health, unity, listening & learning, ministering to others
Prayer for each person attending - that we would all hear the Lord’s voice, and truly keep in step with the Spirit
Prayer for humility, teachability, the ability to encourage one another
Prayer for the Lord to reveal to us all the things we can learn from one another
Prayer for deeper, wider move of God in the countries represented: USA, Britain, Australia, NZ, Serbia, Czech Republic, Germany, Spain, France, Greece and others
Prayer for sincere love and unity of The Spirit
Thank you for praying with us.
We believe in the universal access to God's Word.
At the start of the year, our eldest brother, Mario Cesar, died - he was 70. With the support and help of Wycliffe NZ, I spent the second week of Jan until the 2nd week of Feb in the Philippines to attend the funeral, reconnect with family and friends and help my youngest brother, Alex, sort out family matters. Alex and I are the remaining siblings out of the original five (5) children.
I went back to work with the PTXprint support team on the 16th of February. While I was away, there have been 2 software releases.
In May 2026, the plan is to attend the biennial Bible Translation and other related workshops overseas - including the software PTXprint, an open-source software developed especially for the publication of Bible translations and other Scripture related content in print or online formats. Depending on the number of people enrolled for the two(2) PTXprint courses, the maximum length of the PTXprint workshop could be from 2 to 3 weeks.
I would appreciate prayer for the following :
Wisdom and good communication with my brother as we navigate our grief and the need to attend to the intricacies of unresolved family matters.
Wisdom and attention to detail - I need to be focused and rest my eyes regularly - helping typeset the Yiddish Old Testament translation as shown below which is a draft / work-in- progress of the book of Hosea. Pray for the translator who actively shares with ultra-orthodox Jews.
Preparation of our team for the upcoming PTXprint workshops in May 2026, and that many participants will be able to attend.
God's guidance for Wycliffe NZ during this period of leadership transition. The Wycliffe NZ board has accepted the resignation of our current director due to his ill health and several surgeries. An interim director will take over for 4 months starting in March this year. Pray for God's choice and provision for the vacant WBTNZ position for Executive Director.
