Life just seems so busy. A relentless rush from one thing to the next. I feel like many of us came out of lockdown with lofty ideals of a new normal. Many of us appreciated the ability to slow down and not have to be in lots of different places. It’s a distant memory now and I’m wondering whether I took those lessons to heart.

I easily rush from one thing to the next. My calendar gets so full between work, home, family, friendships. I wonder where your time goes? I love to try and be more efficient with my time but I’m not sure it works. You see habits and efficiency don’t create more time if we just allow it to be filled with even more things.

If I spent my money like I spend my time I would be very poor very quickly. Yet the problem is worse with time. There are always ways to get more money - you could even try and rob a bank (I’m joking). It’s not the same with time. All of us have 168 hours per week and there isn’t even a “time bank” to consider robbing! Yet I wonder how many of us keep pretending that time is infinite.

My experience of Jesus is noticeably different. In three years of public life, he prepared 11 men who would become the foundational leaders of the entire church. He travelled extensively sharing and showing the kingdom. He accomplished a lot yet always seemed unhurried. He always had time for people. He never seemed to be stressed by interruptions along the way.

I wonder if the secret was an ability to say no. He knew when to say no to the crowd and withdraw to pray. He knew when to take the disciples somewhere to rest. He knew his priorities and his purpose and he stuck to it.

I’m terrible at saying no. I just don’t like feeling I’m letting people down. And yet I know that if I don’t learn to say no, things that I consider important like family, friends, exercise and rest will be squeezed out. Yes to something else will mean a no to them.

I know lockdown was really unpleasant in some ways but it was also a gift. It made us say a big fat no to many things and showed us the blessing that comes with slowing down. I wonder what lesser priority you can say no to this week that means you can say a big yes to the things that really matter for you.

Much love,
Simon

---

This post is part of the Senior Pastor’s weekly blog. Go to the blog feed >>

On Sunday 14th we heard from the lovely Caitlin Ormiston who serves here in New Zealand with TSCF (Tertiary Students Christian Fellowship) If you missed it, check out the interview from the online service a few weeks ago HERE

The latest Missions newsletter is out now, which is a great way of catching up on the latest news for all of our missionaries at The Street. You can pick up a paper copy at any of our services, or you can email missions@thestreet.org.nz for a digital version.

This Sunday, we’re heading back into the Old Testament for the next few weeks with a couple of mini series on minor prophets. It means we’re exploring territory in the Bible that is less familiar and we’re encountering names that won’t be appearing on the list of ‘Top-10 Baby Names 2022’!

Nevertheless, it’s really important territory for us to explore. Paul told Timothy that all of Scripture, even the minor prophets like Habakkuk, are God’s word to us. They’re useful for helping us discover salvation through Jesus Christ - the whole Bible points to Him! And all of Scripture is useful for thoroughly equipping us for every good work (2 Tim 3:16-17). It’s so important that we don’t just explore our favourite verses but draw from all that God has said to us.

Nevertheless, books of the Bible like this can be a bit more challenging to read. So, as we head into two series on Habakkuk and Micah, here are some pro-tips for reading prophetic books.

Understand the Background
The prophets were people who spoke messages from God in a particular time and place. Most of them are during the reigns of Israel’s kings where most of the kings were awful! Understanding what was going on for them can help us understand what’s written.

Your Bible may have introductions to each book which can be helpful for explaining the background. If not, the short videos from the Bible Project are a great resource.

Understand the Genre
Most of the prophetic books are poetic which is shown by each line being separated in Bibles. It means the books are full of imagery and metaphors to help make the point really memorable. Also, Hebrew poetry doesn’t use rhyme. Rather it uses parallelisms where one line will repeat or develop the thought from another. This means it’s really helpful to try and work out the major message from a whole paragraph rather than worrying too much about exactly what one word means. What is the picture that is being built?

Understand the Purpose
When we hear the word prophet, we often think about future telling. But the prophets were also preachers and a lot of their writing was about calling God’s people back to covenant faithfulness. The prophetic books therefore have a lot to teach us about what God cares about. Given that he doesn’t change, this means these books can be really helpful in discovering what God still cares about for us today.

So with that in mind, let’s lean in together over these coming weeks and discover together what God wants to say to use through prophets like Micah and Habakkuk.

Much love,
Simon

---

This post is part of the Senior Pastor’s weekly blog. Go to the blog feed >>

We have started a new sermon series in the Old Testament book of Habakkuk.

When times are uncertain, and events don’t match our expectations or understanding of how the world works, what do we do? Habakkuk is the record of one prophet’s wrestle with God about this very thing. It’s a testament to honesty with God, seeking to submit our understanding to trust in Him in all circumstances.

Why not read ahead so you’re ready for Sunday’s sermon?

We’ve made an incredible amount of progress this year in launching local services alongside our existing locations and it’s been so encouraging to hear stories of the depth of community that’s emerging across these smaller gatherings. However, there’s a genuine risk that we become too focused on services and neglect the core mission. When we say helping people become total followers of Jesus Christ, we don’t just mean helping people grow but also helping people discover Jesus in the first place.

That’s why we’ve taken three weeks to focus on the area of outreach. We want to make sure we focus on the core things that matter. And even though I was involved in crafting the Mission Possible series, I’ve been surprised at the impact on my life as we’ve taught through it.

Here’s three things I’ve appreciated.

It’s given us something tangible to do.
Jenny gave us two practical things to try to do each week. Eat with three people, one of whom should be outside of church; and, bless three people, again one of whom should be outside of the church. It’s so simple and serves to help us become more missional. What I’ve loved is how accessible it is even if you don’t have much time. I realise how many interactions I already have with people. What it needs from me is not necessarily more time but more intention.

It’s enabled us to involve our children.
As Jenny and I have been talking and thinking about ways of blessing people, we’ve been able to take our girls along for the journey. They get the simple practices really easily and have even started to think of ways they can bless others too. It means we’re having conversations as a family that we just weren’t having before. It means they’re growing up in an environment where these practices and conversations are normal.

It’s changed the way I’m looking.
Have you ever noticed how when you learn something for the first time, it’s like you suddenly start noticing it everywhere. It’s called frequency illusion. It’s not that these things are more frequent, it’s just that we’re now noticing what has always been there. I’ve found the same at work this week. The more I think about ways to bless one person, the more I notice ways to bless others.

So those are my reflections. I wonder what yours are? Maybe so far, you haven’t really put any of this into practice. Please don’t be discouraged but take a moment and start noticing right now. May God open our eyes to see the opportunities that are all around us.

Much love,
Simon

---

This post is part of the Senior Pastor’s weekly blog. Go to the blog feed >>

We spent some time in our service on 31st July praying for the other churches in our area. HERE are the prayer points. Please continue to lift these churches to the Lord in prayer.

The Mission Possible series might be over, but don’t give up on the Bless and Eat challenge. Each week bless 3 people, and eat with 3 people, one of whom is not a Christian. As we endeavour to be missional people for all of our lives, this is such a simple step to take towards that. Let this be a description of us……..

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matt 5:14-16 - NIV)

As the cost of living increases, for many of us that means we need to try and reduce our expenditure somehow - but where do you start? Groceries are something we all spend money on so let's start there. Here are my top 5 tips for spending less on your groceries.

1. Create a budget
   Work out what you can afford to spend on your groceries and then don’t spend more than that. If you don’t know how to put together a budget, get in touch with us and we can get you on a CAP Money budgeting course - capmoney@thestreet.org.nz

2. Stick to your budget
   Once you know how much you can spend, here are some things that can help you stick to it:

   Pak'nSave have the facility available for you to scan your own shopping as you go round the supermarket. If you can’t do that, a calculator would do the same job, or try shopping online. Whatever it takes to know how much your shopping will cost before you have to pay.

   If the total is more than your budget - put things back on the shelves! Think through the extras you put in your trolley and consider what you really need. Maybe some of those things could wait for next week. Make cheaper choices for some of the branded things in your trolley. Drink water instead of other drinks.

3. Shop smart

   Think about the ingredients you’re using. If a recipe calls for an expensive cut of meat, or a vegetable that’s out of season, consider if you could use something cheaper.

   Reduce the amount of meat you use. Regardless of what a recipe says, use no more than 100g meat per person and even less if you can pad it out with veggies/beans/pulses.

   Eat vegetarian 2 or 3 times a week so you don’t have to buy as much meat.

   Buy fruit and veggies seasonally and buy them at a local veggie market - it will save you lots.

   Supermarkets don’t all cost the same. Compare prices and work out where the best place for you to shop is - you may find an extra 5 minute drive or a trip on the bus will save you $30 on your shopping!

4. Menu plan

   Plan what you’re going to eat each night of the week and write a list of ingredients you will need for those meals. This will prevent you from buying extra things you don’t need and will save you from wasting anything. It will also help you not to impulse buy.

5. Have a set day to shop

   It’s a well known fact that the more often you go to the supermarket, the more you will buy and the more you will spend. Buy everything you need on your set shopping day, and if you run out of something, try and do without it until the next week. If you can manage to do a fortnightly shop at a time even better - then you only have to go every  2 weeks! Oh and never shop when you’re hungry!

Hope that helps!

Much love,
Jenny

---

This post is part of the Senior Pastor’s weekly blog. Go to the blog feed >>

We have had a couple of spaces come up in our Media team recently - could this be a way for you to get involved?

The role involves arriving to church around 8.30am and getting all the media for the service set up using our presenting programme called “Pro-presenter”. You then ensure the correct media is shown at the correct time throughout the service. There is a training session coming up on Monday 1st August, 6.30-8.30 and includes dinner. Please get in touch if this is something you think you could do.

We’re now into our latest sermon series.

We have the greatest message: Jesus Christ - raised to life again. It’s a message that changes lives for eternity and we get to scatter it far and wide. Yet often it can be challenging to know where to start. In this series we examine a short conversation of Jesus with his disciples that gives us some great insights on how to share this message effectively.

Thanks for praying for Jeremy Bank’s sister Sophie who had surgery on a brain tumour earlier in the week. We received this update after surgery:

“Amazing news after 4 hour surgery. Most of tumour is removed! 

Sophie is UP and TALKING and eating an ice block!!!!!

No need for any scans - it’s the most miraculous news!!  Nurses are thrilled (as are we!)”

Please keep praying for her for healing, and for Jeremy and his family as they journey this together.

There’s a verse written in chalk on our fridge that’s been there for a few years. It’s from Eugene Peterson’s paraphrase of Scripture - The Message - and I just love his take on it:

“The world of the generous grows larger and larger.” Proverbs 11:25

I’m thinking a lot about the rising cost of living and the impact it’s having on people’s lives. Last week I wrote about the risk that our expectation gets reduced to the depth of our pockets rather than the riches of God’s resources. This week, I’m thinking about another risk - that we stop being generous.

Crises have a way of causing us to turn in on ourselves. We become so focused on what we lack that we fail to notice other people. It gives us such a narrow view of the world and allows a discrete problem to appear pervasive. The solution in God’s economy is generosity. Look up and out and find ways to give.

The obvious focus here is on money but please don’t mistake this for a fundraiser! I thoroughly believe in giving the first of our income to God’s work because it’s the only way to make temporary money work for eternity! It began with Abel giving God his best (Gen 4:4) and extends today in shaping where our hearts go (Matt 6:21).

Notice how Jesus praises the widow who gave two small coins (Mark 12:41-44). The amount wasn’t important to Jesus, it was the attitude of the giver. And as she gave all she had as an offering to God, she invested in something way bigger than herself. Her world grew.

We partner with Christians Against Poverty and they include a small donation in a new client’s budget, even if it’s just $1. It’s like a token that says, ‘I can’t give much now but even in the little I have, I want to train my heart to be generous. I want to invest in something bigger.’

We can also be generous in a lot of other ways. We can be generous with our time and how we invest that in others. We can use our skills and abilities to bless others. We can lend possessions freely. We can be generous in our praise and encouragement. The list goes on.

So even if things are tight, with all that God has given you, what can you give to God and to others? God is the ultimate giver having sent His one and only Son to give us new life for free. As we grow in giving, we increase the extent to which we reflect God and the message of the Gospel. It doesn’t get any bigger than that!

Much love,
Simon

---

This post is part of the Senior Pastor’s weekly blog. Go to the blog feed >>

Over these next couple of weeks were are doing something a little different. This Sunday we’ll be hearing from Mike Burrows. He works for an organisation called Open Doors and will be speaking on the persecuted Church around the world. Then the following week we’ll be hearing from Caitlin Ormiston, Alison Patel and Mike Morrison as they each share some wisdom from Proverbs with us.

Markus Bain is currently having a little stay in hospital to get on top of an infection that set in after he had flu last week. Please let’s lift him up in prayer as he and Karyn potentially have another week in hospital. We’re also continuing to pray for his swallow to return. Please Lord heal Markus completely!

Jeremy Bank’s sister - Jeremy is one of the elders at The Street and his sister Sophie has very recently been diagnosed with a brain tumour. She will undergo major surgery this week. The following is from Jeremy:

“The last few days have been a blur. Feeling for Sophie, in herself she is doing well and full of faith. The brain surgery is booked in for Monday, large tumour in a very tricky spot deep in L side, affecting speech etc. Please be praying for healing, a successful surgery and no adverse impacts on her ability to walk and speak.”

We were really excited to have Mike Burrows from “Open Doors” as our guest speaker last Sunday, 10th July. Open Doors is an incredible organisation that supports persecuted Christians around the world. Towards the end of the online service Jerram and Mike had a bit of a chat about the work of Open Doors that you can check out here.

If you would like to make a donation to Open Doors you can do so at www.opendoors.org.nz/THESTREET

Have you noticed how your heart sinks every time you see a petrol station? How expensive is petrol?!! I’m assuming you’ve noticed your food bill going up too. And I’m particularly concerned for people who stretched to buy a house only for interest rates to increase your loan repayments too. These are not easy times for many people.

So how do we look at all of this as followers of Jesus? How should we approach money? I’ll probably write a bit more on this in the coming weeks but I want to start in the most important place. We start with faith.

In John’s account of the feeding of the 5,000, he notes that Jesus already knew what he was going to do but wanted to give the disciples a test (John 6:6). “Where shall we buy bread?” Phillip responds by assessing the finances and calculates it would need 6 months wages which clearly no one had. Andrew joins in and looks at the resources they have - 5 loaves and two fish - and they come to the same conclusion. It’s not enough.

I see the same reaction in us when faced with a challenge. Can I fix this with money? Do I have the stuff to sort this myself? I wonder what reaction comes out in you when ends don’t meet. Where do you turn?

Jesus purposefully put the disciples in this moment to test them. He let them try and work it out. Then he took the tiny portions they had and catered for a giant picnic (probably 20,000 people) with 12 basketfulls left over. They had more leftovers than they had to start with.

Jesus takes something very ordinary like food and proves that even in such a basic area of life, he cares and is capable of providing more than enough.

Nothing in what I am saying excuses us from doing our best to make good financial choices or seeking the right advice. Those things are good. But can I encourage us not to reduce our expectation to the depth of our pockets. We have to approach this in faith.

Jesus was teaching his disciples that everything they could ever need in life comes from him. He is our provider. He knows our every need before we do. He can provide in a moment in time and out of nothing. I have seen time and time again how God can provide just what we need at just the right time. In my experience, it seems God chooses a new way to provide every time. It’s like he’s letting me know that he is the one who provides. Sometimes very practically. Sometimes through a person. Sometimes an out and out miracle. But over the years I have learned that he is more than enough and I’m praying that in this season we would all learn that too.

Much love,
Simon

---

This post is part of the Senior Pastor’s weekly blog. Go to the blog feed >>

I wonder what word you would choose to describe how you’re going right now. For many people I talk to it seems that we’re all pretty tired. I know the reasons for this will be many and varied but I wonder if one reason is that the ways we used to refresh and replenish have changed. Maybe it’s holiday plans that were cancelled or postponed. Maybe working from home has changed your routine. Maybe close friends or family have moved away. Whatever the cause, it’s important to take proactive steps.

From the beginning, God set in place a rhythm of rest called Sabbath. Jesus said that this was a day made for people - for their good. And while I know it will be difficult for people to observe a whole day of rest each week, there are some principles that emerge that can be really helpful.

1. Rest (Exodus 20:11). The main purpose of Sabbath is to rest. A moment every week when regular work - whatever that is for you - ceases. In an age where so many of us can work online, it’s easy to never really leave the office. Are there times when we genuinely stop? Are you getting enough sleep? Are you making time to rest?

2. Remember (Deuteronomy 5:15). The rest that God first observed was not because he was tired. Rather there’s a sense of him celebrating and enjoying the complete and good creation. It’s easy for us to live lives with a perpetual to-do list and little sense of finishing. How can we find moments to reflect and remember? It could be as simple as sharing favourite things from your day around the dinner table or writing in a journal 3 things you’re deeply grateful for today. Are we taking time to remember?

3. Refreshment (Exodus 20:17) - Moses records that after the Sabbath, God was refreshed. It means we have to use Sabbath time intentionally and it may not simply be on the couch (although it could be). For me I have learned through trial and error what refreshes me. It’s things like exercising outdoors, reading, worship, time with friends or family. It means when I’m tired I can check whether I’ve been skipping some of these things that I know are helpful. Do you know what refreshes you? If not, think about moments you’ve been refreshed in the past and what contributed to it. Then try some and see how it goes. Once you know them, you can start building them into your routine. A little goes a long way.

Much love,
Simon

---

This post is part of the Senior Pastor’s weekly blog. Go to the blog feed >>

Who were (or are) your favourite school teachers? I am forever grateful to the likes of Mrs Lue and Mr Sullivan for the impact they had on my education. But the reason they stick out is not because we always got on (Mrs Lue once asked me why I was the classroom ruffian). The reason they stand out is because they sometimes gave me bad grades and were prepared to push me and help me to get better.

Feedback comes in all sorts of ways. Some work reviewed at home, the hard words of a friend, an honest conversation with a parent or a spouse. Over the years I’ve become better at receiving feedback (albeit with room to grow). While I don’t think it’ll ever be fun, I am learning to appreciate critique more than praise. The latter is encouraging but the former helps me grow.

I find it interesting as I read the gospels at how much Jesus challenges his disciples. He was no doubt a great encourager but in his commitment to develop 12 men who would establish the church, Jesus didn’t hold back on feedback. He asked questions that revealed their assumptions, he told them stories that revealed their hearts and even rebuked their unbelief.

I find something similar with Scripture which God has given to equip us for every good work. It reveals the way things are, where we’re lost, how we get back to the path and how we stay on the path. It consistently invites us to change.

So whether from one another or from the Word, let me share a couple of things that I’m learning that help:

1. Say thank you. It’s not easy plucking up the courage to challenge someone. I think it’s a great idea to acknowledge that and thank the person for sharing it with you (even if you may not agree). You can also thank God when you feel convicted by something you read in the Bible.

2. It’s for you, not about you. One of the big reasons for that stomach twisting feeling is that we take critique to heart and assume we’re somehow broken. As a follower of Jesus, remember that you belong in the family of God, you are loved like a favourite and God is well pleased with you… Full stop. Critique can never diminish that. It’s about something you’ve done or not done. It’s not about who you are.

3. Lean into the learning. Praise is encouraging but it gives little to learn. Critique can give clarity on how I can grow. It means I have the opportunity to never make the same mistake again. I realise that  sometimes people will be overly critical and not constructive. However, even then, you can discern what’s true and look for ways to learn.

“Rebuke the wise and they will be wiser still.” - Proverbs 9:8b

Much love,
Simon

---

This post is part of the Senior Pastor’s weekly blog. Go to the blog feed >>

There is an Alpha course coming up at the end of July being hosted by Gateway Baptist in Miramar. Now is a great time to be prayerfully considering whether there is someone you know that could be interested. If you don’t know much about Alpha, check out this video. Feel free to share this link if someone you know could be keen.

(See the “Future events” section of the newsletter for more information about this course and how to register.)

I’ve spoken recently of my love for words. Their meaning, their history and their power to make such a big difference. Like most things put into the hands of humanity, they can be used for both good and evil; healing and harm.

I’ve noticed recently that I can easily be very self-centered and focused on the things I need to do. I appreciate hearing encouragement from others and yet I wonder how generous I am with my words of affirmation for others.

In Luke 6:27-28, Jesus challenges us to do something extraordinary with our words. He says, “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.”

Jesus focuses on the words we use towards those who hate us. I just wonder how well I fulfil his command even with the people I like!

“Bless” comes from the Greek word eulogéō which is where we get our word eulogy from. Think of the care, affection and diligence that goes into writing a eulogy that truly honours a person. It misses out all of their faults and just focuses on what can be celebrated. It reminds me of a Garrison Keillor quote, “They say such nice things about people at their funerals that it makes me sad to realise that I'm going to miss mine by just a few days.”

So what if rather than waiting for a funeral, we started today? What would happen if each of us sought to thoughtfully eulogise one another? Imagine the impact your words could have on those closest to you? Imagine the incredible blessing our church gatherings would be. Imagine the difference it would make in homes and schools, universities and workplaces. Imagine the sort of children that would grow up in our homes and churches were they to hear such words at a formative age.

I even wonder what impact it would have on our own thought patterns if we created a habit of looking for things to celebrate in others.

So let me invite you into my personal challenge for this week. I want to take some time every day to write 3 things I really appreciate about someone else and share it with them. I might send them a message, tell them face to face or write it in a card for them to keep. Will you join me and accept the 7 Day Eulogy Challenge?

Much love,

Simon

---

This post is part of the Senior Pastor’s weekly blog. Go to the blog feed >>