Missions is a big part of who we are as a church. We love to support missionaries who have answered a call to go out and make disciples full-time. One of the missionaries we support is Sally Hong who is serving as a full-time missionary with Student LIfe and Tandem Ministries to reach university campuses across New Zealand with the Gospel. Sally is based on Victoria University campus, where she shares the Gospel, disciples students and equips them to take part in the great commission. Please be praying for her in the following ways:

• For more students to have a desire to share Jesus with those around them. “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few”

• Summer Missions trips - to Auckland, Nelson, and Sally is leading an overseas trip to Thailand. Pray for Sally as she leads that trip, that students in Thailand would come to know Jesus.

Ben Edwards—Youth and Families Pastor at Gateway Baptist—has helped Miramar Christian School organise a fair early in term 4 for the last few years. It is an opportunity for children and families from the local community to have a fun day, and it’s also a chance to promote the school and raise some funds. This year’s event is on Saturday, 4 November.

Another goal is for the Fair to be an opportunity for the churches in the area to bless the community by putting on a fun, quality event to demonstrate our creativity, skills, passions, and love for others. Ben would like to know if anyone in our church would like to get involved in some way.

There are lots of ways you could help:

• Set up and pack down.

• Running games and activities or welcoming.

• Putting on an activity of your choosing - live music, face painting, outdoor games.

• Donations to the silent auction or a cake for the cafe.

• Run a stall selling crafts or goods (there would be a small cost to do this).

• Helping promote the event with letterbox drops.

• Pray for good weather and that people would be blessed and connections made.

If you would like to help with any of these things, please contact Ben by 22 September at youth@gatewaybaptist.org.nz or 022 401 5720.

As a church, we want to be a community that’s helping one another become total followers of Jesus Christ. One of the important aspects of this is that we’re doing so in the cultural context of Wellington in the 2020s. In this environment, I am increasingly hearing questions about what this looks like in the context of social and cultural expectations, particularly in the workplace. How do I follow Jesus in a workplace where people are asked to wear rainbow lanyards? Should I go along with putting personal pronouns in my email signature? When everyone has to stand and say the agency’s karakia, what do I do if I don’t agree with the words?

I can’t tell you what you should do and there aren’t always ‘right’ answers. However, over the next few weeks, I hope to lay out some thoughts that we might use as way markers—guidelines to help each of us come to conclusions we are at peace with before the Lord. Please be gracious with one another as we will sometimes come to different conclusions.

For this week, Daniel 1 is a great place to start. He was about 11-15 years old when the Babylonians first invaded Jerusalem in 605BC and he was taken 500 miles away from home to Babylon where he was put into the service of the king.

Why not have a look at Daniel 1 for yourself. Here are three thoughts I’ve drawn from it.

Daniel learned about culture
This is a nice way of saying Daniel was indoctrinated. He was purposefully taken away from his family and culture and immersed in the language and literature of Babylon. Moreover, God helped him and his companions to excel in their learning (Dan 1:17). I notice that Paul also took the time to learn about the culture of the people he was seeking to reach (Acts 17:16-34 is a masterclass of contextualised gospel-sharing). You may feel more immersed in our culture than you want to be but maybe it’s something God wants to use to help you minster to people in that culture.

Daniel excelled in the culture
Part of God enabling Daniel and his companions to learn was that they were able to excel in their work. At the end of their training, the king found them far better than others in his service. You would expect Daniel to be known for subterfuge and sabotage — for undermining pagan authority. Rather, Daniel was a blessing to his captors and his wisdom was sought after. As a follower of Jesus, you bring a unique perspective and posture into whatever environment you are in. You have a higher view of the inherent worth of humanity than anyone else. You know that leadership is about service, not subjection. What does it look like for you to do the best job while being generous and kind to others in the process?

Daniel knew where to draw the line
Daniel drew the line at eating the king’s food, potentially because it was sacrificed to idols. There came a point where he said no. Notice that he was discrete and polite about it but this didn’t compromise the firmness of the no. What I find interesting is that his line was probably further than he was comfortable. After all, he didn’t object to being given a Babylonian name. What’s fascinating about Daniel is that the first 11-15 years of his life had been lived out in the spiritual revival of Josiah’s day (2 Chron 34-35) when God’s word took prime place in Judah. It seems therefore that his upbringing was strong enough that even when taken 500 miles from home and immersed in a new culture, it was God’s word that became the plumb-line in his life. Can I encourage you to be someone increasingly immersed in Scripture and allow the Spirit to guide you in wisely knowing where to draw the line, even if it is further into the culture than you would naturally be comfortable.

Much love,
Simon

Questions to ponder:

• Can you think of any areas of your life currently where you feel immersed beyond your comfort zone in the culture around you?

• Ask God what He thinks about these areas of discomfort for you. Do you sense He’s asking you to draw a firm line and say no to something? Or rather do you sense He could be calling you to lean into the discomfort and embrace the opportunity that might be there?

• When was the last time you truly took the time to listen and learn from someone who has very different perspectives and opinions from you? Can you think of anyone you could make space to listen to and learn from this week?

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

With Floyd moving out of Children's ministry we have been advertising for someone new to jump in. We are so excited to welcome Geneva Nevell, who will be joining Emma Roche as our new Associate Children's Pastor, starting September 18th.

Leading up to the election on 14th Oct, local churches are gathering together to pray for our nation and our leaders. If we are to see a move of God in our city and our nation, it will start on our knees in prayer.

Wellington Cathedral
6pm every Sunday evening from 10th Sep - 8th Oct

We are no longer able to hold our next Together gathering at Wellington High School, so we have a change of date and location for this. Please put Sunday the 29th of October into your calendar now and note this will now be held at Wellington College. We believe this is a significant moment as we gather as one church and celebrate the incredible work God is doing in and through us. More details and registration information will be made available later in September.

A group of people from across locations at The Street are leading a refugee resettlement group to welcome refugees from overseas and help them establish a new life in Wellington. This is a practical way for us to be known for making a difference and to be Jesus' hands and feet through these tangible expressions of love.

In the coming months, The Street Church will welcome two refugees to Wellington to help them establish new lives here—one from Iraq and one from Palestine. We all can be involved in this initiative, so check out this video from Mark and Jerram of the Refugee Resettlement Group.

Karina Mulvad Cole from East works for an organisation called “Hapai Taumaha Hapūtanga” or “Crisis Pregnancy Support” and she would like to invite you to an evening to find out more about their valuable work:

Thursday 28th September at 6pm

Willis Room at Life Centre, 21 Hania Street, Mt. Victoria, Wellington

“We would be delighted if you would come and learn more about our organisation, the work we do, and ways you can support our Vision. During the event, we will provide an overview of Hapai Taumaha Hapūtanga and our mission to help women facing crisis pregnancies in the Wellington and Lower Hutt region. Refreshments in the form of canapés and drinks will be available throughout the evening. We kindly request you to RSVP by September 22nd to lowerhutt@crisispregnancysupport.org.nz”

Fathers Day is this week and it’s a tricky day in church. We want to celebrate and honor fathers while acknowledging how polarised our experiences of fatherhood are. Some are celebrating today while others are grieving bereavement, abuse, miscarriages, and neglect. This list goes on and every one of those experiences will be represented as we gather on Sunday. 

Whatever our experiences of fatherhood, I don’t want to miss the opportunity to reflect on God as our heavenly Father. Even if you have the most amazing experience of an earthly father, it pales in comparison to Him. There are few things in my pursuit of Jesus that have been more transformational for me than contemplating the love of the Father.

David wrote:

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful…” (Ps 139:13-14).

Before you had any sort of success. Before you took a step. Before you spoke one word. Before you were born. In fact, before your parents had any inkling that you existed - God knew you. He is the pre-eminient relationship in your life. He didn’t just set his affection on you and choose to love you. He made you. He imagined you. The thought of you existing brought him joy. And when you sinned, and failed, and struggled, he had already sent His one and only Son to make a way for you to be set free, cleaned up, and brought into His family that you might enjoy Him forever.

You are wonderful. You are incredible. You are so valuable. I know it because you have a heavenly Father who says so.

And so whatever your view of Father’s Day, take some time to step back and look up. Read and re-read Psalm 139 until the truth sinks in. The works of the Father are wonderful and one of those works is you. May you know His deep affection for you today.

Much love,

Simon

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

Hopefully, you are aware by now that we have been asked to find a new venue for our Sunday services, and our last service at Miramar Uniting will be on Sunday 8th, October. We have approached Miramar Central School, but their hall has work being done on it, which means it isn’t available until February next year. It could potentially be a solution next year though. Please pray over the continuing conversations with the Principal about that.

In the meantime, we are continuing to make enquiries with all the potential venues we can think of, but please do let us know if you have a helpful connection anywhere. And keep praying! We’re trusting that the Lord will come through for us like he always has done before.

Caitlin moved here from the UK to work for Tertiary Students Christian Fellowship which is an organisation that supports students to share the Gospel with fellow students and help them explore their faith. Caitlin is part of our East Leadership Team and a special part of our East Location. Check out the video to hear her update and please be praying for her as she serves the Lord in this way.

Video link

Last week, I shared a concept that is core to the New Testament and yet has been MIA in church conversation in recent years. It’s the concept of the ‘one anothers’.

In the Old Testament, Israel had 613 laws that were reinforced by many more rules and traditions to help keep the 613. However, it’s clear from the ministry of Jesus that all 613 hang on just two. Love God and love people.

Fast forward to the famous foot washing scene in the Upper Room, Jesus shows what loving people looks like in the context of the church.  “A new command I give you: love one another. “As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:34-35).

The context of this is that Judas betrayed Jesus and Peter was about to deny him. When they did what they did, they did so with clean feet, washed by the King of the universe in human flesh.

This way of love is radical. And our love for another is to be no less radical because we are to love one another AS he has loved us. This command becomes the hallmark of Christian community. The world should be able to look at the way we care for and serve one another and know that we belong to Jesus.

So how are we doing? Does the way we honor others show that we belong to Jesus? Do we serve others in a way that reflects him? Do we forgive others like we have been forgiven? I wonder what step Jesus would have you take today that we would be a church that more accurately reflects him.

As we head into a series called One Another this weekend, it’s the beginning of a journey for us. It’s a theme we will return to again and again. Loving in this way is not something we’ll ever master. But imagine if we could consistently grow. Just imagine what an incredible community we would be.

Much love,

Simon

Questions to ponder:

• What are some moments you can recall from your own life where you have felt loved by other Christians?

• What are some specific ways you sense God calling you to show love to others in the Church family?

• Is there anyone you have an unresolved issue with? Do you need to forgive someone, or ask someone to forgive you? Make a plan today to do all you can to set things right between you.

• The way the Church loves one another is meant to be a witness to the world. What do you want the world to see when they look at the Church? Does your church community currently look like a place that non-believers would be drawn to? Why/why not?

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

Over the last month, you’ll have heard about our good friend and gifted speaker, Brad Carr, coming to share his Panorama Bible Seminar on Saturday, 16th Sep. Brad will also be with us on Sunday the 17th to open the Word and teach us on the important topic of “When We Feel Inadequate”. We are so grateful to have him share his heart and understanding with us. Registrations close for Panorama on 7th Sep, so register via the APP today.

Watch a short message from Brad about what he’ll be talking about that weekend. Click here.

We want to be a church constantly learning to love one another like Jesus has loved us. This is the hallmark of Christian community. In fact, the term ‘one another’ comes up around 60 times in the New Testament so it’s an important theme we’ll continue to revisit again and again. Loving like Jesus loved us can’t be practised if church is just an event on Sunday. This has to go deeper than simply a shared faith. This can only be worked out in the intimacy, joy, and mess of real church community. In this series we begin the journey by looking at three areas that need to be informed by a sacrificial love for one another: hospitality, conflict and singleness. Join us from 27th August for this important new series.

Our missionary couple in Mexico, Rachel Duff and Nelson Carreño need to increase their financial support for the coming year. This is for a number of reasons, for instance, the exchange rate has dropped by 20% since 2019, which has had a big impact on Rachel's budget. Their living costs have increased with them now shared between 2 people, not a group of flatmates as previously. Also, all outreach expenses are covered by Rachel and Nelson themselves. Rach is involved with the Medical Ship ministries and when the ship is deployed, it costs her up to USD$20 per day for ten-day voyages.

If this is something you would like to do, either as a one-off or as regular support, get in touch with Merrie at missions@thestreet.org.nz and she can pass on the details for GC3, who manage their funds in NZ.

There’s a theme in the New Testament that we’ve neglected over the years and I’m not sure why. It’s the area of ‘one anothers’. Jesus made our sacrificial love for one another the ultimate measure of how we interact as a church community when he washed the disciples’ feet and told them to follow his example.

I don’t think he was making a rule of foot washing (although that would make Life Group interesting). Rather footwashing was the most humble and sacrificial way of serving someone else and putting their needs ahead of your own. The question that arises for us is, what ‘foot washing’ needs to be done for the people around you? As pastor and author, Andy Stanley often says, “what does love require of me?”

It’s in this light that I’ve reflected on the relationship of David and Jonathan this week. Over the years, I have found encouragement that when David was in a dark and difficult time he “found strength in the LORD his God” (1 Sam 30:6).

It’s something I’ve tried to emulate when I am in a dark and difficult time. But this week I’ve noticed something deeper. You see, it wasn’t the first time David had been distressed. Not long before, David was fleeing for his life and, “Jonathan went to David…and helped him find strength in God” (1 Sam 23:16).

Finding strength in God was something that Jonathan knew how to do and he showed David. In fact, he showed him so well that, from then on, David knew how to do it for himself. The Psalms are full of David’s songs about finding refuge with God. Could it be that the gift of this theme in the Psalms to us is the result of Jonthan’s service of David? Do we have more to thank Jonathan for than we’ve realised?

David and Jonathan’s relationship was rich and deep but we shouldn’t be surprised by this because it was a relationship forged in trials. I wonder how much richer church community will become as we seek to serve one another in and through times of distress. Who are the David’s in your world right now? Who are the followers of Jesus in your world who are struggling? How can you help them find strength in God? 

Much love,

Simon

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

The apostle Paul was a man who knew what it was like to be pushed and pulled by different circumstances and yet it was this movement that led hm to a profound conclusion:

“But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere” (2 Corinthians 2:14).

Paul knew that while he was being pushed around by circumstances, God was at work spreading the message of Jesus through his ministry. As we emerged from the most significant Covid restrictions in the early part of this year, there is a sense in which we have been pushed around. And yet our confidence is in how God has worked through the very circumstances we would never have chosen and has done so for his own purposes and glory.

It was therefore important for us to learn everything we could about the church from what we had been through. Times of trouble often lead people to turn in or shrink back and we were determined to do neither. We were concerned at how much Covid revealed a lack of depth in discipleship and in connection with one another. Rather than try to bring back everything we did pre-Covid, we felt that the future needed to be focused on the main things like a simple devotion to Jesus, a commitment to discipleship, a determination to share the Gospel more broadly, and a deepening of our service of the poor and marginalised in our city.

Covid also brought about an opportunity to progress our multi-site strategy more quickly than we could have previously imagined. The local gatherings that began as a response to vaccine passes gained traction and afforded deeper connection among people and greater accessibility to people in the local community. By the end of the year, there was a determination to keep these going alongside a great need to develop and establish strong and sustainable local leadership.

2022 was a year that we would not have designed for ourselves and it did not pass without significant challenges. Yet there is a sense that it was a year we needed because it enabled God to bring about a direction that we would not have thought possible. As he continues to build his church and use us to spread the aroma of him everywhere, may he grant us the faith to keep trusting him in the midst of uncertainty and change.

Much love,

Simon & Jenny Gill
Senior Pastors

Hopefully you’ve caught up with the news that we will lose the use of the Miramar Uniting Building after 8th October this year. We have begun to make various enquiries and don’t have anything to report so far. Please keep praying for this process that the Lord would provide the right place for the next season for us as a Location.

Thanks to those who came to St Aidan’s last Sunday evening to pray together with the other churches of our local area. It was a really precious time of prayer and worship as we united our hearts as followers of Jesus across our suburbs. Please look out for the next one of these events as we continue to strive for unity with the other churches around us.

“I completed a trip from Brisbane to Cairns on a push bike in July. It was 1903 km. The trip was a test of my gear, my physical strength, and my mental capacity to take on a much bigger trip: An overland bike tour from New Zealand to Denmark, where I grew up. The test trip was a success, so when you read this, I will be biking through Indonesia heading north through Southeast Asia.

I’m planning to go to church every Sunday if circumstances allow. I’m aware that some of the countries I will be travelling through are not as friendly towards Christians as New Zealand is. Today, 360 million Christians face persecution for their faith. Believers may be rejected, abused, imprisoned, or even killed – simply for following Jesus. If interested, there are ministries that support the persecuted church by providing Bibles, discipleship training, socio-economic development, and trauma care. They strengthen the most persecuted believers in some of the most difficult places to follow Jesus. I’m excited about the adventure ahead and all the people I’m going to meet and the stories I will get to tell.

I will be writing a blog here: https://gunillaelleholm.wixsite.com/blog. The blog will have no obvious mention of my faith, political opinions or position on women’s rights to protect those I meet on my way, and enable me to cross borders into certain countries. However, it is my hope that I may raise awareness about these things and inspire others to take on projects they didn’t think they could do. It would be great if you support me on my journey by praying for me.”