SOWERS INTERNATIONAL New Zealand
New Zealand
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Recently I was challenged by a message from Andy Stanley based on the words of Jesus in Matthew 16:18, "I will build my church and the gates of Hades will not overcome it."
When Jesus uttered those words, how much did the disciples understand? Did they know what this "gathering" or "assembly" of Christ followers would or could look like? And when Jesus commissioned them to go "and make disciples of all nations" after telling them that they would be His witnesses "to the ends of the earth", again, how much did they understand? After all, how good was their geography? Where was the end of the earth in their thinking? You can be sure that New Zealand wasn't on their minds.
The site was no different to dozens of others I have seen, a dusty street with a fruit vendor sitting behind her rickety table and a couple of mangy dogs sunning themselves. The open air started slowly, too slowly for my liking but soon a crowd gathered around and it progressed from the introductory sketch to the drama, testimony to the message. A few of the 50 or so listeners made their exit at this point but other passersby stopped to see what was happening.
Here in NZ, we don’t like people who blow their own trumpets. They are full of themselves and often are quite loud people who tend to rub us up the wrong way.
In Ezekiel 33 God presented to Israel the concept of a watchman - someone who would warn them of approaching danger. A trumpet blower. Failure to act quickly would have resulted in tragic consequences for the people and God was holding the watchmen accountable.
A few weeks ago I preached in our home church. It was a challenging message but it is hard to work through the book of James and not be challenged. Four people responded including one person who had been resisting the Lord for more than ten years. God is still in the business of transforming lives and He still calls us to go out with His message of love and reconciliation.
Outdoor evangelism continues to be a great way of bringing many into the Kingdom in developing countries. While this method does not work so effectively here, NZ still has a strategic role to play in world missions and I am inviting you to join with us.
A whirlwind trip to Africa felt like "something out of the book of Acts"says Murray S, SOWERS' Partnership Coordinator. Here he writes about his amazing African adventures.
"Would you please allow us the privilege of taking the gospel to the people in this region?" asked Saidi as he swept his hand over a map of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, outlining an area roughly twice the size of New Zealand.