Christian Life Issue 40 November 16

NOVEMBER 2016 • Issue FORTY • www.mychristiandaily.co.nz

SOCIAL MEDIA Why you need more than podcasts and Facebook friends page 04

TRUE STORY Beauty for ashes page 06

SCHOOL SPECIAL Is Christian schooling an artifical hothouse? page 13

“Systematic reviews of these (50) studies have consistently drawn the same conclusion: media reporting of suicide can lead to imitative suicidal behaviours.… Particular subgroups in the population (e.g., young people, people suffering from depression) may be especially vulnerable to engaging in imitative suicidal behaviours.”

YOU DON’T DISCOURAGE SUICIDE BY ASSISTING SUICIDE page 08

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IN THIS ISSUE

Contents...

NOVEMBER 2016

03. What Is The Next Generation’s

Perception of Church?

04. Why You Need More Than Sermon

Podcasts and Facebook Friends

06. Beauty for Ashes 08. COVER: You Don’t Discourage Suicide

By Assisting Suicide

04

10. Mission Special: The High Cost of

08

Mission?

12. Schools Special 14. Winning Family and Friends for Christ 16. Shine TV programme guide 18. Christian Life Classifieds

12

14

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NEXT GENERATION

What Is The Next Generation’s Perception of Church?

PHIL COOKE

I

had the opportunity this year to speak at a leadership event at Ivy Church in Manchester, England. The pastor is Anthony Delaney, who’s done a brilliant job building a multi-site church in a city that’s experiencing enormous growth in business, media, and education. As a result, Ivy has a great number of Millennial members and it’s making an enormous impact. Keep in mind this is during a time when many established churches are shrinking – so much so that many denominations such as the Methodists and Church of England are looking for ways to partner

and sometimes even give some of their buildings to growing churches like Ivy. When I asked Anthony if he’d considered taking one of those magnificent buildings, he surprised me. He said “No.” He told me that while some Church of England congregations like Holy Trinity Brompton are doing remarkably strategic things, most young people in England have such a negative perception of “church,” that he’d rather launch a new campus in a bar or warehouse. They won’t come to anything that looks like a “traditional” church, but will

visit another site that seems familiar.

Think about that for a moment. The perception of “church” for this generation in the United Kingdom is so negative, that it’s often more effective to start a church in a local bar than in a traditional church building.

Anthony also pointed me to a survey the Church of England did about 15 years ago for a report called Youth A Part which asked young people what would be the nearest feeling or perception they could think of that would compare to stepping through the door of a church building they

had never been in before. The box most checked by far was that it was comparable to going into a public toilet in a strange part of town…

Anthony understands the culture in which he’s working. The question is, what will it take to turn that culture around?

Phil Cooke is a producer and media consultant to churches and ministries across the country. His latest book is “Unique: Telling Your Story in the Age of Brands and Social Media.” Find out more at www.philcooke.com

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SOCIAL MEDIA

Why You Need MORE THAN Sermon Podcasts and Facebook Friends Matt Moore

S

ocial media. Podcasts. Live Stream Video. Blogs. In the online connectedness of 2016, digital means like these are well-trodden roads of sharing, exchanging, and gathering information—even eternal information. Many Christians (like me) have hopped aboard the technological train to carry the divine truths of the gospel into this densely populated space we call the Internet.

However, some believers aren’t so keen on all this “media ministry” stuff. They are quick to criticize it because it lacks the personal interaction that real-time ministry provides. I understand and partially agree with this criticism, but I think it is both inaccurate and unfair to label media ministry an inef-

fective waste of time. Real-time preaching, teaching, and evangelism are irreplaceable vehicles of gospel delivery, but God is not so restricted that he can only minister within a few traditional modes of communication. He knew the digital age was coming before the ages even began, and there’s no doubt in my mind that he predetermined to utilize the far-reaching capabilities of technology for his redemptive purposes. I don’t believe God frowns upon new and innovative techniques of sharing his timeless truth but rather smiles on them and uses them in tremendous ways.

Some may rightly assume I have a high regard for media ministry because I spend 40-50 hours a week constructing gos-

4 | Christian Life Issue Forty November 2016

pel-related content to push out through my own online blog.

But before I ever even put my redeemed fingers to a keyboard, God was using media ministry mightily in my life. I received Christ not at an altar in a church after hearing a sermon but at the foot of my bed after watching a YouTube video. I had friends who were witnessing to me in real time, and they played a massive role in my conversion process.

Yet it was through a YouTube video that God effectively called me to faith and repentance. And since that day, the sea of gospel resources available on the Internet has been a sanctifying treasure in my life.

But as I said, I understand the critical shots fired its way. Media ministry should supplement re-

al-time ministry, not replace it— yet many are inclined to do the latter. The biggest downfall of the digital age is that it has enabled people to live (if you want to call it “living”) their lives behind a computer screen. Many Christians have fallen into this trap. Nearly the whole sum of their spiritual life is practiced in physical solitude. They don’t fellowship in a physical space with other believers because they can fellowship with their Facebook friends. They don’t share the gospel in real time because they can be Twitter evangelists. They don’t go to church on Sunday because they can catch a sermon online. This virtual breed of Christianity deceives its participants into believing they are practicing the spirituality that God desires

SOCIAL MEDIA

when, in reality, they are practicing a cheap imitation of it.

1. God commands us to physically gather together.

“Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” – Hebrews 10:24-25. Though we can stir one another up to love and good works via the internet, it is not the primary way we are instructed to do so. Online interaction is good and helpful when it is treated as a supplementary blessing.

But when it becomes our main source of spiritual-social activity, we have stepped beyond God’s good design for our lives

and are robbing ourselves of the encouragement and strength that only fellowship in real time can provide.

There are innumerable benefits of face-to-face fellowship that cannot be experienced in an online context. One of which is being deeply loved despite your flaws and quirks and character weaknesses.

Online, you ultimately control how you are perceived and how much of you is perceived. You almost always portray a version of yourself that is a whole lot prettier (in personality) than the real you, and your internet comrades do the same. It’s easy to love a person who lives a thousand miles away and only portrays their lovable qualities!

But when you regularly engage with people face-

to-face, it’s just a matter of time before people see the whole you and you see the whole them—the good, the bad, and the ugly. Sins are exposed.

2. God desires that we share the gospel in real time.

Though online evangelism can be effective to a degree, there is no space more fertile for the birth of faith than real-time, interpersonal relationships. There is always going to be an element of impersonality when you communicate the gospel through the internet or radio or articles or video—no matter how heavily your personality saturates your content. The lost recipients of your message will never be able to know you like the lost people in your immediate life can know you.

You will never be able to show them the love of Christ in the same way you can show it to those in your immediate life. Only in real-time relationships can you manifest the gospel in word and deed.

3. God wills for us to hear his word taught in real time.

Some Christians have lost sight of the fact that the proclamation of the Word over the physical gathering of believers is one of the primary means by which Christ nourishes his body. We’ve grown to merely endure the pastor’s sermon or the Sunday school teacher’s lesson rather than spiritually feeding on these nutritious means of grace. Many believers opt to listen to a sermon online in place of attending

a real-time worship service. But when Paul says, “faith comes through hearing” (Romans 10:17), and that we are to grow in Christ through continually “hearing with faith” (Galatians 3: 2-3), he is envisioning people listening to the word of God proclaimed in real-time.

I certainly believe that “hearing” encapsulates, at a secondary level, tuning into a sermon podcast or even soaking up the gospel saturated contents of an article or book.

All solid media ministry should spur us on toward a pursuit of Jesus that extends well beyond the computer screen.

Article courtesy Matt Moore. www.moorematt.org

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TRUE STORY

Above: Jaewyn at peace

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Jaewyn Major is a true survivor. She can’t change her past but she certainly makes the most of her present to make things better for others and challenge the status quo. It explains why the enemy of her soul has tried so very hard to destroy her.

Almost from conception, Jaewyn and her angels have been contending for her life, and she’s done much more than just survive, she’s come out fighting. Jaewyn has truly come back from rock bottom and now campaigns to see New Zealand’s prostitution law overturned and raise awareness of the ‘Nordic Model’ approach to prostitution.

While Jaewyn was still in her mother’s womb, her mother began to haemorrhage badly and feared the worst. The doctor confirmed that she had miscarried, only to tell her the next day that her baby had survived after all. Jaewyn was born into a dysfunctional home, and the cycle of sexual and physical abuse flowed on down to yet another generation. Her mother was emotionally shut down from her own abuse but did her best. Her father was a violent and angry man. They all lived in fear. She remembers her father putting her sisters finger on the door hinge and slamming the door on it. It was a house of horrors and the neighbours watched in silence. Jaewyn can’t remember anything before 9 years of age.

At around 10 years of age, Jaewyn’s dad gave her alcohol to drink and it became her escape hatch. She threw herself into it with all she had, began stealing to support her habit, and trading alcohol for sex while she was still at school. School was tough with the odds stacked so high against her, and she believed she was dumb. By age 14, Jaewyn was locked away in a mental institution classified as an alcoholic.

By 17 she was working in a bank and then as a nurse-aid.

She was able to buy her own alcohol. She didn’t drink every day, but when she did she drank until she was in an alcoholic blackout. At 25 Jaewyn admitted herself into the Salvation Army Rehab ‘Bridge Programme’ in Auckland as her drinking was interfering with her job at the Reserve Bank. However her motives for quitting weren’t right and she began drinking again. There were periods of sobriety but she always went back to drinking until it got so bad that she became unemployable. She was in-and-out of detox for the next ten years. One doctor declared in a report on Jaewyn, “Jaewyn will never stay sober and is a hopeless case.” She was sober at the time. She completely lost hope in herself and in her ability to change.

Jaewyn had always wanted children and when she found out once again that she was not pregnant something just snapped inside of her. She didn’t care what happened to her anymore and thought, “I may as well get paid for sex!” Jaewyn began working the red light district of K Road, Auckland and continued for nearly six years and was raped, robbed and scared. She got to know Marjory, a pastor from the Baptist Tabernacle. She remembered Marjory had told her once that she cried when she realised Jaewyn was a prostitute. Jaewyn was amazed someone would cry for her. One day in 1999 she was sitting on a seat in K Road waiting for a client when Marjory’s face came to mind – and Marjory had tears in her eyes.

Jaewyn just knew she had to talk with her. Marjory listened long and hard as she shared her terrible secrets. Jaewyn left feeling better and never prostituted again.

A few months later Marjory told Jaewyn about the Alpha course. Jaewyn had always believed in God and had tried to be a Christian several years earlier, but the drink and sex always drew her back and the spiritual stuff confused her. Four weeks after completing Alpha she gave her life to Christ in Marjory’s office. She knew Jesus was real from that moment.

It was August 11, 2000. Later that day, one of her former clients saw her walking out of the church car park and asked for her services. She told him she had just become a Christian and that Jesus was in her heart. He insisted that it was simply a commercial transaction, but she told him that Jesus loved him. He was stunned. She had just witnessed to her first person.

Jaewyn attended the now Laidlaw College for three years,

TRUE STORY

From left: The early years; Celebrating with older sister, Bobbie; Jaewyn’s graduation, Bible College NZ (now Laidlaw College)

and passed all her papers, averaging a B+ and A-. God has restored her mind. But it hasn’t been easy and she was eventually diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and underwent psychiatric treatment to resolve things that happened during her abusive childhood and years on the street.

Jaewyn speaks from experience when she says the sex industry destroys both men and women, and perpetuates the cycle of abuse. The worst thing the New Zealand government ever did was decriminalise prostitution. Many

sex workers have addiction problems. Often the desire to clean up is there, but the support is just not available when they need it because detox and rehab waiting lists are so long. She believes that if help were available when it was needed, many more people would come out of prostitution.

“Prostitution will never totally stop, but if a man knew he was going to be in trouble if caught paying for sex, I believe the demand will lessen a lot,” says Jaewyn.

The Nordic Model decriminalises those who are prostituted, provides support services to help

them exit, and makes buying people for sex a criminal offence in order to reduce the demand that drives sex trafficking.

Jaewyn hated her natural father (who has been dead for 20 years now), and has found it very hard to identify and accept God as ‘Father’. She used to want to vomit when others called Him by that name. But God is healing her and she can even call God, ‘Father’ now. God is a good, good father and has even granted her the desire of her heart to be a mother. Although she never had a child of her own, she is mother

“Prostitution will never totally stop, but if a man knew he was going to be in trouble if caught paying for sex, I believe the demand will lessen a lot,” to two young women who call her ‘Mum’, one of whom is close to delivering Jaewyn’s first grandson.

God restores. She has found that there truly is hope and power for change – in Jesus Christ who makes all things possible. Nothing is too hard for God.

Jaewyn is on Facebook, or you can leave a message for her on her church email at The Baptist Tabernacle Auckland, admin@tabernacle.org.nz

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FAMILY FIRST

YOU DON’T DISCOURAGE SUICIDE BY ASSISTING SUICIDE ‘S

uicide is a fundamental human right - one that society has no moral right to interfere with’ This is what I would classify as an objectionable and dangerous idea – that suicide is a “fundamental human right” – it’s a tweet from euthanasia advocate Dr Philip Nitschke to Family First just last month. But this is the ideology behind the push for assisted suicide / euthanasia.

In 2014 Nitschke came under fire from two Australian suicide prevention organisations, Beyond Blue and the Black Dog Institute, after his involvement in the suicide of a physically healthy 45-year-old Australian man. There was also the Wellington woman who ended her life with Nembutal, after receiving advice on how to obtain it from Dr Nitschke. She was a life-member of EXIT and was suffering from depression, but was physically fit and not suffering a terminal illness.

The Medical Board of Australia has imposed 25 strict conditions on Philip Nitschke, known as Doctor Death. The board believes he “presents a serious risk to public health and safety.”

The Inquiry currently before the politicians and the associated push for assisted suicide presents a serious risk to public health and safety.

Just last month, Chief Coroner Judge Deborah Marshall referred to NZ’s unacceptable and stubbornly high suicide rate and said that there needs to be more discussion.

But Judge Marshall said we needed more discussion about suicide prevention.

You don’t discourage suicide by assisting suicide.

Laws permitting physician-assisted suicide send a societal message that, under especially difficult circumstances, some lives are judged to be not worth living — and that suicide is a reasonable or appropriate way out of dealing with suffering.

But suicide is already a public health crisis.

Do we want to worsen this crisis?

Many people are concerned with the impact on elder suicide and youth suicide as a result of ‘normalising’ the concept of so-called ‘rational suicide’.

There is a ‘social contagion’ aspect to suicide – assisted or non-assisted.

The World Health Organization notes the scholarly research on the imitative nature of suicide: “Systematic reviews of these (50) studies have consistently drawn the same conclusion: media reporting of suicide can lead to imitative suicidal behaviours.…

Particular subgroups in the population (e.g., young people, people suffering from depression) may be especially vulnerable to engaging in imitative suicidal behaviours.”

Commenting on Brittany Maynard’s suicide which has been a cause de celebre for euthanasia advocates, social scientist Dr. Aaron Kheriaty from the University of California argues that “given what we know about suicide’s social effects, and given the media portrayal around her death, we can anticipate that her decision will influence other vulnerable individuals.”

In his article published in the Southern Medical Journal last year, he goes on to say: “(The contagion effect also known as the ‘Werther Effect’) has been replicated many times since in rigorous epidemiological studies, including research demonstrating this effect following cases of doctor-assisted suicide. Because this phenomenon is wellvalidated, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization and the U.S. surgeon general have published strict journalistic guidelines for reporting on suicides to minimize this effect. It is demoralizing to note that these guidelines were widely ignored in the reporting of recent instances of assisted suicide, with the subject’s decision to end his or her life frequently presented in the media as inspiring and even heroic.

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8 | Christian Life Issue Forty November 2016

A related phenomenon influences suicide trends in the opposite direction, however; the so-called Papageno effect suggests that coverage of people with suicidal ideation who do not attempt suicide but instead find strategies that help them to cope with adversity is associated with decreased suicide rates.”

We know this to be the case – for example – the Chilean 14-year-old Valentina Maureira, who made a YouTube video begging her government for assisted suicide. Her case illustrates the Werther and Papageno effects.

Maureira admitted that the idea to end her life began after she heard about the case of Brittany Maynard. But Maureira changed her mind after meeting another young person also suffering from the same disease, cystic fibrosis, who conveyed a message of hope and encouraged her to persevere in the face of adversity.

With our laws, we can encourage vulnerable individuals in one of these two directions: the path of Werther or the path of Papageno.

Promotion of assisted suicide is a message that will be heard not just by those with a terminal illness but also by anyone tempted to think he or she can no longer cope with their suffering – whatever the nature of that suffering.

This is the real risk to young and to vulnerable people and elderly people if NZ follows the path of promoting - and allowing assisted suicide.

Protracted discussion and the promotion of assisted suicide / euthanasia and related cases will – even unintentionally - undermine the suicide prevention message and goals in the following ways: • legalised assisted suicide can imply that the promotion of mental health and wellbeing for people in pain is futile or counterproductive, and that suicide is their best outcome • it can feed into people’s fears about dying, fears which are well dealt with through the sort of holistic care provided by palliative care • it can increase access to the means to suicide especially for those who are vulnerable because of pain or illness • it would normalise positive portrayals of suicide in the public

By receiving proper medical care, a terminally ill person can pass away peacefully, pain-free and with dignity. WE ARE NOT PEOPLE JUST WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO HELP US END OUR MISERY, BUT TO THE CONTRARY, WE ARE PEOPLE REACHING OUT TO LOVE . . . to be loved . . . wanting to feel life at its best. domain. People contemplating suicide may justify doing it based on positive stories and arguments they have heard about assisted suicide • it would ignore the possible harmful effects on families / whanau Last October, an important study was published by British scholars David Jones and David Paton demonstrating that legalising assisted suicide in other states has led to a rise in overall suicide rates — assisted and unassisted — in those states.

The paper says: “It may be that legalising PAS also provides positive role models who help normalise suicide more generally.”

You don’t discourage suicide by assisting suicide.

It is significant to note that Oregon’s rate of ‘unassisted’ suicide in the general population is 41% higher than the national average, the Netherland’s official statistics agency reported in 2013 that the suicide rate in the general population has “grown dramatically” over the past five years, with a 30% increase from 2008 to 2012.

This discussion needs to move on to focus on what New Zealanders really need and want: a focus on providing the very best palliative care and support for vulnerable people – whether

N C G’ DE E R 3 D I2 R BI N FR Y RL THA A E R TE LA

they are at the end of their life, or momentarily wishing they were at the end of their life.

Robert Salamanca wanted to commit suicide after being diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease.

This was when Jack Kevorkian was - to much media acclaim - helping people with disabilities and terminal conditions kill themselves.

Eventually, he admitted, “I came out of the fog,” so happy to be alive. Bob spent his final years watching his children grow, investing successfully online to help his family financially, and collecting art. Before he died peacefully in his sleep in 1997, Bob wrote an op/ed column for the San Francisco Chronicle titled “I Don’t Want a Choice to Die”: “[R]eporting in the media too often makes us feel like token presences, burdens who are better off dead . . . Many pro-euthanasia groups “showcase” people with ALS. They portray us as feeble, unintelligible and dying by slow suffocation. This is absolutely false, and I protest their efforts vehemently. By receiving proper medical care, a terminally ill person can pass away peacefully, pain-free and with dignity. We are not people just waiting for someone to help us end our misery, but to the contrary, we are people reaching out to love . . . to be loved . . . wanting to feel life at its

best. Too many people have accepted the presumption that an extermination of some human lives can be just… Where has our sense of community gone? True, terminal illness is frightening, but the majority of us overpower the symptoms and are great contributors to life.

The hopelessly ill may be subtly pressured to get their dying over with — not only by cost-counting providers but by family members concerned about burdensome bills, impatient for an inheritance, exhausted by care-giving or just anxious to spare a loved one further suffering. In my view, the proeuthanasia followers’ posture is a great threat to the foundation upon which all life is based, and that is hope. I exhort everyone: Life is worth living, and life is worth receiving. I know. I live it every day.”

Bob McCoskrie is the National Director of Family First NZ. Visit www.familyfirst.org.nz for more information on how you can become involved.

‘16

Ju b i l e e Re s ourc e s I n te r na ti o n a l

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MISSION SPECIAL

The High Cost of Mission?

By Jay Matenga, Director, Missions Interlink NZ

M

issions Interlink is the association of mission organisations in Aotearoa NZ. Jay leads this community, fostering collaboration towards greater involvement in mission from and within Aotearoa NZ. Jay also serves with the World Evangelical Alliance Mission Commission (WEAMC), leading the Mission Mobilization Task Force and the WEA MC Publications Program. Jay has co-authored “Mission In Motion” published by William Carey Library, October 2016.

A close Arab friend gifted to me a story from his early 20s where his passion for the gospel almost cost him his life. After distributing some

Christian tracts at university he was marked for abuse by some of his Muslim classmates. They cornered him on the street and beat him to a pulp. As he lay in the foetal position trying to shield the blows, his heart and soul cried out to God for a reprieve. He then heard a familiar voice; the voice of a friend from primary school. He drew enough strength to call that person by name and plead for help. Immediately the blows ceased and his eyes briefly caught those of his old friend. That person turned out to be the gang’s ringleader, but until that point they had not recognized each other. A halt was put on the hit, but my friend

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10 | Christian Life Issue Forty November 2016

was left bruised and bleeding in the gutter. The ringleader went on to become a senior leader in the Muslim Brotherhood, the force behind IS/ISIS/ISIL/DAESH. My friend is now leading the largest movement of evangelical missionaries from the Arab world.

Night by night, recovering from his wounds and wracked with fear, my friend begged God to explain the attack. The only answer he received was, “Will you love these people?”

Repeatedly, “Will you love these people?” My friend finally surrendered and answered, “Yes Lord, I will love them, help me to love them.” He testifies that at that very moment his crippling fear disappeared and he knew he would spend the rest of his life introducing people, especially followers of Islam, to Jesus.

The Disciple-Test “Will you love these people?” is both the call and the cost of mission, and the cost can appear high. Jesus emulated this cost as the perfect representation of the missio Dei (the mission of God). But before he showed us the “full extent of His love” (John 13:1 NIV) through humble service, even to death, Jesus established the disciple-test. The disciple-test is an assessment that Jesus used to evaluate the authenticity of those who would claim to follow Him. Only those who passed the disciple-test could be assured a place among His followers.

It is a small leap of logic to conclude that only His followers would have a place in His kingdom. This should shake our modern understanding of the path to eternal life to the core.

There are a number of places in the Gospels where Jesus challenges His followers with the disciple-test.

One of those is Luke 14:25-35. In this passage, Jesus contrasts the requirements for following Him against some of the highest priorities in the culture of His audience—family and self. To accentuate the contrast, He uses the word “hate”. “If you want to be my disciple, you must hate everyone else by comparison…” (Luke 14:26 NLT). From this passage we can see that Jesus demands nothing less than absolute loyalty to Him above everyone and everything else.

Nothing else can lay claim to our priorities, our allegiance to Jesus must be total. That is a high bar.

To illustrate the seriousness of a decision to follow Him, Jesus gives two examples, of a builder and a king. The builder has a choice: is

MISSION SPECIAL

the pursuit affordable or not?

The king is confronted with an ultimatum: how best to respond to the invader’s demands. With these examples Jesus drew a line in the sand for the crowd following Him. There is no middle ground, no room for a superficial response. If you choose to pursue, you must be willing to face the ultimatum. Like salt without its flavour, a husk of a disciple is useless to Jesus.

Implications For Mission What then distinguishes the cost of everyday discipleship from the cost of mission? Nothing. After 25 years’ dedicated involvement in cross-cultural missions and more than 10 years’ research into why people become involved in mission, I am confident that “discipleship in action” is a biblically and empirically defensible explanation of mission. Drawing on research resulting in Mission In Motion1, the book I recently co-authored, I now define mission

as, “disciples extending God’s influence (i.e. Jesus’ kingdom) in the world”.

I use the terms “mission” and “missions” deliberately. While all followers of Jesus are involved in God’s “mission”, relatively few are fully active in “missions”.

Missions are enterprises that specialise in dedicated mission activity, usually more degrees of distance (culturally, sociologically, and/or geographically) away from centres of Christian witness. Missions depend on the support of the Church on mission. The models of this symbiotic relationship morph for each new era, but the flow of support from the centre to the periphery is an ancient movement.

With reference to the disciple-test, where should we place the so-called “high cost of mission”? Is it in leaving home and hearth, whanau and whenua, to take the gospel to where it is not yet known? Is it in the distribution of what we have ac-

www.aimint.org/au Africa Inland Mission International New Zealand AIM Christian Life.indd 1

quired, out to the edges of God’s Kingdom and to those working to sustain the work out there? Or is it actually in the attitude that causes us to hold on to what we have acquired and remain where we acquired it, under the illusion that it belongs to us and we have a right to stay there? The disciple-test should disrupt such an attitude and pry our fingers off our purse and preferences. A person carrying a cross can carry nothing else lest it unnecessarily burden them. The only burden Jesus has given us is the burden that lightened my Arab friend’s load, “Will you love them?” This then is the cross we are to bear, and ironically it is easy and light (cf. Matthew 11:30, with a slight switch in metaphors).

The difference between a cost and an investment is whether or not there is a tangible return for the resources used in the activity. Correctly viewed then, there really is no cost to our following Christ, our dwelling in and serv-

PO Box 13457 Onehunga, Auckland 1643 P 09 281 4595 E admin.nz@aimint.org

ing His kingdom. The giving of our all is a meagre investment, for which the returns are huge! No wonder James insists we “count it all joy” (James 1:2 KJV), Paul encourages us to “always be full of joy” (Philippians 4:4 NLT), and Peter expects us to “rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy.” (1 Peter 1:8 NLT) Discipleship pays dividends. My brothers and sisters who live in the face of violent persecution celebrate this, and missionaries around the world minister to this end.

So consider what you have, then consider what you need (really), and consider what you are responsible to distribute, and to whom, to help extend Jesus’ kingdom in the world. Don’t be found as a husk of a disciple, Jesus has no use for that.

1 Matenga, Jay & Gold, Malcolm. Mission In Motion: Speaking Frankly of Mobilization. William Carey Library, Pasadena CA. 2016.

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SCHOOLS SPECIAL

Amana Christian School Amana is a high standard, lowcost private Christian School, teaching Ineract and the internationally recognised Accelerated Christian Education (ACE) curriculum to Years 1 to 13 (including overseas students). An associated Preschool and short-term family accommodation is available.

Phone: 03 489 2113 Address: 80-82 Gordon Road, MOSGIEL Email: amana.school@ ihug.co.nz Website: www.amana.school.nz

Ashburton Christian School We are state-integrated Year 1-10 co-educational Christian School. The board and staff seek to build children up in their knowledge of God and his grace and identify and develop children’s gifts and talents for God’s glory. We have excellent facilities situated on two hectares of rural land five minutes from the center of Ashburton.

Phone: 03 307 6340 Address: 119 Albert Street, Ashburton Website: www.acs.school.nz | Email: office@acs.school.nz

Longburn Adventist College ‘In Christ we educate, encourage and empower.’ Longburn Adventist College (LAC) is a Year 7 to 13 Christian high school with Christian family values. We provide a comprehensive programme for Years 7 to 13 within an integrated co-educational day and boarding school setting. LAC has provided Christian education in a caring environment since 1908.

Website: www.lac.school.nz Email: info@lac.school.nz Phone: 06 354 1059 Address: 100 Walkers Road, RD7, Palmerston North 4477

Middleton Grange School We are a Year 1-13 co-educational non-denominational integrated Christian School. We are known for our high quality education and as a compassionate community in which the God-given gifts and talents of pupils are nurtured and celebrated. Character, Excellence, Service for the glory of God. Phone: 03 348 9826 Email: office@middleton.school.nz Address: 30 Acacia Avenue, Riccarton, Christchurch Website: www.middleton.school.nz Pukehohe Christian School We are an independent Christian School teaching the Cambridge Curriculum to years 1 to 13. Nestled in a rural setting we offer an excellent education within a nurturing and secure environment.

Address: 82 Yates Road, Pukekohe Phone: 09 238 6449 Email: admin@pcschool.co.nz Website: www.pcschool.co.nz

Rangiora New Life School We are a multi-denominational State Integrated Christian school. We teach students Years 0-13 and in response to increasing growth the Ministry has just approved an increase up to 470 students.

Nestled on 4.8 ha in rural Rangiora we offer high quality education in a compassionate community in which God is our focus. Seek, Serve, Soar!

Phone: 03 313 6332 Email: admin@rnls.school.nz Website: www.rnls.school.nz Tasman Bay Christian School We are a modern, special character, integrated school situated in a beautiful rural location near Motueka. We seek to integrate Christian beliefs and values into every aspect of school life. Free bus transport is available from surrounding areas.

Address: 6 Williams Rd, Tasman Phone: 03 526 6855 Email: office@tasbaychristian.school.nz Website: www.tasbaychristian.school.nz

Timaru Christian School Timaru is a non-denominational Christian school catering for students in Years 0-10. Our vision is ‘Christ-centred learners with servant hearts’ as we aim to ‘Honour God in all we do’.

Phone: 03 6881422 Email: office@timaruchristian.school.nz Website: www.timaruchristian.school.nz

12 | Christian Life Issue Forty November 2016

Funding your childs education

E

ducation for every child is a modern concept. We now think of it as a right. Yet the provision and funding of education is debated around the world.

The models of funding have changed many times over the last 150 years. Historically, education for most was provided by parents. At times it has depended more on churches. More recently it has been considered a government responsibility.

However God has given to parents the primary responsibility for the nurture and care of their children. This responsibility has not changed over time. It has also not been delegated to government, the church or even teachers.

If we do believe parents have responsibilities for raising children then parents also need to have choices. They should have options of where and what their children will be taught. Christian schools give parents a choice.

Some Christians question paying school fees when they are paying taxes to fund government schools. Christian schools may even be accused of undermining the government education system and duplicating facilities. The Bible takes a different view, Where your treasure is there your heart will be also.

Luke 12:34 Jesus saw it as a natural response to give to what we believe is important. What we are willing to allocate treasure, or finances, towards demonstrates where our hearts are. If providing an education which reflects a parent’s beliefs and supports their role is considered important then they will work out ways to make it a priority.

When questioned about taxes Jesus’ reply was simple… Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s. Matthew 22:21 He taught that paying taxes did not stop an individual from doing what God wanted them to do. They were not to be considered mutually exclusive.

Parents do need to carefully consider the financial cost of education if they choose a Christian school. It will come down to setting priorities. The apostle Paul taught…

Everything is permissible - but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible - but not everything is constructive. 1 Corinthians 10:23 Paul faced choices. He felt some decisions were better than others. As a parent you face the choice of ‘which school should I send my child to?’ In our society children will learn the basics of education whichever school they attend. However not all they learn may be beneficial or constructive.

We can be thankful we do have a choice.

Like all choices we make, it is one for which we will be accountable to God. Our choices can have short-term, long-term and eternal consequences. Whatever you decide, we hope and pray that this has been helpful in your choosing a school for your child.

SCHOOLS SPECIAL

IS CHRISTIAN SCHOOLING AN ARTIFICIAL HOTHOUSE?

S

ome parents feel Christian schools place children in an artificial hothouse. They claim children are not well prepared to live in a society where most people are non-Christian.

The Bible says of Jesus… “For by Him all things were created, things in Heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” Colossians 1:16-17 We believe life is not an accident or coincidence. As Christians we understand we are created in God’s image. Any education system which ignores God and Jesus also denies the Bible’s claims of reality. In its place another view of reality is presented.

Christian parents partnering with Christian teachers can help children discover and understand the truth about the world around them. Rather than removing children from the real world Christian schools help them see it clearly. The very first sentence of the Bible is “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1 That God is the Creator is a basic belief for Christians.

What we believe about God, Jesus Christ and the origins of life do influence how we act on a daily basis. These beliefs will also have a dramatic impact on how a school conducts itself.

The beliefs of school leaders determine what priorities are set, what is important and therefore what should be measured and reported on.

Secular education believes history and the world around us can be understood without reference to God or the Bible.

By leaving these out curriculums don’t become neutral but essentially anti-God. Families are the first place children learn about the world around them. Schools then help children understand more about the world. In the early years families and schools can be likened to providing a hothouse environment for children.

Consider the purpose of a hothouse or glass house. It is to nurture plants while they are young. A hothouse provides an environment where the conditions, watering and nutrition can be better managed. The hothouse is designed to grow healthier plants faster. When removed from the hothouse these plants are better able to thrive in all environments.

In the home parents can help control what is taught, how much and by whom. The home and family life gives a child a framework of reality. Parents naturally want to protect, nurture, feed and strengthen their children. Over time parents expose their children to more age appropriate ideas and experiences. In the same way Christian schools seek to work with parents as an extension of the family home. Rather than providing a different, or even inconsistent, environment Christian schools aim to reinforce what is taught at home. It is up to parents to decide which hothouse environment they desire for their children outside of the home. Do we believe this is God’s world? If so a supportive hothouse environment where God and Jesus Christ are seen as relevant to daily life can help prepare a child for the realities of life “We will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of His body, the church.” Ephesians 4:15

Secular education believes history and the world around us can be understood without reference to God or the Bible. By leaving these out curriculums don’t become neutral but essentially anti-God.

This article was provided by www.WhyChristianSchools.com.au.

Hear parents and teachers answer common questions about Christian education.

Middleton Grange School Character, Excellence, Service for the Glory of God

We are known for our quality education as a compassionate community in which the God-given gifts and talents of pupils are nurtured and celebrated

Primary School : Years 1-6

Places available particularly at Years 1 and 4

Middle School : Years 7-10

Places available particularly at Years 7 and 9

Senior College : Years 11-13

Places available particularly at Years 11-13

A Year 1-13 non-denominational co-educational Christian School High quality affordable Christian education in a State Integrated School setting Highly qualified teachers who are committed Christians High expectations for academic achievement and behaviour New Zealand Curriculum delivered from a Biblical perspective Strong partnership and shared vision between home and school for God’s calling on the life of the child Christian values modelled and encouraged

office@middleton.school.nz +64 3 348 9826

www.middleton.school.nz

30 Acacia Ave, Riccarton Christchurch, New Zealand

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Winning family and friends for Christ

BY TAK BHANA Who do you think would be the best person to win your family members and friends to God? Maybe a powerful evangelist like Billy Graham or Reinhard Bonnke, or perhaps an apologist like Dr Steve Kumar who could demolish the arguments of the most radical Hindu or Muslim! There must be somebody out there who can reach the people in our “too hard basket”.

There is somebody who is uniquely equipped to reach your

friends, neighbours, workmates, and relatives, and it’s you! This might look like the hardest mission field in the world, but would God ask us to fight for these ones if our efforts were doomed to fail?

Surveys show that we have the greatest success in evangelising those closest to us, and a whopping 80% of people come to church because of the influence of family and friends. My guess is the same would have been true for the ear-

29 November, 6pm-9.30pm Book now!

14 | Christian Life Issue Forty November 2016

ly church, which began with a handful of disciples in the A.D. 30s and grew to over half a million by the turn of the century. It grew as ordinary believers “gossiped the gospel”, and lived out their faith in the workplace, and in their day-to-day encounters with others. When Jesus said, “go and make disciples”, effectively he was saying, as you go about your normal lives “make disciples”.

How can we do this?

Reach out in love Someone coined the term, “bridges to God”. The idea is that we bridge the gap between our unbelieving friends and God. Too often when we become Christians we withdraw and rather than a bridge we become a barrier. I was guilty of this when I got saved. I suddenly withdrew from my unsaved friends, but if I knew then what I know now I would have tried to be a bridge instead of whipping the bridge out from under them and leaving a gaping chasm in its place. If we want to reach family and friends it’s very important that we connect, show love, take an interest, and generally be a real friend to them.

The Bible gives an agricultural picture of evangelism, sowing the good seed of God’s word, and in time reaping a harvest of souls. From this perspective evangelism is a process, often long, rather than a one off event. We need

to be patient and committed to the relationship, like a farmer is with his crops. Here’s the key, our friendship and acts of love and kindness are the all-important work of preparing the soil to receive the seed.

Pray for God to send labourers into your harvest field Matthew 9:37-38 Family and friends are our responsibility, but God invites us to ask Him to send reinforcements who can play a vital part in their salvation.

I prayed fervently for my mum to be saved, and shared with her at times, but I’d never been able to win her to the Lord. So I was devastated when she suddenly had a stroke and was unconscious, near death, and as far as I knew, not saved. Then a cousin told me how just one week earlier he’d shown her the “Jesus movie” in her language and led her to the Lord.

Words couldn’t describe the relief and gratitude I felt at that moment.

Pray against the spirit of blindness We see in 2 Corinthians 4:4 that Satan has blinded the minds of people so they can’t believe. In prayer we can take authority over this spiritual blindness and set people free.

Pray that God will give us His concern for lost souls going to hell The great evangelist, D. L. Moody, said the secret to his

CHRISTIAN LIVING

Bind strongholds in the lives of our unsaved family and friends A stronghold can be a stranglehold of the enemy in the life of an unbeliever, which he uses to prevent them from coming to Christ.

success with winning souls was to, “see people going to hell without Jesus, and until you see people like that you will never ever lead them to Christ.”

Bind the spirit of pride It was Satan’s pride that ultimately caused him to be cast out of heaven and I suspect the rejection of Jesus and the gospel is often rooted in pride. 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 Bind strongholds in the lives of our unsaved family and friends A stronghold can be a stranglehold of the enemy in the life of an unbeliever, which he uses to prevent them from coming to Christ.

But God has given us weapons to demolish these strongholds and to set the prisoners free.

Exercise faith When we pray we must expect answers. Mark 11:4 Faith is the greatest key to effective prayer.

Persist in prayer Jesus consistently taught that we need to persist in prayer, as we see in the stories of the “friend at midnight” and “the unjust judge”. James 5:16 Passionate and persistent prayer is what secures the answer. If we add fasting to that we have a powerful tool that can smash down every obstacle of the enemy.

We must take our responsibility to reach family and friends seriously One very good reason we can’t leave the salvation of family and

friends to others is that they don’t care like we do. We need to see ourselves as called to be God’s appointed missionary to reconcile our family, our street, and our workplace to God. 2 Corinthians 5:18.

A business headhunter reached the point in an interview when he asked, “what’s the purpose of your life Bob? He was speechless when Bob answered, “to go to heaven and take as many people with me as I can””.

Let’s make that our aim too.

But we must seal the deal. As well as loving and praying for the unsaved we must also communicate the gospel. The authors of, “Going public with your faith” say, “it’s of paramount importance that every Christian knows how to clearly present the basic

facts of the gospel and to encourage all who hear them to make a definite personal response to them, and so be born again”.

God’s primary method of evangelism has always been person to person, let’s do it!

Tak Bhana is the Senior Pastor of Church Unlimited. He has a radio and television program called Running with Fire, which broadcasts in New Zealand and other nations. His church also produces a magazine with the same name which is distributed in 70 countries, and he has written a book titled “Wired for the Supernatural”.

Jesus, the reason for the season A gift from the Father in Heaven for all on earth A great way to celebrate Christmas to is to give a gift honouring Christ.

There is a great range to be found in these participating Christian Resource Shops

WARKWORTH Heartbeat Christian Store 60 Queen St P. 09 425 9559 AUCKLAND Adventist Book Centre 743 Gt Sth Rd Manukau City P. 09 262 5643 adventistbooks.org.nz Bamboo Resource Centre 591 Dominion Rd Balmoral P. 09 630 5997 bamboo.co.nz Children’s Bible Ministries 9 Walters Rd, Mt Eden P. 09 630 5271 shop.cbm.org.nz Christian Resource Centre P. 09 377 4059 christianresources.co.nz Church of Christ Bookshop 361 Mt Albert Rd P. 09 620 5008 books.ccnz.org.nz

Church Stores NZ 8 Robert St, Ellerslie P. 09 525 1380 churchstores.co.nz Family Life Catholic Gifts 569 Richardson Rd, Mt Albert P. 09 629 0820 catholicgifts.co.nz St Joseph’s Centre Gifts 1 Fred Thomas Drive Takapuna P. 09 489 5613 Ext 2 stjosephscentre.co.nz THAMES Thames Christian Bookshop 732 Pollen St P. 07 868 9115 HAMILTON Living Word Bookcentre 634 Victoria St P. 07 839 5607 livingword.net.nz

TAURANGA Sonshine Bookcentre 84 First Ave P. 07 578 8477 sonshine.co.nz Sunrise Books Shop 16 Cherrywood Court P. 07 576 1092 ROTORUA Sonshine Bookcentre 1129 Eruera St P. 07 349 1661 sonshine.co.nz NEW PLYMOUTH Good News Centre 581 Devon St East P. 06 758 4912 LEVIN Beacon Christian Book Shop 198A Oxford St P. 06 368 7683

CHRISTCHURCH Catholic Shop 373 Manchester St Christchurch P. 03 366 2853

OAMARU North Otago Christian Bookstore 27 Thames St P. 03 434 9025

Christian Superstore 370 Colombo St, Sydenham P. 03 366 1917 Toll Free 0800 88 88 99 christiansuperstore.co.nz

DUNEDIN Catholic Centre Shop Moran Building 8 The Octagon P. 03 477 6342

Epic Christian Books & Gifts 1091 Ferry Rd, Ferrymead P. 03 352 9568 epicbooks.co.nz New Millennium Books 22 Grampian St, Casebrook P. 03 359 1310 newmillenniumbooks.co.nz

MOSGIEL Mosgiel Christian Bookshop 137 Gordon Rd P. 03 489 4953 FIJI Cascade Bookshop 8 Sterling Place, Lami P. 0067 9330 5565

TIMARU Christian Superstore 102 Stafford St P. 03 688 3431 christiansuperstore.co.nz

Subscribe to receive your daily Christian news at www.mychristiandaily.co.nz | 15

PROGRAMME GUIDE

Join us to celebrate the launch of Shine on Freeview HD (Channel 25) Thursday 1st Dec at 8pm

December 2016

Details correct at time of printing.

For up-to-date 24-hour listings and programme information go to shinetv.co.nz

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

Living Truth: Charles Price

P

In Touch: Charles Stanley

Living Truth: Charles Price

Turning Point: Dr David Jeremiah

Lakewood Church: Joel Osteen

P

Hour of Power: Robert Schuller

P

8:00

Harvest TV Rotorua: Dave and Jill Moore

8:30

5:00 6:00

P

P

P

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

Lakewood Church: Joel Osteen

Hour of Power: Robert Schuller

P

Kingdom Connection: Jentezen Franklin

P

5:00

P

Larry Boy

C

6:00

P

Quick Study with Ron Hembree (Mon-Fri) P

Leading the Way: Michael Youssef

P

Kingdom Connection: Jentezen Franklin

P

Derek Prince

P

Harvest TV Rotorua: Dave and Jill Moore

P

Superbook

C

6:30

AND Blello.tv

Zip & Mac

C

Torchlighters

C

Superbook

C

Larry Boy

C

Paul the Little Missionary

C

3-2-1 Penguins!

C

7:00

Veggie Tales

C

Friends and Heroes

C

Veggie Tales

C

Veggie Tales

C

Superbook

C

Veggie Tales

C

7:30

P

Theo: Teaching God’s Word

C

Larry Boy

C

Zip & Mac

C

Fifty the Tractor

C

From Aardvark to Zucchini

C

The Lads TV

C

8:00

Running with Fire: Tak Bhana

P

Impact for Life: Peter & Bev Mortlock

P

Word For You: Terry & Jayne Calkin

P

LIFE TV: Paul de Jong

P

Running with Fire: Tak Bhana

P

Life Questions: Jeff Vines

P

Fifty the Tractor

C

8:30

In Touch: Charles Stanley

P

Paul, Little Missionary

C

9:00

P

P

Hillsong Kids

C

9:30

Word For You: Terry & Jayne Calkin

P

Songs of Praise

M

Turning Point: Dr David Jeremiah

P

Noon

LIFE TV: Paul de Jong

P

Precious Memories

M

12:30

Monumental

D

Creation Magazine Live

D

13:00

The Restoration Road

D

13:30

Give Me An Answer

D

6:30 7:00 7:30

9:00 9:30 10:00 10:30 11:00 11:30

14:00 14:30 15:00 15:30 16:00 16:30 17:00 17:30 18:00 18:30

SERIES

FEATURE:

See adjacent or go to shinetv.co.nz for more detail

P

Turning Point: Dr David Jeremiah

P

Colour in Your Life

P

Colour in Your Life

D

The Exchange

D

Leon Fontaine

M

19:30

Songs of Praise

M

20:00

FEATURE:

See adjacent or go to shinetv.co.nz for more detail

See adjacent or go to shinetv.co.nz for more detail

P

Leading the Way: Michael Youssef

Brian Houston @ Hillsong TV

P

Enjoying Everyday Life with Joyce Meyer (Mon-Fri)

P

See adjacent or go to shinetv.co.nz for more detail

LivingTruth: Charles Price

P

Christian World News

N

Masterstroke

D

SERIES

Footprints of Hope, Faces of NZ SERIES

See adjacent or go to shinetv.co.nz for more detail

Life FM Presents

Y 10:30

11:00

Studio 5 SERIES

D 11:30

Noon

D

12:30

FEATURE:

See adjacent or go to shinetv.co.nz for more detail

FEATURE:

10:00

N

D

SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED Special feature movies

FEATURE:

Answers with Bayless Conley

Full Circle (Mon-Fri)

FEATURE:

FEATURE:

FEATURE:

13:00

See adjacent or go to shinetv.co.nz for more detail

See adjacent or go to shinetv.co.nz for more detail

13:30 14:00 14:30

P

Turning Point: Dr David Jeremiah

P

Lakewood Church: Joel Osteen

Hour of Power: Robert Schuller

P

15:00

P

15:30

Veggie Tales

C

Friends and Heroes

C

Veggie Tales

C

Veggie Tales

C

Superbook

C

Leading the Way: Michael Youssef

Theo: Teaching God’s Word

C

Larry Boy

C

Zip & Mac

C

Fifty the Tractor

C

From Aardvark to Zucchini

C

Colour in Your Life

P 16:30

Rhema Worship (Mon-Fri)

M

Studio 5 SERIES

D 17:00

Full Circle (Mon-Fri)

D

Creation Magazine Live

D 17:30

The 700 Club (Mon-Fri)

N

Lakewood Church: Joel Osteen

Impact for Life: Peter & Bev Mortlock

P

FEATURE:

See adjacent or go to shinetv.co.nz for more detail

Word For You: Terry & Jayne Calkin

P

Christian World News

N

Masterstroke

D

SERIES

SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED Special feature movies

21:30

P

The 700 Club (Tue-Fri)

D

Precious Memories

21:00

Bobby Schuller

D

19:00

20:30

Destined to Reign with Joseph Prince (Mon-Fri)

In Touch: Charles Stanley

Living Truth: Charles Price

Joni & Friends

Unlocking the Bible: David Pawson

LIFE TV: Paul de Jong

P

Footprints of Hope, Faces of NZ SERIES

Studio 5 SERIES

D

For the Lost

D

SERIES

FEATURE:

The Catholic Guy

P

Enjoying Everyday Life with Joyce Meyer (Mon-Fri)

P

23:30

The Exchange

D

Destined to Reign with Joseph Prince (Mon-Fri)

P

Midnight

Harvest TV Rotorua: Dave & Jill Moore

P

00:30am

Precious Memories

M

1 am

Songs of Praise

M

1:30am

Colour in Your Life

D

P

P

The Catholic Guy: Bruce Downs

P

Derek Prince

Hillsong TV

Global P Leadership Summit

23:00

Leading the Way: Michael Youssef

Give Me An Answer

P

P

Harvest TV Rotorua: Dave & Jill Moore

Quick Study with Ron Hembree (Mon-Fri) In Touch: Charles Stanley

P

2 am

Living Truth: Charles Price

P

Turning Point: Dr David Jeremiah

P

our house. We don’t have to turn it off because the kids are around. Keep it up Shine.”

P

Hour of Power: Robert Schuller

D 21:00

D

Preaching

N News

C Children

D 22:30 E

P

LIFE TV: Paul de Jong

P

P

Creation Magazine Live

P

Lakewood Church: Joel Osteen

E

M Music

Entertainment

21:30 22:00

23:00 23:30 Midnight

D 00:30am P M

P

shineplus.co.nz

20:00

The Mark Gungor Show

Overnight until 4:30am - Rhema Worship (Sun-Sat)

A Shine viewer says... “We all love Shine in

16 | Christian Life Issue Forty November 2016

Lakewood Church: Joel Osteen

19:30

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18:30 19:00

See adjacent or go to shinetv.co.nz for more detail

The Revolutionary Life

See adjacent or go to shinetv.co.nz for more detail

Your Best Life

Unlocking the Bible: David Pawson

Bayless Conley

18:00

20:30

Join us for the LAUNCH OF SHINE ON FREEVIEW HD 1st DEC 8-9pm P

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FAMILY FEATURE:

22:30

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Leon Fontaine

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Bobby Schuller

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See adjacent or go to shinetv.co.nz for more detail

See adjacent or go to shinetv.co.nz for more detail

FEATURE:

Life Questions: Jeff Vines

FEATURE:

FEATURE:

See adjacent or go to shinetv.co.nz for more detail

Running with Fire: Tak Bhana

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1 am 1:30am

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SH IN E FEA TURES December 2016

FOR CHRISTMAS

Mon 19 Dec 8.30pm

Join us to celebrate the launch of Shine on Freeview HD* (Channel 25)

Thu 1st Dec at 8pm * By launching on Freeview HD, it will enable people in 500,000 more homes across New Zealand to access Shine

Black Beauty Sat 3 Dec at 7pm

The Heart of Christmas Tue 13 at 8.30pm

The Christmas Candle Sun 25 Dec at 8.05pm

Like Dandelion Dust (2011) (105 min) The Porters fight to regain custody of Joey, the young son they gave up for adoption when Rip went to prison.

Sun 4 @ 8.05pm; Mon 5 @ 1pm

Christmas Grace (2013) (90 min) Two rival toy store owners compete for business over many Christmas seasons.

God is at work in the lives of both men.

Wed 14 @ 8.30pm; Thu 15 @ 1pm

Snowmen (2011) (90 min) A heartfelt coming-of-age story about three unlikely heroes and the winter that changed their lives forever.

Wed 21 @ 8.30pm; Thu 22 @ 1pm

Touchable (2016) (30 min) Aaron Ironside travels to India to ON MONDAYS IN DECEMBER... see the work of the Leprosy Mission.

4 TV movies featuring your much loved Tue 6 @ 8.30pm; Wed 7 @ 1pm post office detectives, the Postables.

Flux: A Journey of Constant Change Signed, Sealed, Delivered (2012) (60 min) From Paris with Love (2015) Meet a gathering of surfers aged from Mon 5 @ 8.30pm; Tue 6 @ 1pm 12-60 from different backgrounds, situations in life and heritage.

Signed, Sealed, Delivered Wed 7 @ 7.30pm; Thu 8 @ 12pm Truth Be Told (2015)

By God’s Grace (2014) (90 min) When tragedy strikes on Christmas Eve, Chris leaves his family to lead a lonely and empty life.

Thu 15 @ 8.30pm; Fri 16 @ 1pm

The Spirit of Christmas (2014) (90 min) Join Kevin Pauls as he hosts The Spirit of Christmas with many music artists, including legendary artist Steve Archer.

Thu 22 @ 8.30pm; Fri 23 @ 1pm

The Christmas Candle (2013) (100 min) Each year in Gladbury, an angel gives a miracle to whoever lights the Christmas Candle. Then the candle goes missing.

Fri 16 @ 8.30pm; Sat 17 @ 12pm Christmas Day @ 8.05pm

Silent Night (2013) (95 min) The true story behind the most popular Christmas carol of all time, Silent Night.

Fri 23 @ 8.30pm; Sat 24 @ 12pm

The Christmas Experience (2012) (90 min) Kyle Idleman on how God chose each person in the Christmas story.

Tue 20 @ 8.30pm; Wed 21 @ 1pm Christmas Day @ 9.45pm

Details up to date at time of printing.

Channel 25

Mon 12 @ 8.30pm; Tue 13 @ 1pm Signed, Sealed, Delivered For Christmas (2014) Mon 19 @ 8.30pm; Tue 20 @ 1pm Signed, Sealed, Delivered The Impossible Dream (2015) Mon 26 @ 8.30pm; Tue 27 @ 1pm

Live Launch! Shine on Freeview HD Join us in celebrating a very special occasion in the history of Shine. The evening includes entertainment by a number of talented Kiwi artists, plus interviews with friends of Shine.

Thu 1 @ 8pm Amazing Grace (2006) (120 min) A rising star in 18th Century politics, William Wilberforce takes on the world’s most powerful men in his campaign against the horrors of the slave trade.

Thu 1 @ 9pm; Fri 2 @ 12.30pm Ragamuffin (2013) (135 min) Rich Mullins, musical prodigy, rose to Christian music fame, only to walk away to live on a Navajo reservation.

Fri 2 @ 8.30pm; Sat 3 @ 12pm Lead with Your Heart (2015) (90 min) Ben and Maura must make the right decision for their family, to make this next chapter in their lives a happy one.

Sat 3 @ 2pm Black Beauty (2015) (90 min) A 15 year-old girl convinces her grandfather to adopt a horse rescued from an abusive owner.

Sat 3 @ 7pm; Sun 4 @ 2pm; Sat 24 @ 2pm

From the Rough (2013) (90 min) Catana Starks was the first woman to coach a collegiate men’s golf team and lead them to a winning season.

Wed 7 @ 8.30pm; Thu 8 @ 1pm Beyond Sight (2014) (90 min) Derek Rabelo was born blind. Seventeen years later he decided that despite his blindness he wanted to surf.

Thu 8 @ 8pm; Fri 9 @ 12.30pm Seven Days in Utopia (2011) (100 min) After a disastrous pro circuit debut, a golfer finds himself stranded in Utopia, welcomed by an eccentric rancher.

Fri 9 @ 8.30pm; Sat 10 @ 12pm Wish You Well (2013) (100 min) A tragic accident forces Louisa Mae and her brother to move from New York to live with their great grandmother.

Sat 10 @ 7pm; Sun 11 @ 2pm; Sat 31 @ 2pm The Climb (2002) (100 min) No amount of training can prepare two climbers for how they will be tested climbing the Chilean Andes.

Sun 11 @ 8.05pm; Mon 12 @ 1pm The Heart of Christmas (2012) (90 min) The Locke family is devastated to learn their son has leukemia. The community gathers around for one last Christmas.

Tue 13 @ 8.30pm; Wed 14 @ 1pm Sat 24 @ 8.30pm

To watch Shine

Freeview 25 Sky 201 or online at shinetv.co.nz

Silver Bells (2013) (90 min) Bruce is sentenced to community service, collecting for the Salvation Army.

Puppy Love (2012) (90 min) Will Ben’s puppy playdates keep him a Will ringing a bell transform his life? proud bachelor, or will he realise that Sat 24 @ 7pm his canine friend is leading him to love?

Vivaldi’s Gloria (30 min) Sat 17 @ 2pm Traditional worship music from Auckland’s Holy Trinity Cathedral.

Paper Angels (2014) (90 min) An abused wife moves her children to Christmas Day @ 7pm another town. There their lives become entwined with another family in trouble. Waiting for Baby Noel (2015) (50 min) New Zealander Jared Noel is awaiting Sat 17 @ 7pm; Sun 18 @ 2pm the arrival of a daughter. He could be like any father-to-be, but there’s one The Nutcracker (2012) (72 min) This timeless ballet showcases the big difference. Jared is dying.

National Ballet of Cuba and features Mon 26 @ 7.30pm; Tue 27 @ 12pm the Canadian Ballet Youth Ensemble.

Moving On (2012) (85 min) Sun 18 @ 8.05pm; Mon 19 @ 1pm An American couple is moved by the war plaguing Uganda. The course of Journey to Christmas (2011) (45 min) Follow the journey of five diverse their lives changes forever. people experiencing the Holy Land Wed 27 @ 8pm; Thu 28 @ 12.30pm for the first time. Their goal? To see if there is more to Christmas than what NEW YEAR’S EVE Movie Marathon 7pm we typically experience in the West. Jimmy Unshakeable 8.40pm Mon 19 @ 7.30pm; Tue 20 @ 12pm Like A Country Song 10.20pm Tue 20 @ 7.30pm; Wed 21 @ 12pm Wed 21 @ 7.30pm; Thu 22 @ 12pm Visit shinetv.co.nz for more detail.

Thu 22 @ 7.30pm; Fri 23 @ 12pm

For a full and up-to-date 24-hour programme of the Christmas schedule go to shinetv.co.nz

shinetv.co.nz twitter.com/shinetv facebook.com/shinetv.nz

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Classifieds...

brought to you by My Christian Daily Jobs www.mychristiandaily.com/jobs P O S I T I O N S VA C A N T

Administrator Girls’ Brigade requires an administrator in our office on Auckland’s North Shore.

The role of the administrator is a servant type role of which the duties of the position are varied; they include administration inclusive of data entry, telephone answering, and dealing with our members.

Must be a team player, have good communication skills, be proficient in MS Word, Excel, Publisher, Powerpoint and Access.

Please send your CV in an envelope marked confidential to: Adminstrator, PO Box 100893, North Shore, Auckland 0745

St Georges Papatoetoe

Keyboardist or Lead Guitarist St George’s Anglican Church, Papatoetoe is looking for a competent keyboardist or lead guitarist to assist with the leading of our music group.

Initially this person would work on a voluntary basis with our current music director with view of taking over this role in the near future. At this point (subject to negotiation) it could become a paid position.

For further information contact Tracy tbrichardson@xtra.co.nz 021 230 5726

Full time

YOUTH PASTOR

for 11-18 year olds

This is a youth pastoral position in the Church that provides leadership to youth in order to develop their full personal faith in God, expand the group and plan activities.

You will be: • Called to nurture youth • Someone with previous experience in working with youth • An effective leader who inspires others • Committed to reaching pre-Christian youth • Someone who relates well to youth and parents • A NZ resident or hold a NZ work permit • Fluent in the English language For a full Position Description please email office@orewabaptist.org.nz Applications to be submitted to Earle at doddhome@xtra.co.nz by 21-11-16 at the latest

EVENTS

Orama is a dynamic Christian community based on Great Barrier Island, with a vibrant history of restoring and equipping people for life’s journey. Every year more than 3,000 visitors come to enjoy a holiday adventure, spiritual retreat or training school at Orama

Ph: 09 429 0063 Email:info@orama.org.nz www.orama.org.nz 31st March—2nd April 2017

A weekend camp for families who have a child with a disability

New Years Camp Queenstown

For more information Phone: 09 636 4763 Email: familycamp@elevatecdt.org.nz Facebook: www.facebook.com/emmanuelfamilycamp/

Lakeland Park Christian Camp

From Thursday, December 29, 2016 to Monday January 2, 2017 Speaker: Craig Ashby < Detour: The Journey of Joseph >

Life doesn’t always make sense.

Challenges and changes often lead to disappointment and confusion. Yet despite our difficulties, God seems to work out His plan in the most unexpected ways.

For more info and to register visit: newyearscampqueenstown.weebly.com

18 | Christian Life Issue Forty November 2016

A ministry of Elevate Christian Disability Trust

FIND A CHRISTIAN BUSINESS

FOR ALL YOUR A U D I O V I SFOR U ALL A YOUR L N E VISUAL E D NEEDS S AUDIO P h o t o s a n d S l i d e s s c a n Photos n e d and t o Slides P h oscanned t o F to i l Photo e s aFiles n dand D DVD VD • A u d i o C a s s e t t e Ta p e s Audio a n dCassette V i n Tapes y l Rand e cVinyl o r dRecords s t o toCCD D • 8 m m & 1 6 m m F i l m a8mm n d &V16mm i d e oFilmTa p Video e s tTapes o DtoVDVD D • and V i d e o g r a p h y a n d Videography P h o t o g and r a pPhotography hy Phone 0800 324 538

PHONE: 0800 324 538 www.EagleTV.co.nz w w w . E a g l e T V. c o . n z

Classifieds...

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FIND A CHRISTIAN BUSINESS

RESOURCES Peter Snell Youth Village is situated on 27 acres of native bush and parkland about 45 minutes north of Downtown Auckland. With amazing sea and island views towards Waiwera and the Mahurangi.

In recent years the facilities have been updated to meet the needs and comfort of the many school and community groups that take advantage of this beautiful site. Excellent catering and friendly hosts enable guests to focus entirely on getting the most out of their stay.

Onsite activities include an initiative course, burma trail, horizontal bungy, water slide and trampolines, as well as an abseiling tower. Kayaking and sailing is also available but needs to be booked with an outside provider. The beach track gives access to a rocky shore as well as a sandy beach for beach games and swimming if desired.

www.psyv.org.nz

GAY AND HURTING?

Feeling rejected?

Author Dennis R. McLeod understands that feeling. He shares in Small Beginnings how our lives can be turned around and fulfilled if we stop and listen to what God has planned for us.

“... you have given me encouragement to stand against the humanist and new age stuff I see creeping in” Clair - Norway “... I found it difficult to put down... I wanted it to keep going!” Merlin - Texas

ORDER NOW $25 INC P&P

email dpmcleod2@icloud.com or your visit your local Christian bookstore

Expressions of interest.

Veronica’s Place Charitable Trust Central Hawke’s Bay A wonderful facility, used over the last five years to serve young mothers and children, awaits a new vision. Our trustees are eager to hear from individuals or groups that the Lord is calling to serve the vulnerable in the Hawke’s Bay through a ministry based on the love of Christ.

For more information please email: admin@veronicasplace.org.nz

If this is your experience, take heart.

Over the last 50 years many people in similar life-walks to your own have been helped while participating in totally confidential Christian support groups. Exodus Ministries has such groups operating in several centres in N.Z. This support has resulted in a majority of participants being helped in personal growth away from samesex-attraction struggles and gay porn attraction.While the rate of growth varies, for a significant number it has been such that they have married and raised families.

Exodus Ministries Ph: 09 268 0346 exodusnz@maxnet.co.nz PO Box 175, Takinini, 2245

Evangelism Extreme OAC’s Annual School of Evangelism for expert equipping in evangelism

7 - 24 February in Christchurch

and three weekends elsewhere Email: jem@oac.org.nz

BOOKS ON A MiSSiON TO KiDS

* BUiLDING FAiTH AND CONFiDENCE High-octane : rip-roaring : faith filled : Kiwi Kids stories for children 7—14yrs “great story couldn't put it down ...gripping adventures keeping you on the edge of your seat. “My grandson is a different boy since he read your book.. Thank you.”

From your local Christian Bookstore … or

www.kiwibooks.org Phone: (07) 560-3465

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Online Evangelism Course Diploma of Ministry in Evangelism < 2 year programme Commencing 24th February 2017 > The College of Evangelism is an interdenominational facility training pastors, evangelists, elders, and leaders.

You will be encouraged to enter ministry with the desire and ability to lead so that evangelism takes its rightful place in the church of the future.

First Year Course involves:

• Weekly webinar (interactive in real time or downloaded) • Three 4-day block courses

WHO ARE WE? College of Evangelism is a network of ministries and church leaders including OAC Ministries, Assist ministries, various pastors and leaders. The advisory team and lecturing teams include senior leaders and Bible teachers from the Christian Community in New Zealand, USA and South Africa.

• Mentor meetings fortnightly • Reading and assignments

Course includes: Mission in Old and New Testaments, the Gospel in Romans, Galatians and Ephesians, Apologetics, Cults, Religions and the Occult, Bible Interpretation, Becoming a great preacher, personal evangelism, children’s evangelism, cross-cultural evangelism, being an effective evangelistic pastor and more.

W H AT D O I D O ?

Write to College of Evangelism PO Box 848, Nelson 7040 or email JJ.assist@slingshot.co.nz or phone 03 547 2566 or 027 446 7735 Cost is $1,250 per year (incl. lectures, accommodation and tuition for block courses) Applications are now being received.