THE CALL Event Handbook 2013 by Promise Keepers New Zealand

EVENT HANDBOOK 2013 Name:

journey, however, the decisions we make after that determine our spiritual destination and destiny. This Event has been nearly a year in Ph: 09 627 0101 | Fx: 09 627 3526 PO Box 163083, Lynfield, Auckland 1443, NZ pk@promisekeepers.org.nz | www.promisekeepers org.nz

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Jesus loves us so much that He doesn’t want to leave us where we are. Jesus came and promised life and that life abundantly. Are you living it? Every promise has its conditions so what is the catch? What do I need to have an abundant life? Jesus. When He was on the Earth, Jesus preached repentance. Repentance is when we confess the things we have done wrong and turn from them to God, whether it is things we have done or should have done. Jesus said that if we do that then He will not only forgive us but also cleanse us from every sin. That is why it’s called Good News. The next thing He asks us to do is believe. Only believe.

The Bible says that we are saved by faith and not by works. So you don’t have to do anything except believe. Jesus made it very plain that there is only one way to the Father and that is through Him. If you accept God you need to talk to Him and tell Him all the stuff you did that you shouldn’t have done and the things you should have done, but didn’t. Do it on your knees as an act of faith and know that His desire is to bless you. He wants you to have abundant life.

PRAY THIS PRAYER TO ACCEPT OR REAFFIRM YOUR ACCEPTANCE OF CHRIST: Father, I’ve come home. Please make me Your son. I confess my sin. I receive Your forgiveness made possible through Jesus Christ by His death and resurrection. I place my faith and trust in Jesus Christ alone. I receive Him as my Saviour and Lord. I want to follow and serve You. Let today be the beginning of my journey as Your son and a member of Your family. In Jesus’ name. Amen

What next?

After we have prayed that prayer, the Holy Spirit lives within us as sons of God. While we will still be challenged with sin and failure, the Holy Spirit’s power helps us overcome areas of bondage to sin and live godly lives. (John 14:16-18, 26; 16:7-14; Romans 6:22) Accepting Jesus Christ as your Saviour is the first step in a process of discipleship and transformation. To grow further it is important to: • Be baptised in water as soon as possible. • Get involved in a Spirit-led, Bible-believing church fellowship. • Join a Men’s Group for friendship, encouragement, accountability and discipleship in your new walk with Christ.

Why the Church needs men Today financial challenges and the speed of social change are part of the times that try men’s souls and test their spirits. It doesn’t matter what you are facing, God is bigger than your problems! We serve a powerful God; we should be confident in our faith. There is no place for wimpy Christianity – it is Christianity with muscle. Men who understand God’s wisdom, love and power are vital to the advancement of the Christian faith. In almost every church that has closed its doors it is the men who have left first. On the other hand, fathers are the most influential people in bringing families into the church. If Dad comes to Christ first, 93% of families will follow. Remember Jesus called and invested Himself into the lives of twelve men for three years. Those twelve men changed the world. Families, churches and communities need men who are healthy and active. They need men to be men. Men are very important in the life of our churches because:

•

Men are action-orientated and their focus on the outside world brings a healthy perspective. • They are hard-wired for risk taking and rise to a challenge. • They bring their resources into the church, be they technical, financial or natural giftings. When men understand and appreciate their purpose, they will bring greater strength and resources to their church, and be a godly influence in their homes, workplaces, and every area of their lives. Churches who understand men are keen to develop a productive and dynamic Men’s Ministry. Men’s Ministry brings men out of isolation and gives them

a band of brothers to experience adventure with, process life with, so that together they can confront today’s challenges.

Gather, grow, go - the essentials for a powerful Men’s Ministry. These three words give clear purpose and direction for your Men’s Ministry. Do all three well and you unleash the power to change men and see them influence others. By keeping men’s groups as the central mainstay of the ministry, men become involved on different levels of “gather” and “go”. Strong interconnections are a vital strategy for success. Come & See

• • • •

Social Activities

Community Activities

Church Activities

Men’s Camps & Courses

Promise Keepers Events

Focus on connecting men

Focus on bringing in unchurched

Focus on connecting all the men of the church

Focus on spiritual growth and friendships

Focus on creating dynamic momentum

Fishing/Golfing Go-carting/4WD driving Rugby nights/Movie nights Breakfasts

• Acts of service or serving in the community • Contacting and connecting with individual men with purpose

• Working bees • Helping to move and/ or clean up property for church families in need of help

• Biblical teaching • Building friendships • Fun

• Encounter with God • Building team together • Creating momentum

MEN’S GROUPS – the powerhouse of men’s spiritual growth Spiritual Growth

Character Issues of Life

Building Friendships

• Making changes necessary for life • Plumbline for life: – Work – Sex – Family – Finance

• Build friends you can trust to help you encounter Jesus when trials come • Receive: – Guidance – Wisdom – Correction

The focus on “gathering activities”, courses and events is to provide opportunities to bring men from the congregation together, as well as unchurched men when the activities are suitable. This should be seen as a starting point to building friendships and begin or continue the process of spiritual growth. Obviously some activities should have a different focus. Some will emphasise making contacts and strengthening friendships, others will provide opportunities for continuing spiritual growth. Unfortunately in a large number of Men’s Ministries across the nation, gathering activities are the only type of men’s activities that take place, causing them to miss out on the real potential and power of men in the church.

Grow

Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men

• Grow 7 times faster in small group • Learn by asking questions • Receive sustained prayer • Feed on God’s Word Iron sharpens iron

Gather

Equipped for Mission • Growing a heart and focus for ministry and mission • Encouragement to fulfil God’s purpose & calling

Developing Team • Identifying potential team members • Observing character and giftings • Communicating upcoming activities

Men’s groups are at the very heart of Ministry with Men in the local church. When men gather together regularly as part of a group, they experience growth as they learn to pray for others effectively, apply the Bible to their lives and harness the power of each other’s experience and wisdom while building friendships. Regular attendance at a men’s group will activate spiritual growth up to 7 times faster than only attending Sunday church services. This is because most men learn by asking questions which is not possible during most regular Sunday services. By asking questions they are able to apply truths and receive biblical wisdom from other men in the group at a pace that they can understand and implement. Continued pg 6

Go make disciples Ministry Opportunities • • • • •

Widows & solos Marriage ministry Healing Ministry to elderly Connecting with youth

Mission • Supporting or going: – In New Zealand – Outside New Zealand

How Promise Keepers can help you to energise your Ministry with Men! Men’s Groups • Training - “How to get started” and “How to maintain a group” • Promise Keepers Study Guides • Resources – including DVD courses and workbooks

Ministry with Men • Planning and evaluation tools • Training webinars • Online resources • Personal help from Field Representatives • Expert Consultancy or ongoing Coaching

Get more from Promise Keepers via EMAIL! Subscribe to PK NEWS now to stay connected and to be resourced for life! Phone 0800 PROMISE or email pk@promisekeepers.org.nz

Men frequently are confronting issues that require time, sustained prayer, encouragement and perseverance to be resolved and overcome. These issues may be associated with character, faith, relationships, work, family or finance. Men receive discipleship and mentoring from the group which gives them the necessary guidance, wisdom and correction to confront and overcome these challenges. Men grow in groups - whether they are open or closed groups. As men get to know each other they see character, leadership qualities and potential in others. These men can form the nucleus of multiple teams to organise “gathering events” to continue drawing men into the church. Every church needs an open men’s group. When a new man arrives at church on a Sunday and asks what is available in Men’s Ministry that week, it is likely that the only opportunity for him to participate in Men’s Ministry will be in an open men’s group that meets weekly. Meeting weekly provides consistent opportunities to invite other men from both inside or outside the church to attend.

Go As friendships are built and men are equipped spiritually, it follows that they want to fulfil their ultimate purpose in life with ministry and mission.

Better Choices, Better Outcomes As men, every day we are confronted with the pressure to make choices. It may be about work, family, finances or the future. The decisions we make will impact us and those around us long after they have been made. They may even impact our destiny. It is crucial to make right decisions so we live a life of no regrets. There is a way to make better choices so that you enjoy better outcomes in your life. The Bible exhorts us to seek wisdom – the wisdom that comes from the Father. To get that wisdom you want to enjoy some time each day focusing on growing closer to Jesus, and seeing your spiritual life outworking in your daily world. Reading scripture and processing it, conversing with the Father in prayer – you want to do that every day but often the opportunity slips by. Then you go to an awesome event like Promise Keepers and come home buzzing, but as the weeks pass by, the excitement of feeling God so close to you in the company of brothers becomes an increasingly distant memory. The team at Promise Keepers knows that the demands of a busy life can distance us from that close relationship with our Father that we deeply long for. Good intentions don’t make good relationships. What we focus on is what we become passionate about. This is why we have created WiseChoices just for you! WiseChoices is a resource pack that we mail out to over 1100 men every month. It includes Men of Integrity, inspirational readings that men love to use every day. Here’s what Daryl said about Men of Integrity:

On top of that, there is a monthly newsletter containing inspiring articles relevant for men, and then every couple of months there is a DVD that brings back the atmosphere of Promise Keepers with a speaker, music, drama, panels, funnies and more! Now you too can easily access these premium resources. Don’t let another day slip by. Subscribe to WiseChoices today so that you can make the most of every day and live life with no regrets. The suggested donation of only $10 per month enables Promise Keepers to produce these powerful resources and continue to serve more men. WiseChoices is even available if you are unable to donate because we know how useful it is to every man!

My wife was the one who endorsed subscribing something timeless and worth so much to my own personal growth and keeping alive the Promise Keeper values through the year has no price. Steve

Call 0800 PROMISE (77 66 47) and get connected with better outcomes!

I find WiseChoices to be excellent for today’s busy men. Each day takes only a minute or two to read and absorb, with links to relevant scripture also. The brilliant thing about this small, easy to read booklet is that it is topical, with a weekly theme. It is written by men for men, and really makes you think about how you live out your Christianity in everyday life as a man of God.

Healthy Thinking

September 2013

Taking Things Personally The mind is a funny thing. It’s amazing how much our life is affected by the way we think. I recall hearing David Riddell say something like, you have to make your mind your friend before you can be a friend to others. When things go against us, it can be hard to stay balanced in our thinking. Tiredness, stress and difficult circumstances can derail the best intentions. Aaron Ironside states that “people become thin-skinned because they’re well bruised.” We know as Christians that God has good plans for our life and a higher purpose. We need to constantly battle negative thinking and rejection by focusing on our relationship with God and reflecting Him by maintaining good relationships with others wherever possible. I know that I can trust God but I can’t always trust my feelings. As the Delirious song goes: When it’s all crashing down on you When there’s nothing you can do There is someone who can carry you Every little thing’s gonna be alright That song has carried me through some dark hours, so that I can enjoy life with others and God. Are there any changes you need to make to enjoy healthy thinking? Blessings

by Aaron Ironside

Imagine that you are floating in a canoe on a slow-moving river on a sunny afternoon. Suddenly there is a loud thump on the side of the canoe, and it rolls over. You come up sputtering, and what do you see? Somebody has snuck up on your canoe, flipped it over for a joke and is laughing at you. How do you feel? Now imagine the exact same situation again: in a canoe, the loud thump, being dumped into the river, coming up sputtering, and what do you see? A large submerged log has drifted downstream and bumped into your canoe. This time, how do you feel?

someone, deliberately or not, seems to belittle, humiliate or reject you? Do you become resentful? Do you issue a counterattack? Do you curl into the foetal position?

The facts are the same in each case: you’re cold and wet, and your picnic is ruined. But when you feel personally picked on, everything feels worse. The thing is, most of what bumps into us in life - including e m o t i o n a l reactions from others, traffic jams, illness or mistreatment at work - is like an impersonal log put in motion by 10,000 causes upstream.

If it’s the latter, then you’ll be in on this secret: Life is far more pleasant if you don’t take things personally.

Or do you shrug it off as “their problem”?

Life is far more pleasant if you don’t take things personally.

Sam’s boss told him to be certain his project report was free of mistakes. Sam’s internal response to that statement was to get angry and think, “Why on earth did she tell me that? Does she think I’m stupid?” Sarah’s husband said he wanted to make sure they did something special for their son’s birthday. Sarah found that comment to be insulting and thought to herself, “What kind of mother does he think I am?!” How do you behave when

However, most of us can think of too many times when we took others’ words the wrong way. How did we get so prickly?

Firstly, it is a biological response our brain has been developing since childhood. Running subconsciously in the background, our brain has an alarm system alert for threats to physical and psychological needs. At the instant we register a threat, our body prepares for action. Cortisol and adrenalin are secreted. Breathing and heart rate quicken, sending increased blood and oxygen to our limbs to ready us for fight or flight. The function of anxiety and anger is to warn of danger so that we take self-protective measures. To succeed at this task, we overestimate threat. The only sure-fire guarantee that

John Subritzky

How do I sign up?

Transforming men!

1. Sign up now at the WiseChoices table in the foyer and take home the current issue! OR 2. Fill out the “I want to be on the Promise Keepers Team” form in this Handbook (page 32). Forms will be collected during the offering on Saturday night.

Men often become Christians or find a revitalised faith when they are in prison. It can be a time of reflection, change and new direction. Promise Keepers wants to extend the program of sending WiseChoices to prison, so that more men can use the Men of Integrity booklets. These help them work through what it means to be a man of God, living with hope, a purpose and a future.

Will you step up and help sponsor this outreach? Sponsor 1 prisoner: $30 per year Sponsor 5 prisoners: $120 per year / $10 per month. See page 32

Geoff Wiklund

Pastor’s Conferences

Why would a pastor attend this conference? First of all, pastors who have attended profess its value, and more significantly, they return – some more than twice. Secondly there is nothing else like it in this country, as it is based on material accumulated by Pastor Jack Hayford and filtered with my own experiences of churches and church planting in New Zealand. I see four key things happening: • Firstly there is great interaction and learning with other pastors. Friendships and relationships are being formed as we share and spend time in the presence of God together. • Secondly some key truths are imparted that help us to grow in the ministry and increase our impact on our community and congregation. • Thirdly there is a great connection with the Word and every pastor has gone home inspired with ideas to preach. • Most importantly there has been refreshing and healing as hands have been laid on each participant and words of encouragement spoken and prayed over one another. Many pastors felt stirred up to achieve more, having been equipped with tools to be more effective. The fact that a number of pastors have chosen to return a second time speaks of the perceived value by those who have attended.

COMING UP A new level two course will be added later this year which will be very practical and include actually planning out next year. I encourage you to attend this Event and bring some other ministers who you believe need refreshing. For more info visit the Promise Keepers website: www.promisekeepers.org.nz

Christchurch 24-25 Sept Level 2 26 Sept Auckland 22-23 Oct Level 2 24 Oct

The first two Tama Tane Malosi Events have broken new ground in the Samoan community. Tama Tane Malosi (Mighty Men of Valour) are Promise Keepers Men’s Events held in the Samoan language. At this year’s Event in June there was a dramatic impact on men as taboo issues were dealt with openly in true Promise Keepers style. A very significant feature was the wide range of denominations represented, as the men were inspired to be mighty men of valour. Nerony’s highlight was “to come together and worship God [as] one. We have different denominations but we all come together as one in God. This Event gives me this great opportunity to get to know God more.” This has been a powerful initiative by Samoan men. Tavale Matai’a, a Promise Keepers Board member, says, “Whenever we held PK Events, countless Samoan men who cannot handle the English language very well, from a number of churches, would ask me why we could not do the same for them in the Samoan language. I alerted the Promise Keepers Board to this and they agreed to launch the first Tama Tane Malosi Event last year.”

The Samoan leadership team is keen to build on this foundation as they plan for future Events. Coming with my father is [the] answer to years of prayer. Today was a day I will never forget what God has done in our lives. Donald [I] give praise to God for this Event. It’s challenged me a lot to put into action what I learned and heard today, to respect my wife and love her the way Jesus loves me. The Tama Tane Malosi conference is worth continuing for the sake of men. Frank I could not imagine how fantastic this program [is]. Learn so much, feel so much and see so much. Lifts my spiritual level to another level. Misi Highlight - Seeing my wife as Jesus saw the Church… How can I not care for my wife as Jesus cared for me/Church? Isaia

Promise #5: A Promise Keeper is committed to supporting the mission of his church by

honouring and praying for his pastor and by actively giving his time and resources.

Pastor Appreciation Month - October

EVENT NOTES |

EVENT NOTES | THE CALL | TRANSITION | STANCE | LEADERS OF MEN

All Hail King Jesus Awesome God Cornerstone Crown Him with Many Crowns Give Me Jesus Glorified Great is Thy Faithfulness Holy is the Lord God Almighty How Great is Our God How Great Thou Art I Am Free Mighty to Save New Zealand National Anthem Open the Eyes of My Heart Lord Our God 10,000 Reasons The Stand

Traditional Rich Mullins Hillsong United Matthew Bridges Fernando Ortega Shaun Griffiths Thomas Chisholm Chris Tomlin Chris Tomlin Carl Boberg Newsboys Hillsong United Thomas Bracken Michael W Smith Chris Tomlin Matt Redman Hillsong United

EVENT NOTES |