Canvas – Winter 2013

Casting salty words and bright action over society’s shadows. » 9

TRUTH IN LOVE

A look at one blogger’s focus on becoming winsome, not winning »14

FIRST THINGS

Celebrate the 200th anniversary of Kiwi firsts by creating more firsts »16

SPaRC

Students report back from IFES’s South Pacific conference » 20

ISSUE 68 | WINTER 2013

engaging the conversation

canvaseditorial CANVAS aims to inform and encourage all who are interested in reaching students for Christ, and in thinking Christianly about their life and work. It is published four times a year by TSCF. Canvas Issue 68 Winter 2013 Cover Design HUSK

TSCF is a founding member of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students. It helps students reach students for Christ nationwide by enabling them to reach maturity in Christ, so that they understand and proclaim the truth about Christ and serve God by showing his love in the student world.

Send your thoughts, comments, questions and letters to us at canvas@tscf.org.nz.

TSCF PO Box 9672, Marion Square, Wellington 6141 +64 04 3847274 www.tscf.org.nz tscf@tscf.org.nz Editorial team Robyn Drake, Mark Grace, Nigel Pollock, Andy Shudall, Maryanne Wardlaw Design HUSK Creative

canvasgreen If you would prefer to receive a PDF version of Canvas, or an email reminder when it is available on the website please email canvas@tscf.org.nz 2 | canvas winter 2013

“Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father.” Matthew 5:16

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oing through old family photos, I found one worth the proverbial 1000 words on a few topics, from my family to imbalances in my faith. I’m one year old, grinning over the edge of a playpen during a visit to the American rellies. Behind my ear, someone holds a placard that declares: “Abortion is premeditated murder.” While I had no idea then what was going on, older versions of me would have happily posed with that sign and maybe even marched it down the street. In uni newspaper days, I snapped up the first chance to write out against legalising abortion drugs and went into sanctity of life territory a few times.

I probably wouldn’t change a word, but it occurs to me now that despite all I’ve said, I have yet to volunteer at a crisis pregnancy centre. Or babysit for adoptive parents. Or come alongside a teenage mother. A list of “things I haven’t done” won’t fit here.

This isn’t to downplay the value of words – we can’t be salt without them – but this issue isn’t about salt. And it isn’t about light. It’s about salt and light. Truth and grace. Take one wheel off, and the car might careen off one curb or the other.

I know a few remarkable people who are examples of both speaking winsome truth and doing loving deeds. I’m more likely to take comfort in the fact that we are individual parts of the body of Christ, not the whole thing. But as we recognise our own deficiencies in showing grace or truth – and on some days, both – we see opportunities to become more like Christ.

It’s a big ask, this being salt and light. Whichever part of the body we are, we must be wired to the brain and plumbed in to the heart. God’s truth informs our truth, and the only source of grace is his grace. They are the difference between brave and foolish, significant and silly. They are the difference between others glorifying God for his holiness and infinite love, or dismissing him as irrelevant and distant.

Maryanne Wardlaw Communications Manager

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we make patterns, we share moments. jenny downham

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Born

Nathanael Turner was born to Rachel (former communications manager) and David Turner on March 28 in the UK.

Sandra Müller (former TSCF office support) gave birth to Nathan, Sandra and Winston’s first child, on June 16 in Wellington.

Deceased

Norman Hopkins, former TSCF general secretary, and Prof Graham Hill, a long-time TSCF supporter, both passed away earlier this year.

Obituaries for both men follow on page 19.

Moving on

Gillian Wildgoose (Auckland Team Leader) and Gina Wong (Wellington Team Leader) both finished with TSCF in July. Gillian, who hails from Scotland, is remaining in Auckland while she finishes up the first year of a law degree. Gina is beginning her new chapter with a semester of study at Regent College in Vancouver, Canada.

Distinguished

Gina, left, and Gillian watch a farewell from Auckland and Wellington students at National Conference.

Jeff Tallon, an internationally recognised physical scientist who has supported TSCF by speaking at student events, won the Distinguished Alumni Award from Victoria University in Wellington. He has been at the forefront of developing a worldleading portfolio of patented high temperature superconducting (HTS) materials.

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canvasnews The team assembles After spending much of the last year spread a little thin, the support team in Wellington is now fully staffed. Rachel Fransen has joined TSCF as PA to Nigel Pollock, the national director. She lives in the Hutt Valley with her husband, with whom she likes to hunt, and their two boys.

Vicky Chang is the team’s new office administrator. She was working in her homeland, Taiwan, as a high school teacher and counselor when she became a Christian. She and her husband, Timothy, settled in New Zealand in 2010 with their two daughters. They are involved with the Chinese group at Lifepoint Church.

John Riley has brought his accounting skills to the team, adding some needed expertise to the daily operations. He has lived in Wellington for about 10 years with his wife, Judith, and their four children who range in age from 12 to 24. They spent most of the previous 10 years in Indonesia, where John taught in a Bible school and Judith ran health clinics and taught some health subjects.

The Auckland office has welcomed back staff workers Jeff and Jane Pelz, who spent a year on furlough in the USA with their children.

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New Zealand mixed with medical professionals at the annual Christian Medical Fellowship conference in Auckland.

TSCF staff Robyn Drake (Auckland), James Allaway and myself (Dunedin) presented a session on evangelism during the pre-clinical years. We sought to encourage students to make sharing their faith a natural part of sharing their lives with university friends.

Paul Windsor, from Langham Preaching, took four sessions over the weekend. The students enjoyed a session on how to read Scripture using Nehemiah 5 as a sample text. The other sessions covered a biblical worldview based on a scriptural overview, reflections on salt and light from Matthew 5 and the body metaphor from 1 Corinthians 12.

Whangarei couple Malcolm and Cheryl Bollen also shared the highs and lows of their 20-year venture pioneering affordable healthcare to locals from a Christian GP provider.

There were several opportunities to participate in workshops, looking at diverse topics like the Christian response to end-of-life choice issues, and integrating faith and work throughout life.

As with all conferences, the value of learning together in sessions was greatly backed up by the value of spending time together between sessions and sharing in each other’s life stories.

Mike Summerfield, Dunedin staff worker

National Conference takes a roadtrip to Christchurch Canterbury’s Lincoln and Christchurch campus groups hosted around 90 students along with TSCF staff, partners and local supporters for the annual National Conference, “Roadtrip Through the Word.” It was held July 1-5 in Kaiapoi, with

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[1] “Roadtrip Through the Word” was the theme for Paul Windsor’s overview of seven books of the Bible. [2] Christchurch Cathedral in ruins, the week the cordon came down. [3] Judge Andrew Becroft chairs the AGM with National Director Nigel Pollock (left) and student representatives Meredith Dale and Janet Karthak (right) [4] Before the evening session at Lincoln University. [5] Group sessions included a dramatic overview of the Bible (in this scene, crowning King Saul).

[6] Prayer on the final day.

[7] Paul Windsor leads the main sessions. [8] Dinner at Lincoln University.

[9] Staff and students on the final day at Blue Skies in Kaiapoi. [10] Students take part in a treasure hunt in central Christchurch.

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Chris Hay (far right) with a group of Palmerston North staff and students.

trips to both campuses for games.

The Mintern team grows

“TSCF conference was awesome! It was my first time attending and it was more than I expected.

Chris Hay has joined the Minty team mid-year, taking the number of ministry interns to four:

“The weather was warm and sunny, the food was delicious and the other TSCF students and staff were really kind and welcoming. I was encouraged meeting them all as they shared their faith and challenges of being a witness for Christ.

“I grew up on a farm in Southland and am a country boy through and through. I studied at Lincoln University, gaining a bachelor of commerce in agriculture majoring in rural valuation.

“We also had Bible studies with Paul Windsor [from Langham Preaching], who took us on a ‘Roadtrip Through the Word,’ sharing messages that were truly related to our lives. Going through John 1 in our small groups was eye opening. As a Christian, we are to be ‘the light and salt of the earth’ just like Jesus and John were. We may be the only Christians that some people will ever see.

“I would recommend this to other students – you will make friends with other Christians, gain encouragement and get equipped to be a true witness of Christ.”

Savaira Tuidraki is a student at the University of Auckland

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“I really want to grow and be stretched in my faith this year in all areas, especially for my personal quiet times and being able to interpret and understand God’s word.

“TSCF played a big part of my life in my three years at uni, providing me with a supportive group on campus of Christians who I could hang with and get away from day-to-day uni pressure. I also built some lifelong friendships. For two seasons I was involved in the executive team as president, which really challenged me in the areas of public speaking and organisation – both of which I’m very thankful for now.”

Ben Carswell would be glad to speak to any others interested in the training and ministry opportunities TSCF offers through Minty. Email benc@tscf.org.nz.

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Canterbury catch-up

t was fantastic to be able to host the TSCF National Conference in Christchurch in July. Our students eagerly cooked up a storm to feed the conference as we were being fed by God’s word.

This term we have had mission events: a pub quiz that was a pre-evangelistic event, an engineering event (Can engineering solve the world’s problems?), an arts event (Jesus and the search for truth), and a halls event (Encountering Jesus).

One engineer, Olivia, who we met while chalking, has started meeting up to read the Bible to consider Jesus.

Around 35-40 students from the halls went up the Port Hills to the Sign of the Bellbird (a three-walled stone hut) for toasted marshmallows and a talk on encountering Jesus. At least three students, and possibly as many as seven, are keen to find out more about Jesus through a Christianity Explored

course we’re starting in the hall.

This year has been encouraging in terms of the numbers of students who want to investigate Jesus. Join us in praising God for Lorraine, a shy fourth year engineer who we met at the beginning of the year. She came along to Bible @ Bentley’s, our lunchtime talks at the university bar. Lorraine committed her life to Jesus at the end of last term and continues to read the Bible, growing in her understanding of what being a Christian means.

Please keep praying for Daniel, Deon, Thomas, Tony, Ella, Carolle, Campbell and Hans to grasp what it means to be a follower of Jesus and follow him.

Mark Santich Canterbury Team Leader

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“... it has been humbling to see students and graduates thinking seriously about what Christian faith looks like in practice in the 21st Century.”

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am writing from an IFES conference for student leaders and young staff from Europe, Eurasia, the Middle East and North Africa, where I have been doing a series of talks on leadership. It is the third IFES gathering I have attended in the last few months after the South Pacific Regional event in Fiji at Easter and our TSCF camp in Christchurch.

At all three events I have been struck again by the significance of this great movement that TSCF helped found and continues to partner in globally. It is significant not only because we reach students for Christ but because we work to change students for life. We believe in joined-up living, discipleship that helps students relate faith to life and to studies, that connects with culture and engages with the big issues around truth, justice, poverty, the environment and peace.

It has been humbling to see students and graduates thinking seriously about what Christian faith looks like in practice in the 21st Century, and considering how they can make a difference together in our communities, professions, public policy, sport, art, music, family and church.

Jesus spoke about this in the 1st Century when he taught about the importance of his people being salt and light in the world. He used two of the 8 | canvas winter 2013

basic necessities of life to illustrate how we are to behave. Salt preserves and seasons but if it loses its distinctiveness it becomes useless. Light is tremendously important to getting anything done in the darkness. It needs to be placed in a prominent position in order to do its job and not hidden away.

The purpose of our acting with compassion and generosity, of caring for those on the margins, of pursuing truth and justice, of engaging in our schools, universities and workplaces with love and integrity, and of participating in the world-wide mission of the church, is that people will see our good deeds and praise our Father in heaven.

In a world where darkness and decay are never far from the headlines, I am delighted to report that hundreds of salty and bright students and graduates are making a difference in Aotearoa, the South Pacific and around the world. I want to thank you for your investment in this work and ask you to continue to stand with us as we stand with them, that together we might help people appreciate the reality of who God is and all that he has done, is doing and will do. It is good news!

Nigel Pollock National Director

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engaging the conversation Vinoth Ramachandra lives in Sri Lanka with his wife, Karin, with whom he ministers to students and graduates.

He was the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students’ first Sri Lankan staff worker in the early 1980s, and is now on the IFES Senior Leadership Team.

He helps students, graduates and academics think about and respond to the social, cultural and political challenges Christian face. He has authored several books, including “Subverting Global Myths: Theology and the Public Issues that Shape Our World,” and speaks to audiences worldwide.

Vinoth and Karin, a counselor and Bible teacher, visited New Zealand this winter to encourage discussions about Christian engagement. This conversation took place at the University of Auckland on July 30.

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canvasfeature TSCF: What do you find, speaking in Western countries like ours, are the most critical issues that people should be engaging with?

Vinoth: It varies a lot from place to place. Some European countries are now wrestling with issues of unemployment, poverty, social justice, questions about immigration, xenophobia, questions about national identity, multiculturalism. And questions about relating to people of other faiths, which is not a new issue for us, but it is in some Western countries where non-Christian religious communities are now outnumbering several Christian denominations. There are more Muslims than Methodists in Britain.

There are the perennial questions about science and faith, but also some of the new discoveries, new inventions, especially the biotech field, raising questions about “what is a human person?” “How are humans different to machines?”

TSCF: So, starting with science, how do you advise students in secular universities to speak into that context as a Christian?

Vinoth: Well, before they speak, I think they need to study a bit more. Study the history of science,

and what Christians have contributed to the development of science. A lot of the problems also arise because they come from churches where the Bible is taught in a very fundamentalist way, very literalist way, so they need to learn what the Bible is – the different kinds of literature that you have in the Bible and how you interpret different kinds of literature.

TSCF: So assuming they’ve got their head around those issues, how do they interact with fellow students and professors?

Vinoth: By listening to these questions. And I think the purpose of a student group is where students can come to the group and say, “My professor said this this morning – he kind of pooh-poohed any belief in God as creator,” or, “he said all the European missionaries just came and destroyed any native cultures and languages, and I’m confused. What should I be reading?” And you come and you share this with other Christian students.

I think the role of a staff worker is to point the Christian students to resources in the wider church they can use, either people they can go and talk with or books they can read, or websites where they can read articles on these subject. I think that’s the purpose of a Christian fellowship on campus, to listen to the conversations going on around us and then come and discuss them and learn to develop a Christian response.

And then, also, go out and ask people questions that they’re not asking, and that they should be asking – the deeper questions within their disciplines. Like in science, you just ask “why is science possible at all? Why does science work? What kind of world is this, where we assume that we human beings (who are very tiny, physically speaking), can discover the secrets of this great universe.”

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Now that’s a great leap of faith. So within a strictly atheistic view of the world, does science make sense? … A lot of economics runs on the belief that self interest is the basic human motivation, and you can question that. Can we reduce all human motivation to just self interest? That’s defined as

“And then, also, go out and ask people questions that they’re not asking, and that they should be asking - the deeper questions within their disciplines... Now that’s a great leap of faith.” rational action, you know, so if you do something in your interest, that’s rational. If you make a sacrifice for someone, that’s considered irrational.

So you can question that. Who defines what rationality is? If I’m willing to pay a higher price to support a struggling business because I believe that business is run on ethical lines, even though I can get a cheaper and better product from another business, is my behaviour irrational?

So there are lots of questions we should be raising within these fields.

TSCF: So your advice is to get people to think through these issues themselves, go to the sources, and if they’re interfacing with non-Christians, get those who don’t believe the Bible to create their own line of questioning?

Vinoth: Yes. I see too many IFES movements organised around inviting non-Christians to come to groups and ask the questions that we want them to ask. And I’m trying to turn that around and saying we should be going out to where the non-

Christian students are, joining their associations, taking an interest in what they’re doing and raising questions. And also listening to the questions that they’re actually asking within their groups. And if our faith is sufficiently deep, we should be able to take any topic and ask some searching questions that take us down to the deep questions of life.

TSCF: So for controversial issues (such as the recent bill changing the definition of marriage), how do we speak into that?

Karin: I would say, at that juncture, we prove how little we’ve thought about the issue. We don’t go and do research on human sexuality. … We haven’t done our homework, so the moment you have an issue like this coming up, all we can say is “no.” But we can’t explain why. We can’t come and say that it has been proven through research [what] happens to a child who is brought up in a single sex family. We haven’t explored it, we have just lived within a tradition, and we have done exactly the same as any traditional religious society is doing, just stand up and say “no” to everything.

And that hasn’t worked.

TSCF: And for those who have done the research?

Karin: Then we would have a much fuller conversation. The moment we have a much fuller picture of what the situation is, we can put some challenges that they can accept as real challenges that are fair.

Vinoth: It is very sad for me when I travel and meet various evangelical groups, and the only issues they bring up are to do with gay canvas winter 2013 | 11

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“...it’s those works of justice, of peacemaking, seeking reconciliation between peoples, showing mercy, it’s those works that draw people” marriage, occasionally abortion, as if there are no other moral or ethical issues. And that is just reinforcing a picture that people have of evangelical Christians. Our witness should take the form of asking questions, probing questions. So it’s up to the gay lobby or whatever to tell us what are their arguments, and then we try to show the inconsistencies or contradictions that these particular arguments lead to. …

Christians should [also] be modelling their sexual relationships and other relationships. …

And if you feel that a certain position is immoral, it is leading to harm either of individuals or society, there’s going to be irreparable harm done if this practice were to become

widespread, then you have to persuade people to change, if you really care for them and for the society in which you’re living. …

That’s where the salt and the light metaphors come in. Salt is rubbed into meat to prevent it from going bad. So Christians are to be rubbed into society, so that through their lives and through their words they actually slow down the moral corruption.

And remember what Jesus said, “let your light shine before men, that they see your good works and give glory” – not just hear your preaching.

And it comes soon after the beatitudes. So it’s those works of justice, of peacemaking, seeking reconciliation between peoples, showing mercy – it’s those works that draw people, attract people to come and ask Christians why you’re like this.

TSCF: Are there any other pitfalls you can mention for people trying to speak into these conversations?

Karin: Well what I often see is that when we engage we may not be very honest because we don’t know how to confront, or we think we should just let things go by without addressing them, so we are being not quite real with people. And I think that is a big problem. You can get away with a lot if you are very real, and you are admitting that you have got doubts about God, and how this world is functioning, and how much pain you experience in seeing certain things. And they can see it’s true.

You give a little more of yourself, and not just some argument.

TSCF: Is there one mistake that you see Christians in Westernised countries make that you see as really serious, that the gospel addresses?

Vinoth: To me, the heart of the gospel is about the creation of a new humanity in Christ, in which the barriers between peoples are broken down. In Ephesians 2 Paul speaks of

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how, through the cross, Christ reconciling Jew and Gentile in one body to God. We can’t speak of being reconciled with God if we are not reconciled with those whom Christ has also received into his family. I think in many of our Westernized evangelical churches and groups – which influence the Sri Lankan churches, and Indian churches – the gospel is not presented like that. It is presented in very individualistic terms – you know, Jesus in my heart, or having a relationship with God, or being born again, or going to heaven when you die.

actually change the good news of Jesus Christ to excuse one another from doing these things. I think that’s actually a huge problem.

“To me, the heart of the gospel is about the creation of a new humanity in Christ, in which the barriers between peoples are broken down.“

Vinoth Ramachandra is the Secretary for Dialogue & Social Engagement for the IFES’s Senior Leadership Team. His blog is online at vinothramachandra.wordpress.com, along with more information about his work and writings.

Vinoth: In our student movement in Sri Lanka, we use three languages. We remained as one movement. We could have become three language movements and got more numbers that way, but we felt it’s very important – especially in our fragmented, divided society – to show that in Christ we are one body. Our Christian identity comes before our other identities.

So I keep coming back to, which is the gospel that we are preaching? Is it a gospel of reconciliation with God, with one another, with the creation?

Because if that is the gospel that grips students, they will not get into these little religious clubs with people just like them. They will work at building bridges with people who they would normally never associate with. They will do it because they have come to see that these are now our brothers and sisters in Christ, and we have something to learn from them, and we have something to give to them.

Karin: I think we make a lot of excuses for ourselves. One of the sentences you hear is, “Well that’s very difficult.” Well obviously. We’re talking about loving God with all your heart and your neighbour as yourself – it’s very difficult.

But it’s not an excuse for not doing what you’re supposed to be doing. And I think that at times we

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Truth in love: Focus on being winsome, not winning

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he rejoicing that accompanied passage of New Zealand’s Marriage Equality Bill on April 17 put many Christians in an awkward position. Those who felt strongly that government should retain a definition of marriage that goes deeper and wider than individual happiness could say little without being accused of not caring about the sacred happiness of others. And, more seriously, they risked association with harsh rhetoric that less thoughtful debaters have employed.

“... as a Christian I’m not constantly on the lookout for things to prohibit, but rather my impulse is to point people towards that which brings life and flourishing ...”

Deciding that it was too late, many left the conversation altogether.

But the day after the bill passed, Rhett Snell blogged about it anyway. He’s an associate pastor at Mt Roskill Baptist Church in Auckland, and he disagreed with Parliament’s decision. The blog resonated with many readers – it has been shared on Facebook more than 3000 times – but not because it was an argument-winning closer that had eluded traditional marriage supporters. The 747-word piece that began “Dear ____” was personal, gracious and clear. Deconstruct it, and you find a template for constructive engagement in other areas where Christians can be salt and light.

• Rhett began by admitting fault, on the part of others on his “side” if not himself, in the way that some had conducted themselves. We rarely have far to look to find

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something to apologise for; why not start the conversation on a humble note?

• He showed restraint. This blog was not one in a series of 20, and he discouraged Facebook readers from beginning a public scrap. He asked them, instead, to post thought-out responses on the blog page. More than 200 comments have been left, most very civil despite coming from various viewpoints.

• Rather than dismissing the view his opponents hold as foolish or heretical, he acknowledges the appeal of their position and understands where they’re coming from. “Let me be direct,” he writes: “if I could embrace this interpretation with any shred of authenticity I would. I absolutely would. It would make things simpler, and it would do away with the cultural embarrassment around this issue.”

• In presenting his own view, Rhett starts with Jesus. His relationship with Jesus is central to his life, and Jesus’ teachings are central to his personal, communal and theological beliefs. This is not just a good tactic (which it is; it’s harder to argue with the reality of a person than with an opinion) – it’s also true. Following Jesus will take us off the beaten track. Recognise that’s how you got there, and you won’t be ashamed to be found there or afraid to carry on.

• How do we know where Jesus is leading?

Rhett names the Bible as his authority, and his knowledge of the academic debate around the original meaning of passages informs what he believes. This is a thoroughly researched, Biblecentred approach. Others may disagree with the Bible’s authority or with Rhett’s interpretation of it, but they cannot accuse him of inconsistency in the way he reached his conclusion.

• Rhett admits that it does not always feel as simple as “the Bible says A, therefore B.” He is tempted to reinterpret what Scripture seems to be

saying when the message is hard. However, he writes, “I know enough about my own tendency to avoid conflict to know that I’d be stepping into the murky water of shaping my religion when what I really want is for it to shape me.”

• And in case anyone is in doubt of the goodness of the Bible, having accepted what it says, Rhett goes on to address the broader narrative informing the specific verses: “I believe that the God we meet in the Bible (and in Jesus) is one who has made us to live according to rhythms and patterns which will bring us flourishing and life. ...

“I wish I could make you understand that as a Christian I’m not constantly on the lookout for things to prohibit, but rather my impulse is to point people towards that which brings life and flourishing and wholeness, and that is living in tune (as much as possible) with the rhythms and notes of the song God made us to play.”

It is hard to accuse someone of hating people when he is promoting what he believes is their highest good. And this is equally true – anyone who loses a heart concern for people while debating a point with them will inevitably lose the debate. Neither grace nor truth stand alone.

Visit rhettsnell.wordpress.com/2013/04/18/ marriage-equality to read Rhett’s entire blog.

Maryanne Wardlaw, Communications Manager

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First things Next year marks the bicentennial of the gospel’s first arrival in Aotearoa New Zealand. It’s our prayer that 2014 would set off a cascade of more firsts throughout New Zealand.

In the sovereignty of God, it took the good news of Jesus Christ about 1780 years to travel the 16,111km from Jerusalem to these islands on Christmas Day. Is there another nation that can claim the good news arrived on Christmas Day?

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he occasion is marked by two significant firsts. It marks the generous and courageous hospitality of Ruatara, the first Māori chief to allow the missionaries to live amongst his people.

He is rightly honored as te ara mo te Rongopai, the gateway for the Gospel.

It also marks the first formal Christian service, held by Samuel Marsden and Ruatara. It took place at Oihi Bay in the Bay of Islands, December 25, 1814. It was a stone’s throw from Ruatara’s imposing pā, Rangihoua, home to 200 Māori.

Māori chiefs who sailed with Marsden from Australia attended the service, as did Ruatara, Hongi Hika, Korokoro and Tuhi. On shore, 400 Māori participated with around 25 Pākehā, including missionaries Thomas and Jane Kendall, William and Dinah Hall, and John and Hannah King, and five children. Marsden’s message was translated and the service was followed by a powerful haka. New Zealand’s first formal Christian service was a bicultural affair.

In the months following, the missionaries began to establish their homes and the mission station at the base of the pā up into the hills of the bay. Here began our bicultural journey as a country.

The missionary families established the first permanent Pākehā settlement in New Zealand there, and the first European style homes were built.

There the first Pākehā school was established.

Sheep farming was introduced to New Zealand there, and in time the first Pākehā child was born there. In this bicultural settlement, Pākehā first began to study the Māori language intensively, and it was first committed to writing. There New Zealand’s first orchards of apples and pears were planted, along with its first grapevines.

They were difficult years for both Māori and Pākehā. The bicultural journey for both tribe and mission station was characterized by confusion and apprehension.

The firsts here led to a new generation of explosive firsts over the next two decades. In 1819, the CMS missionary John Butler introduced the first plough.

In September 1825, Christian Rangi was the first Māori baptized. From the Bay of Islands, Māori first learned to read, and from there slaves first began to be educated in the gospel, freed, and enabled to take the gospel as missionaries to their own people.

It’s our prayer 200 years later that these bicultural firsts, catalysed by the gospel, would set off a new chain reaction of firsts throughout the people of God in Aotearoa New Zealand.

What would happen in New Zealand if each church and Christian committed to a “first” in their bicultural and multicultural journey? Framed by the gospel’s call to love and serve, what could our “2014 first” be? It could be a new discovery, a new relationship, or an act of generosity.

What could a “2014 first” be in our churches?

Singing our national hymn in Māori? Resourcing a Māori evangelist? Having bicultural and multilingual prayers?

Yes, it’s going to look very different in different churches. Yes it may feel clumsy and come with some confusion; most new things do.

As TSCF students and staff we are exploring what our “firsts” could be both at our national events and in our local campus and graduate groups. We want students to seek out these threads of God at work in early New Zealand to better enable them to fulfill his purposes today. We warmly invite you to join us in making 2014 a year of bicultural and multicultural firsts. www.gospel2014.org www.facebook.com/2014bicentennial www.nzcms.org.nz/200-years

Mark Grace Catalyst Team Leader

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i, my name is Simon. I was born in Hamilton, and grew up in Malaysia.

In 2009, I returned to New Zealand to start my degree at the University of Otago, Dunedin, where I did a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Psychology and Philosophy. I graduated at the end of 2012, and am now doing Minty, a Ministry Internship Year with TSCF in Dunedin.

University and OCF I believe my years at university were some of the most significant in my life. It’s a time when you have important decisions to make, choices that will shape the rest of your life – choosing a degree, career, people you spend time with, principles and values to live by and, most importantly, how God and the gospel form the way you live, now and in the future. The work of TSCF and my involvement with Dunedin OCF have helped me grow in my walk with Jesus and think more about the Bible and the gospel, and its application in my life.

Minty & the journey thus far The decision to join Minty came right at the end of SLC 2012, on the very last night. After the night session, I reflected on all I had heard. I thought about my plans, my goals and ambitions. I thought about what I would do as my time at university had come to an end, and how I would start this next chapter of life. Until that night, I had not given much thought to what God wanted me to do.

God challenged me that night, and he caught me at just the right moment. I had been thinking about my own plans and desires, things that I

Simon Sim wanted to do and felt that I deserved. But the more I thought about it, I realized that the God that I love and worship deserved more, so much more than I had been willing to give him. This was where all that I had come to know about God and his Word became applicable once more. In my final year as a university student, I had one more decision to make. I decided that night that I wanted to commit to serving him in the ministry that had done so much for me, and join TSCF as an intern.

This year, God has really shown me his goodness and faithfulness. It has been challenging, but challenges are usually followed by times of great encouragement and learning. There is so much to be thankful to God for, and it has been a huge blessing to be a part of God’s ministry in Dunedin.

As university students, I think that we all have these decisions to make. It’s so important for us to realise the God that we worship deserves it all. It says in Romans 12:1 that because we have been saved by his grace, we are to be “living sacrifices,” worshipping him with all that we are. One of the things I love about TSCF is the commitment to help students live “Undivided Lives,” lives that are lived completely and entirely for God. It starts here, with the choices and decisions we make, and whether we are willing to give up some of our own plans in exchange for obedience to his even greater ones.

Simon, far left, with other Dunedin staff and students.

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canvasnotablepassings Norman Hopkins died of a heart attack in February at the age of 58. He was president of the Victoria CU during his student days, and assistant general secretary of TSCF 1978–1982.

“To be heroic is to be courageous enough to die for something; to be inspirational is to be crazy enough to live a little.”

He later worked as an accountant and then an investment manager, helping set up the InterChurch Working Party on Taxation. Norman was involved with Island Bay Presbyterian Church for 31 years.

Criss Jami

During his time at TSCF his health began to deteriorate with an autoimmune disease, but he remained positive. He was a keen biker, riding to work most days. He and Gavin McIntosh, former general secretary, were great friends and competitors during the time they worked together, often going the long way home around the Wellington coastline.

Norman is survived by his wife, Janice, and their children, Naomi and Mark.

Prof. Graham Hill

Prof. Graham Hill, a long time supporter of TSCF, passed away in February from cancer at the age of 73. He was born in Dunedin and met his wife, Bartha, at Intervarsity Fellowship meetings at the University of Otago.

He became a distinguished surgeon and scientist, and in 2009 was awarded the New Zealand Order of Merit. His career ranged from missionary doctor with the PCNZ in Hong Kong and Indonesia to head of surgery at both the University of Auckland School of Medicine and Auckland Hospital. He also worked as a surgeon, researcher and lecturer in the United States and England.

Graham and Bartha were instrumental in starting and supporting Christian medical fellowships for university students when they lived overseas.

“We thought it was an important way of doing things,” Bartha told Canvas, adding that those

who don’t learn how to incorporate God in their daily life at that point rarely do after. “It’s a wonderful time to meet with other Christians and prepare for the future.”

An obituary in the Otago Daily Times on April 20, 2013 spoke of Graham’s contribution to both surgery and research, and was headlined “Outstanding surgeon inspired by faith.” He established the first colorectal unit in New Zealand, the Times reported, and he was an international authority on “the metabolic and body compositional effects of serious illness, and of the impact of malnutrition on surgical outcomes.” The article said he was known for his commitment to excellence in both faith and work.

Graham is survived by Bartha, their sons Andrew, Philip and Douglas (all doctors), and 11 grandchildren. canvas winter 2013 | 19

canvasworld

SPaRC I

went to Fiji with little understanding of what was in store for us. All I knew was that God seemed to want me there and backed that up by providing for me financially.

I was blown away by the hospitality and love lavished on us by our Fijian hosts. The food was incredible. In fact, one Fijian asked me if I was Māori and when I replied that yes, I do have Māori blood, he laughed and said, “So that’s why you eat so much!”

Though there was a bit of culture shock amongst some of the Kiwis and Australians, the Fijians made us feel so at home. I was honoured to be invited to sing and jam with the Fijian worship band (incredible musicians) along with some other Kiwi students. It was heaps of fun, and such a reminder of our unity in our love for God, no matter where we are from.

The Bible studies were some of my favourite times. Discussing Scripture with people who have such a passion for the word of God and for his people was a joyful and enriching experience.

I was also really challenged to see the passion these students have for their campuses in the Pacific and bringing the lost to Christ.

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Students report back from the South Pacific Regional Conference for IFES in Fiji this April – postponed from 2012 due to a cyclone.

As well as this, it was really interesting to hear the challenges of spreading the gospel in the Pacific amongst such diverse people groups. For many, Christianity is part of the fabric of their culture and can be diminished to just one aspect of their life, rather than experiencing the transformation that comes with making Jesus the Lord of every aspect of life.

It was precious sharing not just the high points of student ministry, but the unique challenges faced by student groups around the Pacific. Being able to encourage the Solomon Islands students in their endeavour to start a student group at their own university was a moving and unforgettable experience.

I would love to finish with a pithy statement of all that my SPaRC experience entailed, but these things don’t tend to fit into tidy boxes. It is something I am so grateful to have been a part of.

I’d recommend taking up similar opportunities to anyone even remotely interested in what ministry can be and look like beyond our own little corners.

Hannah Bright is a recent graduate of Victoria University of Wellington, where she completed a Bachelor of Music.

Michael

(left) at

the build

ji

nds in Fi e) with frie nah (centr

ing site

Han

The Kiwi and Fijian contingent

S

tudents International hosted a team of us for three days prior to SPaRC at their base in Lautoka, where we lived and fellowshipped.

We got the chance to experience five of their mission sites – a building project, primary school, preschool, old folks’ home and the special needs school. I spent time at the building site, where I had worked on a previous trip to Lautoka. It was cool to see the progress that had been made and it was great to be able to again turn my hands to help build the house.

The highlight for me was getting to meet and work alongside others from the Pacific Islands, all with the same passion for making Christ known on their campuses. I began to realise how similar New

Zealand really is to the rest of the islands and how well I could relate to those who may seem very different.

As it was my second time to the base, I was catching up with old friends as well as making new ones. I realised how much work the Students International staff put in, devoting their lives to the spread of the gospel.

I want to leave you with a question – if you committed just a little bit more of your heart and soul into spreading the gospel, how would your university campus look?

Michael Gardyne is studying commerce with an emphasis in agriculture at Lincoln University. canvas winter 2013 | 21

canvasreviews

Subverting Global Myths

by Vinoth Ramachandra This book will offend and upset you. It will challenge your prejudices.

It will equip you with new ideas while replacing old. It is not an easy read because of both its content and style. It will require hard work.

Ramachandra draws on a range of philosophers, theologians and scientists as he seeks to “subvert” six global myths regarding terrorism, religious violence, human rights, multiculturalism, science and post-colonialism.

That endeavour in itself is not unique. What makes this book unique is that it is written by a South Asian, offering a majority world perspective on Western issues. His take is refreshing. He shows how the theory works, and doesn’t work, in practice. Above all, he engages critically with these issues from a Christian perspective. Read it and be prepared for your ideas, along with these myths, to be subverted.

Ian Reid, Palmerston North Team Leader

Escape From North Korea: The Untold Story of Asia’s Underground Railroad

by Melanie Kirkpatrick I didn’t set out to read a book about being salt and light, but after reading Escape From North Korea I was humbled by the light-shedding role Chinese Christians play in assisting desperate North Koreans who seek freedom. The book gives a helpful and readable look at the history of North Korea, the historic mistreatment of its own people and how it became so repressive. The current leader, Kim Jong Il, has even boastfully threatened nuclear war. While the book was primarily about the North Koreans’ plight, I was challenged by the stories of Christians who risk their lives to help these refugees. Due to China’s alliance with North Korea, they do not have refugee status in China. So Chinese pastors and Christians who have systematically provided safe houses and passages across that vast land obey the words of Isaiah 58:7 at a cost – choosing a better fast by sharing their food with the hungry and providing the poor wanderer shelter.

Jane Pelz, Auckland staff

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Imagine

C

how far one more year could take you. arey’s Graduate Diploma of Applied Theology provides a study

programme for people who already have an existing undergraduate degree and who want a graduate level theological qualification. It is also for graduates who are studying for personal interest, or for those with a non-theological degree wishing to progress to postgraduate study in theology.

T: 0800 773 776 | E: enquiries@carey.ac.nz visit us at carey.ac.nz

A student in the Graduate Diploma in Applied Theology follows a course of study equivalent to one year full-time of 120 credits including: • At least 75 credits at level 7 or above.

• MB521 Introduction to Christian Theology • MB533 Understanding and Interpreting the Bible Admission to the Graduate Diploma in Applied Theology is open to full-time and part-time students who have completed a recognised undergraduate degree programme or who can demonstrate equivalent practical, professional or educational experience of an appropriate level. See the Admission Regulations for full details.

canvas winter 2013 | 23

“

you are the light of the world. a town built on a hill cannot be hidden. in the same way,

let your light shine

before others, that they may see your good deeds & glorify your father in heaven.�

Matt 5:14,16