Overflow - Issue 13

Overflow

The Power of Story Telling as Evangelism - Rev. Mike Yates

It's all about timing - God's Timing - Rev. Peter Benzie

Celebrations & Updates

Employment Opportunities

FromtheEditor

elei,NisabulaVinaka,Annyeonghaseyo, Kiaorana,Nǐhǎo,Noa‘ia,Hello!

Thismonth,throughoutthecountry,peopletooktimeto rememberthosewhohadgonebefore,celebratewiththose whoarenearanddearand,considerwhatthefuturemight looklike.

ManypeoplelookedupatthestarsattheMatariki constellation(alsoknownasthepleiadesandsubaru)and marvelledinaweatGod’screation.

InthiseditionofOverflow,Rev.MikeYatessharesalittleabout evangelismandsomenewresourcesavailable.

Prayersandblessings,

DeniseBarrington Editor

ThePowerofStoryTelling,asEvangelism

Rev. Mike Yates - Director of Multiplication WMCANZ

I had a grandfather who loved to share a good yarn. When visiting, I would watch TV with Grandpa Jack and his story telling would often be triggered by something he was viewing. They were colourful stories of his past experiences and acquaintances, mostly relating to the times he served in the Australian Navy in WW2. Clearly through them, I got to know more about Jack and his life, although I wondered if some of them got more embellished with the passing of time!

Most of us love a good story! When someone shares with us a story from their life, we find it easier to connect with them, understand them and find some common ground.

This is why sharing our stories can be a powerful way of connecting with people. It tells them who we are, what we value and believe in. This is the case in most cultures and is no different in ours. It’s not surprising then that God uses the power of story in the scriptures to reveal his character and redemptive purposes and that Jesus used parables to convey gospel truths!

In fact, the Bible instructs us to do the same: “Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story!” - Psalm 107:2

We might think we don’t have a story, one worth sharing. Yet God has been writing His storylines in our lives over years. Even the dark and challenging chapters present an opportunity to share His rescuing power and sustaining grace.

The apostle Paul identified how the Corinthian believers (who had their challenging moments!) witnessed to the story of Christ in their lives: You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. (2 Corinthians 3:3-4)

Our Christian lives can be a witness, however Psalm 107:2 reminds us to give words to the testimony of our lives. For many of us, proclaiming the gospel is a real struggle and we ’ re just not sure how to go about it!

That’s where sharing a story of how God has been at work in our lives, can be an empowering and relational way to share our faith. With some thought and preparedness on how we go about this, our stories of putting faith and trust in God for situations, can have a natural flow into everyday conversations. People will have the respect to listen to your story.

Our God stories will connect with someone. Someone who is going through similar experiences. They need to hear our story, His story! And the Spirit deliberately orchestrates these encounters with people who have been prepared ahead of time to hear God’s storylines through us. God’s prevenient grace at work! We see the Spirit doing that in the Book of Acts, for example when Philip was brought to the travelling Ethiopian Eunuch. (Acts 8:26-40)

Our God stories can broadly fall into two areas: Our ‘Salvation story,’ which we often refer to as ‘ our Testimony.’ Then what we might classify as our ‘Faith stories.’

We sometimes overlook or downplay our Faith stories. They can be as simple as one ’ s story of a need and receiving a special answer to prayer. That’s a miracle moment! It could be the reassurance God gave us when doubting our performance as a parent. Or it could be the strength we were given to navigate testing times, or how Jesus helped to heal a relationship or illness.

There is no limit to the storylines of faith and hope God outworks in people’s lives. Topics can arise and be relevant to a friend in conversation at a Café, or in any other social settings.

What are those God stories in your life? Ask the Spirit to remind you and, for both the opportunities and words to, share them. Write down your stories so you can always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.

(1 Peter 3:15)

Let’s not allow our God stories to be just kept for ourselves. “Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story!” (Psalm 107:2)

For more resources on how to share your God story, or to make it a Life group study and/or sermon series, go to www.wesleyan.nz under E li

Celebrations&Updates!

Congratulations to Josh & Rev. Stephenie Couch on the safe arrival of Oliver Emmanuel in June! Oliver weighed 3.98kg/8lb 12oz. The Couch family are doing well.

WYCamp Dates for 2024!

Rev. Arnold Hight celebrated his 90th birthday on 15th July. Happy Birthday from the wider Wesleyan Church family! Rev. Arnold prays for the National Council and National Leadership Team by name every day.

It'sallabouttiming-God'stiming

Rev. Peter Benzie - Redoubt North Wesleyan Methodist Church

Some might call it a miracle, others the result of many years of relationship building and prayer. Either way the invitation from our local primary school to have a fundraising BBQ as part of its Matariki “Starry Night” celebrations at the end of June is a cause for celebration. Why, because it was the first time that we were officially invited onto school grounds while parents and children were there as a church and when we were allowed to “advertise” ourselves as a church.

I don’t want that to sound negative – we have a great relationship with the school which is just 2 doors down from our church building (in fact we back onto the school grounds). One of our Servant Leaders is chair of the Board of Trustees, another is the ICT Manager and one of our Ministry Team Leaders is a senior teacher. For our first 2 years as a church we met in the school, we have provided funding to assist with the Brickery – a room full of Lego where the children learn and are helped to work through challenges in their life by building with Lego. In August our Sunday teaching will be about what heaven’s really like – I hope there’s an enormous brickery where I can build using Lego and not worry about having to buy the blocks! That would be heaven for me ☺. And throughout the last 23 years we ’ ve attended events at the school like Christmas in the Playground – “just” as people in the community.

It's all about relationship – building relationships so that we are able to take advantage of the opportunities that arise. Building relationships so that people trust you enough to want to hear the good news of the gospel. Not that we did that at the Matariki celebrations – that wasn’t the time or the place (though if anyone asked we’d have shared with them of course). This was a time to continue to build relationships, to become more known in our community, to help people see that we care about them.

Because when people know we care they are more likely to be open to hear – to hear the good news of the gospel.

This was also a cause for celebration because roughly half of those who see Redoubt North Wesleyan Methodist Church as their church family helped in some way – from buying the sausage etc. cooking during the day (sausages, chop suey, cookies), to helping on the night. The bonus was that we raised money for our building expansion. Unfortunately, it’s not all “sweetness and light” for us at the moment and I ask for your prayers as I and others provide pastoral support in a couple of very challenging situations. God is on the move through his church. I firmly believe that he is using our pastoral challenges to strengthen and grow us for the future when he will bring even more people to be part of our church family.

A future which includes expanding our building so that the number of people who can gather at the same time for worship and other fellowship opportunities will more than double. Please pray with us for his provision for that expansion also.

It’s all about timing – God’s timing. It was his timing for us to be invited into the school last month, it will be in his timing that his church building is expanded, and it will be in his timing that we see an increase in those who call Redoubt North Wesleyan Methodist Church their church home and church family.

May God bless you in whatever he has called you to. Rev. Peter Benzie, Lead Minister

EmploymentOpportunities

ECC Head Teacher / Centre Manager

Little Sunbeams Christian Early Childhood Centre Redhill, Papakura

We are on the lookout for an energetic, experienced, and peoplefocused Head Teacher/Centre Manager to lead our capable teaching team in delivering quality early childhood education.

Little Sunbeams is a Christian early childhood centre, licensed for 30 children between the ages of 2 and 5. For the past fifteen years, we have been serving our local community, providing quality Christian early education so tamariki can come to understand God’s love for them.

This exciting opportunity would suit someone who is a keen problem solver with excellent communication and selfmanagement skills to guide the centre into the future while maintaining a caring nature towards tamariki, parents and whānau.

If this role sounds like you, find out more here. You can also visit our centre and meet the staff.

Rev.BrettJones-natsuper@wesleyan.nz Ass'tNationalSuperintendent

RevAtuLagi-pastoralcare@wesleyannz

Rev.PeterBenzie-dirops@wesleyan.nz

NationalTreasurer

MichelleYates-missions@wesleyan.nz DirectorofMinisterialFormation

RevMelissaPowell-nbmf@wesleyannz DirectorofMultiplication

Rev.MikeYates-churchdevt@wesleyan.nz DirectorofNextGenerations

RevStephenieCouch-youth@wesleyannz

National

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