This week I grew in my capacity for worship but it came from an unlikely source. It reminds me that reasons to worship and ways to grow in our love for the Lord are everywhere.

The article was about the Euclid telescope which is mapping our night sky and providing us with more vivid images of the cosmos than ever before. One image stands out in particular.

It looks like a seahorse emerging from a cloud. It looks like something that might be formed momentarily in the vapour of clouds as they move across the sky. Maybe even something dreamed up in a VFX studio. But this is no fiction or product of chance. It’s a giant cloud of dust 1700 lightyears away from which new stars are born. And it looks incredible.

ESA/Euclid Consortium/NASA

David wrote, “the heavens declare the glory of God, the skies proclaim to works of his hands” (Ps 19:1). When he looked at the sky with far less light pollution than us, the grandeur and the wonder were reflections of God. The beauty of the night sky led him to know something of the beauty of God.

If David’s star-gazing grew his capacity for worship, how much more potential is there for us who have bigger microscopes and telescopes? We can see things in our universe that he could not see. 

It reminds us of what everlasting life will look like. Each time we gaze at God, we’ll explore more of his infinite greatness and every new discovery will give more reason for praise and it will keep growing forever and ever.

The other truth this reminds us of is that our world is a reflection of the one who made it. God desires for us to look at the world and learn about him. The age of mountains (Ps 90:2), the roaring of the sea (Psalm 93:4), or a mum who comforts her child (Isaiah 66:13). All these things and so many more have the potential to grow our capacity for worship.

The question is whether we’re looking. We live our lives in such a hurry and our worship is poorer as a result. Worship not only glorifies God but edifies us in the process. What can you do today to take just a few moments to stop and stare and be led by this world to worship?

Much love,
Simon

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This post is part of the Senior Pastor’s weekly blog. Go to the the blog feed >>

I’ve been on quite a roller coaster in the past few weeks. While it wasn’t the time I would have chosen, it was the time I needed. And God used the time to rekindle a vision I’ve had for as long as I can remember but, if I’m honest, I’ve let go dormant. That I would see a move of God in my lifetime.

The wonderful thing about Together last week was the heartfelt prayer that emerged and the expectancy in the room. It was a line in the sand moment. A stake in the ground. We believe something has shifted in the heavenly realms. Rather than sit back and watch, now is the time for us to lean in. But how?

Enter the work of Professor Stuart Piggin who has researched antipodean moves of God. While there is no formula, there are some commonalities that it’s worth us paying attention to.

Unprecedented prayer for revival
In Mark 9, the disciples struggle to cast out a demon but for Jesus it just takes a word. In the conversation that ensues, Jesus makes it clear that this kind only comes out by prayer. There are things that God desires to do but will not do unless we pray. Will we pray for a move of God? It can be something we do in services or something we devote time to as Life Groups. At Hania Street there is a permanent space that you can book to gather in prayer 24/7. It could also be much simpler. Who’s around you that has the same desire to pray for a move of God and make a regular time that works for you.

Unusual unity among Christians
In our approach to being a multi-site church, we always seek relationship with other churches. We don’t see ourselves as the solution in an area but understand how God works through churches of different styles and traditions. It has also been noticeable since Covid just how many churches around the country are talking about the same things we are. Prayer, disciple-making, church planting. There’s increasing unity and partnership. But it’s also something that’s important closer to home. Often it’s hardest to love and forgive those closest to us because we see one another at our best and worst. Let’s pray that the Lord would help us remain soft-hearted, apologise quickly, and forgive freely.

Heightened faith and expectation for a move of God
Finally there’s expectation. We have come to believe in the living God, the risen Lord Jesus, the power of the gospel. The same power that raised Christ Jesus from the dead is at work in and through us. We believe something has shifted and is shifting in our city so let’s pray and reach out with renewed expectation.

Why not begin to gather with others or use existing gatherings you’re in to focus prayer for a move of God. You could use these three things to guide you. Just imagine looking back in five years’ time and celebrating what God has done.

Me inoi tātou.
Let us pray,
Simon

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This post is part of the Senior Pastor’s weekly blog. Go to the the blog feed >>

As we follow what’s going on in Israel and Gaza, it can easily leave us feeling helpless. What can we do except passively watch events unfold? But remember what we discovered last week. We can still pray and with that we can change the world.

Psalm 122 says, “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:’ May those who love you be secure. May there be peace within your walls and security within your citadels’” (Ps 122:6-7). Implicit in this verse is the idea that Jerusalem is a city of significance that will be a focal point for conflict. This has been seen over the years and as we look towards the end of human history, it is Jerusalem that is the center of God’s end times agenda. To pray about what’s going on in the Middle East is to join with a significant part of the plans and purposes of God.

On Sunday at Mt Vic, we followed Pete Greig’s simple framework for praying in crises. It involves prayer under three headings and it can be a helpful guide whether praying on your own or with others. We can pray for People, Politicians and Priests/Pastors.

People
Pray for the people caught up in the conflict. The side they are on is irrelevant. Each of them is a person made in God’s image. There are still over 200 hostages in Gaza with families worried for their safety. There are hundreds of thousands of people displaced from homes and we can pray for food, shelter, clothing and power. Power shortages in Gaza mean hospitals are only providing emergency care. We need to pray for the significant amount of aid that is needed to get through.

Politicians
Israel has acknowledged they are planning for a ground invasion. This will have a devastating effect on an already horrific situation. We can pray for diplomatic processes in the region. For the intervention and involvement of other world leaders. We can pray for God to change the hearts and minds of those in positions of power such that an invasion might be averted.

Priests/Pastors
Finally, we can pray for Christian leaders and also all Christians who are called to represent God as ‘priests’ in the world. We can pray that they would know God’s presence in their lives and that they might understand how to love their God and love their neighbour during this time.

Above all, while we pray for this area, we can do so knowing that ultimately God is in control. Jesus really will return one day to rule and reign. These events remind us that it could literally be any day. As Peter wrote, “The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you can pray” (1 Pet 4:7).

Me inoi tātou.
Let us pray,
Simon

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This post is part of the Senior Pastor’s weekly blog. Go to the the blog feed >>

Yesterday, I was in a prayer meeting in Australia with lots of other church-planters, disciple-makers and Pete Greig from 24/7 Prayer. We cried out to God for the meeting that was happening between Benjamin Netanyahu and Joe Biden. I came out so faith-filled that our prayers had shifted something in the Middle East that it made me want to check the news. I truly believe that prayer can change our world. That calling out to a supernatural God can result in real-world answers.

I am usually a very active person. However, I recently broke my ankle, so all I can really do is sit or kneel. Read, write and speak. Then, last night in my hurry out of an Uber, I left my glasses behind, so I can’t even read or write (I am writing this hurriedly at 3am in a hotel bathroom so as not to wake Jenny and before my eyes get too blurry). I just woke in the middle of the night, wondering what I would do until I can get my glasses back, and I felt the Spirit say this… ‘You can still pray.’

This is my journey with God. A painful journey to help me realise that when all I can do is kneel and pray, I can still change the world. When my usual activities and abilities are taken from me, one of the most powerful things I can do is still there. What will it take for you to realise that too?

Much love,
Simon

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As we think about discipleship at The Street, there are four words we use as an overarching framework. Upwards, Inwards, Outwards and Onwards. The first is “Upwards: We love the Lord.”

Upwards means the goal of our growth as followers of Jesus and our helping one another grow is not simply to grow in our knowledge of God. Our goal is to grow in our love of the Lord. This moves our faith from the head to the heart from which everything else we do flows. Can you see how important it is? Jesus summarised Israel’s Law—all 613 laws—into just two. Love God with all that you are and love others as yourself. Even the goal of the Law was love.

At the moment, I’m reading through the Psalms and this morning I found David coming to the same conclusion.

“Because I love your commands more than gold, more than pure gold, and because I consider all your precepts right, I hate every wrong path.” (Ps 119:127-8)

When David thought about the privilege that the eternal God of creation had spoken authoritatively and accurately to his people, he knew that those written words were more precious than any gold he could amass. He also knew that God had a perspective on life that was more accurate and life giving than the collective wisdom of humanity. He knew that in these commands was the opportunity for a full life and it led him to love God’s commands. What’s more astounding is that his love wasn’t for the gospels but for the Torah - the first five books of our Bible.

What is your motivation for reading Scripture today? Is it obligation? Is it routine? Is it to grow in knowledge? Or is it to grow in your love for the Lord? Routine and knowledge aren’t bad things so long as they lead us to love. Only that will be truly life giving.

As you think about your view of Scripture, what is a step you could take today to help it lead you to love the Lord? One of the things I have changed over time is to not worry about how much I’m reading and focus more on processing and applying what I’m reading. How about you?

Much love,
Simon

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This week we’re heading into our 4th ‘Pillars’ series called Salvation. Pillars first came about because I was concerned that we were grappling with some big issues in out culture without a basic Biblical framework. The purpose of the series is talk through the basics of what Christians have always believed so that we can have meaningful discussion.

However, sometimes talking about this means we do encroach on areas where there is lively debate. That’s where we get to this weekend. At the start of our series on Salvation, we have to talk about the very beginning of the salvation story - predestination. We’ll focus on what we all agree on, but it’s inevitable that we’ll get into territory where people have different positions.

With this in mind, I thought it might be helpful to share something to guard against unnecessary disagreement. It’s the idea that not all doctrines are equal.

When we’re talking about a point of theology, it’s good to think through just how important it is. 

At the top level there’s dogma—core beliefs. There are about seven of them and they include things like the Trinity, the deity and humanity of Jesus, the resurrection, and salvation by grace through faith. To not believe these things is really to claim that you’re not a Christian. These core doctrines can be discussed but they can’t be doubted. I would die on a hill for these.

Next level down there are doctrines. These are important and will often define how our faith is practiced, how we interpret Scripture, or how a church is run. They include things like whether women can be Elders, whether Jesus will rule on earth for a literal 1,000 years, and you guessed it… predestination. Is it about God’s sovereignty or human will?

The point about these issues is not that they don’t matter. It’s just that they’re not worth falling out over. I have good friends who see each of these issues differently to me and we don’t fall out. We understand that there are intelligent people on all sides of the discussion and they don’t actually affect whether we’re included in the family of believers.

The final level is that of opinion. These are issues that we really don’t know about because God hasn’t made it clear. It includes things like the identity of the Two Witnesses in Revelation. We don’t actually know, we can try and work it out but it has no bearing on how we live or how we lead churches.

The problem is that some people try to load as much as possible into the core beliefs category while liberals relegate as much as possible towards opinion. The former make unnecessary divisions while the latter has nowhere firm to stand. Both are poor choices. Instead let’s affirm our unity around what is core and then, as brothers and sisters, have meaningful conversation with one another about everything else.

The truth is that sometimes these things can be a horrible distraction. There’s so much that God has made clear and I want to suggest that our focus should be more about putting what is clear into practice rather than getting too hot under the collar about things that aren’t.

Much love,
Simon

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This post is part of the Senior Pastor’s weekly blog. Go to the the blog feed >>

Today in this series of blogs, we turn to 1 Peter — where the context is suffering for doing good. Peter reminds us that we will be overlooked, misunderstood and mistreated for our belief in Jesus and the life we live as a result. This just can’t be avoided.

In fact, it’s more concerning to find yourself living an easy, comfortable life because it provokes the question, “am I too assimilated into this culture?” It’s the feeling we don’t quite fit in that reminds us that here is not home, we’re destined for somewhere greater!

In 1 Peter 3:15-16, Peter teaches that the way to live in the midst of this tension is to live with Christ as Lord. Such a life, Peter says, provokes a question about the hope that we have. Questions we should be ready to answer.

So what does it mean to live with Christ as Lord?

One thing it doesn’t mean is being an overly dogmatic person who loves to trumpet truth. That’s not the gentleness and respect Peter was after (1 Pet 3:15). Nor does it mean someone who frowns at everything they don’t agree with. This is a life that shuts down all questions, conversation and friendship.

Living with Christ as Lord means letting your life do the talking. That’s the life that provokes a question.

For a start, if this is the case, you’re living with a completely different sexual ethic. Faithful marriage, celibacy, dating honourably and not sleeping around. A guy who doesn’t stare at a woman in a low-cut top. A woman who doesn’t complain about her husband. Standing out in this area is not even that hard.

From there, just look through the Sermon on the Mount. We don’t just treat our friends well but we love our enemies (Matt 5:43-47). How would it look when we don’t talk behind another’s back? What about continuing to be kind when we’re insulted or honouring your boss rather than undermining them?

What about our anxious age? We’re worried about the cost of living, increasingly anxious about the climate, and bereft of contentment because we just can’t live up to social media’s view of what our lives should be like. Has there ever been a greater need for the church to show what it’s like to be generous with those in need and to live with an abiding trust in Him rather than the harassment of worry?

Let’s live with Christ as Lord and with an unshakeable hope that He will soon return to bring about a world made right. Let’s live lives that show Jesus’ way of life so that some — maybe many — might be invited into it too.

Much love,
Simon

Questions to ponder:

• Can you think of a time where someone has noticed or commented on how you live your life differently as a Christian?

• How are you doing in the areas mentioned: sexual ethic, loving others (including “enemies”), contentment and generosity? Does your faith in Christ show in the way you live?

• Can you think of any other areas where it would be easy to stand out as a Christian?

• What is one step you could take this week to be different (in a good way!) from the world around you?

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This post is part of the Senior Pastor’s weekly blog. Go to the the blog feed >>

My Mum once made porridge for us both using a new recipe I assume was Scottish. I assume this because one of the ingredients was salt. The problem was that there was too much salt for our liking, and we effectively spat it out. It is the one and only time in my life I have seen my Mum throw something out as inedible.

I wonder if this is the reaction that many people in our culture have towards Christians these days. While the message of Jesus and being identified with Jesus are inherently polarising, we have to take ownership of the fact that the posture of Christians has, in some ways, contributed to this reaction.

In Colossians 4, Paul gives us a recipe for correcting our posture in how we engage with people who do not believe.

“Let your conversation always be full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone” (Col 4:6).

Grace is the means by which God does everything in our lives as a free gift. Grace creates the environment in which we can thrive. Salt is mixed into a dish to enhance flavour. It’s clear that salt is a distinctive ingredient. As Christians, we bring a different perspective — truth from God designed to enhance people’s flavour of life (John 8:31-32). But too much salt — too much truth — will overpower the hearer and be rejected.

In any recipe, the proportion of ingredients is important. This recipe is no different. Our conversations are to be full of grace but only seasoned with salt. Let me give some suggestions of what I think that could look like.

Kindness
Grace means we’re to be warm, welcoming, and kind. No matter what someone believes, they are a person made in God’s image. We should love and care for them more than anyone.

Listening
We’re to listen well to people even when we disagree with them. We’re to listen long enough to make sure we truly understand why they see the world the way they do. Listening is a lost art but one of the greatest ways to love.

Common ground
Our culture is pretty post-Christian. It means people want the values of Christianity even if they have no desire to believe in Jesus. It also means there is plenty of room for common ground. The moves to embrace Māori culture or to welcome people’s gender fluidity arise because we’ve realised it is not okay to abuse and marginalise people of different cultures and worldviews. This is a good thing borne out of a desire to love others. We may not love all of the ways this plays out, but we can affirm the intention as a good one.

All of these things — and I’m sure there are more — are ways to build genuine friendships with people who are different to you. My favourite name for Jesus in the gospels is “friend of sinners.” Could it be that some of us might be called this over time?

And when we’ve built genuine friendships, when we’ve listened long enough to truly understand, maybe then we will have earned the right to sprinkle a little salt. To ask a question or share something small that helps people to see—from a place of friendship and common ground—a way to see the world differently and a way to see how Jesus meets their need.

Much love,
Simon

Questions to ponder:

• Who are some people that don’t know God that you would call genuine friends of yours? If you can’t think of many, ask yourself who are some acquaintances or people you cross paths with that you could pursue a deeper friendship with? Pray for these people that God would draw them to Himself, and perhaps use you in that process.

• While thinking of the people in your life that don’t know Jesus - do you think your past conversations with them have been seasoned with too much or too little salt?

• Maybe you are someone who keeps your faith private outside of church and Christian circles. What are some ways your faith could be a natural part of everyday conversations, no matter the context?

• Who is someone in your life you’d like to make more time to listen to?

• What are some areas of ‘common ground’ you have with the non-believers around you? How could you use these areas to form deeper friendships?

• If God is real, but you didn’t know Him — how would you want Christians to reach out to you?

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This post is part of the Senior Pastor’s weekly blog. Go to the the blog feed >>

As a church, we want to be a community that’s helping one another become total followers of Jesus Christ. One of the important aspects of this is that we’re doing so in the cultural context of Wellington in the 2020s. In this environment, I am increasingly hearing questions about what this looks like in the context of social and cultural expectations, particularly in the workplace. How do I follow Jesus in a workplace where people are asked to wear rainbow lanyards? Should I go along with putting personal pronouns in my email signature? When everyone has to stand and say the agency’s karakia, what do I do if I don’t agree with the words?

I can’t tell you what you should do and there aren’t always ‘right’ answers. However, over the next few weeks, I hope to lay out some thoughts that we might use as way markers—guidelines to help each of us come to conclusions we are at peace with before the Lord. Please be gracious with one another as we will sometimes come to different conclusions.

For this week, Daniel 1 is a great place to start. He was about 11-15 years old when the Babylonians first invaded Jerusalem in 605BC and he was taken 500 miles away from home to Babylon where he was put into the service of the king.

Why not have a look at Daniel 1 for yourself. Here are three thoughts I’ve drawn from it.

Daniel learned about culture
This is a nice way of saying Daniel was indoctrinated. He was purposefully taken away from his family and culture and immersed in the language and literature of Babylon. Moreover, God helped him and his companions to excel in their learning (Dan 1:17). I notice that Paul also took the time to learn about the culture of the people he was seeking to reach (Acts 17:16-34 is a masterclass of contextualised gospel-sharing). You may feel more immersed in our culture than you want to be but maybe it’s something God wants to use to help you minster to people in that culture.

Daniel excelled in the culture
Part of God enabling Daniel and his companions to learn was that they were able to excel in their work. At the end of their training, the king found them far better than others in his service. You would expect Daniel to be known for subterfuge and sabotage — for undermining pagan authority. Rather, Daniel was a blessing to his captors and his wisdom was sought after. As a follower of Jesus, you bring a unique perspective and posture into whatever environment you are in. You have a higher view of the inherent worth of humanity than anyone else. You know that leadership is about service, not subjection. What does it look like for you to do the best job while being generous and kind to others in the process?

Daniel knew where to draw the line
Daniel drew the line at eating the king’s food, potentially because it was sacrificed to idols. There came a point where he said no. Notice that he was discrete and polite about it but this didn’t compromise the firmness of the no. What I find interesting is that his line was probably further than he was comfortable. After all, he didn’t object to being given a Babylonian name. What’s fascinating about Daniel is that the first 11-15 years of his life had been lived out in the spiritual revival of Josiah’s day (2 Chron 34-35) when God’s word took prime place in Judah. It seems therefore that his upbringing was strong enough that even when taken 500 miles from home and immersed in a new culture, it was God’s word that became the plumb-line in his life. Can I encourage you to be someone increasingly immersed in Scripture and allow the Spirit to guide you in wisely knowing where to draw the line, even if it is further into the culture than you would naturally be comfortable.

Much love,
Simon

Questions to ponder:

• Can you think of any areas of your life currently where you feel immersed beyond your comfort zone in the culture around you?

• Ask God what He thinks about these areas of discomfort for you. Do you sense He’s asking you to draw a firm line and say no to something? Or rather do you sense He could be calling you to lean into the discomfort and embrace the opportunity that might be there?

• When was the last time you truly took the time to listen and learn from someone who has very different perspectives and opinions from you? Can you think of anyone you could make space to listen to and learn from this week?

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This post is part of the Senior Pastor’s weekly blog. Go to the blog feed >>

Fathers Day is this week and it’s a tricky day in church. We want to celebrate and honor fathers while acknowledging how polarised our experiences of fatherhood are. Some are celebrating today while others are grieving bereavement, abuse, miscarriages, and neglect. This list goes on and every one of those experiences will be represented as we gather on Sunday. 

Whatever our experiences of fatherhood, I don’t want to miss the opportunity to reflect on God as our heavenly Father. Even if you have the most amazing experience of an earthly father, it pales in comparison to Him. There are few things in my pursuit of Jesus that have been more transformational for me than contemplating the love of the Father.

David wrote:

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful…” (Ps 139:13-14).

Before you had any sort of success. Before you took a step. Before you spoke one word. Before you were born. In fact, before your parents had any inkling that you existed - God knew you. He is the pre-eminient relationship in your life. He didn’t just set his affection on you and choose to love you. He made you. He imagined you. The thought of you existing brought him joy. And when you sinned, and failed, and struggled, he had already sent His one and only Son to make a way for you to be set free, cleaned up, and brought into His family that you might enjoy Him forever.

You are wonderful. You are incredible. You are so valuable. I know it because you have a heavenly Father who says so.

And so whatever your view of Father’s Day, take some time to step back and look up. Read and re-read Psalm 139 until the truth sinks in. The works of the Father are wonderful and one of those works is you. May you know His deep affection for you today.

Much love,

Simon

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Last week, I shared a concept that is core to the New Testament and yet has been MIA in church conversation in recent years. It’s the concept of the ‘one anothers’.

In the Old Testament, Israel had 613 laws that were reinforced by many more rules and traditions to help keep the 613. However, it’s clear from the ministry of Jesus that all 613 hang on just two. Love God and love people.

Fast forward to the famous foot washing scene in the Upper Room, Jesus shows what loving people looks like in the context of the church.  “A new command I give you: love one another. “As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:34-35).

The context of this is that Judas betrayed Jesus and Peter was about to deny him. When they did what they did, they did so with clean feet, washed by the King of the universe in human flesh.

This way of love is radical. And our love for another is to be no less radical because we are to love one another AS he has loved us. This command becomes the hallmark of Christian community. The world should be able to look at the way we care for and serve one another and know that we belong to Jesus.

So how are we doing? Does the way we honor others show that we belong to Jesus? Do we serve others in a way that reflects him? Do we forgive others like we have been forgiven? I wonder what step Jesus would have you take today that we would be a church that more accurately reflects him.

As we head into a series called One Another this weekend, it’s the beginning of a journey for us. It’s a theme we will return to again and again. Loving in this way is not something we’ll ever master. But imagine if we could consistently grow. Just imagine what an incredible community we would be.

Much love,

Simon

Questions to ponder:

• What are some moments you can recall from your own life where you have felt loved by other Christians?

• What are some specific ways you sense God calling you to show love to others in the Church family?

• Is there anyone you have an unresolved issue with? Do you need to forgive someone, or ask someone to forgive you? Make a plan today to do all you can to set things right between you.

• The way the Church loves one another is meant to be a witness to the world. What do you want the world to see when they look at the Church? Does your church community currently look like a place that non-believers would be drawn to? Why/why not?

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There’s a theme in the New Testament that we’ve neglected over the years and I’m not sure why. It’s the area of ‘one anothers’. Jesus made our sacrificial love for one another the ultimate measure of how we interact as a church community when he washed the disciples’ feet and told them to follow his example.

I don’t think he was making a rule of foot washing (although that would make Life Group interesting). Rather footwashing was the most humble and sacrificial way of serving someone else and putting their needs ahead of your own. The question that arises for us is, what ‘foot washing’ needs to be done for the people around you? As pastor and author, Andy Stanley often says, “what does love require of me?”

It’s in this light that I’ve reflected on the relationship of David and Jonathan this week. Over the years, I have found encouragement that when David was in a dark and difficult time he “found strength in the LORD his God” (1 Sam 30:6).

It’s something I’ve tried to emulate when I am in a dark and difficult time. But this week I’ve noticed something deeper. You see, it wasn’t the first time David had been distressed. Not long before, David was fleeing for his life and, “Jonathan went to David…and helped him find strength in God” (1 Sam 23:16).

Finding strength in God was something that Jonathan knew how to do and he showed David. In fact, he showed him so well that, from then on, David knew how to do it for himself. The Psalms are full of David’s songs about finding refuge with God. Could it be that the gift of this theme in the Psalms to us is the result of Jonthan’s service of David? Do we have more to thank Jonathan for than we’ve realised?

David and Jonathan’s relationship was rich and deep but we shouldn’t be surprised by this because it was a relationship forged in trials. I wonder how much richer church community will become as we seek to serve one another in and through times of distress. Who are the David’s in your world right now? Who are the followers of Jesus in your world who are struggling? How can you help them find strength in God? 

Much love,

Simon

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Everyday in our culture, there are challenges to the gospel. Was Jesus real? Did he really die? Do you actually believe he came to life again? 

But recently, I’ve noticed another challenge sneaking up. It’s not about how someone gets saved but whether we actually need saving at all.

I watched a video by a guy with cerebral palsy asking the question “Should I want to be fixed?” I write this not to call the guy out but because he asked some good questions that are worth considering.

For the most part, he was simply looking at the benefits of certain treatments to alleviate symptoms in the absence of a cure. But then came the conclusion. If I could be fixed, should I even want to be?

Let’s be clear. People with cerebral palsy are wonderful people and at the same time they have a condition involving the development of or damage to their brain. But our culture struggles to hold these truths at the same time. We are desperate to accept people for who they are - which is a good thing. But in doing so, we have collapsed our value and our health into the same thing. As such, it becomes offensive to call an aspect of ourselves imperfect - it feels like we are insulting our very identity.

Moreover, if our worldview has no future hope, we have to make the most of here and now. If this is all there is, we should embrace it and call it good.

As Christians, we offer something better in both cases.

We believe that every single human being is made in the image of God irrespective of age, stage, size, or condition. The person in front of you has inherent and infinite dignity, value and worth. The way we treat them is a reflection of how we treat God.

Secondly, we don’t need to pretend there’s nothing wrong. We can call out sickness as part of the fallen world. When we sense that things are not the way they should be, God agrees with us. You’re right, pain and suffering are real but it’s not the way things should be.

That’s the reason Jesus came. On the cross he paid the price for our sin and when we rose again, he gave us the sure hope that he will one day raise us too with bodies better than they have ever been and prepared to live forever in the suffering-free world he is bringing about. That’s the nature of Christian hope.

That’s the beauty of the gospel. Humanity is more valuable, this world is more broken and our hope is more incredible that any of us could imagine.  This is why our culture’s posture here is so dangerous—it dulls our desire for Jesus!

Where are you noticing the consequences of the fall being minimised? I wonder what God might lead you to do as you pray about that. Is there a question you could ask to promote conversation that moves people towards seeing Jesus afresh today?

Grace and peace,

Simon

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This post is part of the Senior Pastor’s weekly blog. Go to the blog feed >>

When we greet each other, it’s easy to use casual, throw away language that we don’t really mean. People say things like, ‘Hey, how you going?’ ‘Good, you?’ ‘Good.’ We’re not really asking how people are. We don’t want their life story, it’s just an extended hello.

We can make the same mistake with Scripture. At some point in the greeting of each of Paul’s letters, he includes the words grace and peace. They appear so often, it’s easy to skim over them. To assume there’s nothing really there. But rather than an extended hello, these words are laced with meaning.

Grace is God’s great enabler. I love this word and I know I talk about it a lot. But that’s because it’s so important and appears all the time. Grace is the way God works out everything in your life as a free gift. It’s the way He chooses you, justifies you, equips you to serve Him, changes you to be like Him. It’s the way He’ll raise you when Jesus returns. Grace is how God does everything in a way that comes our way for free.

Peace is another rich word. Peace is the condition of perfect prosperity and security. It is everything as it should be. It’s the condition of the world our souls long for and that Jesus is bringing about. It’s the state of our relationship with God. And whereas earthly peace is fleeting, God’s peace in your life enables a calm to resonate deep in your soul even when all around you is in turmoil.

It’s hard to imagine Paul could give a stronger greeting. It’s hard to imagine praying a more powerful prayer for one another. In fact, it’s the prayer I’ve been praying for our church this week. May God work powerfully in each of our lives as a free gift. May God give you a glimpse of the world to come in the inner recesses of your soul. I wonder what you’ll notice as God answers this prayer? I wonder what He’ll do as we pray it over one another.

Grace and peace,

Simon

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This post is part of the Senior Pastor’s weekly blog. Go to the blog feed >>

I had the privilege of working with Nick Field for almost ten years and there was a phrase he would often say, “don’t drag the start line with you.” His point was that we can easily get discouraged at a lack of progress in our lives and the things around us. Change happens incrementally and we can fail to notice progress unless we look back far enough for a true comparison.

One of the ways that we can combat this is to take moments to reflect and celebrate along the way. When Israel crossed the Jordan, they stopped and built an altar to celebrate the progress and remember what God had done (Joshua 4:1-9). The job wasn’t finished—they hadn’t conquered a single territory within the promised land—but they stopped to celebrate that they had moved forward.

This is important for us as a church. Sunday’s whole-of-church announcement was not the end of the journey. We’ve managed to establish Jerram as a Location Pastor for West and yet there are still East, Mt Vic, Porirua and Hutt to go. I have found this discouraging in my own life.

And yet when I reflect back over a longer period of time I realise the things God has done to get us even to this point. The redeployment of a staff team to better serve all Locations was months of work. The number of people leaned in and enthusiastic about being part of the solution at Locations is far higher than last year. Each Location has wonderful teams of people taking the lead who are passionate about seeing God move in their local area. And the stories of people who have come to faith or are growing closer to Jesus are new compared to last year. These examples are like stones on the altar next to the Jordan. Stones that would be missed if I was only comparing what’s going on with last week. Instead, by looking back over a longer period of time, we get a better picture and find reason to praise.

It’s also true in our personal lives. We’re prone to discouragement because we feel like we’re still praying for the same problems and still wrestling with the same shortcomings. But I wonder how this might change if we were able to compare ourselves and the situations we’re in now with the beginning of this year, or even a year ago. If you keep a journal or a prayer diary, maybe have a look back to see what you were processing or praying for back then. If you don’t record things, maybe take a few moments to think back. For me, I keep things I’m praying for daily on a small card in my wallet (no fancy prayer app for me!) and it’s been so encouraging to see the prayers I’ve been able to cross off—not in the last week—but since January.

Can I encourage you to take a few moments this weekend and reflect on how the Lord has led you and how far you have come.

Much love,
Simon

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This post is part of the Senior Pastor’s weekly blog. Go to the blog feed >>

This week we’ve been confronted with awful news of the shooting in Auckland that resulted in the deaths of three and injuries to others. In moments like this our hearts go out to the people involved but it can be hard to know how to respond.

Some people are tempted to wonder whether the series of events in Auckland (they’ve had a rough time with floods and storms as well) is some sort of punishment from God. But comments like this just aren’t helpful. Jesus specifically taught that disasters are not the result of the sin of a city (Luke 13:1-5). Rather they are part of the fallen world we live in and which Jesus is redeeming. So how should we respond?

Firstly, it’s right that we pray. As a staff we spend a lot of our Thursday prayer time specifically crying out to God for Auckland. In moments like this, I feel helpless and yet I know that God is not. When we pray, we invite the power and presence of the living God into the situation and that is no small thing.

Secondly, events like this remind us not to put our hope in this world. Whether we believe in Jesus or not, our lives are lived out in a broken world riddled with pain and suffering. However, our hope as Christians is not simply that ‘when I die I go to heaven’ but that Jesus is returning to bring about a new heavens and a new earth. A world made right where we will be with him forever. A world of perfect peace, provision, and security. It’s only with hope properly placed in our secure future that we’re prepared to live well through all the trials of this world.

Finally, while Jesus could return at any moment, if he does not come back today, it’s another day where he is expressing his patience and keeping the window of opportunity open for people to believe. Moments like this disrupt people’s sense of peace and provoke many questions. It means that it’s important we’re awake to opportunities for spiritual conversations. Why not pray right now that as you go about your day, that God might bring about an opportunity for you to share Jesus with someone wondering about these things. After all, as Tim Keller used to often remind people, while we can’t fully understand why God allows evil and suffering, the cross reminds us that it’s not because he doesn’t care. He entered our suffering to make a way for us beyond it. Let us invite people into that.

Much love,
Simon

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This post is part of the Senior Pastor’s weekly blog. Go to the blog feed >>

Something weird is going on. I can’t believe how fast the year is racing by and yet, at the same time, ​​so many people seem to be tired. We’ve hit July but we’re ready for a summer holiday. Is it nearly Christmas yet? It makes me wonder how much we’re still reeling and recovering from some of the challenges we’ve faced over the past three years.

Richard Black from Mind Health talks about how most of us have previously worked out the things we need to do to rest and refresh. But because the level of difficulty in life has gone up for many of us, there’s a good chance those rhythms are no longer sufficient.

Think of it this way. If you are used to regularly running 10kms and then step up to run a marathon, the sleep, food and time you’ll need to recover also goes up. If we’re finding ourselves more stressed and stretched than usual, are we learning what additional rhythms we need to refresh and replenish?

We’re heading away for a week-long break soon and in preparation, Jenny’s mentor asked her this question: “What would make the week wildly successful?”

I love the question because it stretches the thought process way beyond ordinary things and the usual outcomes. It challenges me to think differently which is the very thing we need if we’re more tired than usual.

For me, it will mean time with friends, reading for more than just entertainment (there’s nothing wrong with reading for entertainment, it’s just that learning replenishes me), making time for the Lord, and doing things as a family we love to do together.

What about you? Maybe you’re not going away. Maybe what you’re looking forward to is this weekend, an evening with friends, or just carving out a couple of child-free hours. I think the question is still relevant in these contexts too: what would make that time wildly successful?

Most of all, let us never stop making time for the Lord in Word, worship and prayer. Making time to place our anxiety on him and allowing him to remind us of his goodness. In that light, maybe this would be a good verse to ponder right now.

“Return to your rest, my soul, for the LORD has been good to you.” Ps 116:7

Much love,
Simon

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This post is part of the Senior Pastor’s weekly blog. Go to the blog feed >>

We’re in the first couple of weeks of a new series in 1 Peter, Trial By Fire. It’s written to a church who are suffering persecution and Peter writes to encourage them to stand firm (1 Peter 5:12).

However, those searching the letter for obvious words of comfort will be disappointed. Instead, Peter tells them not to be surprised by trials and persecution and continually points them to the example of the sufferings of Jesus.

My problem with this is that I am often surprised by trials that come my way. It makes me wonder what sort of discipleship we have called one another to over the years. Have we emphasised the message that Jesus will make you the best version of yourself and glossed over the consistent messages on suffering? In an effort to encourage people to believe, have we tried to make the gospel more palatable? 

The problem is that while a sanitised gospel message is incomplete, it is also counter-productive.

Ahead of his journey to Antarctica, Ernest Shackleton placed an ad in The Times newspaper stating: 

“Men wanted for hazardous journey. Small wages, bitter cold, long months of complete darkness, constant danger, safe return doubtful, honour and recognition in case of success.” Ernest Shackleton, 4 Burlington Street.

Who would reply to that? Well, it’s purported that Shackleton received over 5,000 responses. Not because he called people to comfort and a better life but because he called people to sacrifice.

There is something in our culture that honours sacrifice. We are inspired by stories of people who gave up and endured for a greater cause. And there is no cause greater than the message of the gospel. No prize worth giving up so much for.

Can I suggest that as we pray for and reach out to those in our world, that we don’t give in to the temptation to sanitise the message but lead more openly with the message of Jesus; “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me” (Matt 16:24).

Our world is full of messages about how to be a better you but sorely lacking in the call to suffer for a greater cause. Could it be that this is an aspect of the gospel people desperately need to hear?

Much love,
Simon

Questions to ponder:

• How has the gospel been presented to you throughout your life? Did you perceive it as a call to surrender and sacrifice, or a promise of a better life (or something else)?

• Have you ever felt surprised by troubles that have come your way? What do you think of 1 Peter 4:12-13?

• What do you think the result might be if we shared the gospel without trying as hard to make it seem more palatable to those around us?

• What areas in your life do you currently see yourself willing to suffer for a greater good? Are you willing to suffer for Jesus? Why/why not?

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This post is part of the Senior Pastor’s weekly blog. Go to the blog feed >>

If God would answer just one prayer I have for our church, what would it be? Today I thought I’d let you know.

There’s a scene in the TV show Modern Family (don’t judge me) that quickly induces tears. Maybe it’s because I’m a Dad of three girls. Perhaps it’s the inner thoughts about myself.

Teenage Haley is making poor relationship choices and vents to her Mum about her Dad from an open lift: “I’m a huge disappointment to him. I see it on his face everyday. He acts as if he doesn’t want me around.”

What do you think comes to God’s mind when he thinks about you? Anger? Frustration? Disappointment?

Suddenly Dad emerges from an adjacent lift, not knowing his daughter can hear. “That’s my little girl. I need her to know that no guy on earth is good enough for her.”

Haley has no words, she just hugs her Dad who had no idea she was there. How profoundly moving to finally hear the truth that she is deeply loved.

I wonder how many of us live life ‘knowing’ how God feels about us. Did you know God chose you before the foundation of the world (Eph 1:4)? He didn’t choose you from a group of others. He imagined you out of nothing. You exist because he wanted you. You are his inheritance (Eph 1:18). You are the one about whom he is well pleased (Luke 3:22). You are the one over whom he sings loud songs of joy over you (Zech 3:17).

My number one prayer is simply this: that you would hear what God really thinks of you. It would affect every single other aspect of your life. It would release you to freely love God with every fibre of your being and love others as an overflow of how you’ve been loved. Life would never be the same again. This is why we want every one of us to grow deeper in our knowledge of Scripture, because through it you’ll hear what God really thinks.

May God answer my prayer in your life today.

Much love,
Simon

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This post is part of the Senior Pastor’s weekly blog. Go to the blog feed >>

I love the feeling when I open the box on a brand new pair of running shoes - bright, colourful, blemish free; the feeling when I stand back and admire the car that I’ve (finally) cleaned; the feeling when I tidy my desk and it’s free from clutter. The cathartic feeling of everything being perfectly in place—as it should be. What about for you?

I’ve been wondering why this is. I think it has to do with a deep desire for the world to be as it should be. God created a world of peace, prosperity and security. Shalom. A world as it should be, perfectly set up for us to thrive. But sin means that this is not the world we’ve ever fully experienced and there’s been a longing in our hearts to find shalom again.

The problem is that we’ll search in all sorts of places to fulfill this longing. We search in things that are temporary. The trainers will get scuffed, the car will get dirty, the desk will get untidy, and the search begins again. But rather than putting our hopes in the next spring clean or shopping spree, can I suggest we use these moments to remind our souls of the hope we have in Jesus. That one day he will return to rule over a world made right. To bring about a new heavens and a new earth that won’t ever fade away. To enable us to live forever in shalom.

As Paul wrote, “so we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18).

Where have you been searching for that feeling of a world made right? Why not offer that to the Lord today and fix your eyes on the future hope we have in Jesus.

Much love,
Simon

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This post is part of the Senior Pastor’s weekly blog. Go to the blog feed >>