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Life is Difficult and then You Die

At some point in our lives, we probably have all asked the question, “What is the Point?” After spending countless hours, exhausting our resources, and putting all our efforts into climbing to the top of the mountain – whether that be building our career, becoming wealthy, enjoying the pleasure that the world has to offer, or focusing on our own sense of worth. And once we reach the top, it is easy to look around and wonder, “Is it worth it?” Questions about the meaning of our life...

A Legacy of Faith

If you are like me, you have watched with both interest and sadness, the death of Queen Elizabeth II and the mourning of so many people from around the world. It has been moving to listen to the stories that have been shared about the encounters that people had with their Queen. But for me, the stories of the Queen's faith have been most significant. The Queen was definitely a woman who had a strong belief in God and a deep Christian faith. One of the titles of the Queen was "Defender of the Fai...

Investing in the Future

Over recent weeks I have had a number of conversations with people about how we can best invest in the future.  When it comes to investing in the future, I think about investing in two things - money and people.  With our money, generally we spend it or we invest it.  When we spend it, we never see again. When we invest our money wisely, it multiplies.  And we also do the same thing with our lives. We can spend them or invest them. A life spent selfishly on ourselves will be ...

I Give Because of Who I Am!!

We are generous! Since joining the Global Connections team, I have been amazed at how generous many of you are. Each week individuals, organisations and businesses give financially to support our mission partners and our aid projects. Last year over three million dollars was donated by you and distributed around the world to enable God's work. But why? Why are so many of you willing to give sacrificially to these causes? I have just finished reading a short book called "The Giving Landscape: Who...

Continue Steadfastly in Prayer

Over recent weeks we have been preparing our annual Daily Prayer Guide. This Guide tells us about our mission partners and most importantly it encourages us to pray for our partners. In praying for the individuals and ministries found in our guide, we join many others in intercessory prayer. Together we unite in prayer and partner together for the cause of Gospel. Throughout the Bible we see examples of men and women praying. Paul prayed for those he ministered to and he also encouraged others t...

Discipleship: deepening the roots of our faith

Go and make disciples is Christ’s final command to the Church. Christians face the twin challenges of making disciples of ourselves and making disciples of others. Discipleship with its twin priorities is perhaps the most pressing challenge that faces the Church. Discipleship is vital for new Christians, turning an encounter with Christ into a walk with Christ, learning to walk alongside others in Christian communities.Discipleship is equally important among people with a long Christian herita...

Here I Am, Send Me!!

There seems to be a social and cultural phenomenon taking place around the world in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Forced lockdowns, working from home, and not working at all have caused many of us to reassess our lives and what we are doing. Many of us are asking the question, “What should I do with my life?” This is not a new question. I am reminded of the Old Testament prophet Isaiah, and his response to a similar question. In Isaiah 6, we read about the prophet Isaiah and how he resp...

India's Church

India’s Church is ancient, dating back (traditionally) to the Apostle Thomas. It is strongest in the south of India and in the northeast. While many of South India’s Christians have a relatively high social standing, most of the rest are from the poorest parts of society, and this affects how Christians are perceived and treated in the nation. India’s Church includes Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant and Independent Christians, plus an unknown number who trust and follow Jesus but remain cult...

Tonga Aid Relief

Read the latest updates: December 2022 ...

The Changing Face Of Mission

Christian mission has passed through several stages:First millennium: During the first millennium, Christians evangelized all the tribes of Europe and Eastern Christians took the gospel across Asia as far as China. Catholic missionary orders: As Eastern Christianity was eclipsed, Catholic missionary orders like the Franciscans and Jesuits became the main bearers of mission vision for several centuries, both before and after the birth of Protestantism in the sixteenth century. The missi...

Accessing the Bible

For most of us, we take for granted the fact that we can access a Bible in our own language.  We probably have many Bibles on our bookshelves, not to mention the many electronic Bibles accessible online.  Now we all know that the Bible is important. The Bible tells us the story of the Creator and his creation. It shares about the highs and lows of the human race. It shows us how much the Creator cares for each one of us and what he has done to save us.  The Bible shares how Jesus,...

Loving God

Recently I was in conversation with a young man who was lamenting the struggle that he felt in loving God. His understanding and appreciation of what God had done for him through the acts of grace was clear. Equally his appreciation of the power and sovereignty of God was an area of clear conviction for him, but is there something more? The lament was sincere. To experience God is a worthy desire. To know God’s love and to love God is of first importance as revealed by God in Deuteronomy 6:4, ...

100 People

Last week, we touched on the distribution of global wealth.  I was challenged to dig a little more and think about the world around us. There are nearly 8 billion people in the world but ... If the World were 100 PEOPLE: 50 would be female50 would be male30 aged under 18 years8 over 65 years of age There would be: 60 Asians including 18 in China and 17 in India16 Africans14 people from the Americas10 Europeans 31 Christians23 Muslims16 people who would not be aligned with a religion15 ...

Missions Source - The Sovereignty of God

God’s sovereignty is defined by his omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence (all knowing, present everywhere, all powerful). Nothing that happens within our world is hidden from God's view or outside of God's provision for rescue for those who would call on Him. The world’s upheaval that includes pandemics and devastating wars, economic upheaval and our personal suffering, struggles or brokenness have not escaped God's attention and can only be answered by His presence, knowledge and powe...

Global Wealth

Over recent weeks, it has been impossible to see the news without being confronted with the significant inflation that we are experiencing in New Zealand. This has impacted our spending and many of us are having to make tough decisions about how we use our money. For some, this is the first time that we have had to deal with inflation of this magnitude, and we are struggling to cope with the implications on our day-to-day spending. So, let's put our wealth into perspective. While we ma...

The Greatest Day in History!

The centre of our Christian faith is the story of Jesus’s death, burial, and triumphant resurrection.  Each year Christians around the world gather together to remember the greatest day in history: Easter Sunday.  The importance of Jesus’ resurrection cannot be overstated.  The Apostle Paul boldly states "If there’s no resurrection, there’s no living Christ. And face it - if there’s no resurrection for Christ, everything we’ve told you is smoke and mirrors, and everyth...

Freedom?

The debate on what is freedom has gained a level of intensity in recent times.  The Oxford dictionary’s definition of freedom is condition of being free or unrestrictedpersonal or civic libertyliberty of action. To have an appreciation of why freedom Is desired and so fiercely fought for we need to take a look the root cause of humanity’s loss of freedom. In Genesis Chapter 2, in the story of God’s creation, we are introduced to a scene of perfect freedom. Then, catastrophically, we s...

The Church beyond Covid

During the past two years of Covid disruption to the life of our church family, some have asked, “Doesn't the church just add a further complication to the already complex life and can’t I just be a stay-at-home Christian?...

The Power That Saves

Romans 1 v 16“I am not ashamed of the gospel because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes first for the Jew then for the Gentile.” The question one may ask is what is the gospel designed to save us from? The answer is found in the word salvation in this text with its wide-reaching implications. The definition of salvation refers to being rescued from God’s anger and judgment that we deserve because of our sin. It means being delivered from the penalty of sin, w...

Why I Have Faith

As I move to this final quarter of life, I have cause to reflect on the motive for my life's journey as a Christian. The Bible makes it clear that to live as a Christian is not a call to easy living. Mark 3: 34 reads “If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me”.  It is clear that a life based on Christian perspective and teaching is affronting to our human nature. It should not surprise us that a level of hostility will be experienced...

Mission and Your Mind

Mission’s priority has for many, lost its primary focus as the world we live in contends to win our minds through media ladened with choices for quick self-gratification. Romans 12: 2 understood this conflict. God speaks to his family of faith with sound advice, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of the world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing, and perfect will.” What does it mean to ...

It was Thursday morning...

It was Thursday morning - Isaac and I were helping to rearrange the staff in the outpatient clinic as a number of staff informed us the day before that they were leaving. Isaac had been helping in triage, I was in the ward, recording the weights of the eight tiny neonates that I had just measured. A staff member came in and asked me to weigh another tiny baby who had just arrived at the clinic (they were too small for our digital scales in triage). The baby was 21 days old, born premature at an ...

Who then is willing … to give?

Ian McBride is a church elder, Christian businessman and leader, and a trustee on the GC3 Board.  What follows is a summary of a devotion he brought to the Board late last year. 1 Chron 29:5 says, “Who then is willing to consecrate himself this day to the Lord?” (NIV) or “And now, how about you? Who among you is ready and willing to join in the giving?” (The Message) King David is approaching the twilight of his life and reign over Israel.  In his final days he (and indeed the ...

Perseverance, a Key to Mission

GC3’s journey of providing service to our churches and their mission partners has always demanded perseverance. In 2021 new mission fields have engaged workers even during these troubling times. Many of these mission partners are committing to difficult and sometimes hostile environments that require determined perseverance. My arrival in D R Congo in 1982 was relatively easy as the mission had been operating for more than 96 years when we first arrived. However, the history of this mission in...

Have a Happy New Year in Mission with God.

For as long as I can remember, New Year's Day has been a day of good will. Greetings from family, friends, neighbours and even strangers within community, joyfully invite us to a “happy new year”. So, what does a happy new year look like for a Christian? The Bible declares that God wants us to be happy. I love God’s practical invitation to live, as seen in Ecclesiastes 2:24.  Nothing is better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and that his soul should enjoy good in his labo...