Christian Life_issue 12_May by Initiate Media

MAY 2014 • Issue TWELVE • www.mychristiandaily.com

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THE HOPE PROJECT

A 30ft caravan and a conversation: one mans pilgrimage across NZ

MAN ON A MISSION

Exclusive interview with YWAM founder and leader Loren Cunningham

ON A QUEST TO END SEXUAL SLAVERY

PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY MANNA BOOKSTORES AND THE CHRISTIAN BOOKSELLERS ASSOCIATION

Contents...

Issue TWELVE | MAY 2014

04 COVER STORY: Petra Bagust: A staunch abolitionist 06 Loren Cunningham: man with a mission 08

Laidlaw College to open a second Auckland Campus

5 Essential life skills to help you thrive

10 Local news 12

All things in common

The Hope Project

16 Shine TV programme guide 18 Christian Life Classifieds PLUS winners of our Son of God competition

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Sexual slavery

PETRA BAGUST A STAUNCH ABOLITIONIST ~ WITH MADINA TURGIEVA Petra Bagust is asking the Church to be brave. Brave in the face of a great evil that is fast spreading across our world; the forced slavery and commercial sexual exploitation of millions of innocent women and children. During her recent trip to Nepal, the TV personality was shown a brief glimpse behind the veil of this insidious industry and now she is determined to speak out. Petra was first confronted with this evil a few months ago, when she was having a conversation with God, asking; “What can I do to serve You?” In a series of God-ordained synchronicities, He presented her with an answer. First through a book, Half the Sky by Nicholas Kristoff and Sheryl Wu Dunn, which details the injustices girls and women from poor backgrounds face around the world, with sexual exploitation atop of that list; then in a conversation with a life-long

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All of a sudden she doesn’t have money, she doesn’t have new clothes, she’s not at school and she’s working dangerous jobs.

friend who had just came back from filming an anti-trafficking video in Nepal. Finally, it was a chance meeting with Daniel Walker, the Kiwi undercover sex trafficking detective who spoke of his experiences rescuing girls as young as nine from brothels. The figures that he shared were shocking. There are more slaves now than at any other time in human history. It is estimated that 27 million people are trapped in this nightmarish existence. The average age of a trafficking victim is only 12 years old. “When I was presented with all this information, I felt like I was given an invitation. Rather than turn away from the hardness and brutality of trafficking; I wanted to do something about it,” she says. Nestled between the steep walls of the Himalayas and the steamy Indian jungle, the tiny nation of Nepal

is a popular exotic travel destination for adventurers and thrill-seekers. With a population of only 27 million, it is estimated that every 40 minutes a girl from Nepal is trafficked to India, where they are sold into Indian brothels and forced to commit to a life of prostitution. During her week-long stay in Makwanpur District of Nepal (the region most affected by trafficking) Petra met with more than 21 women part of a TEAR Fund programme, some of whom were currently going through rehabilitation services after escaping the clutches of traffickers. “I met some of the bravest, most courageous women in Nepal,” says Petra. “They are all survivors, and they want to make a difference, they want hope for others, for their children and for themselves. “

“I heard stories of escape and stories of terrible bondage and horrific abuse and stories of repair and healing and stories of hope and scholarship. I talked to young women, old women, women who have avoided trafficking and those that have been trafficked.” One particular account stands out the most to Petra. It is the story of Setimaya. “I suspect I was the first person she told her story to,” says Petra. She was married off very young and rejected by her husband’s family. She just had a baby and wanted to go home. One of her new sisters-in-law said that she would take her home to her parents. Instead she was trafficked and forced to have sex with ten or more men a night. One night she didn’t earn enough; her boss came in and beat her with a beer bottle. Years after, you can still see the scar on her forehead. This woman was violated on every level—spiritually, emo-

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Sexual slavery

tionally and physically.” Petra says that vulnerable women and children are victimised by traffickers due to their illiteracy, unemployment and lack of awareness of the risks of trafficking. Many fall prey to the tempting invitations for foreign employment. “A young man came into the village and told 13-yearold Bindhu, that she could get a job that would allow her to buy beautiful clothes, books and go back to school. She hoped that she could earn some money and make her life better, but it wasn’t what it was cracked up to be. All of a sudden she doesn’t have money, she doesn’t have new clothes, she’s not at school and she’s working dangerous jobs.” No stranger to the insidious nature of trafficking, TEAR Fund partner, Share and Care, uses education to raise awareness about the traps that traffickers use to enslave women. They also provide rehabilitation services to those who have escaped or been rescued from their captors and empower women to become financially independent. “What we saw, as far as what Share and Care was doing, is this incredible transformation in the empowerment of women. In the communities where Share and Care was working, the women were flourishing, they were becoming partners with their husbands and they were becoming active members of their community who had a voice,” says Petra. When Setimaya came home from being trafficked, her husband died. The other villagers were afraid, they didn’t understand and said; ‘well you must’ve bought the disease back from the brothels.’ So she was rejected again. So she said; ‘You know what, I don’t need my stepsons to support me. Because of Share and Care, I now have a community, and I now have an ability to make money.’ The redemptive stories of women like Setimaya inspire hope, but for a vast majority of victims the realities of trafficking are far bitterer. According to the UNODC (United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime) Global Report on Trafficking, only 1 percent of victims ever escape from servitude. For an industry that is run by sophisticated criminal networks, and earns traffickers an estimated $32 billion per annum, it is no wonder that most girls never see the light of day again. Petra believes that it is up to the Church to lift the lid on this issue and meet the need. “I would encourage the Church to continue to be Jesus on earth.” She says that it is important to acknowledge that the issue actually exists.

“People need to be brave, find out a bit more and not turn their back on what they discover. As William Wilberforce said, ‘You may choose to look the other way but you can never again say you did not know’.” “The work TEAR Fund does in Nepal through Share and Care is worth supporting in any capacity you can. I just think that when we do have the opportunity to engage with potentially really confronting and painful subjects like human trafficking, when we do something, it increases our capacity to be excellent human beings.” Petra says it is also important to examine how our own behaviour feeds the human trafficking industry. “I think there is a strong correlation between the demand for pornography, strip clubs, prostitution and trafficking. Denise Ritchie from Stop Demand makes a good point; ‘If there was no demand, the industry would dry up.’ “I think as far as pornography, brothels, strip clubs they are on a continuum to trafficking. Seeking commercial sexual services hurts the way you view women and it creates unrealistic expectations and it produces this desire to potentially seek out more and go darker and darker. “ “I think many Kiwi men who view pornography would never in their wildest dreams think that they would be adding to the trafficking industry, but they are, because they are demonstrating the same beliefs and behaviours as traffickers; that women are objects to be purchased and that sex is a soulless financial transaction. The Church needs to help people without judgement.” “I think culturally we need to be brave and stand up and say, ‘Let’s agree that we won’t engage people in commercial sexual services’. We believe purchasing women and children’s bodies is not good in any way. It’s not redeeming or life-giving.’ This is a tough message that doesn’t go down well in modern society but if it’s what we believe, then we have to stand on our convictions. “If abolishing trafficking means confronting the sex industry, then so be it. I came home ready to publicly declare myself ‘a staunch abolitionist’. It’s a title I wear with immense pride.”

You can support the work of TEAR Fund in abolishing sexual slavery by getting behind Project Act. Project Act is an exciting new initiative that aims to address the issue of trafficking by working in vulnerable communities to educate families about trafficking and prevent it from happening in the first place; by rescuing and rehabilitating innocent women and children held in bondage; empowering vulnerable young women to become selfsufficient; and finally by prosecuting the traffickers responsible. This work is made possible through close partnerships with three incredible organisations: Share and Care, Nvader and International Justice Mission. To find out more information or to make a donation go to www.projectact.org or call 0800 800 777.

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Profile

Loren Cunningham: man with a mission It was a pure honour to interview LOREN CUNNINGHAM, founder and leader of Youth With A Mission (YWAM) - now in its 54th year of consecutive growth. A legend in the Christian world, Dr Cunningham has indirectly lead millions to Christ. He is possibly the world’s most travelled man having visited 241 countries. He founded the ‘University of Nations’ in Kona, Hawaii, now available in 600 locations. Today at 78, his heart still burns with a passion for the unsaved and for young people. SARAH TENGVALL finds out more...

A kiwi fan, Dr Cunningham has been a regular visitor to New Zealand over the years, beginning in 1963 when he with his wife Darlene toured the country in a campervan! Last month he was back again for a 22-city nationwide tour aimed at stirring up the church of New Zealand to urgently rise up and reach the unsaved. “Something is coming that the world has never before known in its history – a wave beyond them all. A move of God so great that you have to get in, get out, or get run over, - where the growth of the body of Christ is growing faster than the population.” And Dr Cunningham wants

New Zealand on board! He describes New Zealand as a ‘prophetic nation’ with things like ‘worship in scripture and song’ originating here with the Garratts and the ‘move of intercession’ ushered in with Joy Dawson that then went global. “New Zealand is ‘catalytic’ and ‘a birthing place,” he says. Now, it is the time to share his vision of the last fifteen years of having a Bible in every home in the world in the local language. He wants New Zealand to catch this vision because he says we are a country that creates and generates momentum in other parts of the world. This is

his message for us. In Kona they have put the Bible onto the Internet in 230 languages. And while this is a promising start, Dr Cunningham was disappointed to learn from Wycliffe Bible translators in 2000 that it would take another 150 years to get the Bible translated into every language in the world. There being still 7,000 language groups yet to have access to a Bible in their own language. So in answer to this problem, a group comprising seventeen different organisations started sharing together, working together and praying together. At the same

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“New Zealand is the voice, Korea has the electronics, Norway has the finances and South Africa has the diversity. With this foursome from the four corners, I believe they are going to rise up and really take this vision on...” time it was announced there were 639 unreached people groups, each with populations of more than 100,000, some into the millions that have no witness to Jesus and no Bible at all. Then in 2010, Roy Peterson, the head of Wycliffe announced that with all of the recent advances in modern technology it wouldn’t take 150 years after all. They could do it in fifteen years. Part of the solution has been ‘Uni-Skript’ which makes it possible to teach illiterate people to read a Bible in their own language in six hours. God is removing the barriers. “On hearing this,” Dr Cunningham reported, “we all clapped and then I said, ‘Roy that’s not good enough. It’s got to be 2020’. Recently at a conference, he told me ‘I think we are going to get your numbers, Loren, God is speeding things up.’ So, that would mean 7,000 new languages translated into the Bible in one generation. It has never been done before in history.” Dr Cunningham believes the world is on the cusp of a huge spiritual awakening – unlike anything witnessed before and feels New Zealand could potentially play a role in it. “There’s a big wave coming, with or without New Zealand,” he said, “but God doesn’t want to leave New Zealand out because he wants New Zealand to be a catalyst. The impact of the Word in a further 7,000 languages is going to shake the world like never before. That shaking is going to wake everyone up.” In terms of Christianity here, he says, “New Zealand is in the ‘doldrums’, as are other countries internationally. New Zealand was once Number One in the world, per capita, for missionaries.” And he believes because of our size and Christian history we could be so again. Now, in the year of the 200th anniversary of the first preaching of the gospel in New Zealand, he says there is a ‘Wake Up’ call for New Zealand; a ’Wake Up’ to tasks that are achievable, and achievable in the next six years. David Cowie of Marine Reach Ships and Training, part of YWAM based in Tauranga, agrees about New Zealand’s history. “Our nation needs to be reminded of its rich missionary heritage of the 60’s and 70’s when we sent out more missionaries per capita than any other nation in the world. We want to see that release again. The entrepreneurship and creativity of Kiwis is amazing – we are laying the ground work with this new message of ’Rising Up Again’.”

Dr Cunningham continues, “It’s already started in five continents. I was in Brazil recently and there you just need to show the people the value of the Bible. This is what I am saying about western civilisation. But with it will come the weeds – you won’t get Utopia. The darkness will get darker but the light will become lighter; Jesus is winning. In addition, New Zealand is one of four cornerstone countries God gave Dr Cunningham in 1971, the others being Korea, Norway and South Africa. “I’ve now been to every country in the world but at that time I’d only been to 200. I felt this was not something to do with the size of the countries, but to do with their ministry gift as a nation.” He says as we approach this new move of God he believes Korea has a leadership role in Information Technology. Cyberspace is becoming a mission field, he said. And it is Korea who will help put the Bible on the Internet. Dr Cunningham said it was Carol McAlpine, who, in the 60’s, took a Gospel of John to every home in New Zealand and some of those that took part in that initiative became YWAM foot soldiers for God. But they first had to give the Bible to their own people and then reach out to the mission field in Polynesia, Micronesia and Melanesia. “New Zealand is the voice, Korea has the electronics, Norway has the finances and South Africa has the diversity. With this foursome from the four corners, I believe they are going to rise up and really take this vision on. We will send YWAM leaders to help and I’ll keep coming to stir up the pot too,” he said. At the time of this interview, half-way through the New Zealand tour, Dr Cunningham reported it was mainly the young people who were rising up to take the challenge and only some of the leaders. However, he isn’t despondent but just says, “That’s the way it starts, you have to plough the ground first.” At the crux of all this is the transforming power of the Bible discussed in length in Dr Cunningham’s book, The Book That Transforms Nations: the power of the Bible to change any country. “The Bible is the key to changing a nation. People have to engage with it, soak in it, and not just relegate it to 20 minutes a week. No revival lasts long without the Bible.” Dr Cunningham compares unsaved people groups visited and given the gospel through a Jesus film, with

those given a Bible. Those with the Bible retained their faith and passed it on to others as they prayed, and talked, and discussed it. Those with just the movie, however, fell away from God. “Jesus is the Word within the Word. There is something about the power of the Word of God,” he said. “Every time a government makes a law that runs counter to God’s laws it reduces the impact of that nation financially and in other ways as well, such as education. China will become the leader of the world in this century if they continue to turn toward Jesus and the Bible at the rate they are, and, if the countries in the West continue their current turn away from the Bible.” Reaching the 2020 goal of worldwide Bible saturation will mean the coming generation will see the greatest spiritual awakening and the greatest number of people coming to God through Christ in all of history. “The 2020’s are going to be an amazing time. The build-up has started and the youth are turning. New Zealand moves fast once it gets started,” he said. “The wave comes from deep within people when they want Truth and Righteousness and they’re really seeking God. That passion creates the wave. Politicians have to ride the wave, even Pastors; it’s going to be a move of God.” Dr Cunningham is truly global in his thinking, in his conversation, and in his actions. Thoughts about one country naturally lead to the neighbouring country and then to a continent and, suddenly, he’s talking globally again. “I am committed to unity. I want the Kingdom to win. That’s what I am about – not one country over another.” And, yes, his love for the youth, ignited all those years ago is still burning. “I want to take the red hot centre I see in people ‘for God’. I want to stoke the fire and make it hotter. I go for the fire of God in young people. I still come alive ministering to youth at my crazy age of 78; I don’t know how it happens. You cannot explain it outside of the grace of God. I have the energy and health and all of that. I’ve eaten everything - worms, rats, dogs, cats, and monkeys - all over the world, and I keep going. God protects me. I come alive with these young people and you can’t explain it apart from the call to the Kingdom of God and to every nation.

www.mychristiandaily.com | 7

Education

Left: The new Manukau facility; Above: Rod Thompson

Laidlaw College gets ready to open a second Auckland Campus New Zealand’s longest established Christian College, Laidlaw, is set to expand this July. The tertiary institution is opening a second Auckland campus in Manukau, South Auckland. National Principal, Rod Thompson, says the move is very much a strategic one. “It’s a missional opportunity to impact Auckland and the nation more fully and facilitate our desire to educate up and coming leaders. Missions are an important idea particularly for Pacifica families. It is a strategic decision as 49 per cent of the Pacifica population live in Manukau and our College is to be a nation for Pacific people. This is a key place to be”. According to Mr Thompson, Christianity is alive and flourishing in this part of Auckland. “In Manukau there are large churches and large population growth, particularly among Pacifica families for whom the church and Christian faith is central to life. In defending the role and ‘fit’ of theological Laidlaw in such a multi-cultural environment, he said “We want to be formational and, as I often say, ‘loving the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and mind’ requires an intellect and a capacity to think. We are helping in the formation of people, the formation of lives and the formation of leaders, as well as engagement with thinking and character development.” The Manakau campus will officially open on the 12th of July, enabling students to enrol to commence their studies the week of 21st July, with both the ‘Certificate in Christian Studies’ (Level 4) and the ‘Diploma in Christian Studies’ (Level 5) on offer. One lovely aspect of the new Manukau campus is its location. Set amidst a hub of sixteen other Christian minis-

tries in the nine story building at 20 Amersham Way owned by a Korean Christian Pastor and businessman, Laidlaw occupies the ground floor, incorporating both classrooms and break out social spaces. It is also opposite the new ‘Manukau Institute of Technology’ campus. ‘One really couldn’t imagine a more perfect position’, says Mr Thompson, who is hoping the high visibility of the ground floor location will help to further raise awareness of their presence. Although he is confident the College is already making an impact in the community through the presence of former Laidlaw graduates now working in the area as pastors or presenting on local radio. In addition, Laidlaw will have an evangelical focus in raising up missionary students who will lead others to Christ and to the church. The uniqueness of this campus will be that it is very much focused on students from Maori, Pacifica, and Asian families and communities. It will be primarily staffed with lecturers and tutors from those backgrounds. Mr Thompson says, Laidlaw Manukau hopes to attract those in the 18-25 year old bracket looking to grow in Christian knowledge and faith. They also hope to attract older students wanting to increase their Bible knowledge, study skills, computer literacy, and generally become more equipped to serve God and work in their churches. Students will be able to study both part-time and full-time, in the daytime and in the evenings. As National Principal, Mr Thompson will be involved in the life of the campus, giving overall leadership along with an executive team and campus-based leadership. He also sees himself having a lot to do with the churches and other stakeholder groups in the area.

He wanted to highlight the fact that the College’s Runanga Council will be involved in this initiative, particularly in forging new relationships with Maori leadership in the south of Auckland. “Our history is of a broader and deeper engagement, we are inter-cultural and Trinitarian in approach. Our tag line is ‘love to know” and out of that ‘to encounter, love, equip, and lead’. This extends from the idea that ‘knowing one another’ creates courageous, compassionate leaders for church and marketplace. We think we can do this better than anyone,” said Mr Thompson. “Our Statement of Mission is, ‘to equip students and scholars to renew their communities with a faith that is as intelligent as it is courageous’. We are seeking to be a College that equips students and scholars for Christian leadership in churches and public arenas, such as schools, businesses and media. We have a breadth that is shaped by being inter-denominational and by offering qualifications from Certificate level through to Doctoral level. We are also intentional about being both bi-cultural (Maori and Pakeha) and inter-cultural (European, Pacifica and Asian). Finally, the first phase of implementation will be about stakeholder reference, talking to pastors and finding out what they want. Then, in 2015, aiming to be responsive to those expressed needs. And looking to the future, Laidlaw hopes to see both the new South Manukau campus and the existing West Henderson campus growing in alignment with the city of Auckland’s projected population growth is these two key areas.

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Christianityworks

essential life skills to help you thrive

The other day, I met a young lady called Emily. She is 5 years old. The life skills that this child displayed impacted me profoundly. Not just because they came from one so young, but because they were, at the same time, extremely well developed. So, here are the 5 essential life skills that she demonstrated, that will help any person of any age not just survive ... but thrive: 1. The Centre of the Universe – NOT Remember, she’s just 5 years old. The first time I met Emily, was over lunch with her parents. They’re out from the US and we’re doing some things together in New Mexico and so we had a lot to talk about. Lunch went for about two and a half hours. When I found out that they’d be bringing their 5-year-old along, I groaned. But Emily just sat quietly, didn’t interrupt, didn’t demand attention and spoke when she was spoken to. I was completely amazed. The second time we met (when the photo was taken – see below) was at a four and a half hour business coaching dinner at which I was speaking. She was the only child in the room. You wouldn’t even have known that she was there. She was happy, content and quiet. And that photo by the way was taken at about 10:45 pm – way beyond my bedtime ... These days, we seem to be teaching our children (and ourselves for that matter) that they are the centre of the universe. We fuss over them so much, that they’re growing up knowing, beyond any shadow of a doubt, that everything revolves around them. The people however that we all love being around, are people like Emily who know that that is simply not true. Romans 12:3 2. Profound Respect for Elders One of the things that you see less and less of these days is respect. Simple respect. It seems that we think that by respecting those in a position of authority over us, we are somehow demeaning ourselves. And yet, the exact opposite is true. Those who show respect – for elders, for parents, for their bosses, for their employees – demonstrate that they are in control of themselves. In fact, more and more, I am coming to the conclusion that the natural capacity to show respect is indeed a marque of maturity. That’s something that Emily’s parents have already taught her. She just gets it. It’s in her DNA. Leviticus 19:32 Ephesians 6:14 3. Engaging those Around You As much as Emily is not one to hog the limelight – even though she clearly has the personality of a leader, even at her tender young age – neither is she afraid to engage people in conversation. In fact, there was a time there where I felt like I was being played by a pro! She’s really good at it – because she asks sensible questions. So much so in fact, that I kept having to look at her to remind myself that this was indeed a 5-year-old that I was talking to. It was quite remarkable. I know adults who aren’t as good at engaging people

in conversation as Emily. It’s not that hard. Just ask them questions about themselves – everybody loves to feel as though someone else is interested in them. I walked away with the distinct impression that Emily was interested in me. Amazing! 4. Clear Communication I can’t tell you the number of times people start talking to me and they expect me to understand what they’re talking about, without providing me with the context and then clearly setting out the facts. And so I have to pull them up, find out the big picture, then basically interrogate them to get the facts on the table. When you meet someone who does this over and over again, the strong temptation is just to stop bothering. Now I know that some people are naturals at this. Leaders tend to have strong verbal linguistic skills and Emily obviously is one of them, even though she has the tiny, high-pitched voice that you’d expect a 5-year-old girl to have. We all need to learn this skill. So if you have to learn it, then learn it. Because in this world, it’s the clear communicators who thrive, while people who don’t take the time to learn the skill, are struggling to survive. 5. Proactivity – A Servant Mentality This last one blew me away. It was about 10:30 at night. I was packing up the overhead projector and my laptop, getting ready to go home. Emily’s folks were off chatting with other people. Emily comes down the front of the room, totally of her own accord and says to me “Is there anything that I can do for you to help you pack up?”

“No thanks,” I said, “I’m almost done.” “What about the tape on the floor? Would you like me to take that up for you?” she replies (there was black gaffer tape holding down the cables on the carpet!) Now – this is not fiction. This actually happened. Whether by her natural personality or through what her parents had taught her (or, most likely, a combination of both) Emily even at this age, demonstrated a servant mentality. We know that servants make the best leaders right? But a 5-year-old?! Unreal. Matthew 20:25-28 Now, is Emily perfect? I doubt it. I suspect that beyond the little that I saw of her, she – like you and me – has her moments, and her weak points. And yet she displayed life skills that I don’t even see in many adults – hey, I don’t even see in myself sometimes!! Meeting Emily was a real wakeup call I have to tell you and a great testimony to the godly parenting that she has received over the course of her little life. Selflessness, humility, respect, proactivity, effective communication – these are life skills that we all need to develop and refine. And why will they help us to thrive and not just survive? Because other people love being around people with these skills. My deep thanks go to Emily and her parents – Mark and Valerie – for teaching me something about living a godly life! I’ll be watching Emily’s development with great interest. I have little doubt that the Lord our God has a mighty role planned for her in His Kingdom.

Berni Dymet is the CEO of the global media ministry Christianityworks. His radio messages are heard by tens of millions of listeners around the globe each week. www.christianityworks.com

The KiwiSaver Scheme for Christians

The Koinonia Fund - Ethically invested - Ethically managed Contact us for the eligibility conditions and a copy of the Investment Statement. 0508 RETIRE (738 473) - info@koinoniafund.org.nz - www.koinoniafund.org.nz Administered by The New Zealand Anglican Church Pension Board www.mychristiandaily.com | 9

Local News

HOPE 4 THE SOLOMON ISLANDS During the upcoming months of April and May 2014 a volunteer team at Encounter Hope Foundation (the aid and community arm of Encounter Christian Centre in Avondale, Auckland) will be undertaking a relief project to send aid to families and communities that suffered devastation in the recent flash flooding in the Solomon Islands. It’s estimated over 50,000 people have been affected by massive flash flooding in the Solomon Islands, following torrential rains. Almost 10,000 are in makeshift evacuation centres after losing homes, crops and possessions. 23 people have been officially reported dead, with 30 people missing. Families are in urgent need of safe water, food and emergency shelter right now. The Solomon Islands aid project is Encounter’s sixth international aid project. In 2008 a massive 40ft container was sent to Zimbabwe, being the first international aid Zimbabwe received after the economy crashed. In 2009 a second container was shipped to Zimbabwe with donated goods to help ease the plight of orphans, the sick and elderly in a nation where it had been estimated that 80% of the population would need aid to survive. In 2010 a 40ft container with medical supplies and equipment as well as school supplies was sent to the Solomon Islands. The medical Board in Honiara reported that these were the best donations ever received. Supplies were sent by truck to medical clinics all over the main island of Guadalcanal and by boat to other islands. In March 2013 in response to Cyclone Evan’s devastation in Fiji we launched our fourth aid container project. Donations of clothing & linen, food, tarpaulins, household & kitchen items, children’s books and stationery were shipped to Nadi enabling Global Compassion to distribute to people struggling to rebuild their homes and villages. Project Manager Lynnette Van Nes travelled to Fiji to be a part of the distribution

in three villages. It was a rewarding experience distributing food boxes to a village that had lost their gardens and water holes in the cyclone. Our donations assisted over 300 families, five villages and ten schools. In October 2013 we once again began sourcing donations of medical supplies, clothes, bedding, house wares, toys, art and craft materials for the under privileged communities in Fiji. This was our fifth international aid project and was soon upgraded from a 20ft to a 4ft container to fit in all the pallets of donated goods. It provided assistance to babies and children in local orphanages and homes, early childhood centres and schools. The Fiji women’s prison, military hospital and a mobile medical clinic received donations as well as many families in villages still struggling to recover from recent fires and flooding. The container arrived in time to give so many people a wonderful Christmas. If you can help us by donating clothing, blankets and linen, toiletries, non perishable food, water, household items or medical supplies please contact Lynnette on 021 979806.

Beyond Disability Elevate Christian Disability Trust, in partnership with Laidlaw College, will be presenting an engaging One Day Conference ‘Beyond Disability’ on Thursday, 22nd May in Auckland. A wonderful opportunity for Pastors and leaders to discuss church and disability as well as identify simple keys to facilitate ‘inclusion’ in their church community. Keynote speakers are Laidlaw College Principal, Rod Thompson, lecturer Immanuel Koks (who has personal experience of disability) and Pastor Geoff Wiklund from Eden AOG. Next Sunday as you look upon the diversity of your congregation what will you see? There will be people from a range of generations and ethnicities, life experiences, interests and abilities but each with a degree of brokenness. The teenager in a

10 | Christian Life Issue Twelve May 2014

wheelchair may be longing for an invitation to the youth group outing but no one quite knows how to ‘facilitate’ this for them. Every church leader knows from 1st Corinthians 12: 12-27 that every part of the Body of Christ is needed and without all the parts the body is not whole. But it is not always easy to put into practice. The team at Elevate are inviting pastors and leaders to come on the 22nd May and learn something new about reaching out to those with a disability. Venue: Life church, 60 Rockfield Road, Penrose, 9.30am to 4pm. Registration essential (no charge). For more information contact Kirsty on 09 636 4763 or email kanderson@elevatecdt.org.nz

Tama Tane Malosi

Tama Tane Malosi (Mighty Men of Valour) is the rallying cry for Promise Keepers’ Samoan language event! It is the power of a vision for Christian manhood being worked out in real life. This is an event that breaks down cultural and denominational barriers to confront taboos and create genuine transformation. Nerony said, “It’s an honour to get to know Tama Tane Malosi... to come together and worship God [as] one. We have different denominations but we all come together as one in God. This event gives me this great opportunity to get to know God more. The word of God from different speakers is so powerful in my spiritual walk.” Tama Tane Malosi is being held in Auckland on 20-21 June. The high calibre line up of speakers for this year will include Michael Jones, Eroni Clarke, Inga Tuigamala, Tavale Matai’a, Iliafi Esera and Nick Tuitasi. Tama Tane Malosi will forge the path for the annual Promise Keepers men’s events, themed for this year on pure power. This focuses on the strength and power of God, instead of the weakness of man. Opening our lives and giving God permission to show his power to do mighty things is pure power!

For more information visit www.promisekeepers.org.nz

Local News

Homes of Hope joins Battle of Gate Pa Commemorations On Tuesday 29th April 1864 the historic and significant Battle of Gate Pa (Pukehinahina) took place. 150 years later the Commemoration is celebrated on the site at Gate Pa, Tauranga with a dawn blessing of newly erected Pou and Flagpole, a military memorial service and later a Commemoration March, Wero, Reconciliation service and Ceremony on 29th April 2014. A local historian quotes ‘One of the most often recounted stories of the Land Wars of the 1860’s is the Battle of Gate Pa. It has captured people’s imagination for two reasons – firstly because of the defeat of an elite force of professional British solders by Maori irregulars, and secondly, because of the honourable conduct of Maori towards the dead and wounded soldiers.’ In commemorating the Battle of Gate Pa we honour our Maori tipuna and British forbears who fought and died at the battle. This significant historical event was the founding of Tauranga city. For the children of Homes of Hope we are privileged and honoured to participate in this significant event which has impacted generations. Opportunities like these for our children support the strengthening of a positive identity and heritage, and so it is with pride and dignity our children will perform in the mau rākau and kapa haka activities. The ministry of reconciliation is a biblical principle so together we seek to understand our history so that we can look forward to a brighter future together. For more information - www.battleofgatepa.com and www.homesofhope.org.nz Note: The commemorations will end with a service and ceremony at the Te Ranga battle site on the outskirts of Tauranga on 21 June 2014.

Kingdom Foundations School

Once again Liberty Christian Church is bringing Randy Clark to Auckland, this year also with Paul Martini. This year’s event is a Global Awakening Healing School, that will activate the body in the area of healing and will teach impart and inspire us to greater levels of awakening. Many people have been inspired to go on ministry trips with Randy and to see for themselves the power of God to heal. This school, at Liberty, will allow folk to experience the power of God themselves here in Auckland and also be mobilised to bring His power to those around us. It’s time for the church to rise up and learn to walk in power evangelism which includes healing, deliverance, and the actualization of the gifts of the Holy Spirit in the Church. If you are tired of living a Christian life that doesn’t look like what we see in the gospels and desire to be used by God to heal the sick... then this school is for you. May 27th to 29th, 2014, at Liberty Christian Church, Avondale, Auckland.. This year the 7pm evening meetings will be open so that those who are sick can come for healing. For Pastors there’s a special Senior Pastors lunch with Randy.

John Bridge’s May NZ tour John P. Bridge is the Founder of Faith Outreach in India which is now one of the largest Faith Organisations in Odisha established in 1986. He’s coming to New Zealand for the month of May. Born in Lancashire, England, when John saw the tribal villagers of Odisha (Orissa), he decided to dedicate his life for these needy people. If you want to know the impact of the Gospel and the power of the prophetic, this is a not to be missed opportunity. The itinerary of John Bridge’s May NZ tour is advertised in the Classifieds section of this issue and on the Faith Outreach NZ website www.fonz.co.nz

For more information please email sue@liberty.net.nz

www.mychristiandaily.com | 11

Profile

Holly Grace Duane is a 29 year old Christian woman from Auckland, New Zealand. Recently she wrote a book called All Things In Common, which has been published by Creation House in the United States, and is now available throughout of the world. We chat to Holly about her book and her stance on poverty...

ALL THINGS IN COMMON Tell us a bit about yourself Holly: I came from a great Christian family, growing up in New Zealand, but we were always struggling. At times we received help, and at other times I would wonder why our Christian “brothers and sisters” did not seem to care or help when we were in need and they had plenty. Then my family moved to Samoa, and I learned a whole lot more about poverty; children begging for food and money on the streets, lame beggars outside the supermarkets. There seems to be quite an ‘every man for himself’ approach to western Christianity. I have done volunteer work among the impoverished in Southern California, and I work in Auckland, New Zealand as a social worker with foster children. As a result of writing the book my husband and I have started a charity, also called All Things In Common. And the book? The book is about the poor, and what the Bible says about how we are to help the poor. There are over 2,000 scriptures about helping the poor; which is more than any other topic except the Kingdom of God. There are far more scriptures about helping the poor than there are about how God wants to bless us, I believe there has been a lack of balance in the modern day western church of “Prosperity doctrine” principles, much of which is based on truth but taken to an extreme. 2 Corinthians 8:15 says “He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little had no lack.” In All Things in Common, I am trying to inspire the Body of Christ to embrace God’s heart for the poor and explain why giving to the poor is an important part of the Christian walk, in the book I offer practical ways to do this. What inspired you to write the book? Mainly, it was when I visited Mozambique and saw the extreme poverty there and then I spent a year in Los Angeles doing missionary work with the poor, and in that city I was so struck by the rich and the poor in the Body of Christ. I met poor Christians unable to feed their children, some living on the streets, then I also met billionaire Christians with so much power and capacity to help, but instead they mostly spent their money on big houses, cars, ivy-league educations for their kids, overseas holidays, and expensive lawyers and accountants to try and help them cut back on the tax they have to pay. Of course, they would also give a small amount to the poor and other causes, child cancer etc. so they could feel good about themselves and fulfil the Christians responsibility to ‘help the poor.’ And to me it didn’t sit right, it just didn’t seem like Jesus. So I began an in-depth study of scripture, and the book was the result. I learned that we were to give in a much bigger way than that, in a way where we sacrifice, and where we do not live so far above those we are trying to help. You mentioned a charity you started, what does that do? All Things In Common is a charity set up to help alleviate world poverty. This charity has been set up for those that have more than enough to remember those that do not have enough. We work to promote the bridging of the gap between the rich and poor of this world.

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When speaking around different places I found that there were many who wanted to give but were confused about where to give to, so we set up a charity which is one place people can give where the money goes to the most extreme end of the world poverty issue: those that are in danger of starvation. We raise funds to give to organisations that are already feeding people in the hungry communities so that they can focus on their work. 100% of the money given to us goes directly to the organisations we support. Our current goal is to raise awareness about the issue of global poverty. The ultimate goal of the charity would be to end poverty; having a perfect world in terms of wealth distribution; this would be that that none should die because they don’t have enough money to live; that all should have clean water, food, a home, clothing, warmth, healthcare, and education. There are impoverished people all over the world we could help – we could save their lives, if only we weren’t too busy thinking of ourselves. We have all kinds of luxuries while they don’t have their basic needs met. Everyone knows of the poverty in the third world but many think it is not their problem, or that they couldn’t help if they wanted – the problem is too big. Mother Teresa said “If you can’t feed a hundred people, then just feed one.” Why should Christians care about the poor? The Bible tells us to: Acts 2:44-45 - And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. Jesus tells us to: Matt 25: 35-36 & 40 - For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me. Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me. It shows LOVE: 1 John 3:16-19 - We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth. We will know by this that we are of the truth, and will assure our heart before Him. What’s wrong with prosperity doctrine? There is much scripture that backs up prosperity doctrine, and there is much truth in it. But it has gotten out of hand. One of the reasons it needs to be questioned is because it is not universally true, and for something to be true it needs to be true for everyone. Not every Christian can enjoy riches so why then do we believe God wants His people to be rich? Also, why is it good news for us to hear that God wants us to be wealthy and have nice things when we know there are so many that are dying? This kind of idea goes against the foundations of Christianity and Jesus – being humble, putting others above ourselves, and being a servant. I absolutely believe, and it makes sense, that if we dealt with wealth the way the Bible teaches, such as giving away your second coat, then God would want His

people to be rich – because He could trust that we are not hoarding it but sharing it. John Wesley strongly believed that Christians should try to earn all they can, because the more they earn the more they can give away. But doesn’t providing aid create cycles of dependency? The world is unfortunately a very unjust place. 1/6 of the world’s population – or 1.4 billion people live in extreme poverty on $1.25 or less per household member per day. About 25,000 people die every day from hunger or hunger-related causes. That›s about 9 million people per year. These people have largely done nothing to get themselves into that position. The way most of Christian giving currently works is that the rich give out the ‘kindness of their hearts’ and then feel pretty good about it. The reality is that most of us have done little to deserve the wealth we have, sure we may try hard at school in order to get a good job and then we work for what we earn, but the main reason we are well-off is because we were born in a country or to a family where we have that privelege. In talking about giving to the poor we want to be careful to make a distinction between charity and justice. What we are saying may sound like charity, but what we want to bring attention to is that those struggling in poverty are doing so largely because of the inequalities that exist in the world. Therefore by bridging the gaps between the wealthy and the poor we are just doing a few things to make right something that is wrong with the world. This is justice. So we are not creating dependency, we are doing something to help bring equality. Imagine a wealthy man and woman dying without a will; let’s say they have six grown up children. The inheritance they left should have been divided equally among the children, but instead the oldest takes it all. The other five don’t think this is fair, but they are powerless to stop it. The oldest child watches the other five starving and naked and homeless and does nothing to help their own brothers and sisters. The inheritance would have been more than enough for all six children to live comfortably and have their needs met. Instead the eldest lives in luxury; frivolously spending money on clothes, cars, houses, vacations. The oldest child does not believe that they are doing anything wrong – after all they were born first; this is their birth right. The five others are near death and still the oldest one knows all about it and refuses to help. The oldest child thinks that because they were lucky enough to be born first that they are therefore blessed and entitled. This is the way it is with us. We think that because we are lucky enough to be born in the west that we are entitled to riches while others suffer. While we see the story above as shocking, we continue to do the very same thing and see nothing wrong. The difference between the above story and us is that our Father did leave a will – we just don’t bother to read it carefully enough and honour our Father’s wishes. Luke 3:7-14 says “The man who has two tunics is to share with him who has none; and he who has food is to do likewise.” We are all His children and some of us have gotten a bigger piece of the inheritance than others. Tell us more about your time in Africa: In Mozambique there is a lot of extreme poverty; not too long ago Mozambique was the poorest nation on Earth. I visited Iris Ministries, run by Rolland and Heidi Baker, who do amazing work in feeding people and taking in orphans. In Mozambique I met homeless orphan children

Wish you had enrolled in Laidlaw’s Bachelor of Teaching, but left it too late? living on rubbish dumps scavenging for food and scraps, children wearing plastic coke bottles on their feet for shoes, seven year old kids that look more like toddlers because of their stunted growth due to malnutrition, children dying of AIDS with just days to live and no access to medication that would have saved their lives. This trip to Mozambique really opened my eyes to the need, and God changed my heart setting me on a journey to help the poor and to become more like Him. But how much difference can we make? According to the United Nations about 25,000 people die every day from hunger or hunger-related causes. That would be about 9,125,000 per year. If we make some calculations based on a very generous $10 a day that it would take to supply a person with enough food and water to live, then for 25,000 people it would cost $250,000 a day, which would be $91,250,000 a year. So $91M a year would stop people from dying of starvation across the world. In 2007 $103B was given to churches and religious organisations. Of that money that the church received in tithes that year, 85% was used to meet their own expenses – including building programs, and salaries for pastors and staff. Approximately 2% was given to overseas missions. That leaves a possible 13% that may have been, but was not necessarily, given to the poor, (which by the way is about 20% short of what it was Biblically intended to be by my rough calculations). So we can clearly see that there is, or should be, plenty of money for the church to eliminate all world starvation overnight if they chose. Where can people buy the book? People can buy it in paperback or E-Book on Amazon.com, and also it’s available at some Christian bookstores and other online Christian bookstores. More about the charity and the book can be found on the website: www.all-things-in-common.org

MOVIE:

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SON OF GOD

Rating “What a great movie, and by contrast with that travesty called Noah, it follows the basic biblical narrative without going off into perverse Hollywood aberrations. I really enjoyed Son of God and encourage churches to book out cinemas as an outreach opportunity and for parents to take your families and your children’s friends. It is a moving account of the life of Jesus and unlike “The Passion of the Christ” it ends with a strong emphasis on the resurrection. Five stars!!” Ray Curle

SON OF GOD will be the first account of Jesus’ life to reach cinemas since Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ took $US612 million in cinemas over a decade ago. Son of God, which stars Diogo Morgado (Revenge, Born to Race: Fast Track) as Jesus, and Roma Downey (Touched by an Angel) as Mary, has already grossed $US57M in box office revenue since release in America. The film is told with the scope and scale of an action-epic and features a score from Academy Award® winning composer, Hans Zimmer. Hans has reunited with acclaimed, Golden Globe winning Australian vocalist Lisa Gerrard, who collaborated on the score for 2000’s Gladiator. Son of God is from the award-winning and husband-and-wife team, and producers of the record-breaking miniseries The Bible, Roma Downey and Mark Burnett (Survivor). The pair is also currently developing a sequel to The Bible. Son of God is a major motion picture that brings the life of Jesus Christ to the big screen like never before. Told with the scope and scale of an action epic, the film features powerful performances, exotic locales, dazzling visual effects and a rich orchestral score from Oscar®winner Hans Zimmer. Award-winning actor Diogo Morgado (Revenge) portrays Jesus as the film spans from his humble birth through his teachings, crucifixion and ultimate resurrection. The movie is action-packed with special effects, powerful acting, and beautiful cinematography. It marks the first major motion picture about Jesus’ life since Passion of the Christ, released ten years ago. Pastor Rick Warren (Saddleback Church in the USA) says, “I’ve seen most of the films about Jesus produced in the past 50 years. SON OF GOD stands alone, in a class by itself. It is a powerful and poignant movie, the best Jesus movie I have ever seen and I know it will be a blessing to millions. Above: Diogo Morgado stars as Jesus in Son of God (image credit: Joe Alblas); Mary (Roma Downey) struggles with a centurion (image credit: Casey Crafford)

Out nation-wide on May 15 www.nz.rialtodistribution.com/son-of-god

www.mychristiandaily.com | 13

Hope

Dave Mann talks to Marie Anticich about the ‘Hope Project’ which is celebrating the Bi-Centenary of the first preaching of the gospel in New Zealand in 1814, at Oihi, in the Bay of Islands, by the Rev. Samuel Marsden.

Travelling in a 30-foot caravan with his wife and four children, Dave Mann will visit 70 New Zealand towns and cities with the ‘Hope Project’ road-show and conference tour over the next few months. “My wife and I are doing what we feel the Lord has called us to do during this 2014 Bi-Centennial year,” says Dave Mann, who is the founder and full-time co-ordinator of the Hope Project. “This year marks the Bi-Centennial of the first gospel message being preached in New Zealand at the invitation of Maori, and so it’s the perfect time to review our past, raise the profile of the gospel and commemorate the people and events that have shaped our nation.” In April, Dave, his wife Heather and their four sons, aged seven years to five months old (with a nanny), left their home in Tauranga and headed for Northland on the first leg of the journey. In May they will visit the South Island, in June the lower North Island and, after a break in July, they will tour the rest of the North Island in August. “We aim to inspire people with stories from early New Zealand history and motivate them with a gentle approach to evangelism,” says Dave who is himself an experienced evangelist and pastor. ‘Engage’ conferences which will be held in ten centres with the theme ‘Reach your world one conversation at a time.’ The conferences will equip believers with in-

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terpersonal communication skills to help them engage in conversations in a natural and non-threatening way. “Evangelism is often put in the ‘too hard’ basket, but our goal is to get the gospel back out there,” says Dave. “People instinctively realise that old-style evangelism doesn’t work well today - but a different approach, involving a broad understanding of our culture, works. He finds that people quickly warm to a message of hope and encouragement. “We’re encouraging believers to talk about the seminal place of the Christian faith in the founding of our nation, to ask questions and to tell stories about faith in Christ so that people know the reason for the hope that we have in Christ as directed in 1 Peter 3: 15-16: “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect...” “The more pastors and churches that come on board, the better this will fly,” he adds. The Hope Project is also launching a multi-faceted media campaign which aims to share the gospel with every home in New Zealand in 2014 through a nationwide booklet drop via a postal company. This will be supported by radio and television advertising and websites which share the gospel and answer questions about faith. “We’ve just contracted a videographer to make 6070 online videos telling people’s stories for the websites,

and we’ve launched a series of children’s books telling the stories of early heroes of faith,” says Dave. The ‘New Zealand Christian Network’ has also filmed a one-hour documentary about New Zealand’s early history. Dave dreams of taking the Hope Project overseas. “My prayer,” he says “is that God would bless this model so that it can be replicated to help share the gospel in 100 million homes in the Western world where Christianity is declining.” Testimony “I’m a Taranaki boy from Hawera,” says Daven who came to faith at age eleven after his mother accepted Christ. “Mum had been an intermittent church-goer, and the change in her life was so significant that I simply embraced Christianity. I knew I needed what she had.” Later, his father and two siblings also came to faith. “At fourteen, I felt a clear call to ministry and so did my best friend - we often disparage young people’s dreams but sometimes the Lord is genuinely in them,” he reflects. At 18 Mann had a vision of two roads. “One road went to University and disappeared into a cloudy grey sky while the other went to a sign reading ‘Bible College’ and disappeared into the light. Although I wasn’t

from a charismatic background, I knew what I’d seen.” Applying to study at Bible College of New Zealand (now Laidlaw College), Mann received a letter saying he was too young. “At that time Bible College didn’t accept students aged 18, and so I went to see them and also wrote a letter saying “I feel the call.” A change of rules ensued, and he studied at BCNZ for three years gaining a Bachelor of Ministry degree. In 1995 he toured New Zealand with the Youth for Christ band, ‘Certain Sounds’. (An accomplished musician, Mann plays keyboard, bass guitar, drums and brass instruments.) Dave cut his teeth in evangelism working with ‘Youth Vision’, a Hawea-based outreach ministry, for seven years. During that period he began to court Heather Bewick who showed no interest in him at the time. “Heather was my younger sister’s friend and so I thought of her as a little girl. But when I began to notice her in my mid-twenties I thought, “What a fool I’ve been!” After pursuing Heather for five years, she finally agreed to be his girlfriend. “We were married in 2005 and now I reap the rewards every single day,” he adds. For nine years Mann was a pastor at an independent church in Singapore – “It was like a Baptist church.” The couple felt called to return home in 2010 to ‘help plug some holes,’ especially with regards to evangelism. “When we returned from Asia it bugged me that the church was still talking about post-modernism – about how our culture has changed over the past 50 years and why old-style evangelism didn’t work, but without any definable conclusions.” Convinced that many believers want to share the gospel with family and friends, Dave saw the need for a clear and practical articulation of the gospel and the need to mobilise churches to do evangelism with an approach that suits our times. To this end, they formed the ‘Shining Lights Trust’ with the Hope Project as one of its initiatives. Much of 2013 was spent visiting churches and introducing the concept of ‘evangelising the nation’ during the Bi-Centennial year.

What is your greatest challenge? “The pace and the pressure of this project is enormous and there’s still a lot of scepticism among the churches,” says Dave. “The media conversation to unbelievers is a piece of cake compared to rallying the churches, and each day I’m trying to pace myself in the face of an overwhelming work demand.” www.hopeproject.co.nz

GOSPEL BI-CENTENARY The Hope Project is a gospel outreach designed to mark the Bi-Centenary of the first preaching of the gospel in New Zealand by Rev. Samuel Marsden on Christmas Day, 1814, at the invitation of Ngaphui chief, Ruatara. A cross at Oihi Bay, near Kerikeri in the Bay of Islands, marks the site of that first service. “Those early events are seminal for understanding the foundations of bi-cultural life in New Zealand and the importance of the gospel message in the founding of our nation,” says Hope Project co-ordinator, Dave Mann. This Bi-Centennial year marks significant foundational developments for New Zealand: the first Pakeha settlement that existed at the invitation of Maori, the birth of the first Pakeha children in New Zealand, the first formal school and early attempts at Maori literacy, and the developing of relationships between European and Maori. Pakeha, Ruatara, Hongi Hika and other Maori leaders and local Iwi engaged with these early Christian outreaches with Marsden and other missionaries from the Anglican Church Missionary Society. Rev. Samuel Marsden wrote: “It being Christmas Day, I preached from the second chapter of St Luke’s Gospel, the tenth verse: ‘Behold I bring you glad tidings of great joy’. In this manner the Gospel has been introduced to New Zealand; and I fervently pray that the glory of it may never depart from its inhabitants, till time shall be no more!”

CHILDREN’S BOOK RELEASE Five true stories about early New Zealand heroes of faith were launched in April in ‘The Chronicles of Paki – NZ’s Untold Story’ series by the Big Book Publishing Company. This children’s series is the brainchild of Hope Project co-ordinator, Dave Mann who commissioned local authors and artists to write the stories to commemorate the Bi-Centennial of the preaching of the gospel in New Zealand. Each story is centred around an outstanding individual who made a significant contribution to New Zealand life in the early 1800s. “We wanted to make known these stories about our faith heroes - Maori and Pakeha, male and female – so that our children can grow up with a sense of pride in their heritage and with heroes they can be proud of,” says Dave. Paki, a stylised kiwi, helps narrate the stories and explains the Te Reo language dotted throughout the series which targets the ‘eight plus’ age group. The books have been checked by historians and relevant Iwi, and retail at $19.95 each or $64.90 for a set of five and are available by freepost from www.bigbookpublishing.co.nz and from participating retail outlets. “Americans look on their founding fathers as heroes but many New Zealanders have a negative attitude towards the Treaty of Waitangi and tend to look back with a sense of grief and shame,” says Dave. “So, we’re hoping these wonderfully positive stories will help to build a better understanding of our bi-cultural heritage and the place of the gospel in the founding of our nation.”

Left: Pictured at last month’s book launch in Auckland, from left - Rt Rev. Kitohi Pikaaha (Maori Anglican Bishop of Tai Tokerau), Rev. Rex Nathan, President of the Methodist Church of NZ, co-writer Alison Condon, artist Tania Hassounia, researcher and co-writer Gina Taggart, and producer Dave Mann.

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www.mychristiandaily.com | 15

Programme Guide Monday May 5 - Saturday May 31 SUNDAY 6:00

MONDAY

Quick Study

Unlocking the Bible

Hillsong TV

Buzz and Poppy

C 6:00

Unlocking the Bible

Precious Word of Truth

Bayless Conley

Derek Prince

Quick Study

RocKids TV

C 6:30

The Edge

Jovis Bon Hovis

Buzz and Poppy

What’s in the Bible?

Jovis Bon Hovis

Paul the Little Missionary

C 7:00

What’s in the Bible?

Paul the Little Missionary

RocKids TV

What’s in the Bible?

Buzz and Poppy

Paul the Little Missionary

What’s in the Bible?

C 7:30

RocKids TV

Jovis Bon Hovis

The Edge

RocKids TV

The Edge

Buzz and Poppy

Jovis Bon Hovis

C 8:00

Connection Point

The Edge

C 8:30

7:30 8:00

Connection Point

Impact for Life

In Touch: Charles Stanley

Word For You

Living Truth: Charles Price

LIFE TV P P with Paul de Jong

Running With Fire P with Tak Bhana Bishop, Chef and D Fisherman / All Turning Point: P P Over World (29 May) Dr David Jeremiah Precious Word P of Truth

10:00

Life Questions

Towards Belief

Bishop, Chef and Fisherman / D D Wisdom for Difficult Times (27 May)

10:30

Word For You

Life Questions

Days of Wonder

11:00

Songs of Praise

Roots and Reflections

11:30

Quick Study

The Exchange Impact for Life

Noon

See adjacent for detail.

1:00 1:30

Towards Belief

2:00

Wisdom for Difficult Times

Give Me An Answer

2:30

Precious Memories

Roots and Reflections

3:00 3:30 4:00 4:30

Hour of Power

In Touch: Charles Stanley

5:00

Living Truth: Charles Price

6:00

Running with Fire with Tak Bhana

6:30

Wisdom for Difficult Times

5:30

7:00

Noble Exchange

Abundant Life: Paul Scanlon

Your Best Life: Phil Pringle

Roots and Reflections

Journey into the Amazon

Towards Belief

Hannah Help Me

Kiwis Can Fly

Christian World News

Leland Klassen’s Comedy

Word For You

LIFE TV with Paul de Jong

Running With Fire

The Exchange

D Noon

Enjoying Everyday Life with Joyce Meyer (Mon - Fri)

Hannah Help Me

D 12:30

The 700 Club (Mon - Fri) Bishop, Chef and Give Me An D D Facing the Canon N Fisherman / All Answer Over World (27 May) Precious D M Kiwis Can Fly Memories Lakewood Church: P Joel Osteen D D The Exchange The Family Series

Towards Belief

D 1:00

Connection Point

Brian Houston @ Hillsong TV

The Relate Show

D 1:30

Hannah Help Me

The Verdict of Science

D 2:00

The Verdict of Science

D Facing the Canon D 2:30

The Edge

Jovis Bon Hovis

Buzz and Poppy

What’s in the Bible?

Jovis Bon Hovis

Paul the Little Missionary

RocKids TV

What’s in the Bible?

Buzz and Poppy

Paul the Little Missionary

Jovis Bon Hovis

The Edge

RocKids TV

The Edge

Buzz and Poppy

The Drive TV

YouthBytes / Ultimate Choice

Life fm Presents

(28 May)

Noble Exchange

N 3:00

Leland Klassen’s D 3:30 Comedy Bishop, Chef and C D 4:00 Fisherman / All Over World (31 May) Hannah Help Me

D 4:30

The Relate Show

D 5:00

YouthBytes / Ultimate Choice

The Exchange

Kiwis Can Fly

Towards Belief

Bishop, Chef & the D Fisherman / Leland D Klassen’s (29 May)

Hannah Help Me

Give Me An Answer

D 5:30

Life Questions

The Family Series

Abundant Life: Paul Scanlon

Your Best Life: Phil Pringle

Brian Houston @ Hillsong TV

The Verdict of Science

D 6:00

(26 May)

The Drive TV

Destined to Reign with Joseph Prince (Mon - Fri)

The 700 Club (Mon - Fri) Hannah Help Me

8:00

Precious Memories

Kiwis Can Fly

Precious Memories

Leland Klassen’s Comedy

Christian World News

FEATURES

See adjacent for detail.

Impact for Life

The Relate Show Give Me an Answer

Christian World News

Noble Exchange

Word For You

LIFE TV with Paul de Jong

Running With Fire with Tak Bhana

Roots and Reflections

Days of Wonder: Jarrod Cooper

Answers with Bayless Conley

11:30

Noble Exchange

The Exchange

Towards Belief

Hannah Help Me

Midnight

Hour of Power

Give Me An Answer

Kiwis Can Fly

Leland Klassen’s Comedy

P Preaching C Children M Music

D Doco/Drama

N News

N Leading The Way / P D Mark Gungor (29 May)

Give Me An Answer Journey into the Amazon

E Entertainment

Y Youth

Ed’s Story & D 6:30 Christianity Explored Towards Belief

D Way of the Master D

The Verdict of Science

The 700 Club (Mon - Fri)

16 | Christian Life Issue Twelve May 2014

Ed’s Story & N Christianity Explored Lakewood Church: P Joel Osteen True Beauty / All D Facing the Canon N Over World (29 May)

9:30

KEY

10:30

D 11:30