Issuu

Renewal from the Inside Out Walk with Me Rātā Blooms into Being How Do We Measure Faith? September 2026 | saltmagazine.org.nz

A Nurtured Faith

Contents 8 The Path for Young Farmers

04 18

Starts at Jeff Farm

Two young school leavers will soon be on their way to a Southland farm for an adventure that will shape the rest of their lives.

12 Renewal from the Inside Out Angel Kendrew shares on her journey into the Christian faith, beginning with a lot of questions.

16 Digital Devotions The ways people explore faith are changing, but the invitation of Christ remains the same.

18 A Faith Renewed After years of wrestling with doubt and depression, Chris Jenkins shares his story of discovering peace, joy and freedom through Jesus.

20 How do We Measure Faith? There have been many headlines in recent years about how the Church is doing, both positive and negative. And yet, there are always stories of hope in our churches that are worth paying attention to.

26 Finding Your Way into God’s Word Kelly Cooper speaks with three Salvationists to get their tips on reading the Bible.

SALT Magazine The Salvation Army New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa Territory Territorial Commander Commissioner Janine Donaldson General Lyndon Buckingham Founders Catherine and William Booth

September 2026

Editor Trina Saffioti SALT team Sam Coates, Kelly Cooper, Major Glenys Fairhurst, Nicole Gesmundo, Penny Harding, Colleen Marshall, Jenna Martin, Lynnaire Millar, Lauren Millington, Captain Rachel Montgomery, Holly MortonChong, Nina Rajan, Kai Sanders

31 Connect with us saltmagazine.org.nz

Subscriptions mailorder@salvationarmy.org.nz

SaltMagazineNZ

Print Management MakeReady

@SaltMagazineNZ salvationarmynzfts Territorial Headquarters, 204 Cuba Street, PO Box 6015, Marion Square, Wellington 6141 p: (04) 384 5649 e: communications@ salvationarmy.org.nz

Publishing for 143 years Volume 3, Issue 39 ISSN 2816-1351 (Print) ISSN 2816-136X (Online)

All Bible references from the Holy Bible, New International Version, unless otherwise stated. Views and opinions expressed do not necessarily represent those of The Salvation Army. Articles are copyrighted to The Salvation Army, except where indicated, and may be reprinted only with permission.

Come as You Are Kia ora e te whānau, It’s spring! The slightly (if you’re in Wellington) warmer days are a sure sign that good weather is on its way. Spring is a season of new life, of refreshing and renewal. It’s time when the bleakest of circumstances can look brighter and better— it’s incredible what a bit more vitamin D can do for us! It’s also a natural time to renew how we connect with God. I’m a morning runner and this is when I pray and connect with our Father. It’s also a time when I connect with all the regular passersby who are also running or walking at the same time each day. When I haven’t seen one of them for a while I worry. I don’t know their names or anything about them, just that I pass and exchange greetings with them at a certain point on my route each day, but they have become daily connections. Connection to our communities is vital for us as humans. It’s also vital to us spiritually. God really wants to connect with us. He wants our problems, our fears, our worries, our weaknesses and all the dark things that are holding us back from entering into a deeper relationship with Him. Come As You Are (the awesome Catholic hymn, not the awesome song

by Nirvana) tells us to go to Jesus just as we are because that’s how He wants us: ‘Come as you are, that’s how I love you. Come as you are, trust Me again. Nothing can change the love that I bear you. All will be well, just come as you are.’ When we connect with Him, we become stronger and our burdens become lighter. In turn, He is glorified and we bring Him joy. In this issue, we explore the multiple ways that modern believers are connecting with God. On page 16, Kelly Cooper looks at how people are using digital platforms to get closer to God. The changing shape of the modern church and how people are coming to Christ is explored by Holly Morton-Chong on page 20. A lot of us struggle to get enough God into our daily lives, so some different ways to do this are covered on page 26. I pray that reading this issue will bring you closer to our Saviour.

Trina Saffioti Editor

Do not conform to the pattern of this 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. ROMANS 12:2 saltmagazine.org.nz

Lucky You’re Tough

The Odyssey

Lucky You’re Tough is an in-depth memoir about a remarkably resilient New Zealander. From Mark Law’s gruelling service in the NZSAS, the book introduces a man who thrives under pressure. The story moves through Angola and Albania, where Law works in private security and repeatedly brushes with death, including an ambush involving diamond traders. Yet the most compelling aspect is how he channels that adventurous spirit into building Kāhu NZ, driven by a lifelong passion for flying. In the chapters leading to the Whakaari/White Island disaster, he occasionally becomes bogged down in aviation technicalities. But the book remains an engrossing tale of courage, resilience and service. (Reviewed by Kai Sanders)

Christopher Nolan’s latest offering, based on Homer’s epic poem, tells the story of Odysseus’ decade-long journey home after the Greek victory in the Trojan war. On an execution level, where The Odyssey succeeds is the emphasis on practical effects—puppetry and animatronics in particular deliver one of the most captivating and affecting sequences in the film. Where it doesn’t do so well is in capturing the passage of time. In places, the episodic encounters feel quite ‘rinseand-repeat’, which may bore some viewers. On a thematic level, Nolan’s telling of the story is a reminder of the consequences of war, power and naked ambition; a tragic parallel to current geopolitical events. We would do well to heed the warning. (Reviewed by Sam Coates)

Memoir | Written by Mark Law with Ron Crosby | Allen & Unwin Aotearoa New Zealand

Do You Know This Person? If you recognise the person in this photo, we’d love to hear from you. Email: archives@ salvationarmy.org.nz 4

September 2026

Action/Adventure/Fantasy | Directed by Christopher Nolan | M (violence and content that may disturb)

Samuel Jackson Reed

Worship | Samuel Jackson Reed | Listen on YouTube Music/watch on YouTube

I stumbled across Samuel Jackson Reed’s music on my YouTube feed. In his videos, he stands on riverbanks, sits in gardens or sings from the comfort of his cosy, lived-in kitchen, complete with dirty dishes in the sink. It’s usually just him and his guitar, occasionally joined by a friend or his wife, singing classic worship songs like Refiner’s Fire and Blessed Be Your Name. One of my favourite parts is the familiar, nostalgic sound of birdsong in the background. Between songs, he also prays or shares his original poetry. When I’m feeling overwhelmed or anxious, his music helps me slow down, return to a place of peace and remember the nearness of God. (Reviewed by Nina Rajan)

WORD OF THE MONTH

Fa‘afou (Samoan, verb) To make something fresh, new or strong again. Source: translate.com

Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you. ANNE LAMOTT

INTRIGUING INDEX

Buying For a Future Self Sometimes the things we feel guilty about letting go of are the things we spent good money on, especially when they were bought for the person we hoped we would become. In Goodbye, Things, author Fumio Sasaki argues that many of the items we keep represent the people we hoped to be, rather than the lives we are living right now. Instead of asking, ‘what did this cost me?’, try asking, ‘what is it costing me now?’

Open Our Eyes On Sunday 27 September, people all around the world will gather to pray for victims and survivors of modern slavery and human trafficking, acknowledging the 2026 International Day of Prayer for Victims of Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking (MSHT). This year’s theme is ‘Open Our Eyes’, inspired by Proverbs 31:8 (NLT): ‘Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed’. Praying for those who have been trafficked is a powerful way to stand with survivors and to advocate for an end to exploitation. In this way, we walk alongside victims and survivors and give them a voice through the prayers we offer to God. • Pray for those who are being trafficked, that they would be protected from harm, found by those who can help them and safely reunited with their families and loved ones. • Pray for survivors of modern slavery and human trafficking, that they would experience healing, restoration and hope as they rebuild their lives. • Pray for greater awareness of modern slavery and human trafficking, and that more people would be moved to take action, speak up and support efforts to end these injustices.

1 Digital reset

Our digital spaces collect clutter too. This can be camera rolls full of screenshots, email inboxes, downloads folders, unused apps, old notes and files sitting on your desktop. Delete what you don’t need, unsubscribe, reply and organise. The goal is a little less visual noise every time you open the screen.

2 Closing up shop

Just like a restaurant resets at the end of the night to prepare for the next day’s service, you can do the same for your home. An evening ‘closing shift’ of 10–15 minutes to reset the common areas, clear the dishes, wipe the bench or put things back where they belong can start the next morning more smoothly.

3 Project Pan

Project Pan started as a challenge to use up beauty products before buying or opening something new. But the idea works just as well around the home. It might be finishing the half-used bottle of dressing before opening another bottle, using the cleaning spray hiding at the back of the cupboard or working through the toiletries already in the bathroom. Finish what you have before buying more. saltmagazine.org.nz

INTERNATIONAL PRAYER • L ebanon—Christians in Lebanon face growing challenges from economic hardship, political instability and ongoing conflict. While Christians make up about a third of Lebanon’s population, believers who come from Muslim backgrounds can face rejection, harassment and isolation from family and community because of their faith. The recent conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, a Lebanon-based militant group backed by Iran, has brought further suffering to the country. Airstrikes and military operations have damaged homes, churches, schools and vital infrastructure, particularly in southern Lebanon and around Beirut. More than 1 million people have been displaced, including many Christian families who have lost homes, livelihoods and a sense of security. Despite these hardships, churches continue to serve their communities by providing practical aid, pastoral care and the hope of the gospel. Pray for peace in Lebanon, comfort for those who have lost loved ones and homes, and strength for Christians as they remain faithful and share Christ’s love in the midst of uncertainty and hardship.

Crispy Asparagus Carbonara This is a refreshed lighter spring version of carbonara. Quick, easy and delicious! | Prep time: 10 mins; Cook time: 15 mins | Serves 4

Ingredients • 300g spaghetti • 4 rashers streaky bacon, chopped • 1 bunch asparagus, chopped into bite-size pieces • 1 Tbsp olive oil • 2 eggs • ½ cup grated parmesan

SALVATION ARMY PRAYER Waihi Corps; Waitākere Central Corps; Wellington District Court; Wellington South Corps; Westgate Corps; Westport Corps; Whakatāne Corps; Whanganui City Corps; The Salvation Army in Mexico; The Salvation Army in South America East; and The Salvation Army in South America West.

Method Cook spaghetti following package directions. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water when draining. Cook bacon until crispy then remove from pan. Cook asparagus in the bacon fat. Whisk eggs and parmesan in a bowl. Tip cooked spaghetti in the pan with ½ cup of hot reserved pasta water. Add egg and parmesan mixture and toss vigorously. Add bacon and asparagus. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with crusty warm bread.

September 2026

What’s On? Creation Sunday 1 September

Father’s Day 6 September

United We Ride

12 September For more information, visit the website https:// unitedweride.global

Te Wiki o te Reo Māori

QUICK QUIZ 1 How many tonnes

of products are diverted from landfill by New Zealand op-shops each year?

2 W hat did Jesus

use to wash His disciples’ feet at the Last Supper?

3 W hat was the name of the cleaning-obsessed friend in Friends?

4 What common

cleaning tool is used in the sport curling?

5 In Greek mythology,

whose annual return from the underworld explains the arrival of spring?

Answers page 32

14–20 September

2026 Territorial Prayer Summit: Rest and Reset 18–19 September

International Day of Prayer for Victims of Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking

27 September For more information go to salvationarmy.org.nz/ event/territorial-prayersummit-2026

Te Kākano More than 10,000 users have downloaded and used our Te Kākano app, and we encourage you to give it a go. It is ideal if you need some help with te reo Māori pronunciation, want to improve your understanding of te ao Māori, sing along to some waiata or practice karakia. It even lets you load in your personal details and produces a pepeha specifically for you. Te Kākano also has handy tips, information and advice so open the app, have a tutu and see where you end up. If you haven’t already got it installed on your phone, you can easily download it for either iPhone or Android.

Check out our full event calendar at salvationarmy.org.nz/ events

App Store (iPhone)

Google Play (Android) saltmagazine.org.nz

The Path for Young Farmers Starts at Jeff Farm Two young school leavers will soon be on their way to a Southland farm for an adventure that will shape the rest of their lives. WORDS Penny Harding

hey have been chosen to be the latest farm cadets at The Salvation Army’s Jeff Farm at Kaiwera, near Gore. In two years, they will each leave with a team of trained dogs, a wide range of farm skills and ready to work on any dry stock farm. They will also have developed life skills to carry them through the rest of their lives. Jeff Farm cadets are aged between 16 and 20 and receive hands-on sheep, beef and deer farm training during a two-year cadetship. This includes mustering, shearing, general stock work, tractor work, fencing, winter grazing rotations and training dogs. They learn to drive a range of vehicles, and how to butcher stock and handle a chainsaw safely. They also have the chance to do levels 2 and 3 New Zealand Certificate in Agriculture qualifications.

Farm in demand Jeff Farm can accommodate only five cadets at a time, and demand for the programme is high. In July, up to 100 visitors—would-be trainees and their families— attended an open day. Farm Manager Michael Benton says it was a great success. They had to organise the visitors into three groups to manage the tour of the farm. He says the applicants were not just from farming or rural areas, ‘We had almost more North Islanders this year’. 8

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Michael tries to get a good mix of cadets. ‘We do try and select the kids who wouldn’t have an easy path to farming.’ The hotly contested selection process starts at the open day but some, he says, are just too young. ‘It’s easy to weed out a few early on. They need to be bold.’ Many of the candidates are coming straight from school—some have no background in farming— and Michael fields a lot of questions. ‘A lot of the conversations are with the parents to be honest. It can be hard to get words out of teenagers.’ Michael is not too concerned about their school qualifications—some of them have struggled at school— but he is interested in one thing above all. ‘Attitude—100 percent attitude.’ Applications close a few weeks after the open day, and the application forms start arriving almost immediately. Michael will interview six or seven people, and he decides in September who gets to start at Jeff Farm the following January.

Starting out The second-year cadets are encouraged to act as mentors to the first-years and are brought in to tell the families what they found hard to begin with—often it’s a lot to do with living in shared accommodation. Cadets are housed in single quarters and are fed by an onsite cook. Getting up and going to work every day

Above: 2026 first-year cadets with their heading pups. (L–R) Lilly McQueen with Jess, Ollie Walker-Leach with Meg, and James Read with Tig. can be hard to get used to, and the work is hard, but Michael also knows the importance of giving them some time off and encourages them to play sport and get involved in the community. He doesn’t often get it wrong when choosing candidates. ‘It has very rarely not worked out. I have only ever had one not make it through since we have been here.’ Jeff Farm cadets are paid an hourly rate rather than an allowance, which helps to create the right employee–employer relationship and sets expectations on the trainees. ‘They get a fair bit of responsibility and the pressure to perform,’ Michael says. ‘There are no shocks when they leave here. If they need to get up at 4am, they get up at 4am.’ It also helps them to start assembling their team of dogs. ‘We encourage the cadet to source a heading pup, then after a while they look for their first huntaway. They buy their own pups, and we help them train them.’

‘I found Jeff Farm. It’s only a half-hour away from home, but it’s way different farming. Being in a cadetship, they take time to really teach you’. Trained and ready Two second-year cadets, Jake Anderson and Noah Monson, will graduate on 22 December and can expect to walk into jobs on farms as fully fledged shepherds. Jake’s parents have a sheep and beef farm at Tuatapere. When he left school, he says he had two options, either go to university or do something else. He chose the something else. ‘I found Jeff Farm. It’s only a half-hour away from home, but it’s way different farming. Being in a cadetship, they take time to really teach you. ‘I didn’t really have a clue. I expected to be put to work. I expected to learn.’ But his first lesson was that, unlike university students, there’s no ‘O week’ saltmagazine.org.nz

Noah is also 19 and from a farming background. His family has a dairy farm at Methven in Canterbury, and while he says he likes ‘the cow side of things’, the cadetship was the opportunity to learn something new. As soon as he knew he had won a cadetship, Noah left school and found work on a farm to get some money behind him. He says the toughest thing at Jeff Farm is taking in all the information. But he knows he now has a network of mentors and some solid friends who are only a phone call away. Noah’s ideal job would be ‘preferably a bit of high country and a bit of dog work’. He doesn’t mind where he goes. ‘I’ll leave here being a shepherd and I’d like to go to the best job I could. I’d like to see where sheep and beef take me.’ Wherever he goes, he’ll be taking his team of five dogs along.

Farm foundations Michael says the Jeff Farm graduates are well regarded, and he is often contacted by farmers looking for staff. ‘They do leave here very well-rounded—they are very well trained; they have got all the tickets.’

From top: Second-year cadet Jake Anderson putting his handpiece together ahead of a day shearing the farm’s hoggets; second-year cadet Noah Monson proudly holding up his 106th sheep shorn for the day. at Jeff Farm for cadets. Jake says he started at the beginning of January, and it was hard work from day one. ‘It’s pushed me out of my comfort zone quite a lot, having to interact with people you don’t really know.’ Looking back though, he can see how much that has changed him. He recalls he used to stand back when farmers were talking about their farms, now he understands what they are talking about. He’ll even offer his parents some advice. ‘I certainly come home with some new ideas—some that they like, some that they think, why are you doing that?’ Jake, now 19, is looking for a sheep and beef farming job in Southland. But not Tuatapere just yet. 10

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He says two years make a huge difference in the life of a cadet in terms of their confidence and communication: ‘They come as kids and leave as adults’. Michael and his wife Tarryn, farm administrator, say their focus is developing young people. ‘The farming is really the vehicle—we’re ultimately trying to help them grow into confident, capable adults.’ And the wider team is on board with this. ‘It takes a special type of person to be willing to coach, mentor and patiently teach young people every day, while also running a high-performing commercial farming business. Our whole team invests a huge amount into

‘It takes a special type of person to be willing to coach, mentor and patiently teach young people every day...’

the cadets’ development, and we couldn’t achieve what we do without them.’ They have developed some Jeff Farm foundations— values of communication, accountability, trust, pride and teamwork—that guide everything they do when coaching the cadets. ‘They are just as important to us as the practical farming skills.’

The early farm The 2400-hectare property, between Mataura and Clinton, has been run by Michael and Tarryn for The Salvation Army Trust Board since 2023. Michael is from Kaitaia and has worked on farms throughout Aotearoa New Zealand, including training farms. He values being able to pass on his knowledge to a new generation of farmers. Tarryn is from Southland. For a time, her father was a shepherd at Jeff Farm, and she lived there as a young child. The pair met in Taupo and have been farming together for 15 years. The Bentons arrived on the farm in 2022, and Michael took over as manager the following year. Jeff Farm is a 25,000-stock unit carrying sheep, beef and deer and is one of New Zealand’s leading agricultural training farms. It is the only Salvation Army dry stock farm in the world. Previous landowner Edmund Jeff farmed the property before the Second World War with the assistance of local labour. However, the war reduced the pool of workers and, in the early 1950s, widowed and without children, and a farm in desperate need of capital for development, Edmund was faced with compulsory acquisition of his farm to resettle returned soldiers. Instead, he formed a trust to administer the property and stipulated that the farm was to be gifted to The Salvation Army and used to train young people who could not otherwise have a career in farming. In 1954, Edmund went off to travel the world and The Salvation Army took over the farm and began running it according to his wishes. Young people were trained, and the property was slowly developed and began to show a profit. In 1982, The Salvation Army Trust Board invited some southern business and farming experts to sit on a farm

Above: Second-year cadet Noah Monson at the cattle yards, leading the three first-year cadets as they vaccinate the farm’s in-calf heifers. management board. This led to a massive development programme financed by accumulated profits. Low-lying paddocks were drained and re-grassed, the subdivision improved, new internal roads were built and the farm buildings upgraded.

Forwards and outwards Nothing stands still on Jeff Farm. They have recently built a new butchery and are upgrading the cattle yards. Accommodation is being expanded so they can boost the number of cadets in the programme from five to six. Michael says they are always looking to improve genetics and to use more technology on the farm. But working dogs will always win over drones when it comes to mustering stock. Income from the farm allows The Salvation Army to give scholarships to assist young people to study agriculture-related courses at Lincoln University, Telford Rural Polytechnic (now via SIT) and Primary ITO. Jeff Farm Trust also offers grants to support various Salvation Army programmes in Aotearoa New Zealand and overseas. Funding priority is given to underprivileged youth and includes adventure-based learning, camping, alcohol and drug therapy, training opportunities and supervision for court-related diversion. saltmagazine.org.nz

Renewal from the Inside Out When Angel Kendrew set out to explore the Christian faith she went in search of answers. What she found was something far more personal than she expected: a God who invites us into a lifelong journey of renewal and transformation. I didn’t grow up in a Christian home, and for most of my life God wasn’t a part of the picture. My childhood and early twenties were unsettled in a lot of ways. I moved around a lot, left home young and spent several years in a relationship that was hard in ways I didn’t always have the language for at the time. I became the person who held things together, who fixed problems, who didn’t really stop to ask how I was doing. Looking back, I can see how much of that season was about surviving, not living. It wasn’t until years later, after I’d rebuilt my life somewhere new, found steady work, and started to feel like myself again, that I met my nowhusband, Liam Kendrew, the first real Christian I’d ever properly known.

He didn’t look at everything I’d been through and see someone broken. He just saw me. He talked about his faith with passion but without pressure, and for the first time I found myself curious to know about the Christian faith.

Lots of questions Walking into church as a newcomer, I was convinced everyone would take one look at me and know I didn’t belong. Instead, I found people who were patient with every question I threw at them—I had a lot of them. I sat down most weeks with our pastor (corps officer), Major Mat Badger, who kindly walked me through the Bible, and somewhere in those conversations, something in me settled. For the first time, I didn’t feel like I was carrying everything on my own.

...I found people who were patient with every question I threw at them—I had a lot of them.

Above: Angel Kendrew 12

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That’s when the real change started, not in my circumstances, but in my mind. I began noticing things I’d never questioned before: what I watched, what I listened to, how I measured a ‘good’ life, what I thought success or worth looked like. Some of it made me

genuinely uncomfortable, in a way I couldn’t fully explain. I’ve since come to understand that the discomfort I felt wasn’t a punishment. It was growth. It was the Holy Spirit convicting me.

True transformation Romans 12:2 has become an anchor for me: ‘Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind’. The word Paul uses for ‘conform’ is the idea of being pressed into a mould, like clay, shaped from the outside in by whatever’s around you. But ‘transformed’ is a completely different word. Paul uses the Greek word metamorphousthe to explain transformation, which is where we get the word metamorphosis from. This is the kind of change a caterpillar goes through to become a butterfly.

Not a surface change. But a deep inner transformation from the inside out. That distinction has meant everything to me. I’m not called to just tidy myself up or blend in a little better with the people around me. I’m called to actually change from the inside, in the way I think, before it ever shows up in how I live. And that’s exactly what it’s felt like, not an instant fix, but a slow, sometimes difficult, always worthwhile unlearning and relearning. It hasn’t been a straight line. There have been things I’ve had to let go of that I didn’t want to let go of— opinions and habits I’d never thought to examine, moments where I felt genuinely torn between the way I used to think and the way I was being asked to think now. I don’t think that tension ever fully disappears. I still

catch myself slipping back into old patterns of comparison, or worry, or needing to control outcomes rather than trusting that God’s got them. But I’ve learned to recognise it faster now, and to bring it to Him instead of carrying it alone.

The caterpillar doesn’t fight its way into being a butterfly overnight, and neither do we. Step by step Drawing near to God isn’t about arriving somewhere polished or having it all figured out. It’s a daily choice to let Him keep working in

you, through Scripture, through honest prayer, through people who’ll tell you the truth even when it’s uncomfortable. The caterpillar doesn’t fight its way into being a butterfly overnight, and neither do we. If you’re in a season right now that doesn’t make sense, if you’re surviving more than living, I want you to know none of it is wasted. I couldn’t see God at work in the middle of my hardest years. But looking back, I can see His hand in the timing, the people and the doors that opened when I least expected them to. He was renewing my mind long before I had a name for what He was doing and He’s still doing it now, reshaping me, refreshing me, one uncomfortable, worthwhile step at a time.

saltmagazine.org.nz

Walk with Me Each of us has our own significant way of connecting with God. I have always enjoyed being outdoors. Whenever I need to be refreshed, renewed or strengthened in body, mind or spirit, a walk through a park, a stroll along a riverbank or the seashore, or simply being still and observing the world around me brings a calming and restorative effect. A few years ago, I started combining photographs I had taken with Scripture verses, and these became a constant reminder of the presence, comfort, grace and joy that I have in Christ. Then a significant lifestyle change came six years ago with Covid-19. I was serving in the UK at the time, and we were in lockdown for a significant period, working from home for close to a year before we could return to the office. During my daily one-hour walk, God challenged me about the importance of making the most of these moments, taking time to focus specifically on Him and what He wanted to reveal to me. One of the words of encouragement He gave me during this time was this: ‘Don’t live in the shadow of uncertainty but live in the light of My faithfulness’. This is a challenging thought, but the more I continue to reflect on this, the more I appreciate how rich it is. Walking in the shadow of uncertainty causes me to lose focus, but walking in the light of God’s faithfulness enables me to be refreshed and renewed. It’s all about perspective really and how I choose to focus my life. I know where I prefer to be— living in the light and knowing His refreshment and renewal daily in my life regardless of my circumstances. It’s not always easy, but only I can determine my response to what life brings and I choose to live in the light of God’s faithfulness. Where are you in your journey? ‘Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to Me. Get away with Me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with Me and work with Me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with Me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.’ (Matthew 11:28–30, MSG) Colonel Jennifer Groves Chief Secretary

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Matthew 11:28–30 ‘Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.’ (NIV) ‘Haere mai ki ahau, e koutou katoa e māuiui ana, e taimaha ana, ā, māku koutou e whakaokioki. Tangohia tāku ioka ki runga ki a koutou, kia whakaakona koutou e ahau; he ngākau māhaki hoki tōku, he ngākau pāpaku; ā, e whiwhi koutou ki te okiokinga mō ō koutou wairua. He ngāwari hoki tāku ioka, he māmā tāku pīkaunga’ (PT) ‘Dou lako mai vei au, oi kemudou kecega sa oca ena kauta voli na i colacola bibi, ka’u na vakacegui kemudou. Vakataqara vei kemudou na noqu i vua, ka vuli vei au, ni’u sa yalomalua ka yalomalumalumu, ka dou na kunea kina na vakacegu ni yalomudou. Ni sa rawarawa na noqu i vua, ka mamada na noqu i colacola.’ (FNV) Ha‘u kiate au, ‘a kimoutolu kotoa pē ‘oku fakaongosia mo mafasia, pea te u fakamālōlō kimoutolu. ‘Ai ‘eku ‘ioke kiate kimoutolu, pea mou ako ‘iate au: he ‘oku ou fa‘a kātaki mo anga fākatu‘a, pea te mou ‘ilo ha mālōlō ‘i homou laumālie. He ko e ‘ioke ‘a‘aku ‘oku molū, pea ko e kavenga ‘a‘aku ‘oku ma‘ama‘a. (TMB) Ia outou o mai ia te au, o outou uma o e tigaina ma mafatia i avega, o a‘u foi e malolo ai outou. Ia outou amoina la‘u amo, ma ia outou faaa‘oa‘o ia te au, auā o a‘u lē agamalu ma le loto maulalo; ona maua lea e outou o le malologa mo outou agaga. Auā e avegofie la‘u amo, o la‘u avega foi e māmā ia. (SOV)

Digital Devotions The ways people explore faith are changing, but the invitation of Christ remains the same. Kelly Cooper looks at how digital platforms are creating new opportunities for people to ask questions, engage with Scripture and discover Jesus. Traditionally, those who were curious about the Christian faith might have wandered into a Christian bookstore or quietly slipped into a church service on a Sunday morning. Today, a person’s first introduction to Jesus may happen through a podcast, a TikTok testimony, a Bible app, an Instagram reel or a late-night online search prompted by questions they cannot shake. God has always spoken to His people in unexpected ways. In the Bible, He spoke to Moses through a burning bush, to Balam through a talking donkey and to Belshazzar through 16

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graffiti written on a wall at a party. Today, God continues to speak in creative and deeply personal ways, including through our smartphone screens.

Jesus in your pocket People are encountering Jesus through the digital channels they use every day, with faith increasingly becoming a part of their daily routines. Many Christian apps now appear in spaces once dominated by wellness and self-help content. Youversion Bible App is the world’s most downloaded Bible app, with

more than 14 million daily users. It offers thousands of reading plans, devotionals and prayers which are searchable by theme or life stage. Like many apps, it also includes features that allow users to track their reading progress, share highlights and connect to the global Youversion community.

People are encountering Jesus through the digital channels they use every day...

Lectio 365 is a devotional app that is described as a daily spiritual companion. It helps users build a daily rhythm of prayer through guided sessions. Morning devotionals focus on praying through Scripture, while evening prayers encourage end-of-day reflection and preparing for rest. Available in both text and audio formats and in multiple languages, the app also allows users to set reminders, making it easier to establish regular prayer and reflection habits.

The Bible goes prime time Streaming services are playing an unexpected role in introducing people to Jesus. One of the bestknown examples is The Chosen, which tells the story of Jesus through the eyes of the people who knew Him, including His disciples, religious leaders and Roman officials. Since becoming the first multi-season television series to be crowdfunded, The Chosen has attracted hundreds of millions of viewers worldwide by bringing the gospel to life in a compelling and relatable way. In New Zealand, The Chosen is available on Amazon Prime Video and can be streamed for free through The Chosen app. The show is planned as a seven-season story, with Season 6 set to premiere on 15 November 2026. House of David is also available on Amazon Prime Video. It retells the story of David from a young shepherd boy to warrior and eventually king. Within its first 17 days, the series attracted 22 million viewers. These and many other productions are making faithbased content more accessible to new audiences.

Church for the commute Many people now engage with the Bible and Christian content while driving to work, walking the dog or exercising. There is no shortage of content to choose from including podcasts, YouTube channels and music streaming platforms. For some, these platforms provide first steps towards exploring faith and for others they have become an important part of daily discipleship and spiritual growth. In recent years, ‘Religion and Spirituality’ has become one of the fastest-growing podcast genres globally. Podcasts such as The Bible Recap and The BibleProject regularly feature near the top of faith podcast charts. Music streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube Music have also expanded access to Christian music, making it easier for people to discover new artists and worship music. A growing number of Christian artists such as Lauren Daigle and Forrest Frank have attracted listeners in mainstream music circles and reflect a growing appetite for faith-inspired contemporary music.

Faith in the feed Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Facebook have also changed the way people discover and interact with faith. Christian content appears alongside cooking videos, sports highlights and lifestyle tips, making faith more visible and easier to access than ever before.

Christian content appears alongside cooking videos, sports highlights and lifestyle tips. For some, a 30-second reel or a short video can be the first step in exploring Christianity and opening the door to deeper conversations. Like any online space, social media requires a measure of discernment. Not every creator offers the same depth of biblical teaching, and some self-described Christian influencers have faced criticism for personal brand promotion. Despite this, social media remains a powerful entry point to faith, providing access to Christian ideas, communities and resources that viewers may never have encountered otherwise. In a world that is more connected than ever, many are discovering that their deepest spiritual questions remain unanswered. Finding Jesus in 2026 may look different from previous generations, but the invitation remains the same. Christ continues to meet people where they are, whether in the quiet of prayer and Scripture, in fellowship with a faith community, and even in the digital spaces that shape our everyday lives.

Social media offers countless opportunities to learn, reflect and connect through theology, personal testimonies, prayer livestreams and conversations about faith. saltmagazine.org.nz

A Faith Renewed After years of wrestling with doubt and depression, Chris Jenkins shares his story of discovering the peace, joy and freedom that comes from a renewed relationship with Jesus. I come from a strong Christian heritage, with my parents being fourth or fifth generation Salvationists. Unfortunately, my dad died when I was eight years old in an aircraft accident. I’ve suspected for a while that his death was a key moment in my life where I lost foundational trust in people and in God. I’ve always felt very alone. I remember as a child thinking, ‘I can’t rely on anyone’. As an adult my default thinking was similar—‘I’m pretty much on my own’. I had a blessed upbringing and a standard New Zealand childhood. I cruised through school without any real idea of what I was doing there and managed to pass School Certificate and move into the workforce.

Faith in the dark When I was 19 years old, things began to fall apart in my life. I don’t really know why, perhaps it was the transition to adulthood, but I began to experience depression, isolation and despair. It continued year after year. Even though I felt I got nothing out of it, I always had a real heart for God. I was deeply convinced that He is real and involved in our lives. I just never felt Him, saw Him or had any real experience of Him. If I didn’t have this belief, I imagine I wouldn’t be here today. I felt like taking my life wasn’t something I could do, even though I desperately wanted out.

I believed in God with everything that I had, but I saw no evidence of an active God in my life. During this season, I’d have to leave church meetings because I felt so angry. I’d hear this message of hope, love and purpose and ask, ‘God, where is that for me?’ 18

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I felt the exact opposite. I lived with this awful dilemma: I believed in God with everything that I had, but I saw no evidence of an active God in my life. But God was good. On my mother’s suggestion, I went to see a Christian counsellor. That was a real turning point. I went along expecting nothing would change, but when I got home, I had an amazing intervention moment from God. For the first time I felt His Father heart and His overwhelming love for me. Nothing really changed in my day-to-day life, but that connection felt like a big drink of water that kept me going. I grew up and got married. I was doing all the things a good Christian would do but I was still frustrated and just going through the motions. Thankfully, I married an officers’ kid, so I had no choice but to go to church. I didn’t enjoy it. I felt very disconnected and like I had nothing to contribute.

Saying yes Then, three years ago, two things happened. First, I changed jobs. As a teacher, I moved from a secular school to a Christian school. Then, a member of our worship team invited me to play the bass guitar. I don’t know why I said yes. I’d got very good at saying no to church-related things. Those two decisions have been absolute game changers in drawing me closer to God. God has worked a gentle but dramatic change within me. I can hardly recognise myself. For decades I drove to work with a knot in my stomach and a burden on my shoulders. But I as I drove, I began talking to God. I stopped striving, performing and trying to do spiritual gymnastics. I stopped trying to figure everything out and stopped expecting anything at all. I decided I was simply going to come to Jesus.

I said to God, ‘Here I am, I can’t do it. It’s either up to You or nothing is ever going to change’. In some ways it was a cold and hard decision to trust God. I was so tired of oscillating, I asked myself, ‘Are you in or are you out? Is this true or untrue? Is God actually trustworthy?’

I stopped striving, performing and trying to do spiritual gymnastics. When I did this, the peace and joy the Bible talks about became something I experienced daily. I was such a worrier, anxious about everything. It was so simple: just coming to Him, sitting at His feet or face-first before Him. For the first time, I feel like I’m seeing something of the nature of Jesus; who He is, how good He is and what His kingdom is all about. It fills me with passion, joy and excitement about the adventure of life instead of the daily rushing machine that I had lived for so long. The irony is that nothing has particularly changed in my circumstances. I’ve still got all sorts of things that bother me, but now my response is, ‘I’ve got nothing here, Jesus. This is Your department. All I can do is say yes to You and keep coming back.’

‘All I can do is say yes to You and keep coming back.’ I now see my students, my family, my church and the world differently. As I declare God’s Word on my way to work, it almost instantly brings peace that I don’t understand. And in those moments when it doesn’t, because those moments still happen, I sense a deeper peace beneath the circumstances. I’m learning to trust God to change my perspective when life is difficult. I praise God because I know He is changing my heart and my mind to be more like Him. I am so grateful for God’s blessing in giving me my wife Kelly and our two wonderful daughters. Kelly

Above: Chris Jenkins at his desk. has always had the right words at the right time, encouraging me when I felt I had nothing to offer. My mother is a prayer warrior who is always praying for us, and my brother has always been a great friend to me. It takes practice to change your thinking and to take your thoughts captive. When those critical thoughts begin, I recognise them and give them straight to Jesus. I know I can trust the Holy Spirit to lead me. saltmagazine.org.nz

How Do We Measure Faith? There have been many headlines in recent years about how the Church is doing. Is Christianity declining in 2026? Are we seeing a revival? These headlines, both positive and negative, have been fascinating church leaders as they try to connect it to what they have been noticing in their own congregations. And yet, there are always stories of hope in our churches that are worth paying attention to. WORDS Holly Morton-Chong

he data we see from the multitude of surveys and reports released in the past couple of years about the global Church paint a mixed picture. Many share overall downward trends of declining church attendance, while also showing positive signs of different groups choosing to engage with faith. After some survey sample issues, Bible Society’s 2024 report The Quiet Revival has since been updated with a ‘year on’ review to highlight the trends that still seem to hold true. While less people are identifying as having a religion, those that do consider themselves Christians are shown to be more involved in church life than before: ‘Among younger Christians, there is an intensification of religious identity. If you are selecting this label, you are far more likely to be committed to practising the Christian faith and open to engaging with the Bible.’

Within our own numbers, The Salvation Army has

What about in New Zealand?

are struggling to appeal to younger participants.

The 2023 New Zealand Census reported that 51.6 percent of New Zealanders self-identify as having no religion, up from 41.9 percent a decade earlier in 2013. For those who identify as Christian (either generally or as part of a specific denomination or belief), there has been a decline of about 260,000 people across that decade. 20

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also seen patterns of decline. In the past five years, according to the Aotearoa New Zealand data in Salvation Army annual reports, the number of regular attendees has decreased from 7780 to 6937 (although this most recent report did see an increase in attendees from previous years). Similarly, the recorded number of new Christian believers at Salvation Army corps (churches) has also declined. These numbers are difficult to quantify, as they are self-recorded by corps and may be interpreted differently depending on who is gathering the data—for example, how regular is a regular attendee? But even taken with a grain of salt, The Salvation Army seems to be following the trends that other churches are seeing when it comes to who we are connecting with. The numbers also seem to suggest that churches The 2023 Church Life Survey New Zealand revealed that only nine percent of church attendees sit in the 15–29 age group, while the average age of church attendees is rising: denominations like the Anglicans, Methodists and Presbyterians have an average age of 70, while The Salvation Army is a bit more youthful with an average age of 62.

What’s missing? So why are we seeing this downward shift in engagement with the Christian faith, and particularly for young people? There have been numerous theories floated around why this might be the case: disillusionment because of church scandals; disconnect from what’s happening in their day-to-day lives; a sense of judgement or shame that they felt in their church experience. A 2025 McCrindle Research report, An Undercurrent of Faith, which explores Australian data around Christianity, comments that ‘Many young people leave their faith not because there is a compelling reason to leave, but because there is no compelling reason to stay.’ The data from An Undercurrent of Faith shows that while there are concerns around accountability and hypocrisy that have led young people to leave the Church, 49 percent of Gen Z surveyed said that they left because ‘religion was no longer relevant or

‘…49 percent of Gen Z surveyed said that they left because ‘religion was no longer relevant or meaningful to my life.’ successful, but across denominations youth (12–18) offerings, and to a lesser extent young adult (19–25) offerings were a significant gap for those surveyed. This suggests that while churches are putting a lot of attention into their children’s ministry, as the kids grow into teenagers and young adults, they are struggling to receive support and have spaces to participate in church life. If young people aren’t having opportunities in church to develop their faith after Sunday school, it isn’t surprising to see survey results suggesting that Gen Z aren’t finding Christianity relevant.

meaningful to my life’. At the same time, the 2023

Surprised by hope

Church Life Survey noted a large satisfaction gap

At the same time, when we speak to leaders within churches across our territory, there are so many exciting and surprising stories of young people

for youth when it comes to what is offered to them at church. Children’s ministry was determined to be

saltmagazine.org.nz

‘There’s also a 19-year-old who started going to church after something he watched on YouTube. After four months he asked the pastor when he was supposed to get baptised. The pastor said, “When you are ready to surrender your life to Jesus and you know what that means”. He responded, “I’ve read the New Testament, and I think I understand”. He got baptised, started youth leading and has been following Jesus ever since.’

participating in church for the first time. Sometimes this comes from being invited to church by friends or coming along to a church-held event. At other times, there seems to be no connection, and people have just shown up by themselves. More recently as well, there is an interesting trend of creative digital methods having an impact on young people. YouTube, TikTok, Christian celebrities and contemporary pop music with Christian themes have all become means of sharing the gospel with a younger, online audience. An Undercurrent of Faith reports that between 2016 and 2021, around 85,000 young people (15–24-year-olds) moved towards Christianity from initially indicating no religion. Of this number, one in six, or 15 percent, came from families where neither parent was a Christian, also suggesting more external influence on these young people’s engagement with the Christian faith. Two stories from Ethan Miller, national youth catalyst for Baptist Youth Ministries, about what he’s seen lately in this space: ‘I know a 23-year-old who came from a non-Christian background. He describes his journey as being “kinda weird”. He came across a YouTube video about evil and started asking big questions about faith. He started reading the Torah, then the Quran and eventually the Bible. When he read the Bible, he realised “how good and peaceful it was”. Soon after he walked into his local church on a Sunday morning and has been following Christ since. 22

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‘He came across a YouTube video about evil and started asking big questions about faith.’ Church leaders are also seeing stories of young people turning up without any external influence or encouragement, in ways that can only be attributed to the Holy Spirit. At Suva Central Corps, Corps Officer Major Arone Cheer has many encouraging examples of how young people are engaging with faith. ‘A young man who recently turned 18 decided to surrender his will to God for the first time in a public setting before his peers. This occurred at the Next Gen Easter Youth Combine service held at Suva Central in July. Praise the Lord! To this day he testifies of how God orchestrated his coming to The Salvation Army and more importantly how the Holy Spirit prompted him to decide to go forward when the appeal was given. He remembers responding to the invitation but cannot explain how he ended up at the altar in front of the church. He comes from an unchurched family. He is first generation Army, attending youth group and Sunday meetings regularly. He is passionate about dancing for the Lord and supporting the local mission of the corps. Through his connections at Suva Central, his mother and younger siblings have also come along to special events held at the corps.’ Leaders in the Wellington Anglican Diocese are also paying attention to God’s work in their

‘God is still at work, drawing people to himself long before we meet them.’ neighbourhoods: ‘Recently, a 15-year-old girl started coming to our church with her mum. Her mum wasn’t interested in faith herself but came to support her daughter. As we got to know them, we discovered the girl hadn’t been invited by anyone and had never been to church before. She simply felt a growing conviction that she needed to find God. It was a beautiful reminder that God is still at work, drawing people to himself long before we meet them.’

What Christianity has to offer So, what is it about Jesus and the Christian faith that is still drawing in young people, especially when they haven’t grown up going to church? For some, it may be having something to believe in when the world around them feels painful and confusing. Major Jeannine Serevi, corps officer at Hutt City Corps, has observed that a lot more young people are willing to have conversations about faith than before. ‘When times are tough, people are searching for answers. More people, especially young people, seem to be willing to give God a go, and willing to be prayed for even.’ It is worth noting that much of the recent data points to younger church attendees having higher levels of commitment to faith rhythms when they do participate, like praying weekly and attending church at least once a month. It suggests then, that when young people are choosing to engage with the Christian faith, they are choosing to commit more fully to the rhythms of faith as well, in ways that make changes to their daily life. We also see that when a church is intentional about being a welcoming and warm presence to the community, that makes space for people to hear about and know Jesus. This often has flow-on effects to the wider community, as the research shows that new Christians are the most likely to invite friends and

family to church. At Hutt City Corps, Jeannine has had the opportunity to see that in action: ‘A 15-year-old showed up to our corps after attending our kids club pre-Covid-19. It was closed for a while, so we didn’t see her, and then one day she just showed up at a Sunday service. She had been having a hard time and wondered, “where was the last place I felt safe?” And that brought her to our corps. She joined in with our youth programme and then asked to bring a friend along to Easter Camp 2025. Both she and her friend had an amazing encounter with the Holy Spirit at camp, and since then both girls have been regulars at our corps. Not only that, but for six weeks in a row, her friend invited a different family member to church—her mum, dad, siblings and grandmother— and now eight members of that family have chosen to follow Jesus.’

‘She had been having a hard time and wondered, “where was the last place I felt safe?” And that brought her to our corps.’ We can look at the data presented to us and conclude that for a number of reasons, Christianity and the Church isn’t as popular as it has been in past decades. As church communities, this can be a good opportunity to consider and prayerfully discern what we can be doing to change these numbers. How did Jesus lead us to faith, and how can we make room for the same to happen to others? But along with that, we also have to be heartened and encouraged by the mystery of the Holy Spirit, who always has spoken and still is speaking to people in a ‘gentle whisper’, in ways that we cannot measure or explain.

saltmagazine.org.nz

Tending to Tomatoes WORDS Penny Harding

Every summer I refresh the soil in three large, black garden pots and plant tomatoes. My garden is in Wellington, on the south side of my house. Planting tomatoes is an exercise in hope. The idea is that the black pots will draw the heat, and I sit them against a brick wall to give them shelter and make them warmer still. But it’s an ongoing experiment; early summer in the Capital can be windy and grey. Some varieties of tomato do better than others. Cherry tomatoes are happy to tough it out against the wind, with a glimpse of sun. Sweet 100s are hardy, as is the Black Russian tomato, a rugged heirloom variety with deep mahogany skin and a nostalgic taste. Yellow pear tomatoes and Capri were a joy last summer. Many varieties will produce plenty of tall branches, lush leaves, even flowers, only to be torn down by the wind. Other plants display green fruit that will never ripen or will otherwise try to ripen in a tangle of branches heaped on top of each other by the wind that’s impossible to untangle without breaking branches and tearing off fruit. Why don’t I give up and buy them from sunnier places where they grow more easily? Horowhenua, for example, just up the road where members of my family raise seed and grow enough tomatoes to share. But the garden is my peaceful place, where a dogged gardener can feel restored and happy. Now its spring, and the tomatoes have long gone from the black pots. I replaced them in winter with fragrant purple hyacinths—the offseason tenants who are a lot less trouble. Dug deep into the soil, the hyacinths emerge into the rigours of winter only when they are good and ready, and with them, the hope of spring. Until it’s tomato time again.

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Finding Your Way into God’s Word Reading the Bible strengthens our faith, nurtures our spiritual growth and deepens our understanding of God. But it can also feel daunting, routine or one more task in an already busy day. Kelly Cooper spoke with three Salvationists to learn how they engage with God’s Word and what keeps it alive in their daily lives. The Bible is not just one book, but a collection of books written across centuries by many authors. Its pages contain stories, poems, songs, prayers, laments, wisdom, law, prophecies, letters and eyewitness accounts. It wrestles with joy, grief, faith, doubt, hope and disappointment. There is quite literally something for everyone, in every season of life. Whether you’ve been reading the Bible for many years and are looking for a fresh approach, or you’ve always wondered where to begin, the good news is that there is no one-size-fitsall way of engaging with Scripture. This month, Captain Chonny Bryan, Major Mat Badger and Salvation Army Chaplain Sharyn Olds share their personal approaches to reading the Bible and offer inspiration for anyone looking for a new way to enjoy and engage with God’s Word.

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Captain Chonny Bryan—corps officer, Dunedin City Corps, Dunedin Bridge chaplain One of the gifts of having a neurodivergent brain is the ability to hyperfocus. This allows me to dive deeply into God’s Word, exploring its rich layers of history, culture, context and meaning. It’s especially valuable when preparing a message, as I can follow threads and discover connections that might otherwise be missed. While this can be a real strength when preparing to teach and encourage others, I’ve learned that it isn’t always a sustainable way to engage with Scripture for my own personal reflection, growth and direction. Consistency can sometimes be a challenge for me. What helps me stay

connected with God is remembering that there isn’t only one way for Him to speak. Some days He meets me through a devotional, other days through listening to Scripture, drawing, journaling or writing out Bible verses by hand. Giving myself permission to engage with God’s Word in different ways has allowed me to keep hearing His voice and remain open to what He wants to say. There are many excellent Bible apps and reading plans that help me engage with Scripture in fresh ways. I have learned not to feel guilty if I don’t complete a plan within the suggested timeframe. The goal isn’t to keep pace with an app; it’s to spend meaningful time with God. Sometimes I move quickly through a study, and other times I linger on a single passage for days. Both are valuable. My approach to reading the Bible may look a little messy from the outside, but I’ve come to see beauty

in that. God isn’t asking for a perfect routine—He simply wants my eyes and heart to be turned towards Him. As I seek Him, He faithfully guides me towards the practices that help me hear Him best on any given day.

Major Mat Badger— corps officer, Johnsonville Corps When I was a young person, I had a mentor who taught me a method for reading the Bible. Mr McCullough was a Bible scholar and introduced me to the three-marker system. This wasn’t an original idea, but as a twelveyear-old, it showed me a new way of engaging with Scripture. He taught me to place one bookmark in the Old Testament, another in Psalms, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, and a third in the New Testament. He then challenged me to read at least one chapter from each portion every day. His rationale was that as we read the Bible like this, we learn more quickly because different parts of Scripture begin to shed light on one another. Whenever we met, this elderly gentleman would ask me whether I had noticed any links or similar themes in my daily readings. And I often had, even at that age. I also remember his wise words that if the Bible really is God’s Word, then we need to treasure it and that it deserves a place in our daily rhythms of life. Some of Mr McCullough’s sayings are still etched into my memory: ‘Remember the marvellous wonders of the enormous glories of God contained in these pages are far beyond our comprehension. Therefore, when we read our Bible, we

…I have made profound discoveries that have deeply impacted how I understand Scripture… must consult the Author. So, before you read, pray, pray and pray again!’ Another favourite saying was, ‘If we take Scripture to heart, it will change us. If we look after Scripture, then Scripture will look after us!’ Over the years, I have maintained this three-bookmark method of reading the Bible. Because of this, I have made profound discoveries that have deeply impacted how I understand Scripture, the story of redemption and my place in it. This approach has helped shape my values and cemented the calling God has on my life.

Sharyn Olds— Salvation Army chaplain, Auckland District Court When we were kids, it used to drive me nuts that my sister could save her Easter eggs and I couldn’t. Did she have some sort of superpower? My approach was to carefully peel back the purple foil, smooth it flat in anticipation… and then with gusto crack into the goodness of my Cadbury hollow egg, filled with chocolate buttons. By Easter Sunday evening, my egg was long gone. My sister, on the other hand, took her time. She would savour each piece slowly and somehow make her Easter egg last for weeks to come. I was reminded of this when asked to consider a Bible reading practice that is meaningful to me. I love Lectio Divina, but it couldn’t be further from my Easter egg approach. Lectio Divina, which means ‘divine reading’

or ‘sacred reading’, is an ancient way of reading Scripture slowly and prayerfully. Rather than trying to get through lots of chapters, the focus is on spending unhurried time with a small passage and allowing a heartto-heart conversation with God to unfold naturally. This way of divine reading is, like all the very best things, both simple and profound. Read (lectio) a passage of Scripture slowly and pay attention to words or phrases that the Holy Spirit may be drawing you to. Meditate (meditatio) on the text by pondering and exploring any deeper layers of significance. Turn your meditation to prayer (oratio) by responding to God in ways that feel alive and right for you. Allow Him to gently take the lead in your conversation. Lastly move into contemplation (contemplatio). Cease to ruminate and think and simply rest quietly in God’s loving presence. When I engage in this practice, I gently open my heart to the loving heart of God. I soften my spirit for an encounter with God and slow down to explore and go deeper with Him. Instead of rushing or surface reflection, I make space for a real and relaxed conversation with God about what He is inviting me to notice and be nourished by that day. It turns out my sister may have been on to something after all. Some things are best savoured. Lectio Divina invites me to savour Scripture—to slow down, listen to God and allow the goodness of His word to shape me.

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Rātā Blooms into Being Each summer, the native rātā tree blooms vibrant crimson flowers in Aotearoa New Zealand, marking a time of year filled with joy, reflection and renewal. This mighty tree initially relies on another tree for the support it needs before growing strong roots to flourish into a sturdy, independent tree of its own. This symbolism felt fitting as The Salvation Army early childhood education centres move into a new season. Jenna Martin sat down with Rātā Educare National Manager Lauren Stafford. When a national restructure was proposed for the four Aotearoa New Zealand Salvation Army early childhood education centres, it was the right time to bring them under a single identity and shared kauapapa: a new name, a new logo and new signage and branding across each of the centres to unify them. Like rātā itself, the hope was that the centres would grow stronger through connection. ‘For our teachers, I think it’s brought us together. We feel more connected as one team, there’s kotahitanga, that unity aspect under the new name,’ shares Lauren.

‘Everyone’s really embracing the identity and coming together, and they’re sharing resources with each other more. There are more opportunities for teachers across all our centres to come together for professional development, share ideas, share curriculum approaches and learn from each other. ‘If someone in one centre is passionate about a particular area and someone in another centre is too, we can connect them and encourage those conversations. That kind of crosspollination is happening much more often now than it used to.’

‘Everyone’s really embracing the identity and coming together, and they’re sharing resources with each other more.’ 28

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New look, same values ‘The name Rātā Educare was chosen as a symbol of us, of who we already were, and it was chosen by us as well. One of our teachers suggested it,’ shares Lauren. The rebrand doesn’t change who Rātā is but expresses more clearly who they have always been. The kaupapa of the centres is focused on children having foundational relationships with teachers who nurture them as they grow, much like the rātā tree, while helping them find a sense of belonging in a place they can call home. ‘It’s nice to reflect on the imagery of the name and what it means, so we can go back to rātā and what that represents. We are nurturing young children and promoting joy.’

This is supported through high-quality education, low teacher-to-child ratios, child-centred learning and wraparound support for whānau.

Wraparound support Historically, the four early childhood centres—Waitākere, Mt Wellington, Newtown and Upper Hutt (Booth College of Mission)—were overseen by their local corps. The restructure brought them together under one shared management system. ‘When we became Rātā, we became one organisation. It was really important to keep those local relationships with our centres and corps,’ explains Lauren. ‘For our families, that wraparound support is so important. Not every early childhood centre in New Zealand can offer that. If families need a little bit extra, we can connect them with foodbanks, social workers, financial mentoring, counselling and other support. We couldn’t do it without our corps and our hubs. Each centre is unique because of the community surrounding and supporting it.’

Community connection An example of this community was seen earlier this year, when Rātā Educare Waitākere was damaged by a fire caused by vandalism. The centre was closed for three weeks, leaving teachers and children unable to access the building.

‘We prayed, sang songs, talked about the grief and loss of what had happened, but also the new beginning, hope and joy ahead.’ of what had happened, but also the new beginning, hope and joy ahead. The next day, when the children arrived, seeing the huge hugs they gave their teachers and all the parents staying to chat and reconnect, it was just pure joy and gratitude.’ These moments of joy after hardship reaffirmed the importance that Rātā holds in the hearts of whānau who attend. ‘I think we’re more than just early childhood centres. For many families, we’re places of community. There was a lot of aroha.’

Shaped by people Across the four centres, it was important to leadership to allow them to retain their own local personality. ‘We can talk about values and principles, but every centre still looks different.

Every centre is unique while still sharing the same kaupapa. It’s definitely the people who shape each centre and we wouldn’t want to change that. People are able to bring their strengths to their centre, and each centre has autonomy to be who they are and celebrate what’s important to their community.’

‘Like the rātā, we aim to keep putting out new flowers, creating places where all tamariki and families can flourish.’ When asked about hopes for Rātā in this new season, Lauren ties it back to the sturdy tree itself. ‘I think it’s simply to keep growing and thriving. To continue to nurture every child and whānau who enter our doors, offering shelter, warmth and belonging. Like the rātā, we aim to keep putting out new flowers, creating places where all tamariki and families can flourish.’

Opposite: Enjoying the outdoor space at Rātā Educare Mt Wellington.

‘During the closure, we invited families to Tea and Toys sessions, provided food parcels to each family and tried to keep up playgroup-style connections so people could stay connected. ‘The day before we reopened, all the teachers gathered together. We had our corps officer there, our mission officer and a grandmother from the church community. We prayed, sang songs, talked about the grief and loss saltmagazine.org.nz

Update on the Future of SALT I’m aware that there are some misconceptions around what is happening with SALT. I want to provide a brief update to SALT readers about where things are up to since we ran the survey in May looking at digitalising SALT.

Data collected After receiving anecdotal feedback that SALT wasn’t being read, we ran a survey. It generated 548 responses (hard copy and digital) and 14 emails. The survey showed a love for SALT by readers ages 50+ and a desire from them for the content to be more Army focused. In contrast, some of our frontline services reported little to no pick-up of SALT, while some centres expressed concern about a loss of a hardcopy SALT as they include it in their food parcels.

Focus group and request to IHQ Armed with this information, a focus group of officers and employees was held, and they made recommendations focused on repurposing SALT into a new format and making it a more internally focused publication. The focus group also recommended that we produce an externally focused, hard-copy publication containing uplifting content and information about Army services and our faith. These recommendations were refined, accounting for publishing best practice, and have been approved by our Territorial Management Board. They have now gone to International Headquarters (IHQ) with a request that they be approved. Until we hear from IHQ we will continue to print SALT in its current format. We will let you know if, and when, any changes are approved. Trina Saffioti Territorial Director, Strategic Communications and Engagement, The Salvation Army New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa Territory

September 2026

Gavin Baxter Completes Remarkable Journey for Foodbanks After nearly seven months on the road, retired Salvation Army officer Major Gavin Baxter has completed his Marching for Meals journey from Bluff to Cape Reinga, raising awareness and over $30k for Salvation Army foodbanks. Beginning on New Year’s Day, Gavin walked the length of Aotearoa New Zealand, meeting communities and highlighting the growing demand for food support amid the cost-of-living crisis. The challenge included a medical evacuation from remote South Island backcountry after he became unwell, but following treatment and rest he resumed the walk and reached Cape Reinga on 24 July. Funds raised will help support Salvation Army foodbanks nationwide.

Housing Crisis Shifting to Regional New Zealand A new Salvation Army report, Home Truths: What Recent Data on New Zealand’s Housing is Telling Us, warns that housing pressures are increasingly being felt in regional communities. While Aotearoa New Zealand’s housing stock grew by 9.1 percent between 2021 and 2026, housing poverty, overcrowding and demand for social housing remain significant concerns. The report found rents rising sharply in regions including Gisborne, Southland and the West Coast, while social housing waiting lists are particularly acute in Northland and Bay of Plenty. The author of the report, Alan Johnson, says the findings show that Aotearoa needs targeted regional housing solutions, not simply more houses. Download the full report at salvationarmy.org.nz/ HomeTruths

‘Just Milk’ Pilot Lands on Woolworths Shelves The Salvation Army has partnered with Goodman Fielder and Woolworths on a new South Island pilot that turns an everyday purchase into community support. For every two-litre bottle of Just Milk sold, 10 cents will be donated to The Salvation Army to help fund wraparound services for people experiencing hardship. Produced in Christchurch, the milk features The Salvation Army logo and is available in selected South Island Woolworths stores until 25 October. Corporate Partnerships Team Lead John Mawdsley says the initiative offers New Zealanders a simple way to make a difference while buying a household staple, with potential for a nationwide rollout.

Celebrating a Century in Miramar Miramar Corps marked a significant milestone over the weekend of 15 to 16 August, celebrating 100 years of ministry, service and community on Wellington’s Miramar Peninsula. The weekend began with a meet-and-greet morning tea, followed by a self-guided journey through the corps’ history. Attendees also heard from a local historian about the history of Te Motu Kairangi (Miramar Peninsula). The anniversary weekend reflected the many lives touched through Miramar Corps, while those gathered used the opportunity to reconnect, share memories and give thanks for God’s faithfulness across a century of mission. The anniversary concluded on Sunday 16 August with prayer, coffee and a special centenary celebration service. Joined by former Miramar musicians and generations of Salvationists, the congregation reflected on ‘our story’, marking a glorious past 100 years while also looking ahead with hope and prayer.

New Soldiers at Auckland City Korean Corps Auckland City Korean Corps celebrated the enrolment of five new soldiers on 21 June. Corps members gladly witnessed this significant step of faith and were inspired by the shared testimonies of God’s goodness. The ceremony was led by Captain Gabrielle Choi, who formally enrolled the soldiers. She encouraged them ‘to be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus’ (2 Timothy 2:1–4) as they step into their calling. ‘It has been wonderful to see these newcomers become committed and faithful soldiers,’ shared Gabrielle. ‘I trust and believe that Jesus will lead us and help us stand firm in the Lord.’

Above (from top): Onstage at the Miramar Corps 100 year anniversary; Major Julie Cope (left), Petrea Medland and Malcolm Herring sharing memories from the history of Miramar Corps during the anniversary celebration. Above (from left): CSM (Corps Sergeant Major) Eunhee Kim, Hyo Jeong Kim, Mi Sook Moon, Captain Gabrielle Choi, Bo Kyung Kim, Sung Won Chung, Jae Eun Jung, HLS (Home League Secretary) Young Sun Cho.

Looking for more news? Read the latest news online at saltmagazine.org.nz

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Official Engagements Commissioner Janine Donaldson (Territorial Commander) 1–2 September: Week Three Officers’ Fellowship, Flaxmill 3–4 September: Institute of Directors 2026 Leadership Conference, Wellington 5–10 September: Trip to Christchurch for CM Hui, various visits to corps and centres, retired officers gathering, pizza and conversation with candidates and potential candidates 7 September: Territorial Online Prayer Summit 17 September: General Change announcement 19 September: Delve, Silverstream retreat 23–25 September: TGB visit to Central Otago 28 September–4 October: SPEA Fundraising Conference, Singapore Colonel Jennifer Groves (Chief Secretary) 4–12 September: Senior Leaders Orientation and Development Conference, London UK 18–19 September: Territorial Prayer Summit 23–25 September: TGB visit to Central Otago 28 September: Major Harold Hill’s book launch, THQ 30 September–5 October: Tonga 40th anniversary

Gazette Summary To read the full version of Gazette notices, visit saltmagazine.org.nz/gazette Promotion to Glory: Major Christine Stone was promoted to Glory on Monday 10 August 2026, from Palmerston North, aged 80 years. Christine and David Stone entered The Salvation Army Training College in 1976 from Palmerston North Corps as cadets in the ‘Companions of Christ’ session. We honour Major Christine Stone for her faithful, loyal service. She is remembered for her humble, sincere faith in Christ. Please uphold in prayer Christine’s husband David, her children Brian, Mark and Joanne, and other family members at this time of grief and loss. Well done, good and faithful ‘Companion of Christ’! Bereavment: Laola Kaufusi Heitonga Tu’iono, the mother of Lieutenant Initi Tu’iono and grandmother of Lieutenant Mele Seini Otainao, was promoted to Glory on Tuesday 21 July 2026, from Sopu, Tonga, aged 85 years. We ask you to uphold Lieutenant Initi, Lieutenants Mele Seini and Peter Otainao, and other family members in your prayers during this time of grief and loss. Appointment: Effective 1 August, Lt-Colonel Russell Malcolm has been appointed as international finance systems and support (IFSS) support lead, SPEA Zone—based in New Zealand. Effective 10th of August, Lieutenant Sekilini Vasu has been appointed regional youth and children’s secretary (previously regional children’s secretary). Effective 17 August, Captain Logan Bathurst has been appointed as Community Ministries support officer—based in Dunedin 32

September 2026

(continuing his additional appointment as senior food security advisor, Community Ministries). Effective 31 August, Captain Daniel Buckingham has been appointed as personnel projects officer. Effective 1 November 2026, Captain Michael Bryan has been appointed as mission officer, Auckland Bridge. Effective 1 November 2026, Captain Chantelle Bryan has been appointed as mission support officer, Royal Oak Community Ministries. Effective 1 November 2026, Major Jocelyn Smith and Captain Paul Smith have been appointed as corps officers and community mission officers, Dunedin City. Please pray for all of these officers as they prepare to take up their new appointment responsibilities. Envoy appointment: Effective 31 August, Max Haas da Silva has been appointed as corps leader, Feilding Corps (alongside Major Janette Waugh as corps officer, Feilding Corps). We pray God’s blessing on Max and Rosi Haas da Silva as they prepare for their warranting and future ministry as Envoys in New Zealand. Appointment in retirement: Effective 1 November 2026, Major Glenys Fairhurst has been appointed as corps officer, Oamaru Corps. Please pray for Major Glenys as she prepares to take up her new appointment responsibilities. Additional appointment: Effective 1 November 2026, Captain Suzanne Bathurst has been appointed as chaplain, Dunedin Bridge. Please pray for Captain Suzanne as she prepares to take up her new appointment responsibilities. Conclusion of appointment: Effective immediately, Major Douglas Newman’s additional appointment as mission support facilitator, Family Stores—based in Tauranga is concluding. He will continue his appointments as corps officer and community mission officer, Tauranga and emergency services coordinator—based in Tauranga. We thank God for Major Douglas’ continued ministry in these appointments. Effective 1 January 2027, Lt-Colonels Garth and Suzanne Stevenson will be returning to NZFTS Territory following the completion of their international service in Papua New Guinea. Their next appointments are to be advised. Please pray for Lt-Colonels Garth and Suzanne as they prepare to complete their international service in Papua New Guinea and transition back to New Zealand later this year. Birth: Congratulations are extended to Major Sera Toloi on the safe arrival of her first grandchild, Isla-Rose Rawinia Losena Toloi. IslaRose was born at North Shore Hospital, Auckland on Wednesday 5 August 2026, weighing 8lb 6oz (3.798 kgs). We join with her parents Anasa Toloi and Renee Renata, and grandparents Major Sera Toloi and Epironi Toloi, as they celebrate the birth of Isla-Rose, and pray God’s blessing on them all. Quiz Answers: 1. 41,300 tonnes, 2. Water and a towel, 3. Monica Geller, 4. A broom, 5. Persephone.

SALVATIONISTS IN HISTORY

Thrift Shop Smelled as Sweet as the Rest No one was going to say that The Salvation Army Thrift Shop in the new Tawa Mall smelled bad— not on Manager Molly McDiarmid’s watch. ‘She washed and ironed everything that went into the shop―and it just took off,’ says Major Glenys Heese. Glenys recalls how Molly washed the clothes at home in her own washing machine and ironed them in the shop. When Glenys and husband Terry moved to the Tawa Corps in 1982, the shop was ‘a tiny, little cupboard on the main street of Tawa’. They were looking for a new location for the shop just as the Tawa Mall was being extended, but the other mall retailers were not keen on a store that might lower the tone. There was, however, a shop just outside the mall. ‘They agreed that we could have that on condition that it was kept up to the standard of any other shop, and that it didn’t smell,’ Glenys says. Salvation Army thrift shops and Family Stores trace their beginnings back to the jumble sales that sold used clothing and household goods to people who could not afford to buy new. The money raised supported the Army’s work in the local community. Territorial Archivist Greg Jennings says the first Salvation Army thrift shop recorded operating in Aotearoa New Zealand was at the Addington Men’s Home in Christchurch, in 1964. ‘Several other shops soon followed in the Christchurch region, and, by 1965, the decision was made to launch official shops throughout the rest of the Territory, although there was no territorial policy or direction for setting them up,’ Greg says. ‘Most were known as “Red Shield Stores” or sometimes “Red Shield Thrift Shops” and by the mid-1970s there were upwards of 22 stores.’

Above: Opening of the Thrift Shops Centre Auckland in October 1986.

During the 1980s, the local Red Shield Stores, mainly in Auckland, were served by a centralised warehouse for receiving, sorting, repairing and distributing goods for the stores. However, the distribution centres were costly. In 1994–95, the decision was made to rename them Family Stores and goods were received and processed onsite. In 1986, Field Secretary Lt-Colonel Trevor Standen reported: ‘The genesis of all stores was a local need for finance and that original initiatives came from local corps or social institutions. It is also an evangelical opportunity, and not all the profits can be seen on the balance sheet…much more is given away to meet people’s needs.’ There was a move in the early 1990s to professionalise the Family Stores, from a volunteer to more of a retail operation. ‘The goal has always been to raise money for local mission’ says Gareth Marshall, territorial director of Family Stores. ‘I want genuine partnership with local corps. That is the reason for what we do.’

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Bead Butterfly Here is a colourful butterfly you can make that could be a gift, a decoration for your room or even hung on the Christmas tree!

Comfortable with Change As parents, we are role models to our children for many of life’s lessons and fundamental truths that shape who we are as people. Jesus offers us salvation through belief in Him, which brings spiritual transformation to our lives. But living a transformed life is complicated by one rather significant challenge. We can’t do it on our own. Though we try our best, we will always fail. That’s because a transformed life is something that God does in us. When we choose to follow God, He begins the process of reshaping and transforming us into something new and wonderful. Paul wrote to the Corinthians that through God’s power, we ‘are being transformed into [Christ’s] likeness’ (2 Corinthians 3:18). As parents, we can help our children not just to memorise Bible verses, but also to think biblically, encouraging our children to soak up Scripture and let it guide the way they think about God, love, justice, forgiveness, truth, suffering, poverty and many other areas of life. Change is all around us. We can help our children understand that transformation is a part of God’s design and this change only happens through His power and grace. Here’s a suggested activity to try with your children:

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Give them a notepad and pen and ask them to record parts of God’s creation in various stages of change. You might do this by looking through nature books or taking a walk around your garden or a local park. Observe trees filling out with new leaves, young birds learning to fly, flowers growing petals and butterflies spreading their newly formed wings.

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Ask your children if these things looked the same three months ago. Will they look the same three months from now? Then ask if all these transformations could occur without God’s influence.

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Explain to your children that God also desires people to grow and change. Just as creation continually relies on God’s power, our lives also rely on God as He transforms us in wonderful ways. September 2026

1. Choose the beads you’d like to make your butterfly with. You could use old bracelets or necklaces, or look for some at your local Family Store! You can use beads that are different shapes, sizes and colours. 2. Thread some beads onto a pipe cleaner or piece of wire to make your butterfly’s body. Twist and trim the ends of the pipe cleaner or wire (with help from an adult) to stop the beads from sliding off. 3. Make wings and antennae by threading more beads onto a pipe cleaner or wire. You can try to make both wings identical or make them unique with a random order of beads. 4. Bend them into shape, then twist them around the body to fix them together. Now you have a butterfly!

We Are Made New ‘If anyone belongs to Christ, then [they are] made new. The old things have gone; everything is made new!’ 2 Corinthians 5:17 (International Children’s Bible)

Read: This verse in the Bible teaches us about belonging to Jesus. Paul the Apostle was writing to his friends in the church in Corinth and he wanted to encourage them in their understanding that because they knew Jesus and belonged to Him, they were now made new. Their old self had gone, and their new self had begun.

Think: I wonder if you’ve seen a caterpillar turn into a cocoon? You may have found a cocoon in your garden and kept watching and waiting for the day that the caterpillar would emerge again. Then surprise! What came out was a butterfly. A big, beautiful, colourful butterfly! The caterpillar went through a process of change and became something new. I wonder if you’ve noticed changes in your life because you belong to Jesus? You will be growing and changing to be more like Him.

What happened to the butterfly when it went to the punk rock concert?

What do butterflies use to hold up their houses?

It got squashed in the moth pit.

Cater-pillars!

What do you call a butterfly that’s faster than all the other insects?

A betterfly. Why was the butterfly not invited to the dance?

Because it was a moth ball.

Pray: Dear God, thank You for all the things You have made. It’s amazing to see a caterpillar turn into a butterfly. I’m happy I know and belong to Jesus. Help me to see the changes in my life as I learn and grow to be more like You. Help me to show others how Jesus loves them too. In Jesus’ name, Amen. Do: We belong to Jesus when we believe in Him and choose to follow Him as His disciples. He becomes our forever friend and Saviour. If you haven’t yet decided to invite Jesus into Your heart and to follow Him but would like to, you can talk with Him in prayer, or ask your parent, children’s leader at church, or someone who feels close to you, to help you.

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And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. Philippians 1:6 (NLT)