Baptist Churches of New Zealand
baptistmag.org.nz
A new direction
It’s still good news
Following Jesus into the future
Myth busting!
THE REAR-VIEW MIRROR † OUR GLOBAL FUTURE
| F e b r u a r y / M a r c h 2 0 2 1 | v. 1 3 7 n o . 1 |
A word from the editor The role of the storyteller is to awaken the storyteller in others. —Jack Zipes
By the time you read this I will have moved on to pastures new, as the editor role has been disestablished to prepare for the next communications phase to come. Being editor for the last three-and-a-half years or so has been a privilege. To the many contributors during that time and also to our small team—thank you for your input and dedication to creating something that was hopefully a blessing to many. And to our faithful subscribers and to all our advertisers, thank you for supporting this publication—we literally could not have produced the magazine without you! This issue has two themes. One is celebrating the history and achievements of the publication. (See pages 14 to 19 for a timeline, 20 to 21 for former editors’ reflections, and 22 to 23 for past ARPA awards.) The other theme is looking to the future. Sophia Sinclair writes about communication trends and tools, and why Christians should engage with these (see pages 24 to 25). Along those lines, our magazine staff, Charles Hewlett and Chris Chamberlain explain why we are relooking at the way we communicate as a collective of faith
communities (see pages 4 to 7). And Jonathan Edmeades reflects on what he hopes our Baptist faith communities will become known for (see pages 29 to 31). In researching the magazine’s history, I came across a report from the Baptist conference of 1919. J J North was then just a short way into his unbeaten 30-plus years as editor. North reportedly said that editors simply must be themselves and that, for his part, he was ardent for the evangelical faith. I agree—editors must be themselves. For me, my passion lies in people’s stories. They instruct, inspire, encourage and connect. Stories are the perfect vessel for communication— surely this was at least one reason why Jesus used them in his teaching. Sharing your true-life stories through the magazine has been my joy. If I have sought anything in my role as editor, like the Zipes quote above it has been to stir you into even greater storytelling. Don’t stop now!
~ Blessings to you Linda Grigg
ONLINE Recently added NAVIGATING TOUGH TEXTS Tim Hodge reviews the new book by Murray J Harris, which examines more than 120 New Testament ‘tough texts’ and offers helpful insights based on the original Greek language.
5 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD CARE... Murray Noble, leading researcher at Open Doors Australia and New Zealand, explains why he believes Christians should care about the annual World Watch List.
Check out our website for the latest news and articles at baptistmag.org.nz You can also sign up on the website to receive our e-newsletter, to keep you informed about new online content. Check out our Facebook page at facebook.com/baptistmagazine
CONTENT 04
MESSAGE FROM MAGAZINE STAFF
06
MESSAGE FROM LEADERSHIP
A new direction
EDITOR Linda Grigg linda@baptistmag.org.nz GLOBAL MISSION EDITOR Greg Knowles GRAPHIC DESIGNER Rebecca McLeay PRODUCTION MANAGER Kathryn Heslop
“You will be my witnesses”
ADVERTISING Fiona Maisey advertising@baptistmag.org.nz SUBSCRIPTIONS Sushila Nelson subscriptions@baptistmag.org.nz FINANCE MANAGER Rangiaruaru Hema —
08
OUR STORIES
Baptist Churches of New Zealand PO Box 12149, Penrose, Auckland 1642, New Zealand +64 9 526 0338 — Printing ICG Print — Front cover photography J. Kelly Brito/unsplash.com / Rebecca McLeay
13
—
OUR HISTORY
The rear-view mirror Some milestones, editors & ads Past editors reflect
Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
Celebrating excellence
— Opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the Baptist Churches of New Zealand or the magazine’s editorial team. — The NZ Baptist Magazine is the magazine of the Baptist Churches of New Zealand and the New Zealand Baptist Missionary Society.
24
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
It’s still good news Myth busting! Following Jesus into the future
Distributed through local Baptist churches in New Zealand and dependent on their contributions. ISSN 1176-8711. A member of the Australasian Religious Press Association (ARPA).
32 33
WINNER OF 2017 ARPA AWARD FOR BEST DESIGN MAGAZINE
WINNER OF 2018 ARPA GUTENBERG AWARD FOR OVERALL EXCELLENCE
WINNER OF 2019 ARPA AWARD FOR BEST DESIGN MAGAZINE
DIRECTORY
GLOBAL MISSION
Our global future Our whānau A word from Alan Small bites
Baptist / M E S S A G E F R O M M A G A Z I N E S T A F F
A new direction Celebrating our past; looking to the future The Baptist magazine is the official publication of the Baptist Churches of New Zealand. Late last year, the Baptist National Centre advised subscribers that it intended to switch from a bi‑monthly print magazine to more web-based and other digital communications in the future. The magazine’s current team explains some of the rationale for this change.
I
n a geographically spread-out and diverse movement, the Baptist magazine has always been seen as a valuable means of creating a sense of connection between our faith communities. It has also been recognised as a quality publication. In 2018 it received the Australasian Religious Press Association’s Gutenberg Award for overall excellence. It has also earned a string of other ARPA awards for design and writing over the years (see more about these on pages 22 to 23). So, given all this, when you heard that the Baptist magazine would be moving from a print magazine to a digital communication model in the future, you might have asked yourself, “Why? And why now?” Let us explain.
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Reaching more people Although almost 80% of our New Zealand Baptist faith communities currently subscribe to the Baptist magazine— plus a small number of individuals—we estimate that we are currently reaching only 4,000 of the approximate 36,000+ Baptists ‘in the pews’. We believe that mission is in the Baptist DNA. And we hold a vision of the Baptist Union of New Zealand being a collective of faith communities bringing gospel renewal to people and places in our local neighbourhoods. So, it is clear that we need to be reaching more people in our faith communities with the news, information and stories that will inform, encourage and inspire them in their mission.
W H AT W O N ’ T C H A N G E I S O U R C O M M I T M E N T T O I N F O R M AT I O N T H AT M AT T E R S . T O P M O S T IN MIND HERE IS YOU R STORIES.
Digital communication has the potential to reach further than a printed magazine ever will.
Communication trends The Baptist magazine has not been alone in considering the future of its communications. A quick survey of five other major New Zealand denominations last year revealed two had ceased their print publications in 2020, with a move to a digital strategy. The remaining three were all in the process of investigating changes they might make to their particular communication models. To some extent these moves are finance-related but it would be naïve to say exclusively so. The way people digest news and information is changing—they want and expect accessibility, recency and interaction. Being able to respond quickly to changing situations and stories with a magazine that has a two-month life cycle is not possible. We all know communication trends are changing. If we are to stay relevant to the times and reach the widest number of people possible, as quickly as possible, then we will need to follow these trends. (You can read more about communication trends on pages 24 to 25, in an article from the current President of the Australasian Religious Press Association.) Financial stewardship The Baptist magazine has been partly supported by heavily subsidised subscriptions and some revenue from advertising. The Baptist National Centre has borne the balance of costs. Although the number of churches who subscribe to the magazine has not altered substantially in recent years, many churches have dropped the quantity of subscriptions they hold (i.e. the number of copies of each issue of the magazine that they receive every two months). Some indicated they have done so for financial reasons. Others, whether through falling attendances or less uptake among their members, have said that they no longer need as many copies as they had ordered in the past. Coupled with this drop in subscriptions, there has been a simultaneous reduction in advertising revenue. COVID-19 certainly has not helped in this regard, but it was already an existing trend, especially across print media. Platforms like Facebook and Google can provide advertisers with cheaper and more targeted advertising than print media.
And finally, production and distribution costs are never fixed. For example, postage increased again in July 2020. Of course secular media has faced similar challenges, especially with falling subscriptions and advertising. Several print publications have folded recently. Even online news outlets are not immune; some have installed paywalls for ‘premium’ content or have created reader donation programmes to fund their journalism. As mentioned, the Baptist National Centre has borne the significant shortfall for a number of years but this cannot be continued indefinitely. In addition to wanting to reach a wider audience and in a way that more people want, for financial stewardship reasons some tough decisions needed to be made about the magazine’s budget.
What will, and won’t, change The Baptist magazine is a publication that we can all be proud of, with a long history of fulfilling a need within our movement for greater connection. Change is never easy, but we are confident that this ethos of connection will be continued whichever communications model is finally decided upon. We realise that some people prefer a hard copy in their hands to read. We are committed to investigating some options around this. What these would be is too soon to say, but rest assured, we want our communications to remain as accessible for our readers as possible. What won’t change is our commitment to information that matters. Topmost in mind here is your stories—the stories of people and faith communities who are bringing gospel renewal to their local neighbourhoods. The Baptist National Centre will soon appoint a new communications director role. This person will be part of the senior leadership team and will be responsible for developing the future communications strategy. In the meantime, we on the Baptist magazine team just want to say this: Thank you for the privilege of serving you. Thanks for your support and feedback over the years. And, above all, thank you for your inspiring and encouraging stories, which you have shared generously with the wider Baptist family. Stayed tuned for what is coming next!
Contributors: Baptist magazine staff
v.137 no.1 † rima 05
Prixel Creative/lightstock.com
Baptist / M E S S A G E F R O M L E A D E R S H I P
“YOU WILL BE MY
witnesses
”
Proclaiming what God is doing
Charles Hewlett and Chris Chamberlain reflect on why, from a leadership and a governance perspective, we are re-examining the way we communicate as a movement.
REACHING
B
deep
y now hopefully you have all become familiar with this statement, which has been shared widely throughout our movement in the last few months: “the Baptist Union of New Zealand is a collective of faith communities bringing gospel renewal to people and places in our local neighbourhoods.” I’m in a fortunate position as the national leader of this collective. I meet regularly with regional leaders, regional coaches, Assembly Council and other leaders in our movement. I have conversations with pastors up and down the country. Often when I come away from those discussions, I am buzzing because I have heard stories of gospel renewal that is taking place in neighbourhoods all over New Zealand. That is exciting enough on its own, but what makes it even more thrilling for me given my role, is that these are stories involving our people, our faith communities. But something does sadden me about this: these stories are not reaching deeply into our movement and into our communities. I think it is vital that they do. We all need to take encouragement and inspiration from what God is doing in our midst. Because if we believe secular media, the gospel no longer has any relevance in 21st century society. Christians know that is not true, but we hear little ‘out there’ to counter that argument. We are sitting on proof that Jesus is just as relevant today as he was when he was on Earth in bodily form, ministering to his own neighbours and nation. By sharing our stories more widely and frequently than we do today, we can proclaim loudly the good news of what God is doing. In marketing‑speak, we can get ‘cut-through’.
Participation, reach and effective communication Whilst the Baptist magazine has done a sterling job at attempting to capture some of our stories, there is a limit to what can be told in a bi-monthly, 40-page print publication. Moving to greater use of digital communication will enable
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more people to participate in sharing their stories. It will also improve dissemination of those stories, because they can be shared quickly, widely and cheaply. The terms ‘digital natives’ and ‘digital immigrants’ describe people born into the digital age and those who have acclimatised to it as adults. Most of us fit into one of those two categories. While there will always be a place for print, by using digital technology we are, in effect, ‘speaking the language’ of the majority of people. It is essential for effective communication that we do. Jesus told us: “You will be my witnesses...to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8, NIV) and “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations...” (Matthew 28:19, NIV). Participation, reach, effective communication of the good news—these are things that excite me about what lies ahead for us as a collective of faith communities. What about you?
Contributor: Charles Hewlett Charles is the national leader of the Baptist Churches of New Zealand. He is often heard saying, “I love Jesus. I love the Bible. I love the gospel. I love the church. And I love mission.”
Follow Charles Hewlett: /charles.hewlett.nz /charles.hewlett
Thank you
TO OUR
M AGAZINE TEAM
SEEKING
K
renewal
ia ora Baptist whānau. I am writing regarding the changes to our Baptist magazine that have been flagged for the last few months. The Assembly Council has had the magazine as an agenda item many times over the years. At times it has been for exciting reasons, such as the regular awards it has received for the high-quality publication that it is. At other times we have received reports around the challenges to communication that we face in a rapidly changing world and the drop-off in circulation that the magazine has suffered. We also have our annual Baptist Union budget that we have been struggling with but that our churches have indicated must be balanced. Our print and distribution costs have been a large financial loss for quite some time. Into the mix, we notice the changes in communication that have taken off in the last decade or so. We thank God for the outstanding legacy that our magazine has created. We give thanks for the numerous people who have made the magazine what it has been for our movement of churches. Now, we pause, and we take a breath before making our next move. We call out together to our heavenly Father in Jesus’ name. We seek the renewal of the Spirit into this context. We ask for a fresh flow of inspiration as we chart the next steps in our communication together as a collective of thriving faith communities.
I would like to take a few moments to thank our magazine team, both those from the past and those in the present, who have worked extremely hard to share our people’s stories with our Baptist community in Aotearoa New Zealand and beyond. Thank you to our support team who have overseen subscriptions, distribution and advertising. Thank you to our graphic designers, both past and present. Rebecca McLeay, our current graphic designer, has worked extremely hard, delivering to a consistently exceptional standard. We thank our editors, both past and present. Thank you for your commitment to our magazine. Thank you to Linda Grigg, our current editor, for your engaging, informed writing style. For the way you have worked to bring a magazine that is diverse—striving to constantly ensure there is a balance of cultural perspectives, ages and demographics, making sure we are highlighting the good that is happening in our Baptist churches, both large and small, around the country. And for your love of our people’s stories, and your passion to make these stories known. I am proud to say that because of this team, our magazine is one of the best across Christian publications. It is exceptional in both content and design and has won many awards with the Australasian Religious Press Association over the years. This includes our most prized reward, the Gutenberg, in 2018, which is the award for overall excellence in Christian newspaper and magazine publishing. To our magazine team, we are truly grateful.
Contributor: Chris Chamberlain Chris is the chair of the Assembly Council, which acts as the Assembly between annual Baptist Assemblies (Hui) and provides leadership for our Baptist movement.
Charles Hewlett
v.137 no.1 † whitu 07
Baptist / O U R S T O R I E S
Our Stories Sizzling sausages for Jesus While some spent the last hours of 2020 winding down, Paihia Baptist Church volunteers were busy cooking 18kgs of onions and buttering 25 loaves of bread. It was all for the church’s annual New Year’s Eve community sausage sizzle. The idea behind the event is threefold. Firstly, being a holiday hot spot, Paihia has had problems in the past with alcohol-fuelled unruliness on New Year’s Eve. A little free food helps mitigate some of the effects of intoxication among revellers. Secondly, it lets the Paihia community know that the church genuinely cares about them. Finally, and most importantly, it enables the church to share the good news of God’s love for them. “We set up on the Village Green, in central Paihia,” says Paihia Baptist’s pastor, James Stead. “Kaikohe Christian School again lent us their gazebo. Three pull-up signs advertised who we are and that free sausages were available. And serviettes were stamped with the words ‘Happy New Year’ and ‘Turn to Jesus, He cares!’, along with the words of John 3:16 and our church logo.” The team started serving at 10pm, by which time there was a queue of young people waiting, and packed up at 1:00am. Initially crowds were thinner than usual. But just before midnight, things took a sudden turn. “The numbers swelled as those who had been partying elsewhere flooded in to watch the midnight
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firework show launched from a barge moored between Russell and Paihia. After the spectacular display, the demand was greater than expected, and in 30 minutes we cooked and served 200 sausages!” says James. In total the team served about 600 sausages with all the trimmings. Although crowd numbers were down, the demand for sausages was up and the last few people had to be turned away. “Many found it difficult to believe that they were getting something for nothing, so we explained that we were doing it free because God cares about them and so do we,” says James. “We set Gospel literature out on the tables and over 200 of these were taken. Some came back to take more to hand out to friends. We pray that they will produce a response—that people will turn to Jesus and find hope in these difficult times. “The event was so successful that we are determined to keep it going as we believe it meets a need in our community—as well as being a lot of fun. We already have a list of people volunteering for next year’s event. So, we will keep sizzling sausages for Jesus!”
Stories worth
celebrating
A chance to celebrate past women leaders will come in March 2021. Historians recognise that often women’s history was not written or recognised, so this year we will hear some of the missing stories. March is Women’s History Month, and Baptist Women New Zealand (BWNZ) will help us celebrate some of our little-known heroines. With International Women’s Day on 8th March, BWNZ is asking churches to set aside Sunday 7th March as ‘Women’s Sunday’. Attractive resources will be available for this at bwnz.org, with service suggestions and a choice of two narrative sermons on rarely preached about Bible women Huldah and Sheerah. Our own history comes with introductions to four outstanding New Zealand women who pioneered in their fields, with their longer story online that month. The website will feature narratives of more remarkable women during the year. The first four featured will be • Kate Edger—the first woman in New Zealand to gain a university degree and the first woman in the British Empire to earn a BA, 1877 • Rosalie Macgeorge—the first woman missionary from New Zealand and the first Baptist missionary, 1886
• Rev Pat Preest—the first woman ordained by the Baptist Union of New Zealand, 1973 • Dame Vivienne Boyd—the first woman president of the Baptist Union, 1984 to 1985, and Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire, 1986. While preparing stories for the website, I’ve met some amazing Baptist women. Here are two more I want to introduce: • Elinor Thornton, aged approximately 20 in 1898, preached weekly with men converted in a timber camp south of Taihape, leading to a mini-revival. On her marriage to Guy Thornton, the couple served together in Baptist churches and in the UK. • Ann Newlands, from Timaru Baptist Church, was the first woman elected president of a divisional council of the Labour Party, in 1946. She was a member of the New Zealand delegation to the United Nations Paris negotiations that drew up the 1948 Declaration of Human Rights.
Contributor: Beulah Wood
CELEBRATING OVER $2M
INVESTED INTO NEIGHBOURHOODS The Baptist Churches of New Zealand are privileged to act as funding partners with The Tindall Foundation. Our funding prioritises projects working with whānau/families who experience multiple disadvantage across generations. We give donations to Baptist churches and their affiliated trusts who are leading positive change in their communities. The 2021 funding round is open now until 26th February. We would love to hear the stories of transformation and can work with you to find funding solutions. Application forms are available through the Baptist National Centre. Contact Fiona Maisey 09 526 7956 fiona.maisey@baptist.org.nz
Baptist / O U R S T O R I E S
Partnering with the Chinese Christian community For 21 years Carey has delivered in Mandarin an NZQA‑accredited diploma in theology. That diploma programme will conclude in 2021. As a result, Frances Leung has ended her full-time role with us, after 16 ½ years. However, this is not the end to Carey’s Centre for Chinese Research and Training, nor is it the end to Frances’s involvement with Carey. With the NZQA (Mandarin) DipCS drawing to a close, we have been exploring how else Carey might serve and partner with the Chinese Christian community in this country. Three questions have dominated: 1. How could Carey, with its excellent library of theological books in Chinese and other resources, partner with other theological colleges to support Chinese students studying in Mandarin? 2. How might our Centre for Lifelong Learning be able to work with Chinese churches to provide non‑formal
Mandarin-medium training direct to churches and pastors? 3. How might we make our English programmes— including our world-class Pastoral Leadership training programme—more accessible to 1.5 and 2nd generation Chinese students? In November 2020, the centre hosted a seminar on preaching for the Chinese Christian community. It was such an exciting event, with 120 participants. We are currently developing two online courses in Mandarin for delivery through the platform developed by Carey’s Centre for Lifelong Learning. Frances, who will remain on staff in a general administrative role for one day a week in 2021, will coordinate these courses.
Contributor: John Tucker Principal, Carey
A word from Frances Kia ora. My role as the Chinese Programme administrator at Carey has involved assisting the programme director; organising students’ activities (Chinese chapel, retreat camps, tutorials, etc.); general administration work; helping students, including with enrolment; and aiding visiting lecturers. I was also a library assistant in the first couple of years. Witnessing and being part of the students’ transformation through theological study was rewarding for me. Around 100 people graduated and some continued from the diploma to a degree. This programme has been significant to many students and graduates. As the Carey Centre for Lifelong Learning courses get developed this year, I look forward to them continuing to benefit the Chinese Christian community and nourishing the students’ relationship with Carey.
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New Lionel Stewart scholar Denise Tims is the Lionel Stewart scholar for 2021. Denise is of Māori, Scottish, Irish and English descent and has been serving for 10 years in Randwick Park, South Auckland, with Urban Neighbours of Hope (UNOH), a mission order of the Baptist Churches of New Zealand. Alongside her husband Dave and family, the ministry focuses upon living and working in neighbourhoods of high deprivation. In 2017 the Randwick Park neighbourhood won the New Zealand Community of the Year award. Denise also works part-time at Carey Baptist College as te kaitautoko of the Māori leadership and development programme, called Ngā Pou Amorangi. “In Randwick Park we have worked collaboratively with
key entities to spearhead neighbourhood-led development initiatives that recognise the importance of partnership relationships such as mana whenua and the Auckland Council. Listening to the hopes and dreams of our neighbourhood and responding to them helped us to identify the need for developing social enterprises. These include a lawn mowing enterprise, Stepping Stones, and a bouncy castle business, Bounce for a Cause,” says Denise. “I am incredibly grateful to have received the Lionel Stewart scholarship. This is to help complete both my second year of postgraduate study at Carey and then in 2022 I hope to move into the Masters programme and do a thesis on Christian neighbourhood-led community development.”
Be part of Carey’s future FOCUS on interpreting the Bible: tips for the 21st Century with Dr Sarah Harris We need to read the Bible more than ever in the tough times we and our whānau are facing. But how do we interpret it for a COVID-ravaged increasingly individually-orientated world? How can we cross the bridge from then into now and hear the Spirit speak? Carey lecturer Sarah Harris will address these questions during this 1-hour webinar: Wednesday 3 March, 7.30pm, $20. Episode 1 of 8 FOCUS webinars this year. Watch on your own, or with a small group. For series details and to register: Lifelonglearning.nz/catalogue
Over the past 95 years we have trained thousands of Christians to think, live, and lead in ways that advance God’s kingdom in this world. Would you help us continue this strategic work of forming Christian leaders for the future? Would you consider leaving a bequest to Carey in your will? By partnering with us in this way you’ll be making a significant, eternal investment in the kingdom of God. To find out more please contact John Tucker, Carey’s Principal: john.tucker@carey.ac.nz | 09 526 0342
carey.ac.nz
Baptist / A D V E R T O R I A L
Turning Blindness into Sight in the remote Highlands of Papua New Guinea Imagine being blind and isolated, unable to be with your loved ones, and having to fend for yourself during the COVID-19 pandemic. Eyesight is something we often take for granted. Yet there are many people in the remote Highlands of Papua New Guinea (PNG) who are needlessly blind. With COVID-19, many people with disabilities in PNG could not access the services they needed and others had their life-changing surgeries delayed. But services are now accessible again and surgeries are back on track. PNG has one of the highest levels of poverty in the Pacific Region and worldwide—ranked only 155 out of 189 countries on the UN Human Development Index (HDI). New Zealand by comparison is ranked 16th. Prevalence of blindness is higher than in neighbouring Pacific Islands, with a 5.6% rate of blindness among people aged 50 and over. In New Zealand the rate of blindness is under half this. The leading causes of visual impairment and blindness are cataract and untreated refractive error, both of which are preventable. However, with an estimated population of around nine million people, of which 86% reside in rural areas with poor infrastructure,
service delivery is insufficient. To date, there are only 16 practising national ophthalmologists in PNG, far below the required 72 ophthalmologists to attain the World Health Organisation recommended ratio for the population. In contrast New Zealand has 10 times as many ophthalmologists than PNG. Most health services and specialist practices are located in larger towns. This results in many people being deeply affected by avoidable blindness. The Highlands Region is the most populous with approximately 39% of PNG’s population living there. It has the highest number of unoperated cataracts. In fact, 1-in-15 men and 1-in-10 women in the remote Highlands struggle with blindness and people face limited access to infrastructure and services. Not surprisingly, people who are blind or have visual impairment are unable to access the support they need and experience social challenges that increase risk of abuse and neglect. This perpetuates a cycle of poverty and disability, limiting access to education and livelihood activities, and increasing economic burden on families. Blindness is often met with suspicion, as those who are blind may be stigmatised and may have their human rights violated.
Feelings of isolation is commonplace. Of all our nearest neighbours in the South Pacific, the most extreme examples of poverty are in the Highlands of PNG. This is where I met children like little Cecelia. As a baby, Cecilia was diagnosed with bilateral congenital cataracts. Children who are blind, and living in poor communities like Cecilia’s, are far more likely to get sick, have an accident, be exploited or be abandoned and can die young. But, thanks to generous cbm supporters, Cecilia was able to receive the miracle of sight-saving cataract surgery to remove the cloudy film from her eyes. Now aged three, her future is bright and she can live her life to the full—just as God intended! People living with avoidable blindness desperately need support and right now the New Zealand Government, through its Aid Programme, has pledged to multiply any donations for PNG given through cbm by five. cbm, also known as Christian Blind Mission, is an international Christian development organisation, whose mission includes delivering sight-saving cataract surgeries and other services in PNG for the past 40 years. To find out more about cbm’s life-changing work, visit cbmnz.org.nz. Dr Murray Sheard is the Chief Executive Officer of cbm New Zealand and has worked in international development for over 15 years.
Baptist / O U R H I S T O R Y
Brown Bag Photography/lightstock.com
Rear–view Mirror T HE
Looking back at our magazine's history
It would take more than just a few pages to capture fully the rich and long history of the Baptist magazine. However, the following pages will hopefully give you a small window on some of its development and challenges over the years.
A
dvertising In reading back issues of the magazine it is possible to track the language style, cultural norms and religious perspectives of each passing era. Advertisements add another layer of historical information, especially about technological advances and consumer tastes. Many of the early adverts now seem quaint to our eyes and sensibilities—we have included a selection for you on the timeline pages. But no matter how anachronistic some of it seems now, it was vital to the publication’s survival. Subscribers If advertising is one pillar in a magazine’s financial sustainability then its twin is subscribers. In this the Baptist magazine has a checkered history, with repeated pleas required for people to talk up the publication, gift copies to friends or employ any other method at their disposal to increase the circulation. Competitions were sometimes held to encourage this, although generally with poor results. Editors were also not averse to using a bit of peer pressure to stir things along, for example printing church membership and subscription numbers for all to see and compare. Content The other important component to the magazine’s success was, of course, content. In the earliest days, most of the
articles were ‘imported’. However, as the union of churches expanded, and as the New Zealand Baptist movement developed in its national identity, the flow of home-grown content grew accordingly. Oftentimes there was too much content for the space available, which was reflected in the tiny print and in the many calls for contributors to cut out excess words and superfluous information. Looking back, it is interesting to see that, despite all the social and technological changes, the same challenges remain in magazine publishing today: getting the right content, attracting enough readers and making it pay for itself!
References In putting together the timeline, we are indebted to Brian Smith who digitised the publication’s back issues, going back to the first copy of the Canterbury Evangelist. Works by Martin Sutherland1, Paul Tonson2 and J Ayson Clifford3 also provided valuable information. 1. Martin Sutherland, “The N.Z. Baptist as an Agent of Denominational Identity 1874-1960,” Pacific Journal of Baptist Research 3/1 (April 2007): 23-39. baptistresearch.org.nz/ uploads/6/2/0/4/6204774/pacific_journal_3-1_april_07.pdf 2. Paul Tonson, A Handful of Grain: The Centenary History of the Baptist Union of NZ Volume 1—1851-1882 (N.Z. Baptist Historical Society, 1982). 3. J Ayson Clifford, A Handful of Grain: The Centenary History of the Baptist Union of NZ Volume 2—1882-1914 (N.Z. Baptist Historical Society, 1982).
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Baptist / O U R H I S T O R Y
Some milestones, editors & ads
1876 // August
The Canterbury Baptist Association published the first issue of their publication the Canterbury Evangelist. Originally not intended as a strictly denominational magazine, their stated hope was that it would be “of some utility amongst all evangelical denominations, meeting the wants of both saint and sinner”.
1880 // January
1889 // December
The name was changed to The Baptist.
An illustration of the new Oamaru Baptist Church building featured on the front page, making a distinct change to the normal text‑heavy format. Although images and illustrations appeared occasionally thereafter, it was not until the mid‑1940s that they became a standard feature on front covers.
July The name was changed to The New Zealand Baptist.
1876: Robert Morton
1882-1883: R Osborn & S R Ingold
1879-1880: T W Smyth
1877-1879: Charles Dallaston
1884-1887: Alfred North
1884: Charles Bright & Alfred North
1880-1882: William C Spencer
1889-1899: Arthur Dewdney
1887-1889: Lewis Shackleford
1899-1906: Frank W Boreham
1877 // May
1883
1891
The name was changed to The Canterbury Baptist, which indicated a shift to a Baptist identity and target audience.
The magazine came under the control of the Baptist Union. Circulation at this time was 562.
A move to a weekly format was considered but rejected as not feasible.
1882 // November The New Zealand Baptist announced the formation of the Baptist Union of New Zealand, with 25 member churches.
1881 // February The frequency was increased from quarterly to monthly.
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1901
1920
A potential merger with a weekly publication called The Outlook, which had Presbyterian, Congregationalist and Methodist connections, was mooted but almost unanimously decided against.
The size and number of pages was reduced, as a result of financial pressures and paper shortages that lingered after the end of the First World War.
1922 A new role of sub-editor was created to deal with news items.
1906-1915: Harry Herbert Driver
1915-1948: J J North
1903 The low number of paid‑up subscriptions meant the publication was technically insolvent. The appointment of an advertising manager helped to turn things around financially.
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Baptist / O U R H I S T O R Y
1932 // October The magazine issued a larger than normal ‘jubilee issue’, to celebrate the Baptist Union’s 50 years of existence. Pride of place on page one was given to greetings from the Governor General, Lord Bledisloe.
1946 // April
1935 // October The ‘missionary jubilee issue’ celebrated 50 years of NZBMS and its work in India.
A novel, colour centre spread featured a ‘peace and thanksgiving’ appeal with a target of raising £20,000 by the end of the year (not achieved). This was in response to the evangelistic opportunities provided by the post‑war building boom and the rapid creation of new settlements and suburbs all around New Zealand.
1948-1966: N R Wood
1915-1948: J J North continues
1934 // January
1948 // October
The president of the Baptist Union, W J Bardsley, launched a campaign to increase circulation, with the goal of an additional 1,000 subscribers. At the time, they had 1,830 subscribers out of a church membership of close to 9,000.
1943 // May The Baptist Union was the defendant in a libel case. J J North had, in the magazine, denounced a group that had assumed the name ‘Campaign for Christian Order’. This was also the name of a venture to which the Baptists had joined themselves, and North objected to this other group using the name to advertise its beliefs that Jesus would return on 17th July 1944. The case failed.
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This was the 384th and last issue for J J North as editor. His record of longevity in that role has not been equalled by any of our other editors before or since.
1950 // March
1960 // March
The magazine’s motto for 1950 was said to be “A N.Z. Baptist in every Baptist home.” Church secretaries and magazine agents were called upon to help increase circulation.
Subscriptions had now topped the long‑hoped-for figure of 5,000. This was partly attributed to the number of churches who had ‘put the Baptist on their budget’.
1966-1975: H E Whitten
1954 // November At Assembly that month, there was a request for the Union Council to investigate the possibilities of getting churches to put the magazine on their budgets.
1970 // October This issue announced the end of several long-term relationships. Rev J T Crozier, sub-editor for just on 30 years, was stepping down. The Otago Daily Times, the magazine printer for the past 49 years, would be the printer no longer. And ‘Uncle Phil’, the children’s page editor for the past 10 years, was also leaving.
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Baptist / O U R H I S T O R Y
1973 // January There was no issue this month, as a cost-saving measure. The pattern was repeated in 1974, and later that year subscription was being advertised as $2 for 11 issues.
1990 // November
1974 // December The magazine announced that, in view of rising costs, as from April 1975, the format of the paper would be changed to that of a tabloid newspaper of 16 pages (so half the number of pages as was current). Also, the newspapers would be sent to churches in bulk, to distribute freely to church families. A total of 10,000 copies was expected to be printed, instead of the usual 4,000, and the subscription lists were to cease.
1975-1979: Barrie E Hibbert
1966-1975: H E Whitten continues
It was noted that the Baptist Union Executive Council wanted to rationalise its publications and publicity work, and that they believed if the Baptist was to be retained, it needed to be on a subscription basis. The following month it was revealed that the production cost per copy was just 29c and so churches were to be encouraged to contribute 30c per copy per month. “Through these steps we hope to avoid cutting back future issues of the Baptist through lack of funds, and to proceed with planned improvements such as colour photos, and better quality paper.”
1993 The first female editor was appointed— Julie Belding.
1993-2001: Julie Belding
1984-1989: Roy E Bullen
1979-1983: Tom W Cadman
1980 // November This was a centennial issue, celebrating 100 years of continuous publication (under the New Zealand Baptist title).
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1990-1992: Gordon Duncan
1991 // October December Discussions were held as to whether the Baptist should cease publication at the end of the year. Cost was one issue, but also it was questioned whether the paper effectively communicated with under 40-year-olds or those new to the denomination, and whether its mission focus was sharp enough.
The Baptist had a reprieve! It would not be closed down. Instead, churches would be charged $3 annually per copy received. An editorial board was also to be formed, to discuss the content, strategy and layout of further issues.
Baptist Churches of New Zealand
v.131 † no.1
THE UNIFYING NATURE OF COMMUNION WHAT CAN MAORI CULTURE TEACH THE CHURCH? THE REFINING POWER OF THE WILDERNESS STRENGTHS BASED LEADERSHIP: WHAT COULD YOU BE DOING?
February 2015 NZ $3.90 (incl GST)
fresh
Expressions NEW WAYS OF BEING CHURCH
A heart for youth † Overseas impact † Youth wellbeing project
1999 // April
2015 // February
An edgier style of front cover and overall design emerged.
The publication switched format to a glossy, colour bi‑monthly magazine with online content.
2015-2017: Sarah Vaine
2002-2014: Duncan & Fran Pardon
2002 // February Incoming editors Fran and Duncan Pardon were the first (and only!) married couple editors in the magazine’s history. Together they produced 143 issues of the magazine.
2017-January 2021: Linda Grigg
2021 // February The final edition in the current format, with the intention to move to more web-based and other forms of digital communication. The full details of this transition are still to be decided and advised.
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Baptist / O U R H I S T O R Y
P a s t
e d i t o
1990-1992: Gordon Duncan
1993-2001: Julie Belding
I was the last in a line of pastors who also combined that with being part‑time editors of the Baptist. That was a strength as well as a considerable demand to juggle. My predecessors were men I admire—Roy Bullen, Tom Cadman, Barrie Hibbert, and others before, like J J North about whom I have heard legendary stories. In 1990, with the magazine format about to be launched, newspapers were still widely read. The Baptist provided a strand of connecting our churches and allowing diverse points of view to be heard. Being ‘left leaning’ politically and ‘evangelical’ was viewed as consistent with Jesus’ teaching on the poor. It was a different era in so many ways. Now documents are kept in ‘the cloud’ and the editorials I wrote are in an attic I can’t currently access! I pray for current church leaders, pastors and Christians involved in the front line of social and political life. Their challenge in these times are much greater than back then. But, praise God, we live in times with glorious opportunities. I praise God for changes being made to the Baptist newspaper/magazine and for all the challenges that face us today as Christians. I know that Jesus who we follow, by his Spirit working in us, is able to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or dream of, infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts or hopes.
Nine years as editor of the NZ Baptist both educated and stretched this woman who had never edited a newspaper in her life. I wasn’t even an ordained minister as my predecessors had been, so the denominational leaders took something of a punt on me. (In an effort to make up for lost time, I soon embarked on a part-time BTh from Carey.) Highlights of my job included interviewing dozens of interesting people for the back page stories. I did full-page articles on most of the Baptist leaders over the years, including our missionaries. I loved attending the annual Baptist Hui, or Assembly as it was then called. My role enabled me to join the Australasian Religious Press Association, of which I ended up a vice-president and life member. Occasional irritations? The freelance writers who didn’t realise the importance of photos, and a few who lambasted me in letters to the editor. In retirement I’ve become an online ESOL teacher, and enjoy conversing daily with people from around the world. What a ride it’s been!
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r s
r e f l e c t
2002‑2014: Duncan & Fran Pardon Our appointment was unusual for a couple of reasons. Firstly, we were co-editors, so our roles were interchangeable. Secondly, we were professional journalists with no church background to speak of. We had been Baptists for barely five years at the time we took over the role. The Baptist Union recognised this and formed an advisory committee which helped us enormously for the first few years until we got to know our way around the Baptist landscape. Our approach to editing the magazine was deeply rooted in our experience as newspaper journalists. We tried to use the magazine to reflect what was happening in the Baptist movement both at a Union level and inside the doors of our churches. We tried to be as fair and impartial as possible. It was a challenging task given that there were some big issues our churches were grappling with at that time (and probably still are!). We sold our own community newspaper business three years ago and are now retired, still living and worshipping in Beachlands, just east of Auckland.
2015-2017: Sarah Vaine I took on the role of editor at a time of transition— after more than 130 years of a newspaper, we were moving to a glossy colour magazine with online content. From a background in medicine, I was a little ‘green’ when it came to the finer points of editorial work. Yet I relished the creative opportunity as we sought to honour what had been and craft the new. Our aim throughout was to inspire, equip and encourage our readers. Change often brings challenges, and navigating the hopes and frustrations around this transition was at times a juggling act. However, I was privileged to meet and work with some inspiring people and it was always a joy to hear when stories and articles had resonated with individuals and groups. I now live in the UK, where I was born and grew up, with my husband and two small children. I passed this role on as I navigated what became a move (back) to the UK.
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Baptist / O U R H I S T O R Y
Celebrating Excellence ARPA Awards
The Australasian Religious Press Association (ARPA) has a membership of around 80 publications, as well as a small number of individual members. It exists as a body to develop members’ skills, knowledge and professionalism, and to provide opportunities for networking and fellowship. The annual ARPA awards celebrate excellence in writing, design, photography and publishing. As new channels of communication are being added to ARPA members’ toolboxes, new categories are increasingly being introduced, e.g. best social media campaign. The Baptist magazine received the following ARPA awards and commendations in the listed categories. All of the asterisked articles are on the Baptist magazine website. We encourage you to visit these afresh by going to baptistmag.org.nz and using the search function to locate them. Julie Belding, who was editor of the Baptist for nine years, received the Gutenberg Award in 2012, for her services to Christian journalism.
2000 Best Newspaper Front Page /// WINNER: Jonathan Read
Best Original Artwork /// WINNER: Jonathan Read
Best Original Artwork /// HIGHLY COMMENDED: Jonathan Read
2002 Best Original Artwork /// HIGHLY COMMENDED: Jonathan Read
2003 Item or Feature that Shows Most Originality /// WINNER
Most Improved Magazine /// HIGHLY COMMENDED
Best Advertisement /// WINNER: Manna Christian Stores
2008 Feature that Shows Most Originality /// HIGHLY COMMENDED
Best Front Page /// SILVER: Maryanne Wardlaw
2009 Best Review of Another Medium /// BRONZE: Rhett Snell
2010
Best
Feature (Multiple Authors) /// HIGHLY COMMENDED: Maryanne Wardlaw and Emma Jane Opie
2012 Best Review of Another Medium /// BRONZE:
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Rhett Snell
2017 Best Design Magazine /// GOLD: Sue Pepper / WindsorCreative
Best Editorial or Opinion Piece /// SILVER: Alistair Reece—Why Pākehā need to know who they are: belonging in Aotearoa* Best Editorial or Opinion Piece /// SILVER: Greg Liston—I believe in the church: joining in with the life of the Trinity *
2018
utenberg Award /// OVERALL EXCELLENCE G IN CHRISTIAN NEWSPAPER AND MAGAZINE PUBLISHING: Baptist magazine
Best Headline /// GOLD: Charles Hewlett— I’m glad you’re not my doctor* Best Theological Article /// BRONZE: Sarah Harris—God made me lime green*
2019
Best Design Magazine /// GOLD: Rebecca McLeay
Best Faith Reflection /// GOLD: Greg Liston— Live your best ordinary life* Best Faith Reflection /// SILVER: Craig Vernall— Faith in fairness? * Best Headline /// GOLD: Cliff Thompson— Kia ora, Cuzzy, I’ve saved you a seat *
2020
Best Theological Article /// GOLD: George Wieland— Hosts and guests in the mission of God *
Best Photography /// HIGHLY COMMENDED: Rebecca McLeay—photograph of a woman worshipping v.137 no.1 † rua tekau mā toru 23
It’s still good news
Pearl/lightstock.com
Baptist / F O O D F O R T H O U G H T
Sharing the gospel in a digital world
Maybe you prefer old-fashioned face-to-face interaction... but you still love getting out your phone or tablet to scroll through social media, video chat, send emails or read the news? Sophia Sinclair looks at communication trends and why Christians should use the tools and opportunities digital communication affords us.
“A
nother day of staring at the big screen while scrolling through my little screen so as to reward myself for staring at the medium screen all week.” Does this tweet describe your life? If you’re doing computer-based work, you’re probably staring at your ‘medium screen’ for most of the day. Interacting with digital technology is an unavoidable reality for most people, and for many it is a lifeline. As a new mum I sat awake pumping milk in the middle of the night, chatting with new mums I met in a Facebook group. I found support, we shared tips on new motherhood, and it kept me from dozing off! Digital technology has provided new supports for people with disabilities. In 2020 I downloaded ‘Be My Eyes’, an app connecting blind and low-vision people with sighted volunteers who provide them with assistance via video chat. Last year I helped someone select the right dressing gown, and another person identify a cut of steak. Digital technology is not only a tool for offering help; it can also provide a platform for those with disabilities to share their gifts and serve the church. I recently received
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encouragement and support from a friend. As her capacity for verbal communication has been restricted by illness, she shared her wisdom by typing on a tablet as I sat next to her reading her words aloud. Who can deny the significance of digital technology during the coronavirus pandemic? Not only has it allowed for greater sharing between scientists and medical professionals, we’ve all adjusted to using online platforms to connect us for corporate worship, spiritual sustenance, friendship and fellowship.
The shadow side of digital technology The Netflix docudrama The Social Dilemma opens by interviewing people who formerly worked in key development for tech companies—people who invented the Facebook ‘like’ button and the famous algorithms that determine what we see on our newsfeed. Each interviewee expresses their growing distress and concern with the tech industry, and the producer asks, “So, what’s the problem?” The docudrama explores a range of issues, but fails to articulate a simple truth: sin is the problem. Even something good can be corrupted by our human propensity
I N T E R A C T I N G W I T H D I G I TA L TECHNOLOGY IS A N U N AV O I D A B L E R E A L I T Y F O R MOST PEOPLE, AND FOR MANY IT IS A LIFELINE. for evil. Don’t believe me? Increased teen suicide rates, an out‑of‑control porn industry, a loneliness epidemic, post‑truth and misinformation—these have mushroomed as a result of our world of digital connection. Technology is a wonderful servant, but a terrible master.
Communicating in a digital world The changing landscape of technology has had a profound effect on communication. Globally, news providers are struggling to fund traditional models of delivering journalism, and our habits are driving this. I can’t remember the last time I picked up a physical newspaper, yet I read news online every day. If it’s digital, we expect it delivered free, or to pay the price—our personal information and viewing habits in exchange for content. In the past decade we’ve seen a move away from long-form, investigative pieces with a depth of reporting, in favour of anything that produces clicks or views—bonus points if it goes viral. Not to mention a growing distrust of media and the suspicion of ‘fake news’. However, there are some encouraging developments. Podcasting platforms have seen a massive increase in users. Many newsrooms have taken advantage of the public’s listening ear and are producing daily podcasts as well as long-form investigative podcast series. Online platforms simply allow more content. Video and audio often appear in complementary forms alongside the written word. Where you might read a news article, there is also an accompanying video story, or a link to a long-form podcast to listen to. There are also more options for interaction—a forum for response or discussion of ideas. This is an area still fraught with issues, however. Platforms like Facebook, YouTube and Google are increasingly facing serious legal repercussions over their responsibility, with an ethical framework desperately needed. Why should Christians care about these changes? The theme for the 2020 Australasian Religious Press Association conference was set to be ‘The Changing Landscape of Communication’ before the pandemic appropriately changed our plans! As Christian
communicators we’ve been faced with challenges of funding, shifting audiences and changing mediums. The darkness of digital technology shows us how desperately we need a saviour. It reveals our hunger for goodness, our desire for justice, and our inability to redeem ourselves. The tech world is growing in awareness of the need to face these uncomfortable truths, but are we? Do we really believe the redeeming work of Jesus is still good news for our world today, even in a digital setting? If we believe these things, we must prayerfully entrust our resources, our gifts, our desires and our creativity to the Holy Spirit. At its best, digital technology is a tool for connection. At our worst, technology becomes a tyrannical idol. In Acts 17 Paul is greatly troubled by the idolatry he sees in Athens. His response is not to run away or hide, instead he asks questions and engages the culture around him. He grasps the opportunity of being in the heart of the city to present the gospel in context so it can be heard and understood. What if we spoke into the digital world like Paul spoke to the people of Athens? Like Paul, we must rely on the Holy Spirit to help us discern the good and give us wisdom to use digital tools and opportunities, as we learn how to be as “wise as serpents and harmless as doves” (Matthew 10:16, KJV). In a movement where hundreds of people are speaking to groups on a weekly basis, could more of us explore what it would take to develop podcasts or high-quality audio content? God is already at work in our communities; how can we use video to share these stories? A large portion of our communities are already engaging with social media; how are we using our platforms to speak God’s truth and life? The landscape may be changing. But the gospel has not. It’s still the same good news: that Jesus died for our sin and was buried, that he rose to life, according to the scriptures, and that he will return again. If that is still good news, it’s definitely worth sharing.
Contributor: Sophia Sinclair Sophia is a communications specialist and has been working with Christian non-profits for more than a decade. She is the current president of the Australasian Religious Press Association, a trans-Tasman network of Christian writers, editors and communicators. Sophia belongs to Levin Baptist Church, where she serves as a member of the leadership team.
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Baptist / F O O D F O R T H O U G H T
MYTH BUSTING! Why storytelling matters One of the most popular parts of the Baptist magazine throughout its existence has been the stories about churches and individuals in the Baptist family. And yet it has also been one of the toughest to source. Linda Grigg busts some of the myths about storytelling, in the hopes it will persuade more to share their stories.
Arman Zhenikeyev/lightstock.com
A
bout five months into my role as editor of the Baptist magazine, I received a couple of emails from different people, thanking us for the latest issue. One reader praised it for being “full of real stories about real people being real about kingdom values in our community”. Another said they appreciated the wide‑ranging “stories and reports from round the country that tie us together as a family”. This confirmed for me what I already instinctively knew: people are interested in people, and stories are one of the most powerful communication tools known to us. Narrative connects us to one another in a way that facts and theories never will. As the saying goes, “the shortest distance between two people is a story”. Yet for something so valued and natural, it was surprisingly difficult to prise stories out of people! A good number of story leads during my time as editor came through me trawling churches’ social media pages or from setting up a Google alert for the word ‘Baptist’. It seems we love stories but for some reason don’t think to share our own with a wider audience. I hope that the following myth busters will convince you that your stories are important, and that you are the ones perfectly suited to tell them.
MY TH #1
I am not a storyteller When some people hear the words ‘story’ or ‘storytelling’ they associate it with something akin to children’s fairy tales. It’s true, children almost universally love listening to stories—what child ever asked their parent to read them a list of facts at bedtime? One of the reasons children enjoy stories so much is that they fire up their imagination. As adults, we never lose interest in hearing other people’s yarns or our ability to imagine. Yet probably few of us consider ourselves as storytellers.
But think about it—we relate stories to family and friends all the time, about what has happened to us during the day or what we have observed taking place around us. So, all of us are natural storytellers; it’s just that some are more practised than others. Don’t let a lack of confidence in technique, style or grammar hold you back from sharing your story. It’s what lies at the heart of your story that is important and we’re happy to help you ‘tidy it up’ for publication, if required.
MY TH #2
We/I don’t have a story to tell Many years ago I read about an American freelance journalist who used to travel across the states in his hunt for potential interviewees. This was in the days before the internet, meaning he could not just search online for interesting leads. So, when he got to a new town, he’d pick up the local phone directory and call people at random. His theory? Absolutely everyone has a story to tell. The proof that this premise is true is that he made his living from it!
Taking stock I remember at one Baptist Hui I got chatting to a woman and asked her what was happening at her church at the time. Her response was along the lines of “nothing much”. But as we continued talking, she started listing more and more items of interest. By the end of the conversation she had considerably brightened as she realised, actually, they were doing quite a lot. The thing is we all get our heads buried, busy in the mahi. Sometimes it requires us to lift our eyes to the horizon, take a breath and survey the landscape. Then we can truly appreciate all that is going on and being achieved. That’s when we need to document and share those stories with each other. There are several reasons why this is important. This list is by no means exhaustive: • People learn from stories. • Story gathering enriches our historical record.
• Stories inspire (and sometimes caution). • Stories are proof that what we claim is happening actually is taking place. For example, as someone once said, if you have a list of values you claim to live by but cannot tell any true‑life stories that reflect those values, you’re just kidding yourself.
Inspiration For the June/July 2018 issue of the Baptist magazine, I interviewed a couple of women who, along with a large team of volunteers, ran alternating community events in their church. One year it would be a seniors’ expo. The next year it would be a men’s health event. I was personally so inspired by their story (probably also prompted by my husband’s fresh diagnosis of prostate cancer) that I approached the trust at my own church with a copy of the article. “Could we replicate this?” I asked. We did end up holding a men’s health event in our small town, with free medical checks and information from a variety of health providers. It was well-attended and hugely successful, in more ways than one. For instance, one young man was prompted by attending the event to get a worrying condition checked out by his GP. He was diagnosed with early stage cancer, for which he was later successfully operated on. Also, the diabetes mobile testing service was so inundated with requests for checks on the day of the event that they
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Baptist / F O O D F O R T H O U G H T
look at the impact their story made—and that was just with the one church I know of that replicated the event. There may well have been others. In short, what you consider unremarkable actually may be incredibly helpful to others. Share your stories! You never know what influence they may have.
returned to our site twice more, offering free testing. It considerably extended their reach into our community. The two women I interviewed for the story had been involved in these events for four years. In their practical way they probably did not think their efforts were anything particularly special. However,
MY TH #3
People will think we are boasting Larger churches seem particularly susceptible to this myth. Partly this is a hangover from the tall poppy syndrome that New Zealanders seem to suffer from. No one likes to stick their heads up too high, for fear of them being lopped off by those with a lesser profile and a suspected grudge. Sometimes there is also misplaced guilt over being exceptionally blessed with resources, opportunities or talent, or a fear that “pride goes before destruction” (Proverbs 16:18, NIV). My riposte to this is that if God has blessed you, then turn the praise to him. We are instructed to “rejoice with those who rejoice”
Who do we tell our stories to now? As a movement, we continue to be committed to storytelling. This is a huge priority for us and is one of the key reasons for the change in structure to the magazine. Our commitment is to tell our people’s stories and to reach our communities with these stories. So, although this could well be the last bi-monthly print issue for the Baptist magazine in this format, you can still send your stories or story ideas to the magazine’s website. You can do this in two different ways:
(Romans 12:15, NIV). How can we do that if we don’t hear your praiseworthy stories? (The same Scripture calls us to mourn with those who mourn; so, by the same token, I believe that stories of loss and failure can also be shared, especially where there are salutary lessons to be learned.) Please don’t let others’ jealousy, real or imagined, hold you back from declaring the mighty things God is doing in your midst. If you do, we all miss out on a blessing. And if someone really does have a problem with envy, well, the problem is theirs, not yours!
(scroll down and it is located in the right-hand column). I hope I have encouraged you to share your news with the wider Baptist family. Be it milestones, events, new initiatives, breakthroughs, or hard lessons learned, your stories have the power to inspire, teach and enrich our lives.
• Use the online submission form on the website. You will find this at baptistmag.org.nz/submit-articles. You can copy and paste your text directly into the form. • Email kathryn.heslop@baptist.org.nz. Kathryn has been the magazine production manager and is the contact person until the new communications director is appointed.
Contributor: Linda Grigg
We also urge you to sign up to receive the magazine e-newsletter, which will alert you to news, articles and stories that have recently been added to the website. Sign up on the magazine home page baptistmag.org.nz
Linda was editor of the Baptist magazine from September 2017 till the end of January 2021. She has a background in administration, fundraising and communications for Christian not-for-profit organisations concentrating on overseas aid and development, social housing and social services. She is currently an administrator for a South Auckland community centre.
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FOLLOWING
Jesus INTO THE
future Participating in God's mission
This final edition of the Baptist magazine as we currently know it comes at the advent of a new year. Our world is a profoundly different place from what we imagined it would be 12 short months ago. In the midst of this context of change, Jonathan Edmeades reflects on what he
Prixel Creative/lightstock.com
hopes will be ongoing constants in our movement.
2
020 brought diverse challenges and opportunities for our ways of being together, both as local faith communities and as a wider movement. Zoom has entered our consciousness, international travel has been decimated and our freedom of movement has become a point of conscious gratitude. Change has often seemed to be afoot in frighteningly obvious ways. Like many organisations, groups and individuals, this has left us pondering what the future should now look like. Just where will this question of our future as a collective of faith communities lead us?
Hopefully, to the same place that we have always returned to as Baptists: to the gathered and prayerful consideration of God’s Word, as illuminated by the Spirit through the living Word, Jesus Christ. Believing that in this process of prayerful and humble discernment, he will speak to us. Deliberately stopping to consider how he would have us shape our life together in the midst of the changing and challenged world in which we seek to testify to his sovereignty and goodness. What follows is a set of reflections drawn from conversations amongst my own faith community,
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Baptist / F O O D F O R T H O U G H T
Just where will this question of our future as a collective of faith communities lead us?
as we have gathered to reflect on Scripture amidst the reality of our world these last few months. It is my hope that as we farewell this magazine, our continued engagement with one another around the Word in ways that stimulate our minds for participation in God’s mission would continue in new and profound ways. I pray that these would simply be reminders and prompts to imagine what might define our future life as a body of local faith communities.
Our love for Jesus My hope is that, above all else, our Baptist whānau would be known for their love of Jesus. Carefully crafted out of shards of tūhua and left-over test pots of paint, three small canvas artworks took pride of place on our kitchen wall through my growing up years. Created by my mother, they read “Love God”, “Love Others” and “Seek the Truth”. These three short phrases were often repeated. They were pointed to in moments of small and big life decisions as a reminder of the essence of our calling as followers of Jesus, calling us to a more radical form of obedience to those two commandments that Jesus named most important. The first canvas reminds us that the primary calling of our lives is to worship and love Jesus wholeheartedly, allowing our love for him to shape our vision of the world around us in a way that overflows in radical care and compassion for each and every person created by him in his image. What would it look like for our union of faith communities to be known primarily for being obsessed with faithfully worshipping Jesus? What would it look like for us to completely renounce the idolatrous priorities associated with the economic systems and individualistic treasures of our world, in favour of a passionate commitment to knowing and loving our creator? Our love for others My second hope is that our Baptist whānau would be known for our sacrificial love for our neighbours. The second of Mum’s canvas installations was a prompt to consider not only the way in which our love for Jesus should cause us to treat one another, but also to think about who our neighbour might be. A reminder of Jesus’ response to the teacher of the law when he asked that same question in Luke 10:29. A reminder of the call to
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not walk by on the other side, but rather to pay deliberate attention to those we come across in the gutter, is the enduring challenge of this command to love our neighbour. Acknowledging that all people have need of him, the challenge to step outside our comfortable spaces and be present with those who are not our preference is one we will forever be wrestling with. Many amongst our Baptist whānau shine a light in this regard, often without accolade or attention. But what should we be asking ourselves as we turn and look toward the future? How will we stop and turn our attention again to those on the fringes of our physical, mental and spiritual streets, choosing to walk towards them? How will we sacrifice our time, our money, the steady rhythms and behaviours of our Sunday services, in order to welcome those whom Jesus calls us to love? Will we take up that cost of their care and lodging, just as the Samaritan chose to?
Our trust in Jesus My third hope for our Baptist whānau is that we would completely trust Jesus. As we find Jesus leading us into new spaces of costly love for himself and, consequently, for our neighbours, then we will face new challenges. The temptation of relying upon our own wisdom and understanding when the Spirit is calling us to places of radical and apparently illogical ways of loving others—at least according to the priorities of the world—will be recurring. My hope is that our posture would continue to grow towards that of the Roman Centurion who comes to Jesus in Matthew 8 to seek healing for his servant. What would it look like if our faith communities were marked by the same trust in Jesus’ word, backed by a complete faith in his power to bring healing to the world around us through ways that are not our own? What would it look like if we were prepared to discern and obediently follow the Spirit, even when it calls us to actions the world would call insane? A commitment to acting courageously My fourth hope is that our growing trust in Jesus’ sovereignty would result in us increasingly entering places of prophetic leadership and faithfulness as a Baptist whānau. The story of the returned remnant of Israel in Ezra 9-10 challenges my imagination. What does it mean to recognise and confront the ways in which we as the people of God need to address aspects of our individual and collective lives that do not honour him? The sending away of vulnerable wives and children in order to honour the commandments God had given Israel seems difficult to comprehend, but the pain of such a decision for their community is not.
Where in our lives as a Baptist movement do we need to be more willing to confront the sin of the past and the present, that we might bear more faithful witness to Jesus? What might it look like for us as faith communities to investigate the history of the whenua we steward and consider what repentance and restitution might look like in the midst of histories of unjust land alienation from Māori? What might it look like to repent of the ways in which we have sometimes ostracised those who have differing theological convictions from ourselves? What would it look like to confess the ways in which we have become complicit in upholding systems of consumerism and economic injustice that oppress the poor and remove the safety and security of those not able to purchase property? The opportunities abound for prophetic leadership to be
WE DO NOT K NOW THE FUTURE, BUT WE KNOW THE ONE WHO DOES.
exercised through such acts of costly repentance, not for our own glory, but that we might bear more faithful witness to Jesus here in Aotearoa. We do not know the future, but we know the one who does. May we choose to wholeheartedly seek Jesus, following him faithfully and courageously into the hills and the valleys of our life together, knowing that it is his work to make ‘all things new’ that we are privileged to participate in alongside him.
Contributor: Jonathan Edmeades Jonathan is growing in loving Jesus and loves the privilege that it is to participate in the unfolding of his mission in the world. A third-year pastoral leadership student at Carey, Jonathan has been sent by Titirangi Baptist and is now placed at Māngere Baptist Church.
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Passing Notes The Ways of Editors—This is how the editor of a paper in Pekin [sic], China, declined manuscript: “Illustrious brother of the sun and moon! Look upon the slave who rolls at thy feet, who kisses the earth before thee and demands of thy charity permission to speak and live. We have read thy manuscript with delight. By the bones of our ancestors we declare that never have we encountered such a manuscript. Should we print it his Majesty, the Emperor, would order us to take it as a criterion and never again print anything that was not equal to it. As that would not be possible before 10,000 years, all trembling we return thy manuscript and beg thee 10,000 pardons.” The editor of the “N.Z. Baptist” cannot compete, but he is often bothered to death by cool requests to publish little things that would fill a quarter of the available space. It cannot be too warmly stressed that with our shrunken space everything that comes to us must be tuned to brevity. Say your say on your thumbnail, there’s a good fellow. Baptist magazine, February 1921
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Glo bal Mis si on
Photo of the month A talented member of our global team, Joel, took this film image while living in South Asia. This image was selected as one of the top film images of the year for the Black and White Box’s photo exhibition ‘From the Archives’.
TOG ETHER W E CA N RE A C H T H E W O RL D
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Baptist / G L O B A L M I S S I O N
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NZBMS General Director Alan Jamieson shares his thoughts on the context we, as a missional Baptist movement, may soon find ourselves in.
“He moana pukepuke e ekengia e te waka” “A choppy sea can be navigated by a waka”
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his whakataukī speaks to our time. 2020 certainly saw choppy seas here in Aotearoa, but these seem like ripples in a bathtub compared to the full global impact of COVID-19 and the economic upheavals the rest of the world is experiencing. The poor, the refugees, those who are trafficked and those who have no voice—their experience could be better described as a tsunami. The pandemic, a crisis in its own right, has brought to
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light many other global crises. Dr Jay Matenga1, speaking to Mission Council in December, commented that the impacts of the pandemic are like petrol on the smouldering fires of change in global mission. Trends that were merely embers prior to 2020 are now fully aflame, leaving mission agencies and churches struggling to catch up. We at NZBMS are no exception—we’re aware that we find ourselves part of a sudden and dramatic shift, needing to listen to God’s quiet voice in the midst of a storm.
Anthony Harrison/lightstock.com
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There are ideas, learnings, failures, past successes and crucial insights already on our waka that give us clues to navigate the new storms.
But there is goodness to be found! As the Old Testament prophet Nahum recorded, “God’s way is in the whirlwind and storm.”2
So which way do we go? Jay quotes Nobel Memorial Prize winner, Milton Friedman— “Only a crisis produces real change. When that crisis occurs, the actions that are taken depend on the ideas that are lying around.” In other words, there are ideas, learnings, failures, past successes and crucial insights already on our waka that give us clues to navigate the new storms. Psalm 107:23-24 (KJV) says, They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; these see the works of the Lord, and His wonders in the deep. At NZBMS, we are actively searching for the works of the Lord and seeking his wonders in the depths of the storm. We’re reassessing our waka and the lessons learned over the years. And what are we seeing? Here are at least some clues: 1. NZBMS began in 1885 because of the Baptist churches’ desire to send people called by God, to partner with him in his global mission. No church could do it on their own, so we joined together to achieve what we couldn’t alone. 2. Since then, we have been sending and supporting global workers in India and Bangladesh, especially those working with the West Bengal people. Over a century of continuous partnership means we have formed deep roots, developed trusting relationships and been involved in significant gospel transformation in the lives of local people. 3. We have made mistakes. Withdrawing from Māori mission in 1888 was a costly error. For more than 60 years we felt the repercussions of that and it was only last year that an official apology was extended to Māori leaders. There is much humility needed as we seek to re-engage with, and learn from, Māori. We too have made mistakes in our Freeset journey, ones we are seeking to learn from through an independent review that is currently underway.
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4. As all global workers who have served for more than a decade will tell you, “I learnt more and grew more than I gave.” We, in humility, need to recognise that we have more to gain through engagement in global mission than we will ever give to those we learn from, especially in our personal faith and the health of our church lives. We know our journey is one of mutual transformation. 5. NZBMS is integrally linked to our Aotearoa Baptist churches and we need to share the same vision, heart and direction. Moving forward, we want to weave ourselves into the national Baptist vision as ‘a collective of faith communities bringing gospel renewal to people and places in our local neighbourhoods’. 6. We must stay close to the scriptures that have guided the many generations that precede us. We personally find the four great calls of Jesus to be lighthouses from which we can navigate the worst of storms. His Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20) that sets the worldwide scope of God’s mission, his Great Commandment (Matthew 22:34-40) that sets our hearts to see and love our neighbour, his Great Compassion (Matthew 25:34‑40) that sets how we are to love, and his Great Commitment (John 17:18-25) that sets out God’s priority for deep relationship and unity. As Jay points out, the early church had a focus on doing life together, believing that this was the greatest witness of all.
WE’RE RE AS SES SING OUR WA K A A N D T H E L ES SON S LE ARNED OVER THE YE ARS. We know the sea is rough and storms abound for so many right now, but there are always clues through which to navigate the waka. Jay’s final message to Mission Council was about resilience. God’s mission is not complete—he is still calling and awakening hearts to the needs of the world. That means we, as an organisation, have a responsibility to stay the course. We will support those who God is calling, share our resources, and form relationships that show genuine partnership and mutual learning. As Jay would say, we will continue to “#stayonmission!” Join us.
Contributor: Alan Jamieson, NZBMS General Director 1. Jay is the executive director for the World Evangelical Alliance Mission Commission and leads Mission Interlink NZ. He is at the heart of global mission conversations and well-positioned to reflect on current trends. 2. Nahum 1:3 (New International Version).
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Baptist / G L O B A L M I S S I O N
A word from Alan ST BRENDAN THE NAVIGATOR I have always been moved by the life and prayer of St Brendan the Navigator, patron saint of sailors. Over 1,500 years ago, he stood on the southern coast of Ireland with nothing but a small boat and a vast expanse of ocean in front of him. Leather skins smeared with animal fat stretched across the wooden frame of his craft. For the next seven years, this flimsy boat would carry a small crew of Christian missionaries to Wales, Iona, Scotland, France, Iceland, Greenland and perhaps even North America. This prayer has been attributed to the saint, as he knelt on the sand of his homeland: Shall I abandon, O King of mysteries, the soft comforts of home? Shall I turn my back on the native land, and turn my face towards the sea? Shall I put myself wholly at your mercy? Without silver, without horse, without fame, without honour. Shall I throw myself wholly upon you, without sword and shield? Without food and drink. Without a bed to lie on.
SMALL BITES
WELCOME TO THE WHĀNAU! Our team just got bigger, with the addition of two wonderful new lives. Joel and Lizzie welcomed their beautiful daughter Lydia Jean (LJ) into the world on 10th November. Joel, Lizzie and LJ are currently in New Zealand but looking forward to getting back to South Asia. Stephanie Nayagam, our operations manager, and her husband, Christian, have also added to their family. The handsome Ezra John Nayagam was born on 18th December.
Shall I say farewell to my beautiful land, placing myself under your yoke? Shall I pour out my heart to you, confessing my manifold sins and begging forgiveness, tears streaming down my cheeks? Shall I leave the prints of my knees on the sandy beach? A record of my final prayer in my native land. Shall I then suffer every kind of wound that the sea can inflict? Shall I take my tiny boat across the wide sparkling ocean? O King of the glorious heaven, Shall I go of my own choice upon the sea? Indeed, the sea remains choppy and the oceans vast. The soft comforts of home remain safe. We are continuing to pray and search for men and women with St Brendan’s heart. Tama tu, tama ora, Tama noho, tama mate, Kia kaha e hoa ma! Don’t be discouraged, give it heaps my friends! Alan Jamieson, General Director
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THANK YOU Our global team want to thank you, our churches and the individuals that make up those church families, for your ongoing support. As we reach the end of an era with this edition of the Baptist magazine, it seems a fitting time to once again acknowledge that NZBMS is the mission arm of the Baptist churches of Aotearoa New Zealand and, without your support, we could not fulfil our mission to reach, redeem and restore the communities God sends us to. Though the Baptist magazine may not continue in this particular format, we’re not quite ready to say goodbye to you just yet. Please stay engaged with the work we are doing and with our wonderful global team. You’ll find us online at nzbms.org.nz, and on Facebook and Instagram. Come and say hello! Thank you for your commitment to God’s global work. From our whānau to yours, ka kite anō!
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