The happy campers
On the Sunday, we joined with ICF at the Marae. One of my responsibilities as Outreach Coordinator is to consider how we can share the Gospel in a multi-cultural society. The Maori heritage of New Zealand provides some unique opportunities to share the Gospel with international students in ways that reflect upon the history of these islands, but share the Biblical story as well. We would love to increase these cultural cross-overs and see the Gospel explained with cultural relevance to Kiwis and visitors alike.
The Marae Massif - CU & ICF students
Then, this weekend I spent with some of the lads from the Christian Fellowship at Massey Uni, Palmerston North. I felt drained and in terms of giving out felt I was drawing on an empty tank, but God in His goodness used the time we spent with the lads. At the end of the weekend, as we reflected together on all that God had been speaking to us about, it seemed that the challenge to get into God's Word more was one of the stand-out lessons. Together, we learned Psalm 119:9 and as I taught the lads, I realised again for myself that I need to get into God's Word too.
We had great times together - some of the things we did were hilarious and very different experiences from student ministry in the UK. Along with the more sedate clay-pigeon shooting & waka racing (canoes), we also had a mad-car race and played flame-football. The mad car was a small Suzuki, which we raced around a short circuit. It sounds simple, but the steering wheel had been adjusted, so when you turned it left, the car went right & vice versa. After my first go on it, I felt traumatised. In some ways, it reminded me of cross-cultural ministry, where you do something expecting one result & get the complete opposite! The flame football game was played at night - basically, a whole load of rags held together in a wire frame & soaked with meths and set alight. I decided my age had got the better of me & just watched from the side. 
Thank you for your prayers for the ministry amongst students here. There is never a dull day! I love being involved in the lives of students & seeing God at work amongst them. Please pray that God would raise up men & women to be all out for Him. I have recently got hold of a book I first read as a teenager, which influenced me significantly back then & now resonates with all that we're experiencing. It's 'Sacrifice' and was written by the chap whose trip to NZ led to TSCF being formed. I'm re-reading it & being freshly challenged by it. At the end of the book, Guinness writes:
"Where are the young men and women of this generation who will hold their lives cheap, and be faithful even unto death? Where are those who will lose their lives for Christ's sake - flinging them away for love of Him? Where are those who will live dangerously and be reckless in His service? Where his lovers - those who love Him and the souls of men more than their own reputations or comfort, or very life?
Where are the men who say "no" to self; who take up Christ's cross to bear it after Him; who are willing to be nailed to it in college or office, home or missionfield; who are willing, if need be, to bleed, to suffer and to die on it?
Where are the men of vision today? Where are the men of enduring vision? Where are the men who have seen the King in His beauty, by whom from henceforth all else is counted but refuse that they may win Christ? Where are the adventurers, the explorers, the pioneers for God who count one human soul of far greater value than the rise or fall of an empire? Where are the men of glory in God-sent loneliness, difficulties, persecutions, misunderstandings, disciplines, sacrifice, death?
Where are the men who are willing to pay the price of vision?
Where are the men of prayer? Where are the men who, like the psalmist of old, count God's Word of more importance to them than their daily food? Where are the men who, like Moses, commune with God face to face as a man speaks with his friend, and unmistakeably bear with them the fragrance of the meeting through the day?
Where are God's men in this day of God's power?"
(Howard Guinness, Sacrifice, p71-72)
With God's help, we long that He would raise up men and women to be His people in this day of God's power.
The Southern Alps










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