The nationwide Youth Outreach Survey results have just been released – intentional purposed to inform the future shaping of NZ Christian youth ministry.
This is our resourcing website for churches. Our work is in innovation — related to outreach. There are a myriad of support resources available through this website. ‘Quick links’ to some of these are below.
If you are looking for something specific, please be in touch with us.
The data reveals some very clear points which merit serious consideration by Christian youth, local church and denominational leaders.
Other current updates
As at July 2026.
- CURRENT: Halloween messaging support – Named after ‘All Hallows Day Eve’, a current history video and booklet will soon have an animation for children, a tract and a new website (HalloweenHope.nz COMING SOON) added to them. These strategic developments empower church people to have a voice in this season – pointing to the fact that light can triumph darkness in our lives, as indeed it did among our ancestors (resulting in All Hallows Day)! Resources created will be ‘legacy resources’ – opening a new platform for a Christian voice for decades to come.
- ONGOING: Family, Parenting and Marriage conversation: We have labelled support to marriages and parenting an ‘underutilised gateway for the gospel’. We have united with others to see multiplicity of courses run by churches nationwide, then promoted city wide in each location. There are four ‘media event’ opportunities in the calendar for this also. This is a long-term strategic development. For a summary, see our statement of intent from 2021 here. Right now, MarriageWeek.org.nz represents our core collaborative effort. We (the SLT) are creating videos for social media in support, and also promoting widely. A third full-day meeting of these key leaders will take place later this year to look at next strategic steps toward the wider goal.
- REPORTING: 2026 and 2027 Ministry Plan and Budget: The two-year plan includes exciting new innovations and developments, continuing the SLT’s work in identifying and filling ‘gaps’ in the outreach efforts of the NZ Church as a whole. A wider 8-year plan looks toward the bi-millennial celebrations of Jesus’ death, resurrection and ascension in 2033, but has not yet been widely shared.
- REPORTING: Hope Project Easter: While the upcoming annual report will tell all, in summary: TV ads had audience of approx 1.3 million homes. The web audience 9m content views by 1.5 million different people. The booklet delivery was volunteer-based in 220 cities and towns, while a paid delivery covered rural areas. About 1.3m of 1.4m booklets are delivered at this point – with volunteers taking single walks still in the half0dozen places that weren’t earlier completed.
- Annual 2025 report: This can be found here, while our 2026 report is due out in September.
- CURRENT: Youth initiative: Beyond (1) the Godtalk update’s with 550 subscribers we are participating in (2) the facilitation of an ongoing united conversation amongst our nation’s denominational youth reps and also leaders of 10 national youth outreach organisations. Activities are at ChristianYouthUnity.nz. The third and final one-day gathering of this group for 2026 is currently being planned. Directions are pioneering and positive. (3) We recently undertook a national youth outreach survey – with significant findings. Details are at ChristianYouthUnity.nz/survey
- CURRENT: NZ values history book – Dave has completed writing – though edits are repeatedly paused due to the scope of other work. The book launch is now postponed to early 2027. This is a signifiant project for which we have every expectation of considerable interest due to its cultural relevance to current conversations.
Shining Lights Trust 2025 Annual Report
Inside you’ll find an overview of our six strategic pillars — a look back at the progress of the past 12 months, and a look forward to the opportunities that lie ahead.
QUICK LINKS
