Hope Project exists to keep the Christian story connected to Christmas and Easter in the public view. Join us for this 11th national multi-media campaign.

Hope Project Easter 2026 – A United Effort

Hope Project was initiated with the understanding that festivals are established within culture to help the memory of is important things be sustained. It falls to those who value our nation’s great values  – as also this faith – to keep their story alive.

Here is our five-point call to action for churches

Equip everyone

What if equipping the saints to be the ‘fishers of people’ Jesus called his disciples to be (Matthew 4:19) were an intentional annual focus many embraced?

  • The vision: Conversational outreach equipping in every pulpit, every small group and every youth group — every year.
  • Suggested timing: Before Easter to sync with the momentum of other things.
  • What equipping: If you listen to podcasts / sermon outlines, hear Dave preaching core areas for local church mobilisation here.
  • Resourcing: We note pulpit series resources, video resources suiting small groups, youth resources — amongst a growing array of support resources for NZ churches.

Meet Dave Mann
Coordinator, Hope Project | Director, The Shining Lights Trust

AllTogether.co.nz/pastors

Shining Lights Logo sml

Reach everyone

Through partnership with Hope Project, the united churches of each city and town can see gospel booklets connect with most homes.

  • The vision is wider: Christ, his message and the stories of his influence made visible through TV, web, booklets and God’s people in this season.
  • Timing: The two weeks prior to Easter — while coordinated between churches prior.
  • Resourcing: Booklets  supplied. Partnership requested. Donations invited.
  • (A change: The booklets will be biannual, while web and other communication strategies remain annual.)

Need: The majority of people in our communities have no connection with a Christian message in an average year. Through partnership together, that ‘gap’ can be significantly plugged.

Effect: Regarding the booklets, all evidences suggest people who are spiritual interested pick them up.

Meet Sarah Perkins
Administrator, Hope Project

AllTogether.co.nz/hopeproject

Pray

What if churches were to unite in city prayer — every street prayer — night and day prayer — workplace and school prayer — local church and small group prayer?

  • The vision: The united prayer of God’s people strengthened.
  • Timing: The eight weeks before Easter — with a view to the gospel in our cities and towns.
  • Opportunity: Because church leaders and members will already be walking along every residential street, together we could prayer walk the nation!
  • An amazing app: Use the “Holy Here” app to prayer walk the street as you deliver material – while together joining with other churches for prayer meetings to cover the initiative in prayer.

For more information see 24-7prayer.nz.


Meet Sam Harvey
Coordinator, 24-7 Prayer NZ

24-7prayer.nz

Invite everyone

What if our churches were then to create opportunities that release the power of invitation?

  • The vision: A season of invitation to local churches.
  • Opportunity: Easter services — and then courses like ‘Long Story Short’ and ‘Alpha’.
  • A treasure-trove of resources: 
    • Long Story Short is a stunning NZ-made 9-week videos series about the Christian faith — suiting small groups and individual use.  
    • Alpha is a global leader in the same, with a discussion series that has seen many millions giving their lives to Christ.  


Meet Torrey Hilton
Coordinator, ‘Long Story Short’

LongStoryShort.co

Together

What if our churches were to do all of these things together?

  • Equipping everyone
  • Reaching everyone
  • Praying
  • Inviting everyone

Would you please consider this vision together as churches where you live, for the pre and post-Easter 2026 period?


Meet Mike Turinsky
Director, Alpha NZ

Alpha.org.nz

The safety briefing
Volunteer now to enable delivery in your area
The history of Hope Project
Promote the vision - Access various media here
Hope Project Easter 2026

TV: New ads created early 2025.

Web: Expanded web-strategies tested in 2025, connecting with 1.9 million NZers. 2026 builds upon this.

Booklet: Design started September. Printing is December. Arrival in provinces is early March 2026.

Promotional video: A collaborative approach, filmed in August, to enable vision casting October 2025 onwards.

Stories: New ‘Unpacking Life’ testimonial videos created fitting the theme of ‘life beyond limitations’.

Delivery: Connections with city and town pastors groups, identifying who might coordinate for each group, in process from August 2025.

Finances: Donations from churches and individuals are needed. This project only exists as a collaborative effort, while the wider work of the Shining Lights Trust builds out from this.

Our faith-goal:  THREE annual media efforts purposed to (i) Keep the Christ in Easter, (ii) and Christmas while (iii) telling the story of what churches are doing to help within communities. This  third effort, envisaged as ‘HeLP Project‘, has not yet been started.

A story to tell:  At the core of Hope Project is desires to see something of the ‘Christ’ staying in our cultural festivals of Christmas and Easter – so our cultural history also then stays within the public consciousness. These cultural festivals were established because this faith and its values sit at the very-root of our national values, as also our systems of law, government, judiciary, education, healthcare, economics, equality, charitable values and much more. Our nation has assumed and then neglected its own history and heritage to the point where they are nigh forgotten. This makes knowing and telling this story important both for Christian believers as well as all others who likewise value our cultures truly remarkable values. There have been few better times or places to live.

Beyond this cultural significance there is also a spiritual reality to consider. This is of great significance, because it is beliefs that led to the behaviour of our ancestors, establishing the values that birthed our remarkable levels of freedom, prosperity, equality and charity. The Christian faith is well known for its unique power to change lives for the better. As it is said – and as data also readily affirms – ‘Jesus saves!’

Data: The 2022/23 Bible Engagement survey by the Bible Society showed that 77% of New Zealanders can now identify that Easter is associated with Christ, while 32% do not. Only 11% of New Zealanders spend time at Easter reflecting on their spirituality. Most would, however, be largely unaware of the significance of the values of this faith – which have become like the air we breathe as a culture.

As a work that serves united Church efforts, including a wide scope of Christian denominations, all aspects of the work of the Shining Lights Trust are donor funded. For Christian terminology, the work is ‘faith-based’. The work has become widely connected, advocating for a clear focus on the Christian mission in churches, youth groups, the combined church arena, denominations and through other Christian organisations.

The Shining Lights Trust takes a gentle approach to finances so the mission can be pursued as uninterrupted as possible by financial requests.  Financial involvement usually involves participation from about 4% of partnering churches and 10% of those receiving prayer updates in any 12 month period. Budgets are intentionally tight. Expenditure is intentionally constrained, pursuing economies wherever possible. Abundance is never presumed — in balance with the faith needed to attempt things. Accounts are audited annually. Our annual report is easily accessible through this webpage.

Donations and other financial details can be found at AllTogether.co.nz/donate

Will you help the Christian message be heard throughout New Zealand each Easter and Christmas?

Please participate financially

Hear Dave explain in just 7 minutes, why Hope Project Easter exists, including stories and 10 outcomes — HERE.

Or read a printable summary of ‘10 stories’ and ‘10 reasons’ HERE

Read the latest Shining Lights Trust
annual report HERE

View one of the new TV ads here