Hope Project ‘deadline’ – personal reflection
I felt it important to take the time to write a personal reflection today. The below lets you know what we have; what we have done; what we need and what we are doing -...
31 July, 2013
Gospel Tag
Does ‘Son’ of God mean less than God?
Does Jesus being the ‘Son of God’ mean he’s not God, or less than God? If there is only one God, and Jesus is His Son – does’t that logically mean Jesus is not God? This...
30 July, 2013
Because we care – 20 years in the making
Today, the book arrived from the printers! :-) This book is needed! [To type what is on my heart] I find myself sometimes very stirred by the seeming lack of concern for the work of the Gospel...
14 June, 2013
What is God’s provision?
What is God’s provision? Isaiah 41.17-20 This project has been helpful for our reflection on on this because we have, thus far, had a remarkable absence of donations from wealthy individuals. I have no explanation for...
04 June, 2013
A change of approach (personal reflection)
The below is effectively what I’ve shared in our recent prayer update. I have travelled three of the past four weeks, presenting in North Auckland, Northland, and Manawatu / Wanganui. Mr Kim Brown has also started...
29 May, 2013
A time for faith
A year out from the Hope Project we find ourselves praying alone. Were it a church putting this together there would be a congregation gathered to pray and celebrate what is being believed for in...
29 March, 2013
The smallest machine – God is easy to find!
Every now and then you read something that blows your mind. I love the Kinesins, these being the miniature ‘couriers‘ inside our cells that, amuzingly, each have two arms and two legs (yet are actually complex...
18 January, 2013
When not to press a plea on prayer (Part II)
Ok, yes, If a think is not yet a done deal (unlike the picture) it’s good to never give up praying - however, the reflection here is on the question...
07 January, 2013
When to press a plea in prayer (Part I)
For those who know the gospels, you will know the story of the Syrophonecian woman who came to Jesus requesting her daughter be healed. EM Bounds says “He prays not at all, who does not press...
06 January, 2013
Laying it on the line (personal reflection)
Many times in Scripture we see the ‘greats of faith’ laying it on the line - taking a risk - applying their faith in a way that leaves the possibility of failure wide open. It took...
07 December, 2012
Decisions that bring the advance
What is the balance between our efforts and our faith in Kingdom ventures? It’s an important question! Augustine’s said we should pray as if everything depended up on God, but work as if everything depended upon...
09 November, 2012
Prayer and great works
Introduction to our current need for faith and prayer We are at an exciting stage in the Hope Project, because momentum is decidedly growing, but communications are still insufficient to raise financial needs by natural means...
28 October, 2012
Financing gospel projects
(Background: I am involved in initiating a national Christian project). There is sometimes a fine line between faith and stupidity, or faith and presumption. How are we to discern the difference? Various people come up with...
10 October, 2012
The need for praying partners
Currently I am traveling to share the vision of a project planned for 2014 called ‘Jesus - all about hope.’ The website for this can be viewed at www.hopeproject.co.nz Meeting with groups of pastors in different...
28 September, 2012
The place of open-air preachers in todays Church
Charles Spurgeon said, regarding Open Air Preaching One of the earliest things a minister should do when he leaves college and settles in a country town or village is to begin open-air speaking. No sort of defense is...
06 August, 2012
Asking the hard question
(The below is a ‘article’ drafted for something else, but which I may or may not include, as it is quite direct. Be warned that it asks some hard questions that most avoid, or maybe...
04 August, 2012
Christianity’s greatest problem: The short-comings of Christians
“By this will all men know you are my disciples – your love for one another.” (Jesus, John 13:35) Christians are supposed to be different to those around them. They are supposed to be even more...
19 June, 2012
A 21st Century approach to evangelism
I am reading a 20 year old book (“Vision New Zealand”, 1993). It reflects on what is needed in evangelism in New Zealand, and is very thought provoking - as much as anything because the...
20 May, 2012
Twenty years on – how can we make change ‘sticky’?
This morning I started reading ‘New Vision New Zealand’, published in 1993. It was compiled by various national Christian leaders at that time, with Rev Dr Bruce Patrick being one of the key initiators. The...
13 May, 2012
Why ‘go to them’ proclamation ministry is needed
This week we have finally announced the ‘Hope Campaign’, which we (Shining Lights) plan to do in 2014 (God willing). I’ve created temporary webpages for this at www.shininglights.co/hope The weakening of proclamation ministry Many ‘proclamation’ ministries have become...
04 May, 2012