“The Christian Church is no longer in the majority. The question is how we might become an effectively activated minority?”
(From ‘In One Spirit’, by Dave Mann, published May 2019)
Unity and Outreach Tour – 2021
(late April to early September)
1. Pastors’ group strategic discussion – with practical updates
A visit to willing pastors’ groups in 50 cities and towns to feed a specific conversation about the potential and function of our unity, with examples – while conneceting to updates on a dozen national outreach organisations, innovators and ideas from other pastos’ groups – to enable united effort and collaboration.
What could we achieve together nationally that we could not achieve apart?
2. Youth leaders gatherings in each place to discuss the dynamics of unity in relation to outreach
Christian youth ministry is facing some significant challenges, including a powerful temptation to abandon our integrity so as to survive in what will become an increasingly hostile environment otherwise. We believe we can bring insights and encouragement in two specific areas – these being (1) unity and and (2) wisdom for engaging spiritual and other conversations in an increasingly hostile environment.
In weekends, we can give youth exposure to cutting-edgee inspiration, teaching and training that could really change things for them, in terms of their outreach.
3. Engage Conferences (About unity and outreach) — one per province
We are offering a simple Friday night and Saturday conference to most provinces to help leaders help their youth and adult members.
Content is deliberately strategic — giving access to messages, or a clarity of thought on outreach related topics, to inspire and help them engage in today’s world!
POSSIBLE CONFERENCE TOPICS
- Church unity, cultural change and the gospel (the suggested topic for combined church Sunday evening services if the timing suits a provinces plans for these — otherwise to start a conference)
- Conversational skills and the gospel (including Jesus’ conversational skills for hostile environments. A very important are of skill-development in God’s Church nationally at this time)
- Church small groups and the gospel (because small groups have the same mission as local congregations, all Christian individuals – and all of us together as God’s Church. But how could we get this working for ourselves?)
- Youth ministries, unity and the gospel (a needed priority area)
- Biculturalism and the gospel (a God-honouring dynamic that also has relevance to our mission)
- The importance of our values history to the gospel (Those who tell the history write the future. As God’s Church in this nation, we’ve been negligent in this area for too long. Hear how we could change)
- Democracy and the gospel (Our systems of Government have come from our faith more than many realise. If we don’t understand this history and then engage public conversations with this awareness, history shows we can lose what we’ve got. I’d present a Biblical and historic view on democratic government — to give church members and youth ‘lenses’ through which to understand what we have, and how we could therefore engage)
- Separate topics for church leaders are possible (The above is to intrigue, inform and inspire all believers for their mission) .
Ps Kristen Williams has been asked to be available to help with youth tracks on conference — with a view to bringing a dynamic of faith, commitment and holiness that carries something unique also.
See schedule to the right — or go to EngageConference.nz
Unity Tour
Details by region
NORTHLAND
24th August– Tuesday
- Warkworth Pastors Meeting (TBC)
25th August– Wednesday
- Dannevirke Pastors Meeting (TBC)
- Whangarei Pastors Meeting (TBC)
26th August– Thursday
- Kaitaia Pastors Meeting (TBC)
27th August– Friday
- Kaikohe Pastors Meeting (TBC)
- Kerikeri Pastors Meeting (TBC)
28th August– Saturday
- Engage Conference Whangarei (TBC)
AUCKLAND
11th August– Wednesday
- North Shore Pastors Meeting (TBC)
12th August– Thursday
- Central Auckland Pastors Meeting (TBC)
13th August– Friday
- South Auckland Pastors Meeting (TBC)
18th August– Wednesday
- South-south Auckland Pastors Meeting (TBC)
19th August– Thursday
- West Auckland Pastors Meeting (TBC)
20th August– Friday
- East Auckland Pastors Meeting (TBC)
3rd September– Friday
- Evening Youth/ Youth Leaders Auckland (TBC)
4th September– Saturday
- Unity Conference Auckland (TBC)
WAIKATO & COROMANDEL
20th July– Tuesday
- Cambridge Pastors Meetings (TBC)
- Te Awamutu Pastors Meetings (TBC)
- Otorohanga Pastors Meetings (TBC)
21st July– Wednesday
- Matamata Pastors Meeting (TBC)
- Morrinsville Pastors Meeting (TBC)
22nd July– Thursday
- Huntly Pastors Meeting (TBC)
- Hamilton Pastors Meeting (TBC)
23rd July– Friday
- Rotorua Pastors Meeting (TBC)
- Taupo Pastors Meeting (TBC)
27th July– Tuesday
- Paeroa Pastors Meeting (TBC)
- Thames Pastors Meeting (TBC)
- Whitianga Pastors Meeting (TBC)
28th July– Wednesday
- Te Puke Pastors Meeting (TBC)
- Whakatane Pastors Meeting (TBC)
29th July– Thursday
- Katikati Pastor Meeting (TBC)
- Waihi Pastor Meeting (TBC)
31st July– Saturday
- Engage Conference Hamilton (Friday 7pm – pm, Saturday 9am-3pm, Graceway Church)
BAY OF PLENTY
4th August– Wednesday
- Tauranga 12pm Pastors Meeting
6th August– Friday
- Evening youth and youth leaders
7th August– Saturday
- Engage Conference Rotorua
TARANAKI, WHANGANUI & MANUWATU
16th June– Wednesday
- Wanganui 12pm Pastors Meeting
17th June– Thursday
- Palmerston North 12pm Pastors Meeting
- Fielding Pastor Meeting (TBC)
18th June– Friday
- Levin 12pm Pastors Meeting
19th June– Saturday
- Engage Conference Palmerston North
29th June- Tuesday
- Waverly Pastors Coffee (TBC)
30th June– Wednesday
- Hawera Pastors Meeting (TBC)
- Stratford Pastors Meeting (TBC)
1st July– Thursday
- New Plymouth 12 pm Pastors Meeting
3rd July– Saturday
- Engage Conference New Plymouth
GISBORNE & HAWKES BAY
9th June– Wednesday
- Dannevike Pastors Meeting (TBC)
10th June– Thursday
- Napier Pastors Meeting (TBC)
11th June– Friday
- Havelock Pastors Meeting (TBC)
12th June– Saturday
- Engage Conference Napier
9th July– Friday
- Gisborne Pastors Dinner (TBC)
10th July– Saturday
- Engage Conference Gisborne (TBC)
WAIRARAPA & WELLINGTON
23rd June– Wednesday
- Masterton Pastors Meeting (TBC)
- The Hutt Pastors Meeting (TBC)
24th June– Thursday
- Kapiti Pastors Meeting (Evening equipping gathering Kapiti) (TBC)
25th June– Friday
- Johnsville Pastors Meeting (TBC)
- Mirimar Pastors Meeting (TBC)
- Central Wellington Pastors Meeting (TBC)
26th June– Saturday
- Engage Conference Wellington (TBC)
TASMAN, NELSON & MARLBOROUGH
26th May– Wednesday
- Nelson 12pm Pastors Meeting- info here
27th May– Thursday
- Richmond 12pm Pastors Meeting – info here
- Motueka Pastors Meeting (TBC)
28th May– Friday
- Engage Conference Nelson – info here, Friday 7pm-9pm for youth. St Stephen’s Anglican
29th May– Saturday
- Engage Conference Nelson – For youth and adults. 9am to 3pm. St Stephen’s Anglican. (Dave Mann and Kristen Williams as speakers) (info here)
WEST COAST
21st May– Friday
- Greymouth 12pm Pastors Meeting
- Engage Conference, 7.30pm to 9.30pm, 40 Richmond Street, youth and adults.
22nd May– Saturday
- Engage Conference Greymouth- info here (9am to 3pm, 40 Richmond Street – for both youth and adults).
25th May– Tuesday
- Westport 11am Pastor Meeting
CANTERBURY
5th May– Wednesday
- Rangiora Pastors – Private coffee via Kerry, or attend tomorrow for strategic view.
6th May – Thursday
- Christchurch 12pm Pastors Meeting- info here – noting RSVP for lunch.
7th May– Friday
- Ashburton 12pm Pastors Lunch- info here.
8th May– Saturday
- Engage Conference: Ashburton, 9am to 3pm, pending.
11th May– Tuesday
- Timaru 10am Pastors Meeting- info here
OTAGO & SOUTHLAND
Unity Tour
Overview by region
DISCUSSION VIDEO FOR PASTORS’ GROUPS
“Local Churches Together Enabling National Change”
(2020 – short video that could catalyse robust conversation, and potentially new results, for many pastors’ groups)
The video above was created to feed important strategic discussion by city and town pastors’ groups about the way forward.
- Please click here to download the accompanying notes / discussion questions.
There are things we can do together that we cannot do apart. Are we open to considering the real-time implications of this idea for our leadership?
The mandate for city pastors’ groups is surely to do things together that individual churches cannot accomplish alone, and the same limit would apply for any discussion on what we might work on together as a collective of city/town pastors’ groups also!
A comment from Dave Mann regarding the necessary limit on what our SLT team might bring to a city/town pastors’ group for discussion.