Jessie Vs. NZ Round 2!

It seems like just yesterday I was getting on the plane to leave for NZ for the first time. Here it is, almost a year later, and I am planning for my next missions trip. I have an array of mixed emotions from being excited to being overwhelmed knowing that I am taking yet another step towards the dream and call God has placed on my life, but also making plans to leave everything I have ever known. 

During my first trip to NZ we saw many youth come to know Christ, new youth ministries planted, and in depth discipleship take place. While that an incredible testimony I left with much more...I left with knowledge. Spending time in NZ allowed me to get a glimpse into their culture, mentalities, and views of God. It is easy to assume that God moves the same way and responds to the same things everywhere you go. It is easy to put Him some box in which you think you have all the answers and ways to "make God move." It is easy to think that the way you perceive Him is the only correct way. The more I travel, the more I prove myself wrong and learn that God cannot be put into any kind of box...no matter the shape or size!

NZ is a non-Christian nation where only about 5% of the population believes in Christ. So out of the 4 million people that inhabit NZ only 200,000 claim Christ as their savior. They hold an apathetic mentality towards Christ...they don't believe and they don't care that they don't believe. Unlike in the Bible belt where just about everyone is affiliated to a certain denomination, NZ have no problem giving their reasons as to why they have no desire to be apart of anything pertaining to Christ. 

My heart has continued to break as I have gotten to know more about this nation. The fact that it holds the highest suicide rate in the world is enough to bring me to my knees in prayer on their behalf. The thoughts, the pain and the brokenness so many must have endured for their to be so many self inflicted deaths is a thought that I am cannot escape from. My conclusion in my last trip was that there was no hope. That this was just the way life is and how it is going to be. And without hope in a broken situation it is no wander so many have taken their lives. 

I have spent nights crying out to God for the youth of NZ. Interceding on their behalf, and seeking wisdom on how to approach ministry as a return. God has placed a vision in my heart to start More To Life Ministries in which I plan to teach them who they are in Christ, what they can have, what they can become as they follow Him. This is a country where in depth teaching of the truths of God and what Christ death on the cross provides is absolutely crucial. They must know the truths of freedom, love, grace, healing, etc. By focusing ministry in this direction I know that God is going to not only save many from taking their own lives on this earth, but also save their lives eternally!

I will be returning to NZ at the end of this year for four months (unless God opens a door for me to stay longer!) to work with C3 once again. C3 is a large church movement that was begun by Phil Pringle in Oxford Falls, Australia and has grown to have over 200 churches all over the world. I will be working directly with South Primal. This is a youth ministry in South Auckland, NZ. The majority of kids in this area are from unchurched inner-city backgrounds. When I was told I would be working with this ministry I immediately became excited b/c I knew that these were the kind of youth I worked with the majority of my life. I will also be working with C3 Leadership College to help train young adults seeking to be a part of ministry. We will teach them theology, strategies in ministry, evangelistic approaches, and many other necessary tools to becoming a well rounded pastor. Through out this training we will be doing Primal tours around the country. During these tours we will be planting new youth ministries as well as strengthening existing Primals by street evangelism, speaking in high schools, and strategic outreaches. The vision is to have a Primal (youth ministry under C3) in every major city by the end of 2013. 

I am continually honored that God has trusted me with His children on the other side of the world. Only He knows why He has placed this call on my life. One thing I know with out a doubt is that this IS God's call on my life, and that He is going to use me to help lead this country into a true relationship with Him! Even though it means that I literally may have to leave everything I have ever known...family, friends, ministries...I am willing to follow Him where ever He leads me. When God called me to NZ I never dreamed that I would be entrusted with such a large ministry. There have been many nights of brokenness for this country and intense prayer for revival throughout the nation. I am humbled that God would choose me to do His work. I will need your prayers more than ever. God is expanding my territory and as we all know, with expansion comes opposition from the enemy. Just knowing that you will be praying for me brings assurance that God’s hand will be protecting and guiding me through this next journey of my life.

Beyond your prayers, if you are led to join me by financially supporting this mission, I would be grateful. In addition by contributing you will be directly responsible for spreading the gospel in New Zealand! I need to raise $6500 to cover the total cost of the trip. I will have to be creative to raise this money, and I want to extend an invitation to you to participate. To make it as easy as possible, I have included information below that explains the process for giving for this trip. This is a journey that God has called me to, and I would greatly appreciate any level of support you are able to offer.

If you would like to know more about how God called me to New Zealand and keep up with my upcoming missions trip, please visit my previous blogs at http://jessie-vs-nz.blogspot.com/. I have also posted a video of my previous missions trip to the link provided: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7byiUJMVG80. 

Thank you ALL for your love and support! I could not do it without you! 

Ways to contribute financially:

All donations should be made payable to the Knoxville Christian Center designated to Jessie Jenkins’ New Zealand missions trip. You will be eligible to receive tax credit with any donation given.

To pay by check:

Checks must be made payable to the Knoxville Christian Center designated to Jessie Jenkins’ New Zealand missions trip.

Mail to:

Knoxville Christian Center

P.O. Box 50490

Knoxville, TN 37950

To pay by credit:

Contact the Knoxville Christian Center office and have credit card number available. Or fill out the form provided below.  Information can be taken over the phone @ 865-690-0855.

To pay cash:

Cash may be designated to Jessie Jenkins’ New Zealand missions trip and mailed or brought to the Knoxville Christian Center office.

Mail to:

Knoxville Christian Center

P.O. Box 50490

Knoxville, TN 37950

  

32 First Time Salvation Ain't Too Shabby!

It is currently 3:00am NZ time and I can't sleep so figured I would update my blog!

Just when I thought it couldn't get better than launching a Primal in Hamilton, NZ God comes and shows it up! We left late afternoon Tues of last week and headed towards Taupo, NZ. It is amazing how every where I go in NZ has a completely different terrain and totally different vibe. The lake in Taupo is a crater from one of the world's five largest volcanos and the mountains reflect off the clear blue water making it a breath taking site. Wed. morning we visited a nearby high school to do a pancake breakfast as the kids came into school and invited them to Primal later that week. I was amazed at how we were allowed onto the school campus to invite kids to church! This is a goal of mine when I get back to the States! Yes, I do believe in miracles! Ha! We then packed up and headed to Palmerston North where we were launching a new youth ministry to run with the recently planted C3 church for that area.

I have to admit that it was not my favorite of cities, but as I began to see God move it grew on me. We set up at different areas Wed and Thurs doing BBQs and learning where the local hang outs were. I had the privilege of connecting with a girl named Samantha who was more than welcome to give me all the info on the area. I ran into a group of kids who seemed to fit the "emo" category. As I talked with them I realized that they had just left a funeral of a friend who had committed suicide earlier that week. I have since learned that NZ has the highest suicide rate in the world and that this city was one of the highest in NZ.

That night we had 85 kids show up and 20 first time Salvations. Several kids walked out as worship began so I ran out after them. We talked for a while and they said, "Jesus just isn't our thing." I talked with them for about thirty minutes and learned that they felt Jesus was the ultimate illusionist and just tricked everyone into believing He did miracles...haven't heard that one before. Their names were Jake and Kam. I was not able to lead them to the Lord but I know that seeds were planted in that conversation and have continued to pray for them ever since. I would love for you to be in agreement with me that they will come to know Christ and not end up like their friend who committed suicide. I know God is going to do big things through the C3 crew in Palmerston North!

Friday morning we left for Wellington where we did more youth out reaches and on Sat. morning made it a goal to do street evangelism in downtown Wellington. I had the privilege of talking with several of the interns and giving them tips on how to reach people on the streets. I was so proud of our team for going out solely to find people on the streets they felt God was calling them to witness to. There were some stories of rejection, awkwardness, but also words of encourgpagement and prayers with complete strangers! God is just too cool!

Sunday evening we return to Taupo to run another Primal service where we saw 3 young ladies give their life to the Lord! Yay God!

I have posted videos of some of the things we have been doing (sorry for the lack of quality...it is all I could do from an iPad). Follow this link and you should be able to view them all: http://vimeo.com/38846472

Once again thank you for the prayers and support! Thanks to you youth in NZ are being saved weekly!

Doesn't Get Any Better....NZ Outreah!

The more I am in NZ the more my heart grows for the people and the culture. The welcoming personalities, yummy candies and bakery pies, extravagant nature, and the relaxed atmosphere has made NZ a place that I would be more than willing to live.

This past week I had the honor of working with C3 Auckland on their Primal tour and out reaches at Auckland University for their young adult program Change. Monday and Tuesday afternoon were spent walking the campus reaching out to students and inviting them to church. I met students from every kind of background. Being able to share my story with atheists was just so much fun! I developed relationships that have continued onto Facebook and planted seeds in lives that I know God will develope in time. Wednesday morning we headed to Hamilton, NZ to launch a new youth ministry to run along side a newly developed C3 congregation. Not sure what to expect my heart was over joyed when I began to engage in conversation with the youth outside of Fairfield college and in a local skate/community center.

I noticed a group of about ten girls by a tree that just moved my spirit. Not knowing a single one of them I sat down and began to just see what they were all about. I quickly noticed the one in the middle rolling up joints for the rest of the group and she very nicely offered me one as well....I told you people from NZ were friendly! Hahaha! I politely turned it down and continued to learn about their background. Being from the urban area of Hamilton they were very involved and aware of gang life. They wanted to know all about America's gang life, if I fought people, how we did things different, and why on earth I would not want to smoke weed with them. Slowly I began to gain their trust and instead of getting "who in the world is this chick" looks they were asking about why I was there and the event we would be doing the next day. As the conversation came to an end they all wanted a flyer and wanted to come to Primal the following night.

Thurs. started out to be a frustrating day. Plans with schools fell through due to gang threats, other locations we had gotten together just were not working out so we decided to step back and pray and figure out what it was God was planning. We went back to the community center where we connected with the director and they gave us a place to set up a BBQ with open arms. Soon the youth were getting out a school but were not really interested in what we had to offer. I saw one of my girls from the previous day and immediately realized that they were there to see a fight between the local gangs. To make a long story short God had put us in the perfect place at the perfect time! If we had been at any other location the kids would have gone right past us because the fight was way more interesting than a BBQ! God had placed us right were everyone wanted to be! As soon as the fight was resolved we had over an hour to reach out to them before the program that night. The end results...112 attended and 9 first time savlations! All glory is to be given to God! Isn't it just like Him to let the situation seem frustrating when the whole time He is placing us right where we need to be! This is a small clip of the Primal Launch:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRhLJi4uTJc&sns=em

We will head out to Palmerston and Wellington this week to launch yet another brand new youth ministry where we are expecting to see God move even greater than He did this past week.

Thanks to all who have been supporting me financially and prayerfully! Good has been saving lives and it could not happen without your help!

Am I Really In NZ?

Well I finally figured out how to post another blog! Ha! For some reason my mind decided to forget how I had started a blog in the first place.

I am sitting at my host home, Mark and Christie Fountain, after a day of working with C3 Auckland. Today we came together to discuss how to get into the local high schools to reach the youth for their weekly youth ministry called Primal. It was so great to bounce ideas off fellow ministers and learn from each other the best ways to advance the Kingdom in NZ. Then, we went to West Auckland where we out reached to teenagers from Avondale Highschool. I was in Heaven. Getting to connect with the youth of NZ is truly a dream come true! They have provided free bus transportation for kids to come from all over the city. Thurs., March 1 we will launched the first City Primal event with special speaker Dave Hall, rap artist Loui The Zu and one of the worlds best grAffiti artists Phat1. Many students gave their life to the Lord! I got to connect with a whole jeep of teenagers before and after the services.

Over the next two weeks we will be launching several new Primals (basically youth ministry planting) in Palmerston, Wellington, and Hamilton, NZ. We will be helpinge to organize new youth ministries and reach out to the local youth and get them established in these ministries. Through out this time I will have opportunities to preach at different Primals through out New Zealand. Then, I head to a camp in Rotorua to work for the remainder of my stay here.

I am still trying to wrap my brain around the fact that I am in New Zealand. For twenty years I have dreamed of this and now here I am quite literally fulfilling part of a huge call on my life. The fact that I am witnessing and being used to be apart of teenagers across the world is incredible. There have been savlations at every event I have been too, and to be with a ministry that is making such an impact on a nation where only 5% of the nation believes in Jesus is not only educational but and honor.

I have had some time to really seek the Lord and I am still not sure of everything He wants but He teaching me things daily. To come to place and know absolutely no one requires complete trust and faith. I have only been here eleven days and the reward and advancement of His kingdom has been truly great!

The Beginning of a Long Journey

First Time Called

For almost 20 yrs I have felt the pulling to go to New Zealand. I remember being a little kid sitting at the kitchen table looking at the stamps my dad and I collected. They were full of color and had the words New Zealand printed across top. As I looked at these stamps I felt God say, "you are going to go there one day." I tucked the stamps aside in a special place, and went on doing what kids do not knowing that this moment would be the beginning of a dream. 

It seemed that NZ was every where I went in life. From NZ Cafes and Kiwi Gelato shops, to even just being served NZ cuisines while traveling in Israel...I couldn't have gotten away from it if I wanted! While serving in Cleveland, TN I happen to have a NZ minister sitting in my section that was in town for 3 months doing ministry, and was more than willing to help teach me about their culture. 

I began trying to get to NZ my senior year in high school. However, this started a very frustrating journey of one door after another being shut. I would get accepted on mission trips and then some incident would occur that caused them to be canceled for the first time in years. I got my credentials with the Assemblies of God hoping that would clear to path, but yet again doors were slammed in my face. 

After having a couple very difficult years, I entered the year 2010 I just threw my hands up and thought maybe I have been making all this up...maybe I missed my chance. I was settled into a wonderful ministry as a youth/worship pastor at the Knoxville Christian Center, and I refocused myself on my students rather than "my calling."

However, God never ceases to be God and never ceases to have perfect timing! In August 2011, God used a very distinct situation to get my attention. After He had my attention the only thing He said, "Get to NZ asap!" It was just the kick in my tail I needed to get this thing rolling. Basically, I had to decided whether I was going do this or not. 

While there were many other doors that closed in my face, I had wonderful friends and family to remind me that God will make a way if He has called you. One said, "The harder it is the more glory God will receive when He gets you there." I sat in my room and came to the conclusion that I was going to NZ even if it meant me going on my own and traveling from church to church handing out my resume! 

I sent out my resume every where I could possibly find, and then one Sunday afternoon the area code 649 appeared on my phone. Just hear "hello Jessica" over the phone in a NZ accent was enough to make my heart leap for joy. After the phone conversation I fell to the floor crying in excitement knowing that the 20 yr dream was finally coming true. Not only did I receive that phone call, but received over 10 other e-mails from churches all over NZ. Here is it January 2012 and I am officially going to NZ February 19-April 23! The work, the tears, the confusion, the frustration, the determination and the obedience has finally paid off! Not only am I going to NZ but I am going to work for a Christian camp. My dream for year has been to be an inner-city Christian camp director in NZ! After talking with many...there are not many Christian camps in NZ, but somehow God got me connected with one of them! Coincidence? I think not! Almighty, powerful, awesome, all knowing God? Heck Yes!

I have started this blog to keep all of you who have been the support system I have needed through this journey informed and I cannot wait to tell you of all the things God is doing while I am on the other side of the world advancing God's kingdom!

Thank you ALL for your love! I could not do it without you!