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!
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Saturday, March 10, 2012
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!
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!
Thursday, March 1, 2012
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!
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!
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