by Dr Stuart Lange | 18 Nov , 2025 | About Christianity, Articles, Christianity in New Zealand
New Zealand society is in a period of significant change, much of it away from Christian faith and values. More than ever, we need the Christian church to be united, healthy, and influential.
The New Zealand Christian Network (NZCN) is uniquely positioned in those areas. NZCN’s mission is to help the church in New Zealand to be more one in the Spirit, to be strengthened, and to speak constructively into NZ society with Christian grace and truth.
Some of the things NZCN does: (and see more in our Impact Report)
- Our free NZCN News, with short articles that are faithful, moderate, and clear, and information about Christian jobs, upcoming events, and member organisations
- In collaboration with regional church leaders, we run major Prayer Breakfasts
- By zoom, we regularly host Pray as One prayer gatherings
- The NZ Christian Leaders’ Congress (next one: Nov. 2026)
- Our latest, multi-author book: Strengthening the Church in Aotearoa
- A faithful, reasoned Christian voice in public media
- As necessary, participation in parliamentary select committee processes
Much of NZCN’s work is voluntary, and our very small staff team are all part-time. We remain reliant on generous financial support from donors, members, churches, and Christian trusts. The reality is, we could do so much more if we had an increased membership, were more widely known, and were much better-resourced.
Here are 7 ways you can actively support the mission of NZCN:
- Frequently uphold us in prayer!
- Subscribe (it’s free) to NZCN News
- Forward NZCN News to others, and recruit other subscribers (family, friends, colleagues, church members), to help increase our readership and impact
- Become an annual Member
- Make an online once-off donation (eligible for charitable tax rebate, CC23105)
- Set up a regular donation via direct deposit or online (tax rebate applies)
- Introduce (and recommend) NZCN to a Christian trust, large or small
Together, let’s help build spiritual unity and collaboration among Christian people and churches. Let’s help strengthen Christian faith and churches. Let’s help the light of Jesus and the Gospel to shine more brightly in Aotearoa New Zealand.
by Esther Tredoux | 3 Nov , 2025 | About Christianity, Articles, Christianity in New Zealand
On Thursday, 30 October, more than 650 Christians from around 87 churches and Christian organisations gathered to pray together at the 10th annual Auckland Prayer Breakfast.
Held at Eden Park in partnership with the Auckland Church Network and NZ Christian Network, the event was a powerful time of worship, unity, and intercession for the city of Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland.
Rev Otene Reweti opened the morning with a mihi, and worship was led by Equippers Revolution. This year’s theme, GROW, was inspired by 2 Peter 3:18, which encourages us to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” Guided by this theme, we prayed for growth in Kingdom Multiplication, Healthy Neighbourhoods, and Christian Unity.
The Auckland Prayer Breakfast marked the conclusion of our 2025 prayer breakfast season, and we are deeply thankful to each sponsor and partner who made these gatherings possible. Throughout the year, these events have been incredible opportunities to come together in unity, seeking God’s will for our nation, churches, and families.
We look forward with anticipation to what God has in store for our 2026 prayer breakfasts!
– Esther Tredoux
by Guest Author | 31 Oct , 2025 | About Christianity, Articles, The Church
This week 1,000 delegates from 125 nations have been meeting together in Korea, for the General Assembly of the World Evangelical Alliance, for a wonderful time of worship, fellowship, listening, discussion, and praying together. This inspiring event takes place every six years.
SaRang Church, a vibrant Korean Presbyterian church drawing over 60,000 worshippers each week, hosted the assembly in close partnership with Yoido Full Gospel Church, the Pentecostal church once led by Yonggi Cho. For the first two days the WEA Assembly was joined on site by 5,000 Korean pastors, with many shared sessions which were extraordinary for the worship, fervour, unity, and prayer.
The central theme of the General Assembly was ‘The Gospel for everyone by 2033’: encouraging a massive new worldwide emphasis on evangelism, reaching many more people for Christ in the lead-up to the 2,000 year anniversary of the birthday of the Church on the day of Pentecost, 2033.
We also heard from Christians in many nations where there is horrific persecution of Christians, and many other major problems. Many of those countries are in sub-Saharan Africa, where there is obviously a concerted and intensifying campaign of terror by Islamic groups such as Boko Haram in northern Nigeria, systematically kidnapping, killing, and destroying Christian populations. But none of this is adequately exposed by international media, or effectively combated by governments. In many countries there is also famine, political instability, deep corruption, civil war, massive displacements, and overwhelming public health crises.
In the mix of nations there were 25 people from the South Pacific region. These included people from the evangelical alliances in New Zealand (ten of us, connected with NZCN), Papua New Guinea, and Australia, and also from the emerging new evangelical alliances in Fiji, Vanuatu, Tonga, Solomon Islands, and Marshall Islands. The South Pacific region met together, with a great sense of unity.
The WEA welcomed a new General Secretary, Butros Mansour. Born and raised in Nazareth, and an Israeli citizen, Butros is an Arab Christian, and clearly a man who puts faith in Christ and the unity of believers above all else. He speaks with grace and humility, and with a global perspective, and will no doubt give good leadership.
– Stuart Lange and Malcolm Falloon
by Dr Stuart Lange | 3 Oct , 2025 | About Christianity, Articles, Christianity and Social & Moral Issues
For thousands of years, the land now known as Israel or Palestine has been a cauldron of competing ethnicities, religions, empires, and nations. It was at different times controlled by Canaanites, Philistines, Hebrews/Israelites/Judeans, Assyrians, Babylonians (from 597 B.C.), Macedonians (from 332 B.C.), Seleucids, Romans (from 63 B.C.), Arabs (from 637 A.D.), Seljuk Turks, Ottoman Turks (from 1517), and Britain (1922-1948). Although some Jews continued to live in Palestine from biblical times onwards, Arabs far outnumbered them for most of the last 1300 years. Both Israel and the local Arab population can make historical claims to have the right to live in that land.
In the 19th century, the idea developed of a Jewish re-settlement in Palestine. In 1947, mindful of the appalling horrors of the holocaust, the United Nations endorsed the establishment of restored Jewish homeland, along with a contiguous Arab state. In 1948, Jews declared the inauguration of the State of Israel. Arab nations invaded the next day. Israel prevailed, and over the next few months significantly extended its territorial reach.
The reconstituted Israel has been championed by some Jewish Zionists – and by many Christians too – as a miraculous fulfilment of biblical prophecy. Much of the Arab/Palestinian population, however, have seen the Israelis as intruders, and themselves as oppressed and dispossessed. While many ordinary Israelis and Palestinians have often done their best to co-exist peacefully, there has been continuing tension, violence, and war. As Christians, we can readily understand the prophetic aspect, and can respect that God alone knows the full picture. But as Christians, we also respect that all people should be able to live in peace and security, and with freedom and justice. The one true and living God is loving and just in all his ways, and as Christians we serve the Prince of Peace.
The war in Gaza reflects the utterly opposite viewpoints of the deeply radicalised Hamas leaders and the current Israeli government. Following the very brutal Hamas raid on Israel in October 2023 and the taking of hostages, Israel asserted its right to defend itself. Israel’s invasion of Gaza is understandable, but has led to a huge loss of life among Palestinian civilians, mass dislocations, the destruction of innumerable homes and buildings, and much distress. As in all wars, neither side is without fault, and all human beings are flawed and sinful.
Two things are sure: peace is much needed, and achieving true peace will be very, very difficult.
This week’s most recent peace proposal reflects several previous peace plans, contains many promising aspects, and includes some things that both sides may struggle to genuinely accept and implement.
For all of us, our perspectives about these matters may get some things more-or-less right, and some things wrong. At this time, though, perhaps the best thing Christians can do is not to debate our differing perspectives, but to redouble our prayer that God’s will may be done on earth, even in this very troubled and complex context where peace is undoubtedly a very big ask.
by Esther Tredoux | 22 Sep , 2025 | Articles, Christianity in New Zealand
On Tuesday 9 September NZ Christian Network together with Hamilton Pastors & Christian Leaders hosted the 6th annual Kirikiriroa Hamilton Prayer Breakfast at Claudelands Event Centre.
The theme was unity and was based on Ephesians 4:3 ‘Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.’
This year we had just over 450 people in attendance from 31 Churches and 19 different Churches purchased a Table of 10.
The event was opened with a Mihi by Tame Pokaia, a Kaumātua Maori Elder. Worship was lead by a combined team from various churches around Hamilton: New Life Hamilton, Activate, Equippers, The Village Church, Gateway and Hillcrest Baptist, which the team ‘officially’ named the ‘E4:3 Band’.
The four prayer areas were:
- Unity amongst Leaders and Churches
- Unity amongst our young people and within our families
- Unity in the Mission of God / Discipleship
- Prayer & Unity – Christian Churches transforming our city
As a follow the call for unity, the Hamilton Pastors & Christian Leaders are hosting a Kirikiriroa Unity Hui on Thursday 30 October 2025 from 10:00 – 11:30 and you can register your interest here.
by Dr Stuart Lange | 19 Sep , 2025 | About Christianity, Articles, Christianity in New Zealand, The Church
In recent times, fuelled by a constant flow of online opinion, polarised thinking and communication has become a growing trend in western societies, including New Zealand. There are so many hot-button issues: politics (both here and in America), social conservativism vs. social progressivism, biblical morality vs. sexuality and transgender ideologies, the right to life vs. abortion rights, Treaty issues, and the profound, heartfelt issues around Israel and Gaza. Feelings often run deep, and there is a tendency for people to despise and rubbish those people whose opinions they strongly disagree with. Sometimes, as with last week’s shocking assassination in the USA, clashes of values can give rise to totally unacceptable violence.
Among Christians too, and in churches, views can sometimes become polarised, and relationships and unity strained. And likewise in families, and among friends.
What advice can church leaders offer their people in such a context, and how can any Christian try to model ways of disagreeing that compromise neither the truth nor the love of Christ?
Here’s a few suggestions…
We must faithfully hold firm to the enduring truth and principles of God, as revealed in Jesus and the Scriptures, but do so in a way that also – expresses the love and grace of God (James 3:17)
– We must speak up for truth, when required, but do so with humility and gentleness rather than hostility and aggression, like a loud clashing cymbal (1 Cor. 13:1, 4-5)
– We should spend more time in prayer and the Word of God, and less online
– We should try to avoid mixing God’s enduring truth with worldly politics and merely human ideas
– We should spend less time fuming about other people’s wrong thinking, and more time praying
– We should try not to get distracted from the key priorities of loving God, following Jesus, loving and serving others, and sharing the Gospel
– We should neither hate nor write off those we disagree with, but pray for them – and if they are in our lives, try to build bridges with them (Rom. 12:14,17-18, 21)
– We can listen, ask questions, and try to understand better why people may hold the views they do. We should sincerely state or explain our own beliefs, but as ambassadors of Christ (2 Cor. 5:20) we should avoid toxic and destructive arguments – and sometimes it can be wisest to remain silent
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be upon us all.
Kia tau, kia tatou katoa te atawhai o tou tatou Ariki o Ihu Karaiti.
Stuart
