by Dr Stuart Lange | 5 Nov , 2022 | Articles, Christianity in New Zealand, Featured
A couple of weeks ago NZCN news reflected on the ongoing necessity of Christian believers sharing the good news of Jesus with others – in conversations, and in the teaching and preaching of our churches. We need to do that in ways which are loving, prayerful, clear, respectful, authentic, faithful, and empathetic.
From time to time, in addition to our everyday witness to Christ, there also come opportunities for large numbers of churches to work together in mass evangelistic gatherings. In 1959 and 1969, the Billy Graham meetings had a major spiritual impact on New Zealand.
Such an opportunity is again occurring very soon, with meetings in Christchurch, Wellington, and Auckland, at which Billy Graham’s son Franklin will speak. In a number of countries, Franklin Graham has proven to be an effective evangelist in his own right.
CHRISTCHURCH: 12 Nov, 6.30 p.m. in the Christchurch Arena
WELLINGTON: 16 Nov, 6.30 p.m. in the TSB Arena
AUCKLAND: 19 Nov, 6.30 p.m. in the Trusts Arena
The meetings will also feature live music.
All these events are free of charge, and everyone is welcome. Through the generosity of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, these events are at no cost to New Zealand.
No tickets are required, and coming early is strongly recommended. See the NZ God Loves You Tour website, which includes downloadable FAQ answers to practical questions about admission, transport, parking, and so on.
Like all of us, and like all Christian leaders, Franklin Graham is less than perfect. Some Christians in New Zealand – including NZCN leaders – have earlier raised questions about some of the opinions Franklin Graham has previously expressed in the context of American politics and culture wars. In some of those matters we may agree with him, in some we may disagree, in some we may be not like the way he said it, and in some we may see little or no relevance to New Zealand. We have been very strongly assured, however, that Franklin Graham is coming to New Zealand solely to preach the Gospel, and that he will stay clear of secondary and political matters.
There are several ways in which we can help these events to have a deep spiritual impact…
- Prayerfully INVITE friends and family members, and accompany them to the event.
- As an individual or a church, arrange or participate in a GROUP BOOKING, to facilitate bringing as many people as possible to the event. The BGEA says that 80% of those who respond to the Gospel at such events are invited by a friend, and 75 percent of those came by the same means of transport. Your church may want to arrange hiring buses.
- Above all, PRAY that God may move powerfully by his Holy Spirit, and that large numbers of people may come to faith and become committed followers of Jesus. Pray that these coming events are part of a much wider (and much needed) spiritual movement in New Zealand towards faith in Jesus.
by Dr Stuart Lange | 21 Oct , 2022 | About Christianity, Articles
Certainly, the Gospel of Jesus is magnificently good news. How in his great love the one true and living God has come into this broken world, in Jesus his Son. How through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, God offers us forgiveness, reconciliation, and new life with him now and forever. How in Jesus the Kingdom of God has come near, but one day it shall be fully revealed, and all creation shall be made new.
If God has done all that, then the very least we Christians can do share is share the good news with fellow human beings.
Actually, it is only the Holy Spirit who can truly convince people to turn to God through faith in Jesus, and enable people to receive new life in him. It can only happen as the Spirit of God moves in power.
Nevertheless, God generously partners with us in all this, and calls us to be active in sharing Christ with others. If we Christians were doing that more often, and more effectively, would the church in western societies be declining in the way it is?
Sure, many people in secular western societies are a tough audience: sceptical, relativistic, individualistic, pleasure-loving, uninformed or misinformed about Christianity, apathetic, and sometimes hostile and angry. And in our multi-cultural, multi-faith society, many New Zealanders now come from radically different religious backgrounds.
All that makes it all the more important that we believers must faithfully share Jesus with people in our society, and do so well.
Are there some problems with Christian messaging, in what is said (or not said) by speakers in church, and what is said (or not said) in conversations by ordinary Christians? Do we lack sufficient confidence in the Gospel, or lack conviction that sharing Christ with others really matters? Or have we distorted the Gospel?
In speaking of Jesus and the Gospel, we may say little or nothing, or be vague or unclear. On the other hand, we may say too much. We may fail to convey love, empathy, or sensitivity. We may inadequately connect with people, or insufficiently listen. We may be too formulaic. We may come across as aggressive or intimidating. Or our manner and actions may discredit our message.
In our challenging environment, it is so crucial that both preachers and ordinary Christians share Jesus with love, clarity, confidence, and authenticity. That we give reasons for our faith, and do so with gentleness and respect. That we are sensitive, listen, and empathise. And that, above all, we speak as prayerfully led by the Spirit of God.
by Dr Stuart Lange | 1 Oct , 2022 | About Christianity, Articles, Christianity in New Zealand
A recent Barna study of American pastors from across the denominational spectrum (including, for instance, Catholics, traditional Black churches, and Pentecostals) questioned 1,000 pastors on their beliefs. It concluded that only 37% of American pastors now hold a biblical worldview, and that most pastors were syncretistic – mixing Christian beliefs with those of secular culture and other religions. Many American pastors, the report asserted, “have abandoned even the most basic and hallowed biblical teachings for those which now permeate our culture”. Instead of the church influencing culture, culture is now reshaping the church. Many pastors now assume, for example, that truth and morality are matters of individual choice, and that having faith is more important than who or what you believe. The study found that a many “evangelical” and “Pentecostal” pastors have likewise been heavily influenced by secular culture and have sometimes slipped their biblical moorings.
Society and church in the USA and in New Zealand are significantly different, and the Barna study has some weaknesses. But such a study does indirectly raise questions about the state of Christianity in New Zealand.
How many of our New Zealand pastors – and church people – continue to profoundly believe that there is only one true God, that Christ is fully divine, that in Christ and the Scriptures God has truly spoken, that the Word of the Lord endures forever, that human beings are born sinful, that without repentance before God and faith in Christ we are lost, that Christ died for our sins, that Christ rose bodily from the grave and is alive for ever more, that Christ is the way, the truth and the life, that Christ sets us free, that the Holy Spirit works in believers to transform us, and that Christ is coming again to judge the living and the dead and to make all things new?
To what extent have Christians in New Zealand succumbed to worldly culture, dumbed down the faith, reduced it a few slogans or rituals, and filtered the Scriptures to accommodate our own doubts, ideas, and wants?
Biblical faith or contemporary culture? How can Christians respect their context, and speak well into their surrounding culture? How can they remain biblically faithful, rather than surrender to the assumptions and pressures of the culture they live in? From the beginning, Christians everywhere have always struggled with such dilemmas.
by Dr Stuart Lange | 20 Sep , 2022 | About Christianity, Articles
Queen Elizabeth II was remarkable not only for the great length of her reign (though Louis XIV of France reigned longer), but also for her particular mix of qualities such as steadiness, sound judgement, dignity, discretion, humility, caring, a deep commitment to serving, and a genuine, heart-felt Christian faith.
Time will tell just how much of that character and Christian faith has been passed on to subsequent royal generations. Many Christians will no doubt pray about that, and for Charles as the new King.
In our modern era, constitutional monarchs have extremely limited power, despite all their pomp and privileges. Real power is held by politicians, and they very much need to be prayed for (1 Tim 2:1-2).
During the Queen’s reign, and through no fault of her own, Britain and many Commonwealth societies have in some respects lost their way, spiritually and morally. Modern cultures and societies very much need to rediscover the living God, as revealed in Christ and the Scriptures.
Some commentators have implicated the Queen in the injustices that were part of imperialism and colonialism. Those injustices, however, largely happened a long time before her, and during her own reign she constructively worked with the process of decolonisation.
All the grief and nostalgia in the United Kingdom and elsewhere at this time is understandable, and no country does ancient tradition and colourful public pageantry quite like Britain.
Our ultimate focus, though, should not be on human leaders. Mortal, imperfect human rulers constantly come and go. But the Lord God alone reigns forever (Psalm 146:10). To the immortal God, the only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, to Him alone be honour and eternal power (1 Tim. 1:17, 6:15-16).
Read The Archbishop of Canterbury’s Sermon for The State Funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
by Dr Stuart Lange | 26 Aug , 2022 | Articles, Christianity and Social & Moral Issues, Christianity in New Zealand
This last week, supporters of the Tamaki-led Freedoms and Rights Coalition turned up outside Parliament, exercised their right to political protest, acted lawfully and peaceably, declared the Government guilty of crimes against humanity, and announced a new political initiative.
This event raises wider considerations about Christians, governments, and New Zealand politics. Here’s some points to reflect on…
- Christians are biblically required to submit to the authority of the governing authorities, honour them, pray for them, and be good citizens (Rom 13:1-7; 1 Pet 2:1,17; 1 Tim 2:1-2).
- Those biblical injunctions do not mean we have to agree with everything any government says or does. All governments sometimes act wrongly. The New Testament was written in the time of the Roman Empire, which was often idolatrous, unjust, corrupt, and brutal, and – before long – murderously anti-Christian.
- Also, the biblical requirement to obey and honour those who govern does not mean believers should ever deny Christ or do evil, even if the authorities try to compel us to do so. The Lord of heaven and earth must always take precedence over human rulers (Dan 6:6-10; Acts 5:29).
- God’s people remain free to speak up. There are numerous biblical examples, including Moses, Daniel, Esther, and Paul.
- In a parliamentary democracy, we get to help choose our government, and have the right to have input into some laws before they are passed.
- We live in a society which is increasingly pluralistic in belief and lifestyle. Christians cannot expect that the rest of society will see matters the same way we do.
- Biblically, there are values which every Christian should continue to live by and advocate for: God’s truth and grace, righteousness, justice, mercy, integrity, compassion, peace, generosity, care for the poor, faithful marriage, good parenting, strong family life, morality, the sanctity of life, care for creation, and love and respect for everyone.
- There are likewise many things Christians should resist, on biblical grounds: inequality (the deepening disparities between the poor and the well-off), inadequate housing, racism, exploitation, corruption, immorality, the promotion in schools of confusion about gender, the ongoing degradation of the environment, the killing of the unborn, the expansion of euthanasia, and the promotion of harmful drugs.
- The NZ Bill of Rights declares that we have freedom of religious belief and practice, and freedom of expression. Christians, among others, have cause to feel that those freedoms are under some threat.
- There are good and not-so-good things in the values and policies of all political parties, and very well-intentioned MPs in all parties.
- There is no one political stance among Christians, and Christians vote across the political spectrum.
- Political parties may propose laws, and may push them through if they have a majority, but laws are passed by Parliament rather than by political parties. To get better laws in “conscience” issues, and to help dissuade other MPs Parliament from passing detrimental legislation, we need a greater number of capable, committed Christians in Parliament, in all parties. Candidate selection is thus critically important.
- Politics is “the art of the possible”. We should aim high, but not place unrealistic expectations on Christian MPs. They can only achieve what is politically achievable.
- Only those politicians who are actually in Parliament can make a difference. Even under MMP, small parties very rarely make it into Parliament, or remain there.
- We should regularly pray for our MPs, Christian and otherwise.
Ultimately, the road to a better New Zealand is not political, but spiritual. It is in renewed and flourishing Christian churches, and in a new wave of Christian faith across wider New Zealand society.
by Dr Stuart Lange | 19 Aug , 2022 | Articles, Christianity in New Zealand, The Church
New Zealand Christian Network suggests that the growing public scrutiny of churches raises important broader questions for all New Zealand churches – irrespective of their denomination, size, style, ethnicity or location.
Questions like…
- How can our churches become thoroughly biblical, not just in our teaching and preaching, but also in our values, practices, and our life together?
- How can our churches concentrate on honouring Christ above all, and everyone who belongs to Christ (and avoid giving a too much special prestige and privilege to our human leaders, no matter how excellent they are)?
- How can our churches be places of welcome, invitation, prayer, worship, Bible teaching, and spiritual nurture (and without undue pressure, coercion, or judgment)?
- How can our churches be more effectively pastoral?
- How can our churches be generous, supportive and realistic in what we expect of both staff and volunteers, always recognising that they all have lives and many other needs and responsibilities beyond the church?
- How can our churches develop appropriate accountability for leaders at every level?
- How can our churches build good processes for participation, questions, feedback, suggestions, complaints, and correctives?
To Christ be glory in the church!
