Don’t despise the days of humble beginings

A small idea

A small conversation

A small amount of money

A small amount of time

A small number of people

A small amount of skill

But with a BIG GOD!

Eph 3:20 He will take it to whole nutta level!

Don’t give up!

 

Mothers Day 2011

Well what can I say, ……. …I was totally blown away with the whole thing! Words cannot explain what happened on Sunday, I guess you just have to be there to experience it.

• The Courtyard was a fantastic idea, with wine glasses, Spanish music, breakfast, the chocolate fountain……… Seeing all the men serving and cooking breakfast at the courtyard was unbelievable!
• It was a joy to see the all mums blessed and enjoyed the Mothers Day.
• Every Mother received a special Mothers Day present.
• My son Canaan played his first official ‘Grand Piano’ Piece. That kid is talented!
• Never seen so many Mothers in church before. Half of the seats were taken by mums. Love to see the mums from our community on Sunday, most were their first time in church.
• Susi Curle was amazing. She performed a ballet routine to ‘Make me a servant’. Susi is well known in her field. She is a Dance Instructor and Director of Shekinah Ballet School.
• Our Creative Team are some of the best minds I know of!
• I am in awe of what God is doing. We are seeing new people every Sunday making commitment to follow Christ.
• I am amazed with the power of Gospel. The Good News is absolutely “Good News”.
• About 20 people crossed the line of Faith to accept Christ as Lord and Saviour on Sunday. God is still in the business of changing lives.
• Baby Ropati Amosa Jr. was dedicated on Sunday. Prayed Gods favour on the young man! His grandfather, the late Pastor Ropati Amosa was a man of Faith, a friend and mentor.
• Rev. Craig Marsh gave a timely word. Amazing Testimony of God’s Miraculous Power & Healing. You can view his testimony here.
• Prayed for healing for so many people on Sunday!

This weekend we are launching a new series called: “I have a friend who is………”

Love to see you and your friend this weekend.

Weekend Reflection

It is absolutely amazing what God is doing in our church right now.  Forgive me if I sound like I am bragging but I’m not, I’m just in awe of God’s power to change lives. We are seeing people stepping up to the next level of faith, allowing God to do his will through them. I am mostly excited with the new leaders who are now taking leadership roles in different ministries.

Watching people saved, got baptized, planted in the House of God, growing spiritually and are now leading others is just exciting!

For any leader who sees that is SO rewarding!

This morning my wife Ane preached up a storm with her own version of “Faith at another level”, challenging people to pursue God.

• Whatever you are going through…..YOU CAN HANDLE IT! You got the faith for it and the grace to go thru it.
• Expect changes when you come to Christ! Expect healing, expect miracles, expect radical transformation!
• Some things gotta show for your confession of faith!
• In order for you to step up the next level you got to know what level you are on right now
• Luke 22:31-33 Satan only sifts you when he gets permission from God.
• Make Faith decisions.

Today 4 people gave their lives to the Lord.

Jesus is still in the business of saving and transforming lives. Jesus still forgives, heals and restores today.

Last Sunday I met 9 new people at church, today I was able to meet with at least 10 first timers. One lady was her first time in a church service  all her life. She’s NEVER been to church before. WOW! Still can’t get over that.

One lady came for the first time and gave her heart to Jesus. One of our leaders invited her and she prayed desperately during the week, she told us on Thursday. What I am trying to say is this: God is willing to save! But we must invite and introduce people to God. And ray that they will accept Christ’s forgiveness.

I just love the passion of our LifeKids Team for the children. We have around 120 kids under 12 and it is a responsibility to invest in these kids.  As a church we are committed to children.

Today we dedicated a new born baby to the Lord. She smiled as I prayed. So cute!

Servolution is only 3 weeks away! God is using this simple tool to reach people through simple acts of kindness. Over 40 churches will be participating in this year’s Servolution from the  14^th – 20^th of April. Find out more www.servolution.co.nz.

This coming Sunday…….. Will you invite someone to church with you?

Called to the Ministry?

We are a month away from Servolution and there is a huge buzz right now not only in Auckland but Sydney and Brisbane as well. Thank you to all the pastors and the churches who are partnering together to share the love of Christ through simple acts of kindness.

This morning I was meditating on the fact that we are ALL called to the Ministry. To Serve People and to Share Christ. The Great Commission and the Great Commandment. ‘Ministry’ is not a special career for the clergy. It is a calling for all those who follow Jesus Christ. We are all called to minister not just the paid clergy.

Someone asked me the other day “when did you accept the call to the ministry”. I did say 9 years ago. But thinking about what I said back then, was wrong. I accepted the call to minister the day I gave my heart to Christ, which was the day I decided to follow him, 25 years ago.

‘Minister’ is not title, nor a position. It is a function. (my conviction)

Ministry is what ALL Christ followers do. There should be no ‘professional ministers’ in the Body of Christ. some are called specifically to equip he ministers (Eph 4), that does not make them professionals. If people are not ministering under their equipping ministry then they are not doing the ministry of equipping.

As a pastor I need to be careful not to act, talk and preach in such a way that sends a wrong message that I’m the “Super Pastor”, who is ever present in time of trouble, always counseling, always praying for people, making every decision, etc…….. ( try to do those every now and then).

Jesus trained the 12 to minister and then sent them. He did the same with the 70.

So are you called to the ministry? If you say you are a follower of Christ then know this……YOU ARE CALLED?

No one is going to ordain you to witness and share the love of Christ. You are called to the office, the factory, the school ….etc……where you work!!! you are called to the sports club that you are part of, you are called to the business and the clients you are part of……..

Thank you for obeying the call of Christ, to serve, to feed, to care, to love, clothe, to visit, to pray, to comfort…. ………

In Servolution Language; thank you for washing cars, giving out water bottles, mow lawns, giving out flowers, renovate schools, giving out food parcels, weeding gardens, baking cakes, picking up rubbish, painting out grafitti, etc………..

At LifeChurch, we say, “Every member is a Minister”. My wife and I are the pastors but everyone is a minister.

‘Benny finds a new life’ a Lifekids Production

Photos: Evelyn Safiti

Baptism at LifeChurch Manurewa

Weekend Reflections

What happened on Saturday Night, Sunday morning and Sunday night will forever impact the lives of the children in our church and in our community.

• ‘Benny Finds a new life’. A Lifekids Production.
• Totally blown away with the talent that is in the House.
• When you cast a vision of ‘seeing a church with lots of children’, at a time when there was only a handful of kids and now seeing how that vision is unfolding right before your eyes, then you realise ‘God is in this thing’. It was always his intention and desire for the kids to come to him.  (Matthew 19:13). He gets the glory!
• Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and NOW Children’s Day. Children’s Day in New Zealand should be as big as Mothers Day and Fathers Day. I want to make a lot of noise about this.
• ‘You have ordained praise in the mouths of babes (Ps 8). Sunday worship was definitely at a-whole-nutha-level when LifeKids lead the service. I don’t want to wait for 12 months for them to come back.
• Met so many people from the community for the first time at church over the weekend. Some great conversations.
• Proud of the Maori, Samoan, African, Cook Island and Indian group. Culture is Rich!
• Kids may be the leaders of the future but they are definitely a force to be reckoned with today.
• Never underestimate the power of influence in the kids.
• The future is brighter when we start shining in the present
• We love kids at LifeChurch and will continue to raise, train, empower and release them to be all that God has purposed for them to be.
• Confidence boosted
• Empowering the next generation
• Stake in the ground
• Huge Investment
• Seeds sprouting
• Changing Communities
• Vision Un-folding
• Leaders flourishing
• Inspired & Proud Parents
• Everyone stretched
• Team-Work is still the secret to making the Dream-Work

A huge thank you to our Children’s Ministry Leaders, Lisa & Mike Uini for your awesome leadership and passion for the children.

To the hard working Lifekids team – You are awesome! Thank you for being such great role models.

To the parents for your overwhelming support! Thank You!

The best is yet to come!!

I Love My Church Pt 2

Acts 9:1-5, “But Saul, still breathing threats of slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, that if he found any men or women belonging to this Way, he might bring them in bonds to Jerusalem. And as he went on his journey, it came to pass that he drew near to Damascus, when suddenly a light from heaven shone round about him; and falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, ”Saul, Saul, do you persecute me?”And he said, “Who art thou Lord?” And He said, ”I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.”

Christ said: ”Why do you persecute me?”. Why didn’t he say ‘Why do you persecute My Church’? It is because His Church is his body and He is the head according to Ephesians 5:23.

The point here is this: Whatever happens to the body is registered in the head. Isn’t that true? Whatever you do to your body is registered in your head.

Church is the Body – Christ is the head. Whatever you do to the Body of Christ – the Church will be registered in the Head.

• When you backstab the body it is registered in the head
• When you are angry at the body it is registered in the head
• When you are not committed to the body it is registered in the head
• When you dishonor the body it is registered in the head
• When you neglect the body it is registered in the head.
• When you don’t give to the body it is registered in the cash register of the head

Whatever you do to the Church you do it Christ

• When you serve the Church you are serving the Head – Christ
• When you speak well of the Church you are speaking well of the Head
• When you represent the Church well in the World, You are representing the Head well
• When mistreat the Church you mistreat the Head.
• When you abuse the Church, you abuse the Head.

Love Christ by loving the Church

Never a dull moment Church!

There is never a dull moment here at LifeChurch. Things have been full on hence not blogging for the last few days.  It’s an exciting Journey with God and seeing people grow in God especially those who have been in the pit for so long rise up in God and begin to take their rightful place in the Kingdom.  Its rewarding and refreshing! As pastors we really believe that you can’t be in church and not grow and bear fruits in every area. That’s why it is so important that you are planted in the House of God firmly.

Recently:

• We baptised 20 new Christians. What a joy to see people making public commitments to follow Christ.

• In Wellington with my wife for a night! Too short!

• We’ve just celebrated Servolution 2010 at a combined service with other churches. So blessed to see the BODY together!

• We had the most incredible Easter Weekend – GLORIOUS! Our teams worked really hard to make things happen. Turning a Theatre into a Cathedral atmosphere was amazing. It brought back memories of going to church as a child.  The presence of the Lord was powerful, turning hearts back to him!

• We kicked off the next  discipleship class for 2010 – GROW 201 on Wednesday!

• Last Friday, we launched our new SWITCH Friday Nights. SWITCH is Life Church’s youth ministry and the aim of SWITCH is reaching young people of Manurewa & South Auckland with this new initiative.

• Spoke at CityWay church leadership Training on Church Leadership and Culture! Great discussion and potential for growth in this church.

• Last Saturday I launched a new radio show on Radio Samoa with Pastor Chris Sola – ‘E afua mai mauga le manuia o le nuu’ – translated – ‘blessings flow from the mountain tops’… or something close to that. The focus is ‘Church Leadership’,  providing both practical and Biblical helps for church leaders and congregations,  addressing some of the issues facing the church of today!

• My wife and I started this Radio Ministry 11 years ago here in Auckland New Zealand reaching the largest Polynesian group in New Zealand – Samoans. It is estimated to be 130, 000 Samoans now living in New Zealand. We stream Radio Samoa live on www.radiosamoa.co.nz

• Sunday I was involved in the planting of a new church in Manukau called ‘Au Uso Kerisiano Manukau’. The kingdom is extended once again.

• Speaking of Sunday……….I missed my wife’s preaching, but from what I heard she totally rocked the place. I have seen this woman grown from strength to strength in this area. She was so nervous on the day she preached her first sermon at church, she was in tears and her breathing was louder than her words…(honestly). When she spoke at our youth camp beginning of this year, she was hot! She is a ‘no beat around the bush’ preacher. When mum speaks in the house all the kids need to listen! You go gal!!

• This week SWITCH is running a School Holiday Programme in Randwick Park Manurewa called U GOT GAME! They have been running this for 2 years now and its growing!

Church Leadership Programme on Radio Samoa

O le faamoemoe o lenei polokalame o le fesoasoani i faifeau ma taitai o Ekalesia. Faafofoga i nisi o faifeau ma taitai o le a fesoasoani ma faasoa mai i lenei polokalame. Ole faanaunautaiga ina ia manuia, malosi le ola faatuatua o tagata i lalo o se taitaiga lelei. This radio programme will focus on church leadership. The aim to is to help lift the level of leadership in our churches by helping leaders. On this show I will be discussing church leadership related issues and provide some practical tips and solutions. Join me and my weekly guests on Saturday nights on Radio Samoa 1593am (Auckland NZ). Below are some of the topics and issues that we will cover over the next few months.

Topics:

• • • • • • • How to appoint new leaders?
            • Accountability in the church
            • The life of a church minister
            • How to handle change
            • The ministers children
            • Woman and Leadership
            • Change the style don’t change the message
            • God, Church and Sex
            • Church and Money
            • Church at Community
            • Developing tomorrows church leaders today
            • Church & Missions
            • Dealing with Adultery in the church
            • Transitioning from a traditional church to a contemporary church

Issues

• • • • • • • Who leads the church?
            • Is he a Fundraiser or a Minister?
            • I love my Church
            • Why are there so many churches?
            • Is it really necessary to read out the names of people who gave money on Sunday?
            • Have we Christianised the Faasamoa or have we Faasamoan Christianity?
            • Church is boring?
            • I can’t stand church meetings!
            • I haven’t been to church since my youth group days!
            • There is nothing in church for my kids
            • I am in a new church and loving it!