GOD Loves Sth. Auckland
Kia ora whanau
God loves South Auckland!
God was so concerned for the wellbeing of the Jerusalem widows that He mobilized 7 Spirit-filled, wise, powerfully anointed men to take care of them. He saw the 120 thousand people in Nineveh and mobilized Jonah to reach them. He saw the lost city of Babylon and led Israel into captivity therein to seek its welfare and to pray for it. He saw the broken walls and burned gates of Jerusalem and raised up Nehemiah to rebuild its ancient ruins in record time!
Apostolic Strategy has not changed. God loves nations and their cities. He wills that they be saved, discipled, and transformed through the transformative power of the Christian Communities planted within them. The power of the priesthood of all believers working together beyond boxes, labels, and man-imposed boundaries.
You don’t have to live in South Auckland long to see the broken walls and the burned gates. There is a measure of lostness, pain and brokenness (spiritual, societal, systemic) in South Auckland that you won’t find in other regions of our city. There are great things happening through the church in our hood, yet the challenges that we confront daily are growing. If we take our eyes off Christ, we will become overwhelmed and sink. As leaders we cannot withdraw or become intimidated by the giants and the aftershocks of the Covid tsunami. Tarshish is not an option. Neither is sitting down and weeping on the riverbanks waiting for His return. Our harps are for singing songs over our city, not for hanging in the willow trees. Our Apostolic Mission is to rebuild its ruins … to repair the broken walls … one person, household, man, woman, boy, girl, widow, orphan, refugee, and foreigner at a time. I have faith that we will achieve this as we raise the Banner of Christ together.
Nehemiah asked God for success for his mission. Let us come together in South Auckland in 2023 to ask God to GIVE US SUCCESS through transformative strategies, ministries and partnerships.
In November a small group of South Auckland leaders came together to pray for our city. Something of significance in the Spirit was released at that gathering. We are indebted to Colin Shaw and his team from City by City for bringing us together. I am full of faith for the future of the church and her impact in our city and beyond. May we become a lightning rod that God can use to bring the power of heaven and transformation into South Auckland.
Joshua 3:3-5 is a word for 2023. Move out from your positions (old pre-Covid ways of doing things) and follow the Holy Spirit. We have never been this way before. We intuitively feel and discern the winds of change, but we do not yet have all the language for it. Consecrate yourselves because God will do amazing things amongst us.
May you and your churches experience His peace and blessings over this Christmas & New Year season.
No reira
Ngā mihi nunui ki a koutou i tēnei wā.
Kia kaha
Kia maia
Kia manawanui
Tēnā tātou
Michael Nicholas
Pastor
Faith City