2025 has the opportunity to be a very significant year in the life of our church. Here are some of the things we are hoping to see happen:
God willing, we will launch our new congregation in the Hutt Valley in February. This will be a place and a platform for us to reach more and more people in this region with the good news of Jesus.
God willing, we will recruit another pastor for 2026. This will be essential for future church planting around Wellington by increasing the capacity of our team to make the most of new opportunities.
God willing, we will be financially independent from external support and grants for the first time since we planted in 2014. We continue to transition from being a small and young plant into a more mature and stable church that is in the position to establish a gospel witness in Wellington for generations to come and also be a generous supporter of other ministries which share the same gospel vision.
God willing, we will continue to proclaim the good news of Jesus to the city and community around us, urging them to repent and believe so that they might be saved. As Jesus said, the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.
You might notice that all these begin with God willing. As it says in Proverbs 16:9,
In their hearts humans plan their course,
but the Lord establishes their steps.
This proverb tells us that what happens in our lives and in our church this year, it is the Lord’s business. He is the one who will do it. He establishes our steps.
So the first thing I’d like to ask us all to do is to pray. Ask God for the things we desire to see happen in and through our church. Plead with him that he might work so that the lost will be saved, so that we will grow in godliness, so that God’s word will dwell richly amongst us and transform all who hear it, so that more workers will be raised up and sent out into the Lord’s harvest field.
But did you notice in the proverb that humans still plan their course. We don’t just ‘Let go and let God’ but we as we pray we also make plans, we prepare, we budget and schedule. So the next thing I’d like for us all to consider is how we can be part of what God is doing in our church this year.
There are five concrete ways I’d love for us to be committing to what God is doing in our church this year: Praying - Serving - Giving - Growing - Sharing.
Praying every day for ourselves, our church, our city.
Serving as opportunities and needs arise, in particular in a ministry team.
Giving generously in serious financial partnership with our church and mission partners.
Growing as a follower of Jesus by engaging richly with his word and one another.
Sharing the hope we have in Jesus as we have the opportunity.
As you look at that list, is there anything you need to start doing? Is there anything where you can step up? Is there anything you need help with? Please reach out as we’re all in this wonderful mission of God’s kingdom together.
Grace & peace,
Andrew