In 2014, when our family moved to Wellington to plant a church, there were only two other people who packed their bags and got on the plane to come be with us. Jess & Bec, from our sending church in Australia, moved to Wellington to do what they could to help us get a new church up and running.
But even though we came with two supporters on the ground there were hundreds of people upholding this baby church in prayer.
They were daily bringing us before God in prayer, asking for him to grow and bless this church so that it would be a church that loved Jesus and loved Wellington. A church that would reach new people, grow and eventually plant more churches.
I share this for two reasons. First, God hears and answers our prayers. As we continue to multiply and mature wholehearted followers of Jesus through planting a church in the Hutt Valley, this is a very real answer to their prayers!
God has been faithful to the prayers of his saints over the life of City on a Hill. He has been responsive to many prayers and requests - providing what we need, enabling us to over come obstacles in our way, sustaining our church through difficult seasons, drawing people to himself through the sharing of the gospel, raising up more ministry partners and maturing us as his followers.
The second reason is to remind us all that even though we might not all 'go'(whether it be to the Hutt Valley, Austria, Japan, with Wycliffe or wherever!) we can all partner in a real and significant way by praying.
In the famous missionary verses in Paul's letter to the Romans there is a part we often overlook. In Romans 10 he writes,
'How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’'
We usually focus on the 'beautiful feet' of the one who goes and brings the good news to a new place or people. But Paul says they can't go unless they are sent. And a key part of sending is prayer.
There will be seasons of life where we are the ones to 'go' and other seasons where we will be the ones to 'send' people out. I think Paul would argue that the 'sending' is just as important as the going.
This Sunday, whether we're planning on 'going' or if our part will be the 'sending', we're going to gather to pray for the Hutt Valley Church Plant. Can I ask you to make plans to join us as we bring our prayers and requests to God so that he might use us to reach more people with the saving news of Jesus?
Grace & peace,
Andrew
eNews - 31st March 2023