On the heels of our November anniversary service, HBC held a Christmas Service on December 14th. 97 attended, with 75 on average throughout the past two months. The North Island Family Camp was hosted the final week of the year, and our church was again challenged through the preaching and encouraged by the fellowship. Thank you for praying for this event!
On the first Sunday of the year, we began something new for our 10AM Bible Study hour. Although it is not a commonly used format in New Zealand, we shifted to a more traditional Sunday School/Bible Study structure. We split into kids classes, a teen study, a Foundations Class (for Bible basics), and the regular adult study. This is an attempt to fill several spiritual needs within the church. To God’s glory, so far it has been a great blessing. The attendance for that hour increased from 35 on average to 50 this month, and it has resulted in many spiritual benefits. The main goal is to assist the spiritual growth of each subset on a more individual level. Please be praying for the current teachers and potential teachers for future classes. This is supplemental to the many one-on-one discipleships that are ongoing throughout the week. What good is a growing church if it is not a grounded church?
Another exciting event on that first Sunday was the salvation of three young boys in the Junior Church. Two nine year old boys and Bentlee! We praise God for working in his heart leading up to that day and are thankful for the fruit in his life since.
In a large step towards the church becoming indigenous, the church voted for 50% of Pastor Lim’s salary to be paid by HBC. After tracking our offerings for twelve months now, I am confident in the church’s ability to take this step of faith. This leaves the other 50% on FBC of Hamilton and ourselves. The church will review this quarterly until they are able to reach 100%. This vision was helpfully given by Pastor Jono from FBC many months ago. It is all to God’s glory that it is becoming a reality, in a first world economic environment, and in the time span that it has.
While out soul winning with Bentlee a few weeks ago, I passed up a man my age who was mowing his lawns, not once, but twice. He’s busy, he’s young, probably not interested. You know the fight the flesh puts up! At that moment God stopped me in my tracks, and the man called out, “Are you giving out books about God?” I wheeled around and answered, walking back to him. It turns out he and several friends became Christians last year via online sources and have been reading their Bibles, but have no idea about the need for church! Pray for Luke, that he would get into church. I had prayed that morning with our outreach group that we “wouldn’t pass people up for how they look.”
Another man my age messaged us from the NZ Gospel Films, he has not met a Christian, never held a Bible, and lives in a rural area with no gospel preaching church. He is on the fence about Christ, but very close. In these cases, we send them a Bible with guidance on where to read (Romans Road) and usually a Case for Christ if it fits their condition. Pray for this man as I seek to continue contact with him, and the others who message in like this.
Please pray for the men within our church who are starting to teach, and for greater commitment of membership from many others. Pray for our visas which are being processed, Lord-willing, before the baby arrives. Pray for a healthy delivery in March. And lastly, pray for guidance on the next open door for our ministry.
Thank you for praying and sacrificing for the gospel’s sake,
Josh, Alyse, Bentlee and Raelynn Szwarga
