Prayer Letter March 2024
What’s up with The Way?
Two weeks ago, while in transit to the Philippines, we toured the remains of Hong Kong’s infamous “Walled City”. A city of misery, a den of iniquity, controlled by violent triads and filled with opium addicts, prostitutes, destitutes and gigantic rats. The Walled City has now been completely demolished and in its place is a beautiful memorial garden complete with an exhibit detailing the site’s sordid history. But missing from the exhibit is one very important fact. The fact that in 1966 a young missionary, Jackie Pullinger, was sent by God to bring the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Walled City. A light in the darkness. Over the decades that she lived there, Jackie saw hundreds of broken people saved by Jesus Christ, set free from addiction, and restored to life. The city is gone now. Fallen. But the impact of one missionary will live on forever.
We are deeply thankful to the Lord for all that He is doing, through the many everyday missionaries of The Way who enter and engage with their mission fields, sow the gospel, disciple new believers, and gather as multiplying New Testament style churches. One day our neighbourhoods will be gone, our culture will have moved on, but the impact that the gospel has made through us, will last forever.
“The grass withers, the flowers fall, but the Word of our God endures forever.” (Isaiah 40:80)
Here are some highlights from the last three months:
There have been salvations and baptisms!
The Gospel is being proclaimed and is bearing fruitPeople have been set free from demons and curses!
The Kingdom of God is advancingSincere love is growing between believers!
The mind of Christ is filling His bodySpiritual gifts are being given, received and used!
The body is being built upBible studies are happening with unbelievers!
Believers are sharing the Word with the spiritually lostMissionaries are going out to the nations!
The Great Commission is being obeyedBelievers are discipling one another!
The body is growing towards full maturityDisciples are multiplying and churches are being planted!
Churches are sending out “everyday missionaries” who plant new churches
A movement of everyday missionaries
As the movement grows, both here and overseas, we are noticing that the people who join The Way churches are either unbelievers, new believers, returning believers (who have been distant from The Lord and His body), or believers who are seeking to be part of a mission focussed church. In other words, we are not just receiving people who are wanting the ‘latest thing’. We are so very glad about this! But the challenging side of this is, firstly, that we have a lot of people who are yet to mature in the Lord and, secondly, that there are more people wanting to be part of The Way churches than there are leaders to lead these churches! Almost every week we hear from people keen to be part of a local home church but not keen to be trained to plant and lead a church. We are excited to see small but significant breakthroughs in this, where some believers are willing to move forward into leadership. We thank God for these people and pray for more!
Here are three wonderful stories:
Karl & Helene Orchard
When the Lord called Karl and Helene and their daughters to move to Papua New Guinea to work with Mission Aviation Fellowship, they were already working hard as everyday missionaries in Upper Hutt. They had started a neighbourhood bible study, were sharing the gospel, opening their home, and discipling other believers. They are such an encouragement as they prepare to go to PNG in a few months’ time, trusting the Lord to provide the funds they need. If you would consider financially supporting these missionaries, please do so! To learn more about Karl and Helene click here to go to the MAF website
Visit to Mindanao
Two years ago, William - a Filipino pastor - reached out to us via our website. We have spent the last two years training and coaching him in his efforts to lead the believers in Mindanao to reach their neighbourhoods with the gospel. Two weeks ago we visited William for the first time. It was amazing to meet so many of the believers and unbelievers involved in Discovery Bible Studies! The work now extends to reaching many university students with the Gospel.
Multiplying Missionaries
One day Sarah walked down her street, knocked on the door of Justine, and invited her over for coffee. Sarah then found out that Justine was already a believer but wasn’t part of a church community. Justine and her teenage son joined The Way church in Plimmerton.
Justine began to share the gospel with her friend Vesna who was going through a tough time. Vesna responded by giving her life to Jesus!
Vesna is now being discipled by Justine and Sarah and is part of The Way, Paremata.
Vesna has started a weekly Discovery Bible Study with her family back in Serbia and some of them are now ready to give their lives to Jesus!
We would appreciate your prayer for
Karl & Helene Orchard: provision of finances, preparations to go to PNG
William and the work in Mindanao: to see this become a multiplying movement of disciples
The unbelievers doing bible studies: that they would receive Jesus Christ!
The many people who want to be part of New Testament style churches but who don’t have one in their area: that they would choose to be trained and start one!!
The Way finances: our trip to Mindanao cost around $10,000 which was necessary but outside of budget. As we look to the next financial year, we will need to raise additional funds to continue to do the work of The Way. We would love your help with this.
A book we’ve read recently is “In the Presence of my Enemies” by Gracia Burnham.
Probably not the best book to read en route to a mission trip in Mindanao! Anyway… a huge reminder of the courage and surrender of the many heroes who have paved the way for the gospel - whether in the Walled City of Hong Kong, the jungles of the Philippines, or the shores of Aotearoa. May we be willing to be today’s missionaries!
Thank you for praying for us as we seek to develop:
A movement of everyday missionaries
A collective of home churches
