NZ Christian Network goals - May 2011

After surveying leaders over the past 16 months we have identified nine major activity areas.

Remembering that Wilberforce took 40 years to achieve his goal of abolishing slavery, we recognise that achieving a significant result in any of these areas could take decades rather than years. However, to begin the process of achieving these aims, we must focus our energy, resources, and thinking to discern and pursue God's will.

In each area the most important task will be to develop a strategic plan. This will be the primary focus of initial consultations with individuals and organisations that are already operating in the field.

The Lausanne phrase (‘world evangelisation requires the whole Church to take the whole Gospel to the whole World') should be seen as foundational to achieving these goals. It is not enough to have a small group spreading these messages through channels of influence. It needs Christians at every level, especially grass- roots level, to be spreading the same messages.

Although these activity areas will be a major focus for NZ Christian Network, it should be noted that there are many important discussions covered under #7 below (Task Forces and Strategic Conversations) in which we are involved. At the time of writing, kingdom economics, criminal justice, and millennium development goals are three such topics.

Major activity areas

1. 7th Congress (10-13 February 2014)
Plan, promote, and run the 7th NZ Christian Network Leaders' Congress in 2014. This is a major opportunity for Christian leaders to gather 3-yearly to build relationships and share plans and ideas.

2. Bicentenary of the Gospel in New Zealand (25 December 2014)
The bicentenary will create significant opportunities for raising awareness of the Gospel and for outreach, not only for Christmas Day (the actual bicentenary) but also for the whole year. Planning is well underway, and NZ Christian Network will play a significant role, especially as a communication hub, and also building regional committees.

3. Address radical secularism
Despite popular opinion, frequently advanced by commentators in the media, New Zealand is not a secular society. Even the phrase secular state is problematic as it leads people to think that religion has no place in government or public life. Theocratic states are arguably even worse, as Islamic countries show currently, and the Church has showed during times when it controlled political power. A proper balance between State and Church is needed. At the present time, many Christian leaders think the relationship is out of balance, and more attention should be given to Christian positions on economics, social justice, law and order, family relationships, and sanctity of life.

4. Strengthen marriage to strengthen family
Discussion about marriage frequently alienates and offends people. There is often little sensitivity, for example, that many people in single-parent homes do not choose to be in that situation. However, marriage is the institution ordained by God for adult intimate relationships. It is a representation of God's faithfulness, and provides security for the marriage partners, children, and society as a whole. The importance of marriage needs to be recovered along with better equipping and support.

5. Sacredness of life - abortion
New Zealand has one of the highest rates of abortion in the western world (22% of pregnancies ends in abortion - 18,000 babies each year). This is too high, especially as the vast majority are simply matters of convenience, and there is a long list of people wanting to adopt children. While there are many areas where the sacredness of life is being challenged, none is more clear or urgent than this one. A society which accepts such a utilitarian view of life will soon see life threatened in other areas.

6. City unity
Unity of the Church nationally can never be stronger than the unity of the church locally. Unity among local churches in a city or town is a vital component of effective witness and collaborative mission. It reduces the risks of competitiveness between churches (known as ‘sheep stealing'), and errors in doctrine and praxis. From NZ Christian Network's perspective, functional ministers' groups can make communication of important national issues more effective.

7. Task forces and strategic conversations
We currently connect with 24 groups and conversations. For the most part this involves being mainly a contact point to help connect people, and we use our website and a monthly email to post relevant information. Where a particular conversation is especially significant because of (say) its urgency, topical relevance, or the potential to build unity or reduce division, we may invest more time.

8. Promote holistic evangelisation
The Gospel involves words and deeds, proclamation and social action. Some churches are stronger in one than in another; some are weak in both; a small number could probably be described as strong in both. Sometimes the Gospel we proclaim is a reduction or distortion of the Gospel. The Word incarnate is described as filled with grace and truth (John 1). Either one without the other can, and frequently does, undermine the work of the Gospel.

9. Liaison with WEA
We are the New Zealand member of the World Evangelical Alliance. As such we need to continue to fulfil the basic functions of an evangelical alliance summed up in our motto as ‘Gather - Build - Speak', providing what the WEA refers to as ‘Identity - Platform - Voice' for NZ evangelicals. We need to stay informed of WEA initiatives and communicate relevant information to our constituency. We also need to be a responsible member of the regional alliance (South Pacific Regional Alliance) which NZ Christian Network's National Director Glyn Carpenter serves currently as Chairman. All of the regional chairs also serve as regents of the WEA leadership institute (WEALI).

For each activity area, leaders in the following spheres of influence will be identified and involved as appropriate:
1. Arts and Entertainment
2. Business
3. Education
4. Family
5. Government and Law
6. Media
7. Religion

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