Its amazing the people you meet when you're stuck on a plane! This year I have found myself on planes more often than usual. Everyone on a plane has an interesting story to tell...actually I'll let you in on a little secret - everyone (full stop) has an interesting story if you'll just take the time to listen! 

It makes me think, how often do we really take the time to listen to some-one else's story? How much attention do we give to others, valuing their journey, hearing their dreams and concerns? 

I think it's true to say that this comes more naturally to some than it does to others, but does our comfort level really give a legitimate reason to opt out of engaging in heart felt listening? Much of the time I think not. 

In a world which is obsessed with me-ism, we have an opportunity as Christians to model an alternative way. We can buck the trend and seek to truly engage with the story of other's lives. We can show that we care by having a genuine interest in people's journey. Who knows, maybe we might even get a chance to share some of our journey of faith in Jesus with someone because we have first earned the right to share by listening. 

Or maybe we could just stick our heads in the koru magazine or a book, filling our lives with more of me! The choice is ours to make. 

Blessings, Pastor David 

It seems like forever since I wrote my last “blurb” in the newsletter. Now that our Vision Night/ AGM is over for another year we can get back to me and my 5c worth—what fun :) 

Talking about the Vision Night. I was so encouraged by the turnout again this year. It’s so important to have buy-in and involvement from as many as possi-ble at a time when we are talking about the future. One of the most exciting things about the meeting for me was the fact that we voted in two new El-ders—a woman, and a relatively young man. Congratulations Yvonne and Brendan! 

What is so exciting about that? Well it speaks of where we are as a Church. We are not afraid to recognise leadership wherever it comes from. We are confident enough to entrust ourselves, as Christ’s church, to those He has raised up for the task—without favouritism (sound familiar from our series in Acts?). Well done Church! 

Now we must go about the task that lies ahead: Establishing stronger “Community Involvement” and building for the future through “Capital Devel-opment”. These notions are no small feat, but with the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the determination of a people set aside for the Kingdom of God, then we can achieve this and even more in Jesus’ name. 

Let’s get ourselves up off the couch. Let’s not sit on the sideline. Let’s get in there “boots and all” so that we can see “significant Kingdom impact in South Taranaki”. 

Do I hear an Amen? 

Rich blessings, Pastor David Auty 

When I was very young I remember my Aunty coming to stay with us.  This Aunty was a smoker of the "multiple packets a day" variety.  One day I stole one of my Aunty's cigarettes, well actually I stole a whole packet because I thought just one was too obvious - doh!  Like many kids of my day, I was curious to know what it would be like.  I remember going out to the back yard, hiding behind the fence, taking one small puff, and coughing my lungs out.  I headed inside to the bathroom, desperate to get the taste out of my mouth, and my little sister came strolling in singing, "Ummm, you smoked! I'm gonna tell mum and dad!"  I have never touched another cigerette in my life!

Some of you reading this will be like me, non-smokers who can't stand the thought of it; others may have kicked the habit and never want to go back; some may continue to struggle with it; while others may still be happy to light up.  Whatever your situation I want to make a small observation about what's happening with smoking here in NZ and how I think the church could respond.

In today's news there was an article about an incident between National MP Tau Henare and an anti-smoking advocate.  Tau is a long term smoker and took objection to something that was said about smoking.  He talked about smokers being the "new lepers" of society.  I think he's right!  Just think about it for a moment.  A generation ago smoking was a totally acceptable practice in normal society.  The only place you might have been asked not to smoke was at church, and even then churches often had semi-designated "smoking areas".  

Today it's like the tables have been turned on smokers.  Not only are they criticised for "killing themselves", but they are accused of "killing us through passive smoke".  Smokers are ostrocised and even rejected in many circles these days.  Whether it be a disgusted glare or a derogatory remark, the isolation and victimisation can be very real for a smoker these days.  

Yes, smoking is "bad for you"!  I'm not an advocate for smoking or the money hungry exploitation from tobacco companies!  But who will speak for the smoker?  These people who are trapped in a poitical game that is creating a "new leper" in "civilised society". Perhaps there will be a place for the church to have a voice here?  In the future, perhaps the safest place for a smoker to be could be in a loving Christian community? (now wouldn't that be a turn of events).  Who else will stand up for the under-dog?  Who else is going to advocate for the oppressed?  What do you think? :)

The Olympics are almost upon us and anticipation is in the air.  I just know that I will enjoy watching all manner of sports over the next few weeks that I wouldn't dream of watching at any other time.  A strange transformation is about to take place where-by all New Zealanders miraculously become fans of cycling, shot-put, rowing, and weighlifting. Fancy that!

So what is it about the Olympics that makes us like this?  Well, I think there's something about it that captures our collective imagination.  Somehow we know that we ought to be the best in the world, at least in some thing, and the Olympics gives us an opportunity to prove it.  Our notion of "Kiwi-ness" binds us together and somehow each of us identifies with those great athletes as "one of us".  The fact that its the athletes who have put in the hard work and will be the ones who win, place in the medals, come fourth (doh!), or get to participate doesn't seem to make any difference. This is us -  NZ against the world.

These big sports events tie us together in a sense of togetherness that is reminiscent of good community.  It was the same with the Rugby World Cup last year.  For a couple of months we were all (well most of us) part of this great big Rugby family, cheering on the AB's and full of pride at our victory.

There is something spiritual about all this too.  Really? I hear you say.  Well, yes, I think there is.

Striving for the best and achieving victory is all part of God's plan!  Doing it together, with a crowd to cheer us, helps us to get there. 

Hebrews 12:1 says:
"As for us, we have this large crowd of witnesses around us. So then, let us rid ourselves of everything that gets in the way, and of the sin which holds on to us so tightly, and let us run with determination the race that lies before us."

Enjoy the games!

Our very name "Baptist" gives away something of our identity.  Foundational to our existence as a movement has been this idea of "believer's baptism by full immersion".  Again, this is no longer a position that is unique to Baptist Churches, however it is still something that distinguishes us from many other Christian traditions, most notably those who practice infant baptism, sprinkling, no baptism at all, or various combinations.  It is not my intention in this small article to convince you that believer's baptism is the "correct" way, but rather to summarise what I believe about baptism (as a long term Baptist person) and to highlight the tensions that exist for us around baptism as a 21st century Baptist Church.

For me baptism is an act of discipleship.  Unlike some traditions that see baptism as an entry point into the Kingdom of God (and thus it can happen to a child), I would assert that entry or belonging to the Kingdom of God is more a dynamic of faith than a physical act.  There is, of course, a physical act involved in baptism, and for that reason some Baptist Churches (not Hawera) still link it to "Membership", however in my thinking that act is more correctly understood as one of discipleship rather than belonging.  It's an individual decision, rather than a parental or community decision.  This decision is made as a response to the reality of faith in Jesus that has already occurred for that person, which of course usually happens within the context of a family and/or community. 

I would consider baptism to be a step of obedience.  Jesus said, "believe and be baptised" and so we follow the model that was established by Jesus and was the practice of the early church.  Related to this idea is that in some way we are "following" Jesus when we respond in obedience, from our own conscience, rather than the decision of others. 

It's also a public statement of belief - and quite an extreme statement at that.  When you think about it, it's rather "different" for a teenager or adult to step into a body of water, fully clothed, and have someone guide them to full immersion and out again.  However it is this very act and the symbolism attached to it (eg. dying to self, rising to new life, submission, cleansing etc.), that makes the statement so strong and clearly shows ones intention to follow Jesus for the rest of your life.

So that's what I believe, and with some small variations, what most Baptists have believed in the past.  However we are living in a mixed up world!  No longer are Baptist Churches full of Baptist people, rather we're a collection of Christian people from various backgrounds and different traditions.  For this reason alone I would be hesitant to say that "believer's baptism is the only form of baptism".  However, it is important that we don't simply give up on believer's baptism by immersion because some might think differently. As a Baptist Church we need to continue to promote "believer's baptism" and challenge people to this high calling of discipleship, obedience and public witness.  We should see more of it, not less of it, even while accepting that some among us will have had quite a different experience and find God's hand and significance in that. What do you think?

Last week we looked at the unique way in which Baptist churches approach decision making and I suggested that perhaps we need to value the principle of "everyone has the opportunity to contribute in decision making" more highly than our practice of "membership voting". This week I'd like to look at the concept of "The Priesthood of all believers" which is not a Baptist idea alone, but is held, with some variation, by many Protestant Churches.

When I was Youth Pastor at Henderson Baptist in Auckland we always had the name of the Pastors on the front of our newsletters.  This is not surprising, however we also had the following statement, "Ministers: The whole congregation". Such statements come from this idea of a "Priesthood of all believers" which basically says: no longer must I receive ministry only from the ordained Priest/Pastor; no more do I have to sit back and leave it to the professionals.  When I see a person in need I am able to minister to that person; when I myself am in need I can call upon my fellow Christians and not just the Priest/Pastor to minister to me.

This is an amazing concept that has the potential of breaking down barriers and giving freedom and hope to our congregations.  It legitimises the gifts that God has given to each of us and in Baptist Churches, historically at least, this idea has been practiced well. However, "the Priesthood of all believers" is under threat in our day and age.  If not in theory, certainly in practice, this idea has largely been abandoned by many Christians today.

I have seen this happen in a number of Baptist churches.  A church starts to rely heavily on a gifted Pastor and/or one or two other key leaders.  These leaders "minister" well, and with great ability run almost every activity of the Church (either directly or in close proximity). Sadly however, this approach breeds a culture of dependance upon those leaders and can dis-empower much of the congregation.  If/when these leaders can no longer lead (for a variety of reasons), the Church is thrown into a crisis of leadership and no one is left to minister.

It's not just the "leaders" though.  Unfortunately, many Christians have abdicated their role as ministers in deference to a form of "clerical professionalism".  Now don't get me wrong, Pastors certainly should be well trained; have strong accountability; and a strong sense of call, however this should be something that adds to the expression of Christian community and faith in our churches, not something that defines it.  Fear; a sense of inadequacy; and this growing "professionalism" has stopped many everyday Christians from seeing themselves as ministers.

I don't think that we should ascribe "fault" as such, either to Pastors or congregations where this is the case.  However I do think that we can make changes to ensure that it doesn't continue this way.  In fact, if we want to see vibrant and growing churches then we need to reclaim this idea of the "Priesthood of all believers" and empower our people to be ministers.

What do you think?  Does this ring true to you, or do you have a different understanding or approach to this?  Let me know.

Arohanui, Pastor David Auty

Baptist people historically have loved to talk about "congregational governance" and the fact that we try to "discern together the mind of Christ". These ideas are not uniquely Baptist, however they are certainly not held by all Christians. In the past these ideas have been expressed primarily through the "Member's meetings" and democratic voting practices. However, I wonder if we should value the idea more highly than its normal expression in practice.

Back in the days when "Baptist" was a fledgling movement in England, the Churches started to do something that was completely counter-cultural and frankly quite shocking! At a time in history when less than 20% of the adult population had democratic voting rights, the Baptist church said "No! - we believe everyone should have a say!" They introduced voting for Church Member's and thus allowed all voices to be heard in major decision-making, not just the voices of the rich and influential. This was a revolutionary practice that uniquely expressed the idea of "discerning together", at a time in history when decision making in Churches, like most organisations, was more likely to be dominated by a select group of individuals.

This history makes me proud! It also makes me question: what might be an equally radical and counter-cultural way of claiming back the idea of "discerning together" at this time in history where everyone has rights to democratic processes, and yet many voices remain unheard? Rooted in a history of radical and counter-cultural activity, that exposed the weaknesses of the power processes of the day, can we find a better way that will help us to "discern together the mind of Christ" in this time in history? Are inherited models of "Member's meetings" and democratic processes effective for us anymore? Should we be looking at new ways that can help us to gain back this idea of true input and participation in finding God's will together as a community of faith? Does a Baptist Church in Hawera have a role to play in these things?

I think that we have already started doing this. We are exploring different ways of doing "Church meetings" (eg. forums; preliminary discussions; prayer oriented etc.). We are trialling new leadership structures (eg. Focus areas and the “Champions” concept). In the midst of all of this we remain “Baptist” and so continue to value the idea of “discerning together the mind of Christ”. Our practices should therefore allow everyone the potential for participation in decision making. This is a challenge that sits alongside another: how do we allow our chosen leaders to lead well? These are tricky issues, however I believe we are navigating these things right now! Pray, with God's help, that together we will navigate well.

Arohanui, Pastor David Auty

I can just picture some of you squirming in your seats at the very question! Most people in Protestant/Evangelical churches these days would be much more likely to identify as "Christian" than as "Baptist" or "Presbyterian" or something else.  In that sense the "days or denominationalism" are gone.  This is a good thing if we are thinking about denominations in a "we're right and they're wrong", or in a possessive/exclusive way (which I think has sometimes been the case).  However, I do wonder what this means for us as part of a local Baptist Church.

The reality is that as a Baptist Church we do have a distinct flavour, we do have unique ways of doing things, we do look at the world in different ways - in short, we have distinctive ideas that are important to us!  This is true for "Baptists" as a denomination, but it's equally true for us as a local Church.  So what are the important bits?  Over the next few weeks I'd like to explore this question.  For some it will serve as a reminder, for others it may be the first time you've thought about these things, either way, I think these are distinctive Baptist ideas that it would be sad to lose:.
1. Our understanding of decision making
2. Our belief in the "Priesthood of all believers"
3. Our theology and practice of believer's baptism.
4. Our concept of Membership: the good, the bad and the ugly.

We may find over the next few weeks that there are others things that should be included here so please engage in a dialogue if possible.  These articles will be posted onto our facebook group every week, and of course I'm always available for a chat if that's how you prefer to dialogue. I'm looking forward to looking at these ideas with you over the coming weeks.

I've had rather a strange thing happen to me over the past few months - I've started listening to classical music! To some of you that may not seem that strange, but the truth is that I've never really listened much to classical music before, so why the change now? It all started one day when I noticed the very non-christian world view promoted by many pop songs that play on the radio. I'd never had that much of a problem with it before, reasoning that I could filter out the trash and just enjoy the music, however that day it really got to me and I changed my car radio to the concert program, and so far I haven't looked back. Now, not only do I listen to classical music in the car, but I find myself downloading Bach and Beethoven onto my smart phone and listening to it in the background when I'm working away on my computer. What has happened to me? I think two things have happened:

The first thing relates to how classical music is so full of passion and power. You are able to "feel" the music without being told how to feel it (particularly when there are no lyrics - or perhaps Italian lyrics). I have found this fact to be quite therapeutic...it's almost like having permission to express the emotions on the inside in a healthy and God focussed way, without the distraction of words.

The second thing follows on from this and I have found that it gives me space to turn the music into worship. No longer am I bound to lyrics that say "forget you", or "*issing the night away" (btw, the * is not a "k"), but I can make my own words of praise to God, or simply allow the silence to minister deep inside me and allow for a worshipful response "from the inside out".

I am so excited about this new thing that I have even taken a break from listening to my favourite bands (from the 80s and 90s) and am now almost exclusively classical. Who knows how long this lasts, but I hope that somehow I can weave in the principles of this "classical worship" into the fabric of my life.

Arohanui,
Pastor David Auty 

Olya shared with us the other week about how God is already speaking to us through this years Prayer and Self Denial. Over three Sundays, without any prior knowledge or planning, three things happened:

1. I preached on Acts 16 (as part of our Acts series);

2. the next week Pastor Mark Trewavas came and shared about their journey to Thailand to work amongst the Isaan people

3. the next week Olya was introducing this years Prayer and Self Denial and what was on the introduction page? Acts 16 AND a project with the Isaan people in Thailand! Wow!!

I really want to encourage every one of us to engage in this years appeal with open ears, arms and hearts. Listen for what God is saying to you, to your family, and to us as a church family. Use the weekly handouts as a prompter to prayer and engagement, remember that 7-8am on Tuesdays we'll be praying down here at the church prayer room...and please try to make it along to each of the next three Sunday mornings as we explore together what God is saying to us.

The theme for the 2012 Prayer and Self Denial campaign is Are You Ready? Are you ready to Reach?

Are you ready to Redeem?

Are you ready to Restore?

Over the three weeks we will be looking at Paul and Silas' mission journey in Acts 16.

The receptacle this year is an integral part of tranzsend’s reaching, redeeming and restoring. Made in the Kalasin province of Thailand by the Isaan people, it is part of a project bringing economic help to a poor region, and providing opportunities for the local churches to reach out to the majority Buddhist population. There will be one large ‘family’ container for each church, as well as a small container for each family.

I can't wait to hear what God is saying to us during this years Prayer and Self Denial appeal!

Arohanui,
Pastor David Auty