Occasionally a colleague will ask a question like this: "If you weren't the Pastor at your church would you attend it?"  It's an interesting question because it challenges the reason why we do what we do. However, there is also something very sad about the question. For starters, it assumes that church is something that you attend - that long held myth that somehow faith can be boxed into a religious meeting. Worse than that (IMHO), it can reinforce the devilishly clever lie that somehow we can "consume" religion in a similar way to how we consume McDonald's Hamburgers! 

What does it really mean to be church? If WE ARE THE CHURCH, then how do we overcome consumerism and "compete" with the offerings of the world. Well, I think the answer is simple: we don't! Yes it is important for us to try and relate to people; yes, it is important that we have some degree of "attractiveness" that allows people to think "I would love to be part of that". But ultimate-ly we are not called to be attractive, we are called to be faithful - we are called to fulfill our purpose (honour | build | connect). Can we achieve these things if we separate ourselves from our communi-ty of faith? Can we do this if we neglect to fellowship with one another? 

You see fellowship is important. Meeting together "as is our custom" is more than something to do on a Sunday morning: it is the gathering of the saints; it is the coming together of the body of Christ; it is the bride seeking to be found by the groom "without spot or blemish". 

So here's my answer to that question at the start "If you weren't the Pastor at your church would you attend it? - YES I would. Not because we have the most compelling teaching or most wonderful wor-ship music; not because my kids are well catered for; not because of the great vision and direction of the church (although all these things are important!). I say YES because fellowship is important. I say YES because when we gather together we ARE the church! 

"Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his prom-ise. Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not ne-glect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near." Hebrews 10:23-25 

Blessings
Pastor David Auty 

Last week I told you how I was getting all artistic and creative for Christmas this year. I can report that there has been some success in this regard. All of the gifts for my brother and his family in Timaru have been lovingly hand prepared and are looking fabulous! I'm not sure how much more I will be able to do though, creating is fun, but it takes a lot of time...and time is running out! 

Christmas does seem to sneak up on us doesn’t it. One minute we're thinking about life and work and "normal" things, and the next BHAM...it's Christmas! I will be heading away for a week with the family prior to Christmas (we'll be back for the Christmas eve and Christmas day services!). Then we’ll be head-ing off again for a couple of weeks at the end of January. Over these times I will be intentionally blocking out time to recalibrate; to take time to smell the roses; to re-create myself ready for the challenges and opportunities of the new year...and I’m really looking forward to it! 

How about you? Have you put any thought into how you might do that for yourself this summer? Perhaps a few days out in creation; or some afternoons of quiet reflection? Maybe you could read through the Christmas story again and reflect on it; or take a chunk of scripture and allow the Holy Spirit to speak God’s word into your life. You could even spend time in prayerful con-templation during a Pacific Cruise (Sheridans..hehe ). In whatever way you choose to do it, please make sure you do! After all, God did it (“on the sev-enth day He rested”). 

So let’s express our true nature. We were created in the image of God with creativity in our blood. God intended that we create...and re-create. 

Have a wonderful Christmas! 
Arohanui, 
Pastor David Auty 

This week I have had the pleasure of thinking about Christmas presents and something struck me - instead of being all twisted up walking around shops aimlessly for hours, searching for the "perfect" plastic fantastic item that will hardly last past New Year, why not do something creative for gifts this year? This in itself was a scary prospect! After all, I'm not exactly "known" as an artist (for rather obvious reasons if you've ever seem me draw a stick man). However, this thought has stuck with me, and after a bit of perseverance, I have come up with an artistic plan which meets my three criteria of a good gift: individually meaningful; something the recipient will want to keep for years; and doesn't break the bank to get it. Now for the implementation...hmmm, I'll update you on the progress next week!

God is so creative! In fact, his creativity is such that we call him The Creator! That is a concept that can be hard for us to really grasp, so let's look at the first couple of verses of Psalm 121, a great "Psalm of Ascent":

1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains--
where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

I like to paraphrase verse two to read: "My help comes from the Lord, Maker of Mountains!"  

God's creativity is not simply a matter of fact...it is also a message of his faithfulness, it is a promise of his help in times of difficulty and struggle. Creation speaks to us of a God who is interested in everything that we do...because after all, we too are his handy work!

So as you get into the "Christmas spirit", bear this in mind. Don't let yourself get all wound up in the hustle and bustle, but take some time to bask in God's creation, to enjoy BEING God's creation, and to mirror his character in some creative way. Where does my help come from? From a God who speaks to me through his creation and invites me to participate in it with him.

Arohanui,
Pastor David Auty

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." Ephesians 6:12

Not everything bad that happens to us is due to spiritual attack, but certainly some of it is!  It is important that we are on our toes when it comes to spiritual things. As we look through the Book of Acts together we see a church that is plagued by spiritual opposition in the midst of a time of real effectiveness in sharing the Gospel. This week we look at Stephen, the first Martyr of the church, who lost his life while declaring Jesus as Lord.

I think that it is important that we expect Satan, the author of lies, to mount strong attacks against us at two crucial times in our Christian walk: 1. when we first come to faith; and 2. when we look to be moving towards greater effectiveness in our witness.  At these times it is crucial that we are walking alongside one another; speaking words of life and truth into hard circumstances; sharing together in the real challenges and concerns that we face.  It is also important that we are developing good personal habits in our devotional life: studying the Bible; exploring God's truth through His word; being purposeful in our prayer lives etc.

One of our church members wrote me an email this week and said in it, "I really believe that the Lord is stirring things up in the church" - I agree. And when the Lord is at work, the evil one seeks to undermine and destroy all that God is doing - and he targets us at our weakest points.

Let us stand together as God's people. Let us rely on the goodness of God. Let us face the challenges that come our way in the power of the Holy Spirit!

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes." Ephesians 6:10-11 (the Armour of God: truth, righteousness, readiness, faith, Salvation, the Word of God)

Grace and Peace,
Pastor David Auty

OK, I know it reads a little like a newspaper headline, but believe it or not
it's true. Don't get me wrong, I loved being at the final and sharing in the joy of winning our first Rugby World Cup in 24 years, but now...well, it's over. It's time to move on and there is so much good that we can move on to.
 
As a church we have a mission statement. Do you remember what it is? "HBC exists to: Honour God; Build the Kingdom of God; Connect with our
community."

We also have a brand new vision statement. How does it go again?  "Living faith from the inside out"

As the hype of Richie's boys and the Webb Ellis Cup starts to die down, it's important for us as a church to remember what we're all about. These two statements above give us a glimpse of that. We're about life and faith; we're about people in relationship with God; we're about love and hope.  No matter how excited we might get (and I get a little more excited than most) about Rugby, the plain truth is that there is nothing more exciting than having a living, breathing, deep and meaningful relationship with the creator of the Universe.

So this week as you "bask" in the glow of being Rugby World Cup champions, let's take time to remember the REALLY important things of life, and our life as a community of faith...and let's keep moving together towards being more and more what God wants us to be.

For the glory of God!

Arohanui,
Pastor David Auty

Hope is an interesting word. We use it for all sort of things:
 • I hope the weather stays clear so my washing can dry.
 • I hope that shop is still open.
 • I hope to see my friends during the holidays
 • WE hope the All Blacks win the Webb Ellis trophy this weekend!

Of course this is a legitimate way of using the word "hope". It conveys a sense of longing or desire, but cannot be quite sure of the outcome - basically we "hope for the best"...more akin to "wishful thinking" than "confident assurance".

The English translations of the Bible use the word hope in this way too. However, there are other uses of the word, and one in particular that we need to get our heads around. It is the "hope" that we have in Christ.

Romans 5:3-5 (NLT) "We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love."

This is not a passive hope that "wishes for the best". This hope is confident and sure. This hope is found in the very nature and character of God and is the result of Him transforming us - this is the hope of salvation!

2 Corinthians 3:12 "Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold."

Sometimes we may forget the hope that we have in Christ and think that it is more akin to the "wishful thinking" of predicting the outcome of a Rugby game. But our hope in Christ is far more than that. It is dependable and reliable, and for this reason we can be bold - bold in our confidence, and bold in our witness for Jesus.

Let me encourage you today: Hope beyond hope. Have a hope in your salvation that will make you bold and confident - a hope that comes from a transformed life.

Blessings
Pastor David Auty

I have been enjoying the Rugby World Cup immensely! I know that's not news to many of you, but it is true. What's more I know that many of you have been enjoying it too (apart from last weekend for our English and South African friends sadly). The reality with knock-out Rugby is just that - only one team can win! This weekend will provide another couple of nail biters before the big final in just over a weeks time. Actually, that's what makes it so exciting isn't it? The thrill of the win and the agony of losing is all part of what makes us human and motivates us to get up and do it all again.

How about the huge number of injuries that have impacted many of the teams - particularly those going into the knock-out rounds. Should it really be any surprise? It seems obvious to me that when you get 100+kg men to barge into one another at huge speed, then something is going to give; or when you get a player to do the same motion over-and-over again (like kicking) then the odd strain is inevitable. Add to that the bodies remarkable way of forcing you to slow down in response to stress and it seems quite normal. Even I was knocked out of rugby through injury and that injury still affects me a little today (I have a couple of "Ritchie McCaw" screws in my right foot - I bet you didn't know that!).

So what is the best thing for a Rugby player to do when they're down because of injury?  Rest, recuperate, take stock of your life and make positive decisions for the future - even if that won't include another World Cup or winning the Webb Ellis Trophy.

When it comes to our spiritual lives it is no different. Sometimes we do get "taken out of the game" for a period of time. Sometimes we sustain emotional or spiritual "injury". Sometimes we feel like we can't go on and it's all happening around us with no need for us at all. If you feel that way then take courage from a saying that a Pastor friend of mine often says: "If you take a leap of faith and you fall flat on your face, then that's a great place to worship". The Christian life can be hard, it can be painful at times and it can raise a whole lot of questions for us. Instead of letting it take you completely out of "the game", use it as an opportunity to rest; to recuperate; to take stock of your life and to make positive decisions for the future!

Arohanui,
Pastor David Auty

As if the RWC wasn't enough excitement for our Rugby mad nation, now we have the NZ Warriors competing on Sunday night in the NRL Grand Final! It's a bit of a miracle that the Warriors are in the Grand Final at all really. But they do have a habit of playing patches of brilliance during the competition and the last couple of weeks they have displayed that brilliance against some of the best teams to overcome huge odds and have a shot at the ultimate prize. As Kiwi's we love the underdog, and there's nothing better than a Kiwi underdog taking on the giants.

In life you could say that we are all underdogs. We are surrounded by obstacles that threaten to trip us up; we live with the constant reminder of the barrier that sin has put between people and God; we struggle to overcome our own temptations and to "master" our own sinful nature; we have an enemy that wants to see us fail.  However, unlike the Warriors, we have a certainty in the outcome. We know that Jesus has won the victory over sin and death, and we can live with confidence in that knowledge.

When you're feeling like a bit of an underdog; when you're struggling with the challenges and temptations of life, remember this truth found in Romans 6:6 "We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin".

Isn't that amazing! We are free, we are forgiven, we are able to have access to God through his grace even though we don't deserve it. God takes us as the underdog and let's us win the glorious prize of eternity with him. Now that's a real prize - far better than the NRL Grand Final, or the Webb Ellis Trophy. Let's rejoice, as Jesus reminds us in Luke 10:20, that our names are written in heaven.

Blessings
Pastor David Auty

Todays Self Denial appeal topic is "Partnering for the Harvest". I think that this is a helpful topic for us to look at as we seek to express our desire for local and global mission as a church. Partnering, however, is not restricted to our mission endeavors. In many ways partnering is really an intrinsic part of our normal day-to-day lives. We form a partnership whenever we buy or sell something; whenever we strike up a friendship; even when we enter into a romantic relationship. So what makes it partnership? The understanding that we are relating to one another with something in common - it's the common goal or direction that defines partnership.

Sometimes we'll use different words to describe it: relationships; networking; public relations; sponsorship; unity; even LOVE...but it's all based on a set of agreed outcomes or values that hold us together.

Partnership is the idea that was behind the recommendation that the Elders made at the AGM about changing the words "Member's pledge" to "Member's agreement" in our constitution. Such a change acknowledges that it's not just the individual making a commitment to a set of statements, but all members collectively agreeing to those statements. It takes membership away from being an individual commitment to the Church, to being something that we agree to do together. It is possible for one person to make a pledge, but you need everyone to make an agreement.

Actually, I'm not so concerned about the words, but I am committed to the concept of partnership. Whether we call it "Membership" or "Partnership"; whether we make a "pledge" or an "agreement" - it can all get a bit semantic at the end of the day. However, it is important that we understand that we are a "community of faith" and that together we are building the Kingdom of God. The exciting part is that we not only partner with each another, we also partner with other Christians all over the world; and ultimately with God.

Now that's what I call partnership!

Blessings
Pastor David Auty

As I write this the American "Eagles" are preparing to take on the Russian "Bears" in a Rugby game that is being dubbed the "Cold War clash". Apparently 25,000 people are going to pack out Stadium Taranaki for this game - I guess we'll see if the rain keeps them away or not. But does this all seem a little strange to anyone? It seems strange to me...just think about it for a moment...it really is strange right?!

OK, I'll put it into perspective for you. Russia is very new to the game of Rugby, particularly on the world scene, and with this as their first World Cup you'd have to say that 19th ranking is fair enough (at least they're ahead of Namibia!). America on the other hand have played Rugby for a long time, but frankly they're not very good, as their 18th place world ranking confirms. So why are so many people from "the 'Naki" so excited about THIS game? Perhaps it really does have something to do with "Miss Russia" going to the game - but I won't go there.

Seriously though, it is an odd phenomena and it's exciting to see how committed and enthusiastic we can get about Rugby - even when it's two minnows of the game playing each other.

The truth is: Enthusiasm is contagious! This is an important thing for us to recognize as a Church. This week we start Tranzsend's "Self Denial" appeal and it would be easy to say, "we've done the 'self denial' thing before", or "things are tight at home and there's nothing we can give up". In some circumstances these comments may be valid, but for the vast majority of us, if we're honest, there are surpluses in our lives - things which if we wanted to deny ourselves of, for the sake of "sowing the seeds of love" in our community and beyond, we would/could/should.

This week as we continue to enjoy the festival that is RWC 2011, show the same kind of enthusiasm for the building of the Kingdom of God, because building his Kingdom is greater than any sports event ever! Do we really believe it?!

Blessings,
Pastor David Auty