2 weekends ago we were at Hunua for our PCC camp. It had been 3 years since the last one, with all of the intervening years prevented from gathering by Covid. The Covid rules put a lot of stress on the Church around the World not just during the pandemic but also afterwards. Churches everywhere have seen their congregations shrink by around 10-15%. As we have seen in NZ, the government was very strong on restricting believers from gathering during Covid - at level 4 not at all. This brought a lot of conflict for believers.
On the one hand, Paul said to obey the government.
Romans 13:1-2
Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.
And Peter said the same thing
1 Peter 2:13-14
Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good.
But on the other hand the writer of Hebrews said it is so important for us to meet together.
Hebrews 10:23-25
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
PCC were one of the churches who took the government to the Supreme Court in August 2022 over the vaccination mandate in regards to church gatherings over 25 in number. Separation of Church and State means that the church agree not to interfere in matters of State and the State agrees not to interfere in the spiritual matters of the church including freedom to gather and worship.
But the Supreme Court ruled in effect that our right to gather in freedom of worship was less than the governments right to protect the health of every New Zealander. It was an important case as it demonstrated that this Government does not truly appreciate the role of the Christian Church in governing the spiritual welfare of this country. What is clear is that 2 years of lockdowns have affected people’s attitude to coming to Church on a Sunday. Our Facebook Live streamings are a result of Covid, whether they are a good thing is something we are still debating at our Elders meetings.
Above all, we will follow the Lord and when a government oversteps its biblical mandate, I think it is right to remind them of their role, of the reason for separation of Church and State. Both are God’s government on Earth they are meant to work together. The State for the upholding of good over evil and the Church to govern in spiritual matters for the spiritual welfare of the people.
Let’s review the slides we presented at camp…
First of all, our Core Values remain whatever times we will face in the future.
CORE VALUE
what’s most important to us
1. We emphasise the “Body of Christ” Ministry and Mission with Jesus Christ as the Head…..
1 Corinthians 12; Romans 12:4-8; Ephesians 4:11-16
2. …..each member exercising individual spiritual gift/s for the building of the Body and the Communication of the Gospel
Matthew 22:36-40
Matthew 28:18-20
CORE PURPOSES
what we want to achieve
1. every member exercising their gift/s within the church and in the mission field
2. every member encouraged and affirmed to utilise their gifts
3. every ministry / mission led by a called leader/s
4. every ministry / mission fulfilling our Core Value (or part of it)
Challenges
It is important that we are honest about the challenges we are facing;
⁃ PCC has seen its regular attenders drop by close to 20%, from 40-50 pre Covid to 30-40 post Covid.
⁃ Few new attendees
⁃ Few young families
⁃ Few social events to attract families
⁃ No PCC programs for children or youth
⁃ Worship Team inconsistent numbers – no keyboardists, no drummers, low on guitarists, one sound person, 5 down to 2 worship leaders
⁃ Pastoral care – Ela leaving later this year
⁃ Bob and Tina leaving
⁃ 3 elders
The Good Stuff
But it is not all doom and gloom. PCC has a lot of strengths and we are in a strong position financially to take action as our Treasurer would tell us.
⁃ Geared as a family church
⁃ Supportive of each other
⁃ Welcoming to new people
⁃ Uphold sound doctrine
⁃ Consistent and stable – e.g. few changes in leadership over the years, communion weekly
⁃ Open Church gives opportunity for growth and speaking up
⁃ Livestream services
⁃ Financially strong position
Leadership Team
As a Leadership Team we are taking action to reverse the trend.
SHORT TERM
⁃ Actively search for new worship leaders and musicians
⁃ Shane and Matthew working on interim solution for worship with pre-recorded music
MEDIUM TERM
In the medium term starting now we are seeking to connect more as families and especially our youth. The mental health of young people in New Zealand is in crisis and this is the time for the Church to stand up. We are a family church anyway but we want to focus on attracting young families by doing 3 simple things that we think are very achievable;
1. Monthly family social events with food and fellowship
2. Families to host youth on Monday nights for Sean’s online teaching again with food and fellowship
3. Revive Kids Church with a program and more teachers so that young families have a church that can look after and teach their kids during church
LONG TERM
⁃ Seeking a paid part-time Pastoral position to facilitate these 3 things and the growth of families coming to PCC.
But I want to emphasise one important ingredient for the success of this plan because we know that
Psalms 127:1
Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.
Today we’re going to read John 15. Jesus said;
John 15:1-5
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
Abiding means getting in the word and spending time in fellowship with the Lord and with each other. That is why we’re not to give up meeting together as Hebrews 10:25 warns us. All our plans to grow PCC will come to nothing if we do not abide in the Lord.
John 15:6
If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.
Jesus warns of the severe consequences of not abiding in Him. It is so important to be joined to a local Church that running Facebook Live may not be a good thing if that keeps you at home on a Sunday. We’d love to hear your feedback on Facebook Live and we’ll send out a survey soon.
John 15:7-11
If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
We will be praying for growth this year. The fruit will be a proof that we have abided in the Lord !
John 15:12-17
“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.
Jesus gave a new commandment that was not stated in the 10 commandments but was implied by the last 6 commandments as we have covered before. Pay attention to those who show no love towards those in the Church. There are people who criticise the Church as unloving and judgemental but they themselves have no love for those in the Church. Often, they don’t even go to Church !
Here at PCC we want to always show hospitality towards each other. That is why we will have food whenever we meet as it is one way we can show we care for one another.
If we do this, Jesus says when we pray, the Father will give us what we pray for. So let us continue to pray for one another as we do during Share, Care and Prayer.
This is all simple stuff we do at PCC and we will continue ! We want to known as a church that is warm and hospitable to all who come.
But we will also continue to teach what the Bible says. The Word of God is eternal and says the same things about sin and the need for repentance to every generation. There is a judgment coming, the Lord does see and we won’t get away with it. There won’t be any excuses on Judgement Day. It won’t be all inclusive, there will be a separation of the Righteous and the Wicked. All are sinners, we all need the Cross. That is the Truth that will get us in trouble with the World.
John 15:18-25
“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates me hates my Father also. If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause.’
The chapter concludes by Jesus telling his disciples that the Holy Spirit comes to help us in our trouble because it is not easy to feel sane when everyone is telling you that you are crazy and treating you like you are the scum of the earth as we got a taste for during Covid. The Holy Spirit comforts us by bearing witness to the truth and we only need listen to him to be reassured of our security in Christ and in the Church.
John 15:26-27
“But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.
Let’s pray.
Father, you have appointed us to be your witnesses about your Son Jesus in our community here in Papatoetoe. Help us to abide in you through every circumstance and challenge, to love one another as ambassadors of Christ and to bear fruit as you taught us to.
Amen.
