Karen and I have had an interesting start to the year. We were scheduled to go to Europe over Christmas but cancelled as plans changed somewhat. We had people booked into our home, so we house sat around Tauranga, as you do!
In March we went on our first cruise with friends; it was so much fun. I wasn’t allowed in the lift when I was with Karen, but I did sneak in there when she wasn’t watching! (We had to walk up the stairs for exercise!) The food was amazing! Have I mentioned that I was the table tennis champ…yep, just saying!
Christchurch was next and a planned trip to Wanaka to bike the trails with friends who I’ve known for over 60 years. It was a blast. Karen fell off her bike the first day and before she slid into the Clutha River I lunged over and rescued her from the swirling waters. (It sounds a tad more dramatic than it actually was). When we got to the next town, she realised that her glasses had slipped out of her pocket. So being the man that I am, I offered to go back and find them. Well, found them I did; they were on top of her phone (with credit card) covered partially by leaves. So once again… I was in the good books! I made this last quite a few days 😁 Oh and Karen kept biking. What a woman!!
I’ve spoken in a few churches and met with 2-4 leaders weekly. As well as walking around the police stations meeting people, in my police chaplaincy role. Once again, I was able to get a van load of food from Holy Trinity Church Tauranga, for the family harm team - what a blessing.
Karen and I are now Elders and Trustees at C3 Otumoetai, Tauranga. A place to call home and another place of ministry.
A third edition of the booklet “Supernatural Language” has been printed.
It explains the baptism of the Holy Spirit and highlights speaking in other tongues. We don’t talk about this in churches a lot, so it’s been a helpful tool to many. Speaking in tongues is extremely valuable, I say a necessity and so helpful in one’s prayer life.
On the 11th of June Karen and I are off to Europe once again. Holland, France and the UK. It’s part work and part holiday with friends and family.
Thank you for taking the time to read this and for your encouragement and your prayers.
Blessings,
Nick & Karen
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Below is a challenging viewpoint, a thought inspired by Ian Green, which I have expanded on… It’s not for the faint hearted.
“I wonder if the economic model of Church, especially the way we plant churches in the West, is not sustainable going forward”.
What do you think?
Allow me to flesh this out. I realise that I am making general statements, but here goes, please give me grace as you read and bear with me.
If we feel we need to plant churches with a building, a paid(part or full time) with a lead pastor and other staff, I don’t think it’s sustainable long term or easily multipliable.
Whatever size the church is. Even if it gets larger, say 200 people, I have found that whatis focused on is, we need a bigger building, more staff and more finances are required. Again the larger a church gets, it’s harder to multiply.
Allow me to add, adding campuses is not multiplying – it’s addition at best. Let me also add, adding campuses is not church planting –unless it’s a campus for a few years then it becomes autonomous, and responsibility becomes local. For campuses usually are responsible to the mother church. For example they usually cannot make their own decisions or plant another church or campus.
"Complexity is the enemy of MULTIPLICATION!"
The larger a church becomes, multiplication becomes less do-able. In fact the larger a church becomes the huge challenge is to keep planting churches. For everyone is needed on deck. Buildings, staff and keeping the ship focused and operating can tend to become the focus. Money for ministry is minimal. Bigger is better is a Western mindset.
Why not think a little different, maybe small is the new big.
If we had no money, no buildings or staff, could we plant churches that multiply and could they be viable healthy churches? It’s happening in different places such as India, Africa, Iran and China and in many places in the West.
In all my 40 plus years in ministry I have never seen this phenomena of micro churches taking off like we’re seeing it today. We often talk about mega, (which if we are honest is the exception rather than the rule), and Macro. But in my 45 years of ministry I have never seen the micro church movement gain so much positive traction.
For stories of multiplication in the past, in NZ and beyond; hard copy or eBook go to https://www.nickklinkenberg.com/product/how-to-multiply-churches
