A City of Refuge
Wow! Time has definitely gone by as we race all over this amazing country! I apologize for slipping a bit on the blogs the last few days, we have been moving around a lot and taking in many beautiful sights. Last Thursday (29th) we traveled to Tauranga (pronounced, ah... well we're still trying to figure that one out so just go with what feels right!) The city is located on the North Island along the coast in the Bay of Plenty and is truly an extraordinary place. We set aside 3 days here, because this is the site of the YWAM base to which we have felt a strong tug from the Lord since he opened up this whole possibility.
We arrived Thursday afternoon after a nice little 5 hour drive filled with green rolling hills, sheep, and generally unbelievable views that seem to never end no matter where you go in this country. Our first stop was to the YWAM office to meet with Josh who heads up the DTS (Discipleship Training School), his wife Misty along with Dana and Theresa who work in the House of Prayer. It was a great time of getting to know each other and hear incredible stories of how the Lord has led so many other christians down to NZ, especially Tauranga from throughout the world. I can't tell you how encouraged Gina and I were to hear how faithful and good God was to lead each of them, providing clear confirmation along the way to help each person, and couple! to take the leap in moving down. This has been something that Gina and I had honestly wrestled with throughout this process... the Lord clearly has put NZ on our hearts and in our sights, but we struggled to know whether we already had enough of an answer to step out in faith and go, or if we should wait for clear confirmation on both of our parts. Our time with these new friends helped us to see that God will be clear with us as well... and that we will receive confirmation when it is time.
The next day we had the chance to attend the morning prayer service at the House of Prayer. Modeled after the house of prayer in Kansas City, YWAM Tauranga is working to raise up the very first 24/7 House of prayer in New Zealand. The vision for what they want to do is truly awesome...a missions base committed to training and equipping young christians to be sent out all over the world that is also connected to and nourished by a 24/7 house of prayer. The missions movement married to the prayer movement with the result: young people, biblical trained to take the Gospel out into the world, while also being equipped as prayer warriors, having forged a deep intimacy with the Lord and lifestyle of intercession in the House of Prayer. This truly fires me up!!
Currently, the House of Prayer is gathering Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings from 8am-noon and then on Friday nights as well. I had a very interesting and powerful time of prayer that morning, a first in fact, where as I prayed I could actually see the nations of the earth. It was as if the Lord had opened my eyes to a higher place, in which I could see the potential for our prayers and actions to literally impact all of the nations of the earth. Years ago, when New Zealand was just a big question mark in our path I heard the Lord say that New Zealand would be "a launching pad", that morning in prayer I could actually see this launching pad come to life. In years past, as we prayed at NC3 or with other youth pastors from the city, I could easily see the city while we prayed for God to move... I could see Denver, Littleton, Arapahoe high school, etc. But this was an entirely new experience for me that shook me in a deep way.
Later Gina and I spoke with Josh and others on staff about what I had felt and seen in prayer that morning. It was amazing to hear that that is exactly what the Lord has been showing them as well, and that He had given them the word for Tauranga being a "launching pad" to the nations as well!! I can't tell you how encouraging this was to me, it confirmed a lot of things that we have felt the Lord saying these past months as years as we have been "walking in the dark" or at least feeling like we were!
Overall, our time in Tauranga was great on many levels. First, the Lord showed us that there is an amazing group of men and women that are seeking hard after the heart of God and who truly burn for the nations. We found Tauranga to be a beautiful place, a place we could definitely see our family growing to love, but more importantly we discovered that for some reason it is a place that the Lord has placed his hand upon in a unique way, drawing people from all over the world to join in on the work He is preparing for this launching pad to the nations. We still await confirmation for our own calling. But many fears have been put to ease and the Lord has helped us to see that He is truly in our midst and guiding our every step. More to come!
We arrived Thursday afternoon after a nice little 5 hour drive filled with green rolling hills, sheep, and generally unbelievable views that seem to never end no matter where you go in this country. Our first stop was to the YWAM office to meet with Josh who heads up the DTS (Discipleship Training School), his wife Misty along with Dana and Theresa who work in the House of Prayer. It was a great time of getting to know each other and hear incredible stories of how the Lord has led so many other christians down to NZ, especially Tauranga from throughout the world. I can't tell you how encouraged Gina and I were to hear how faithful and good God was to lead each of them, providing clear confirmation along the way to help each person, and couple! to take the leap in moving down. This has been something that Gina and I had honestly wrestled with throughout this process... the Lord clearly has put NZ on our hearts and in our sights, but we struggled to know whether we already had enough of an answer to step out in faith and go, or if we should wait for clear confirmation on both of our parts. Our time with these new friends helped us to see that God will be clear with us as well... and that we will receive confirmation when it is time.
The next day we had the chance to attend the morning prayer service at the House of Prayer. Modeled after the house of prayer in Kansas City, YWAM Tauranga is working to raise up the very first 24/7 House of prayer in New Zealand. The vision for what they want to do is truly awesome...a missions base committed to training and equipping young christians to be sent out all over the world that is also connected to and nourished by a 24/7 house of prayer. The missions movement married to the prayer movement with the result: young people, biblical trained to take the Gospel out into the world, while also being equipped as prayer warriors, having forged a deep intimacy with the Lord and lifestyle of intercession in the House of Prayer. This truly fires me up!!
Currently, the House of Prayer is gathering Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings from 8am-noon and then on Friday nights as well. I had a very interesting and powerful time of prayer that morning, a first in fact, where as I prayed I could actually see the nations of the earth. It was as if the Lord had opened my eyes to a higher place, in which I could see the potential for our prayers and actions to literally impact all of the nations of the earth. Years ago, when New Zealand was just a big question mark in our path I heard the Lord say that New Zealand would be "a launching pad", that morning in prayer I could actually see this launching pad come to life. In years past, as we prayed at NC3 or with other youth pastors from the city, I could easily see the city while we prayed for God to move... I could see Denver, Littleton, Arapahoe high school, etc. But this was an entirely new experience for me that shook me in a deep way.
Later Gina and I spoke with Josh and others on staff about what I had felt and seen in prayer that morning. It was amazing to hear that that is exactly what the Lord has been showing them as well, and that He had given them the word for Tauranga being a "launching pad" to the nations as well!! I can't tell you how encouraging this was to me, it confirmed a lot of things that we have felt the Lord saying these past months as years as we have been "walking in the dark" or at least feeling like we were!
Overall, our time in Tauranga was great on many levels. First, the Lord showed us that there is an amazing group of men and women that are seeking hard after the heart of God and who truly burn for the nations. We found Tauranga to be a beautiful place, a place we could definitely see our family growing to love, but more importantly we discovered that for some reason it is a place that the Lord has placed his hand upon in a unique way, drawing people from all over the world to join in on the work He is preparing for this launching pad to the nations. We still await confirmation for our own calling. But many fears have been put to ease and the Lord has helped us to see that He is truly in our midst and guiding our every step. More to come!
posted by Rick at
11/08/2009 08:26:00 PM
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