This journey builds on our 2019 series, ‘In\Visible: Faith and Life in New Zealand.’ Over 33 weeks we used the biblical image of exile to help us understand that the faith landscape in New Zealand has changed significantly, as highlighted by the 2018 McCrindle report, Faith and Belief in New Zealand. In light of the changed attitudes towards religion, spirituality and Christianity in New Zealand, the way forward for the church in New Zealand needs to be very different to how it has been in the past. The call for the church is to be a people who are more visibly and authentically living out its life in God as we embrace a gospel vision of His transforming love.

As we renewed an understanding of what it means to be the church, to be the people of God, engaging in our local communities in new and creative ways, evidencing the life of God, together, we see the journey this year as a time of great opportunity and potential for the church in New Zealand to Thrive. Over 28 weeks we’re seeking to discover what it means to become such a church as we journey together through the following sections:

THRIVE  |  JESUS ASKS US

[Term 1 - eight weeks] focusing on and responding to questions Jesus asked in the gospels.

[Term 2 - six weeks] journeying through the book of Nehemiah, re-envisioning the church.

THRIVE  |  IN CHRIST

[Term 3 - four weeks] focusing on 1 Corinthians 1-4, contrasting Jesus’ way of strength, wisdom, unity and humility with worldly values. 

THRIVE  |  WHO WE ARE

[Term 3 - four weeks] focusing on who we are as the Baptist whānau in Aotearoa New Zealand.

THRIVE  |  FREEDOM

[Term 4 - four weeks] journeying through Galatians looking at the freedom that comes from life in Christ. 

THRIVE  |  LOVE AND MERCY

[Term 4 - two weeks] exploring the message of Hosea.