He's got the whole world in His hands

As I write, in the background are the unforgettable voices of the African Children's Choir singing "He's got the whole world in His hands." It's a simple reminder of a great theological truth - that God is the God of the whole world, not just a particular country, culture or people. In recent years, I think my view of the world has become enlarged as I've travelled and lived away from the safety and familiarity of home.

Just over six weeks ago, dad & I enjoyed a few days in the Pacific Island of Vanuatu. Recently voted "the happiest country on earth", this group of islands in the South Pacific lived up to its reputation. Everywhere we went, big, beaming grins smiled at us. Particularly memorable was our arrival at Port Vila airport & the "privilege" of queuing at immigration being serenading by a local string band. Although only there for a few days, it was an experience I will never forget.

Whilst down in this part of the world, dad was keen to make the most of every opportunity, and so we explored the possibility of spending time with a missionary Pastor, Steve Gibb, with whom TSCF had made contact through our partnership with Langham Preaching & Paul Windsor. My colleague, Andy Shudall had spent time in Vanuatu a few months previously and had built a friendship with Steve, particularly out of his work at the University of the South Pacific Law School in Vanuatu.

So, through the kind invitation of Steve, dad & myself travelled North to Port Vila, the capital of Vanuatu (formerly the New Hebrides). You may be forgiven for thinking "Where's that?!" - apparently, when the ni Vanuatu (people of Vanuatu) travel, they are often asked that question, particularly as their passports are currently hand-written documents from a country few have heard of.

I suspect dad has never preached under a banner like this before, but I hope he's preached under its meaning many times.

Over the course of the long weekend, we visited (& dad spoke at) the International Church Youth Group, as well as their main service, the Chinese church in Port Vila, and a student group at the University of the South Pacific (USP). It was great to partner with Steve & Jane Gibb and their wonderful family. They are a delightful family who in many ways had the gifts, talents, discipline and charm of the Von Trapp family, without the military enforcement of them! Steve is originally from the US, whilst his wife, Jane, is from Australia, and they have made their home in Port Vila seeking to grow a work in that city.

For me, it was a helpful time understanding some of NZ's Pacific influences and seeing them in their original context. The time at the churches were worthwhile and dad's preaching was warmly received. However, for me, the highlight of dad's speaking came on our final night. One of the students, Godfrey, who had been over to the TSCF MidYear Conference had invited his friends and acquaintances to a night organised by Steve & Jane, which was advertised as "spiritual refreshment". As it was the University holidays, many students were away, but Godfrey rounded up every student who was on campus and a happy group gathered for our meeting. We sang, chatted & dad spoke, before we finished the evening with good food. Among the students there, were folks from Vanuatu, Kiribati, the Solomon Islands, Fiji & Samoa. The inter-island relationships were evident, and the potential for growth clear. It was particularly thrilling to see Godfrey enthusiastic about sharing Jesus with his friends, following the teaching of the TSCF conference.

As well as the speaking opportunities, we were also able to see a little bit of the island of Efate on which we were based. On one of the days, we caught a ferry across a lagoon to a neighbouring island of Erakor. On the island, as well as the gorgeous beach are far more memorable monuments. The graves of some of the first missionaries are on this island, and then a little further round the island is a monument commemorating four Samoan evangelists who were the first to bring the gospel to Vanuatu. The grave of Amanda Bruce, the wife of Rev MacKenzie was remarkable. Apparently, her last words (after 21 years of missionary service) were "I know that Jesus is mine and I am His." However, all the more remarkable is that next to her grave was a headstone with the names of her 3 sons, Joseph, Arthur and Walter, who all died within a 3 year period, none making it to more than 19 months old. This in itself is significant, however her testimony lives on with the comment above the names "Thy will be done." Oh for such a godly attitude to the trials & tribulations of life.

We enjoyed some stunning scenery and some new experiences. I wouldn't say dad or I were naturals at snorkelling, but we enjoyed it nonetheless. The trip to the Tanna Coffee Roastery, where we met Moses, who had competed against Usain Bolt in the Beiijing Olympics was good fun. The Scripture Union campsite was also a memorable experience.

Our prayer is that the connections with Vanuatu will continue. Steve & Jane are doing a good job of developing a work in Port Vila, and through Andy & Paul and the Langham Partnership, our links will continue. We live in a world that is truly all God's. Our role in being here in NZ is just a small part of seeking to see the gospel go to the ends of the earth - God's part is to grow that fruit and to see it multiplied.

Student gathering at USP, Port Vila.

Life-shaping Experiences

In the work of student ministry, I believe there are a number of significant activities which lead to the shaping, moulding and making of student leaders who will make an impact on their campuses and beyond. Two of those activities are the regular "one to one" intentional discipleship and the larger scale camps & conferences.

I have promised that I would report on the TSCF Mid Year Conference a little while back. However, I felt it best to couple it with a more recent outworking of the discipling I have been involved in.

This year, the theme of the Mid Year Conference was "This is Jesus". It was a time when we took time to look at Jesus' life and its implications on our lives today. Each morning, we met in small groups to study a passage from John's Gospel, before Nigel spoke to us from that passage.

As usual, he was simple, creative and clear in his explanation and application of the text. In the evenings, it was over to dad to teach on sharing Jesus with our unbelieving friends and family in a way that makes sense. It was good to have dad speak & bring his enthusiasm and energy for the task of being witnesses to Jesus.

This is me "welcoming" dad to our TSCF Conference with a hongi. Nigel's welcome is more affectionately known as "a Glasgow Kiss"

We long to see the gospel at the heart of NZ & NZ at the heart of world mission. As part of this bigger goal, we had a special session led by Mark Grace on "The gospel & the NZ story", where he shared how NZ's foundations are built on gospel work done by those who initially came to these shores. In sharing his own passion, he communicated a desire that the gospel would be at the centre of NZ and how we think and tell others our nation's story.

Each day, we enjoyed "Skype the World", where through the wonders of Skype, we spoke with different people involved in missions work around the world - hearing their story, their needs & God's work in their part of the world. It was a highlight of the conference & was great for me a few weeks later to be involved from the other side, being Skyped by the EMW Extra Time conference in Aberystwyth & asked to share our story of God's work in our lives out here in NZ. It was also a joy to have several guests (staff & students) from around the South Pacific & renew our friendship and partnership with them. Below are Tom (General Secretary of TSCF in Papua New Guinea), dad, Nigel & Arteca (on staff with PSFC, Fiji).

Over the week, there was a real sense of momentum gathering as students caught the vision for what could happen on their campuses and in their lives, and understood for themselves how God chooses to use them as His witnesses in spite of all their weakness. As we left from the conference, there was a desire to attempt great things from God, whilst we expected great things from God. It has been my privilege in the weeks after the conference to follow up conversations with staff & students as to how we can make the most of every opportunity God gives us.

As with many of our conferences, it was a real joy to hear of a couple of students coming to faith during the week itself. Whilst our conferences aren't specifically aimed at unbelieving students, it's always a thrill to meet a number who come along with friends, and particularly when we see God working in their lives. It's an even bigger thrill (one we share with the angels in heaven!), when those students come to know Jesus for themselves.

Of course, conferences aren't just about learning. They also provide a time to enjoy fun together. Karaoke has never featured strongly in either dad's or my life (or maybe it has, and dad has never told me?). However, I'll not forget duetting with dad on the Village People classic "YMCA" as we entered the Karaoke competition. It may be fun to stay at the YMCA, but I'm not sure it's fun to hear the YMCA sung by us.

Since conference, it's back to the day to day activities my work entails. Amidst the busyness of all that my work encompasses, it's important never to forget it's about people. Two of the significant people I've been involved with in Wellington have been Josh & Peng. They've been mentioned before on here & in our prayer letters. Peng is a final year Architecture student from Malaysia and former President of the ICF group here. Josh is in his 2nd Year, studying English & History. He's a Wellingtonian through & through. On a weekly basis, I meet with them individually to open God's Word together, to chat through student life and ministry & to help them go on & grow in their walk with God.

Some time back, I felt it would be good to have an extended period of time investing in them. Both are leaders and it seemed prudent to spend a weekend with them talking & thinking about leadership. Over the past weekend, we looked at the book of Nehemiah together, using it as the basis for our thoughts on leadership. I loved opening this great book again & enjoyed Raymond Brown's simple & simply brilliant thoughts on it in his Bible Speaks Today commentary on it.

However, I wanted to ground the lessons learned from Nehemiah's leadership in real life examples. Film is such a powerful tool in illustrating lessons, and given our time constraints worked well in what I was seeking to achieve. We looked at the lives of 3 characters, Sir Ernest Shackleton, William Wilberforce & Eric Liddell. The 3 films based on their lives, Shackleton (with Kenneth Brannagh), Amazing Grace & Chariots of Fire, formed the basis of our thoughts. As we looked at good leadership v godly leadership, it was great to be challenged by their lives, leadership & its impact.

For me personally, these 3 men was a fresh reminder of the potential influence and impact of godly leadership. It was good to read Leonard Sweet's helpful work "Summoned to Lead" before the weekend - in it, he uses Shackleton as an example of good leadership, but more significantly, takes a look at leadership from the audible perspective, rather than a visual one. I need to revisit the work at a later date, but his clarity and fresh angle was helpful to me.

Time away has the potential to be life-shaping. Only time will tell how significant the weekend was for Josh and Peng, but for now, I'll leave you with their thoughts on the weekend, which I share for your encouragement & prayers.

"It was a real privilege to get away for a weekend with Peng and be led in study and discussion by Ben. Three great films, ‘Shackleton’, ‘Amazing Grace’ and ‘Chariots of Fire’, together with God’s Word (Nehemiah) shaped our understanding of leadership with clear and memorable examples from history. We talked a lot about ‘good’ and ‘godly’ leadership, identifying the qualities necessary for each and the differences and crossovers between them. The three of us aspired to become better, more disciplined and compassionate leaders – men of God.

I was struck by the fact that, often, God’s idea of success can be very different to our own. Shackleton and Liddell, two leaders we looked at, actually failed in what they set out to do, but what they achieved was far greater than anyone could have imagined. I have been challenged to think seriously about God’s calling for my life, that God might lead me and exceed my expectations. Also inspiring was Nehemiah’s passion for Scripture and his discipline in prayer. God was always Nehemiah’s first port of call when confronted by opposition or a daunting task. I am committed to turning this inspiration into action.

I am hugely grateful for all that was organised beforehand, for the food and facilities that allowed for such an enjoyable and productive time away. It was awesome just having the chance to be boys, to share in fellowship and relevant learning. Thanks heaps!" (Josh Irving)

"Ben has been such a huge support to the ministry here in New Zealand! Aside from being an excellent speaker at many of our events, he has been so faithful in working one to one with students, mentoring them, and slowly disciplining them to have a long lasting robust faith. I am so thankful that for about 2 years now, Ben has been meeting with me every week to study parts of the bible, going through topical issues that I may be struggling with, taking the time to know and understand me deeply, praying together, and helping me focus on walking in Jesus' footsteps.

Just this past weekend he has taken the time to organize a retreat for just me and another to look through themes of what Godly leadership means. As well as its similarities and differences with a worldly understanding of leadership. It has helped challenge my walk to be more disciplined in my spiritual faith journey, and I will definitely take lessons learned into my working life and leadership roles. I really appreciate his focused efforts with students this way, as I see it to be very strategic in furthering the work of the gospel. I consider Ben as an important mentor to me, and an honest friend who I can confide with and lovingly rebuke me if I am straying off Gods path. And through this relationship we have, I feel I can also do the same with him." (Peng Wong)

Father & Son

This post has taken a while in coming. It's hard to sum up the amazing weeks we enjoyed in late June & early July with my dad. Dad had been invited to come over to NZ & speak at the TSCF Mid-Year Conference for students from around the country. After some discussion, we persuaded him to come for a bit longer, so that we could enjoy unrushed time together, as well as making the most of some good speaking opportunities in the area.

The 3 1/2 weeks we had dad over were some of the most special times & have formed treasured memories. As we travelled the country for various events, we took the time to ensure it wasn't just work for dad, but a mix of cross-cultural introduction, church history & even a bit of leisure.
It's hard to include everything we saw, did and that happened, but here's some of the headlines:

Dad arrived in late June & we had a few days together in Wellington before we headed North for the TSCF Conference. It's good showing someone round your home city at the best of times, but when it's the other side of the world, completely new & an interesting place, the task becomes much easier. I've been asked a few times by visitors to NZ "Is Wellington worth a visit?" The simple answer is "yes"! I guess it depends what interests you, but Wellington usually has something for everyone. We took the time to show dad around the city, but particularly around some of the gorgeous coastline and to the very impressive Te Papa museum. 'Te Papa' means "Our Place" in Maori & sums up the ethos of the country and the museum. It is a celebration of all things New Zealand - of culture, history and the present. We visit fairly regularly (it's free) & never tire of it. A personal favourite is the "Golden Days" presentation, which tells the New Zealand story in the most fascinating of ways. Any more description will spoil it for those who come, but suffice to say, dad loved it & despite having seen it probably nearly ten times, I always see or appreciate something new. I got to enjoy a new experience as together, we went around "the Beehive"; NZ's Parliament. It was a fascinating experience & one I'm glad dad got to enjoy. I've always thought dad would have become an MP if God hadn't had rather grander plans for him.

From Wellington, we headed up towards the Conference, which was being held in Auckland. Thankfully, we had a few days to do the journey, and Jen & Sam were able to join us, as we drove the familiar route North - along the Kapiti Coast, through Bulls, along the Desert Road (past Mt Ruapehu, an active volcano...which due to poor weather, we didn't see close up!), overnighting in Taupo, one of my favourite NZ cities. We spent a little time in Taupo and Rotorua, introducing dad to the Maori culture which so significantly impacts NZ society and everyday life. Again and again, it was great hearing dad say "I had no idea NZ was like this..." We often feel that whilst pictures and words can describe some of what the country is like, nothing beats the firsthand experience.

Jen & Sam had to leave us at Hamilton, as Jen started back to work. Sam has been enjoying spending his days with friends from church, Lisa & her girls Poppy & Lily. We're so thankful to the McLennons for their kindness in looking after the wee man, and are thankful for God's provision of a Christian family & particularly because they're from the heart of Yorkshire. Sam should learn how to speak "reet proper".

Dad & I continued North, arriving in Auckland for the Sunday services where dad was preaching at Massey Presbyterian. Massey is led by Stuart Lange, one of the foremost church historians in NZ and a man who has been described to me as "one who has done much to fight for the Evangelical cause in the NZ Presybterian church." We enjoyed our time with Stuart (over 2 Sundays) & dad had what seemed to be a fruitful service preaching on the issue of suffering. In the evening, dad was preaching at the Auckland Baptist Tabernacle, founded by Thomas Spurgeon, son of the famous Charles Haddon. Again, it was good to be with John Catmur, a Pom who is doing a good work in "the City of Sails". In the afternoon, we took time out to see Harry Ironside's grave. Dr Ironside was a Pastor of the famous Moody Memorial Church in Chicago, who died whilst preaching in NZ. We hoped the same fate would not come upon dad...

We had a couple of days then before the conference started, so were able to head further North to the Bay of Islands, a 4 hour drive from Auckland. It was quite a trek, but so worthwhile being able to take him to Marsden Cross, where Samuel Marsden had arrived almost 200 years earlier to bring the Good News of Jesus to these shores for the first time. I think we both found it quite an emotionally charged experience, as it reminded us of the task that Marsden had started in NZ, the baton that had been passed on & the challenge to run & pass it on to others. Our day at Marsden Cross will be one of those special days indelibly etched on our minds throughout our lifetimes.

The TSCF Conference was a great week & worthy of its own post - watch this space, as I will endeavour to blog on it in the next few days.

After the conference, we headed to the South Island for a few days, where we based ourselves at Lake Tekapo. Tekapo is one of the most stunning spots in the country, both by day & night. The beautiful scenery of snow-covered mountains, beautiful lakes & gorgeous coloured sky is only enhanced by night, when the skies are literally scattered with stars. The nightsky supports Graham Kendrick's great lyric "Hands that flung stars into space, to cruel nails surrendered." We had an enjoyable time of rest & relaxation for a few days after a busy conference. Whilst in Tekapo, dad & I experienced one of the most memorable hours of changing colours on gorgeous scenery as we watched a sunset over Aoraki/Mt Cook (NZ's highest mountain) from the Tekapo Canal. Having enjoyed the sunset there, we then moved to Lake Tekapo itself, where we enjoyed the last remnants of sunset over the lake. Again, it reminded us of the wonders of God's creation.

One of the reasons we came to NZ was not just the work here in NZ itself, but the opportunity for the spread of the gospel throughout the South Pacific and beyond. The proximity of the Pacific Islands makes for an interesting cultural conglomeration in NZ itself, as well as making gospel partnership in the region a realistic possibility. Over a long weekend, we enjoyed working in tandem with Steve Gibb & his family in Vanuatu. Again, this merits its own blog post, so watch this space for further details.

After Vanuatu, we enjoyed the company of Paul Windsor & family. It was great to be able to introduce dad to Paul & vice versa. Both a visible expressions of godly character & personality in their personable, winsome manner - one in training Bible teachers & preachers around the world, the other in enthusing and modeling Biblical evangelism. I am thankful to God for both - we need both good evangelism & good preaching.

On flying back from Auckland to Wellington, I was glad to be able to "show" dad the informality of celebrity in the NZ context. We were sat in the lounge waiting to fly, when I spotted someone of interest - it was rather fun being able to point a man to dad & say "You see that man there? That's the Prime Minister of NZ - John Key." Even more fun was when John Key ended up being on our flight & better still, sat behind us! We didn't get to talk to him, but Mr Key demonstrated his warmth & charm with his extended interaction with the children sat behind him. I have been impressed by John Key's personability and struck by how disarming it is to those who are opposed to him.

Before dad flew home, we were able to enjoy a final few hours together in Wellington. It was particularly good to be able to celebrate Sam's first birthday both with dad & the Pollock family. Sam seemed to love the occasion, though he seemed a little over-awed by the birthday cake itself. We enjoyed time talking together, reflecting on all that had happened & thinking ahead to the future. Nigel & Ailsa have been such an encouragement to us & it was good for dad to see that, as well as to chat through stuff with Nigel himself.

It was a long period of time to be away from the UK & we are grateful to him for the sacrifice made to be with us. As we looked back on the time he was here, we are thankful to God for safety, good conversation, good travels, fellowship & friendship together. We are particularly thankful for the ways in which God used him whilst he was here - a number of staff and students have expressed to me appreciation for all that he said & did, and we are keen to see the momentum from his time here carried on to the future. As with all our family, it is great to share time and experiences with them here in NZ & we love having them over.

If you want to see more pictures of our time together, you can access them on these albums:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=189748&id=517781032&l=ff29d1a346

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=189682&id=517781032&l=c362232ca0

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=189934&id=517781032&l=01003df9c3

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=189943&id=517781032&l=31e7ef32cd