Imagine a church made up of people who are radically devoted to Jesus Christ; unreservedly committed to each other, and sacrificially reaching outside of God’s family with the Good News and compassion of Christ. Well … that’s the kind of church we are aiming to become. We are making progress – we have a way to go yet but we aren’t what we used to be!

Now imagine a group of normal Kiwis who love God and, instead of trying hard in their own strength, they allow God’s Holy Spirit to empower them to live lives of significance in our community and the world. They’re learning how to live every day with Jesus, in their normal everyday lives.

That’s who we are, or are on the way to being.

Why don’t you join us on a journey: the journey of discovering truth, God’s amazing grace, and life as it’s meant to be. Life with real purpose. Life that is meaningful and fulfilling. It’s what you’ve been searching for, isn’t it?

Hi, I’m Ross. I’m one of the Leaders in this church. I want to tell you a short story.

A homeless man was walking along “K Road” one dark night, hungry and cold. His search for food had so far been fruitless, yet he kept going; moving from rubbish sack to council bin, the gnawing hunger in his gut unrelenting.

Suddenly she was there beside him: another “non-person” with whom he shared this lonely stretch of cityscape. He called her “Girly”. They had spent many nights searching through other people’s trash together with faces drawn and passionless. Occasionally they had cheered each other up with a half-filled stubby or a half-eaten loaf shared in the meagre shelter of a bridge. But on this occasion she looked different, almost joyful somehow. “What’s she been smoking?” he thought cynically.

“Hey boy,” she said, “I know where there’s food! Great food! Lots of food! Do you want some?”

“Nah,” he responded instinctively, not wanting to sound needy. Deep in his gut, though, he wanted to grab her and say “show me!” He continued his rummaging through a pile of rubbish in a bus stop. “Aren’t you hungry?” she asked. “A bit” he reluctantly conceded. “Well,” Girly continued “come with me – I’m not kidding; it’s like heaven, only easier to get to. There must have been some kind of banquet tonight at the hotel, and they’ve put all the left-overs outside. Come with me; I’ll show you.”

Tough choice. Shall I stick with what I know, or risk it all on some strange promise? Can I trust her? After all I know she’s not the most reliable person on this street. It could be a scam. But what have I got of any real value that “they” would want to take off me? Besides, he thought, even though it’s cold out here on the street, and food and happiness are hard to come by, I know how the system works and I’ve made a go of it for years. It’s comfortable out here, in a weird kind of way.

Finally, after much enthusiastic pleading and cajoling she persuaded him to go to the back entrance of the hotel. There it was! A pile of those plastic bread van trays loaded with cakes, donuts with cream, chocolate éclairs, sandwiches, cheerios, sausage rolls – you name it, it was there. And as she had said, “lots of it!” For the first time in years he was satisfied. With a full stomach he slept well that night.

The next night there was more food at the hotel. “Why didn’t we find this sooner?” he asked her. “Dunno, but I’m sure glad we did.”

I recently heard Ian Grant, from Parenting with Confidence, remark that a true Christian is like “one beggar telling another beggar where to find food.”

Jesus said:

"If you are tired from carrying heavy burdens, come to me and I will give you rest."
– Matthew 11:28

"If you are thirsty, come to me and drink!.” – John 7:37

There is soul food available, free – and lots of it! You just have to look in the right place. Many of us who make up the church we call New Lynn Bible Chapel have found the source, and we want to share it with you. “Come!”

Thanks for dropping in. See you soon.

Ross.