Matthew 9:35-3835 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 

37 Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."

Mission to Secular People

‘no religion’ 1951 0.6%

2013 38.6%

‘Christian’ 1951 87%

2013 43.5%

“As a mid-thirties woman, I have grown up, as so many others of my generation, with little or no concept of God, with a loving family for sure and a great connection to the rhythms of nature, a university education, jobs, boyfriends, travel and always with a yearning for I was never sure what.”

1. The plight of people without Christ Matthew 9:35-38

“harassed” “helpless” “like sheep without a

shepherd”

2. The passion of Christ

“when he saw the crowds he had compassion on them.”

The heart of Jesus goes out to lost people.

3. The potential harvest

“the harvest is plentiful...”

4. A paucity of workers

“The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.”

Our mission: The re-evangelisation of

New Zealand

The mission task:

Reasoning and seeking to persuade

Acts 18:4 – Paul “reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Gentiles.”

The difference the Gospel makes

A personal story...