C3 Church Hamilton

Local guys make good!

Kristen — Thu, 17 May 2012 20:14:05 +0000

It’s wonderful to welcome Pastor Tamati Cameron back to our pulpit this Sunday. As most of you know, Tamati is a Waikato man who pioneered one of the first Primal youth churches in NZ – right here in Hamilton. He then became the Youth Pastor here at Hamilton C3 ably assisted by his wife Tessa, serving here in these roles for about six years.

In keeping with our commitment to train people right up to and including being able to plant churches, Tamati and Tessa then took over leadership of C3 Tauranga two and a half years ago, and are doing a great job!

We are preaching for another two of our young pioneers this weekend – Logan and Krystee Craig in Wellington…really looking forward to it!

So please welcome the Camerons with open arms – they are the proof of our ministry here at C3 Hamilton!

For your best life,

Pastors Steve and Gail

My sheep listen to my voice…

Steve — Tue, 08 May 2012 23:36:44 +0000

One short talk from Jesus can take the place of months of searching for significance. In John 10:27-30 he tells us My sheep listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. That’s amazing grace right there – eternally secure in the Son’s hands.

But then he says My Father who has given them to me is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.

So, the Father drew you, gave you into Jesus’ care but holds you in His hands too. It doesn’t get anymore secure than that.

There are some in your world secretly craving that same security…maybe they are ready to come to Alpha? There is nothing quite like seeing someone you like come to faith in Jesus!

For your best life

Pastors Steve and Gail

Kristen — Tue, 01 May 2012 04:53:53 +0000

God believes in you! Have you ever tried to do something for God and failed? Or worse, tried to represent God and have it turn pear-shaped? Worst of all, have you ever been sort of, you know, blowing your own trumpet and…

Peter was right up there, one of the inner circle and then he let Jesus down really badly, right when Jesus needed a friend more than ever before.

Jesus met with Peter afterwards, on the beach (as you do). But instead of telling him off or saying how hurt he felt, Jesus took Peter straight back to the first time they met, to the miraculous catch of fish. Jesus reminded him of how good it was when they walked together and became friends. Then he told Peter he’d still like him to do what he was good at.

Jesus is not your accuser and he certainly isn’t your enemy. He still believes in you and if you listen, he constantly reminds you of your strengths and how good you are together.

For your best life,

Pastors Steve and Gail

Kristen — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 05:05:28 +0000

Right after being baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus was “led by the Spirit into the wilderness..” What?

Surely those spiritual highs are a peak we should live on? “Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty” etc. Why would the Spirit lead Jesus into such a miserable, hot, dry, dusty, barren place?

And there’s more! Surely the Spirit knew the devil would be there waiting to make it harder..?

So what was God thinking? What a way to treat your kid!

The thing with a desert is, it’s a place of trial where you find out what you really believe. By God’s providential plan you get confronted by the truth there, but with the Spirit’s presence, you can turn it into a place of victory.

Jesus came out “in the power of the Spirit” and so will you!

Right after being baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus was “led by the Spirit into the wilderness..” What? Surely those spiritual highs are a peak we should live on? “Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty” etc. Why would the Spirit lead Jesus into such a miserable, hot, dry, dusty, barren place? And there’s more! Surely the Spirit knew the devil would be there waiting to make it harder..? So what was God thinking? What a way to treat your kid! The thing with a desert is, it’s a place of trial where you find out what you really believe. By God’s providential plan you get confronted by the truth there, but with the Spirit’s presence, you can turn it into a place of victory. Jesus came out “in the power of the Spirit” and so will you!

Kristen — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 07:04:25 +0000

We’re all familiar with the concept of making room for God in our day. Check out the priority the Psalmist puts on it: I will not enter my house or go to my bed - I will allow no slumber to my eyelids till I find a place for the Lord, a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob… (Psalm 132:3-5)

The felt presence of God is critically important in your life. Without that, you become dry, legalistic,grumpy. With it, you get reset to God’s love, God’s warmth, God’s affection.

Psalm 131:2 says I have stilled and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother…

When you’re hungry, you eat (three times a day?); when you need God, take a moment, close your eyes and refocus on the Spirit’s felt presence – that washes your soul!

Kristen — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 08:45:29 +0000

Hi church

Why did Jesus come? The answer is in the plural actually: to die on the cross for our sins; to lay down his life for the church (he didn’t get to enjoy the rugby, the V8s or the races – he laid all that aside so he could put his time into developing his church leaders). Also, to “destroy the devil’s work”, and “doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil…”

Our Father was in on it all of course: he was “in Christ, reconciling the world to himself.” The Holy Spirit wasn’t taking a back seat either – he was “present to heal” when Jesus ministered. He raised the body of Jesus back to life after his being dead for three days.

What was the focus of all this activity? You! And the church you belong to. God loves you individually, and he loves your connection to the body of Christ. So don’t let up. Find your niche and fill it..!

Kristen — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 04:10:54 +0000

Congratulations if you took part in the 21 day “Daniel fast” that ended for most on Sunday. I expect we will experience more personal breakthrough and the church will see more people stepping up – absolutely worth it – thank you!

Jesus told his disciples that some demons (and you can also read into that, some conditions, some circumstances etc) don’t shift but by prayer with fasting. While the word “fasting” is disputed in some translations of that verse, the point remains that fasting certainly gives a passionate edge to your prayers…

On a personal front, I’ve lost 5kg – no evening meals and no alcohol for 21 days plus regular jogging – but a good friend told me not to worry – he’s found my 5kg and assimilated them

Hi Church

Kristen — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 03:16:24 +0000

So, end of week one of the 21 day fast. Pretty motivating knowing it’s a world-wide thing across the whole C3 movement! If you haven’t started already, come and join us. Skip one meal a day, or a favourite TV programme or…something. In the time you usually take for that thing, pray instead. 14 days to go, ending on Sunday 10th March…

We’ve covered the basics of fasting in my mailout (aka Steve’s blog) and on the church Facebook page – check there for teachings to date.

Today, the focus of fasting: Pray for personal revival. Ask God to light you up again; find a fight to fight and win. Are you happy with your friends/rellies not knowing Christ? Then pray for revival in your own heart to address that. Their salvation can come through you or someone else, but you need passion in your own prayers for them; fasting delivers that passion.

For your best life,

Pastors Steve and Gail

Kristen — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 20:32:27 +0000

So, the C3 movement is in a 21 day fast right now. Fasting usually means denial of your self, accompanied with prayer. Usually, we skip a meal and spend that time praying instead of eating. As well, we may skip alcohol or Facebook or PlayStation or some TV…all to deny the body’s normal pleasures to deepen the focus in prayer. There is another side to fasting however, found described in Isaiah 58:3-11. Read it in a modern translation like NLT. It is an expansion on the usual understanding of fasting. Here the denial of self includes doing something we find uncomfortable – social justice – looking outside our tight family or church circle to give help to the powerless or the poor or the sick. Verses 3-5 describes a people who have become religious in their fasting – thinking they can behave badly yet do a fast and get their needs met by God. As written earlier, God is not impressed by human attempts to make a formula out of Him, or to force Him to come through for us! He offers relationship, not religion. Let’s drop pretences and learn to love and respect God and His love for the lost and hurting…

21 days of fasting continued …

Kristen — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 00:45:58 +0000

Whew – what a manic day! Sorry this is so late but here we go… Biblical fasting is always accompanied by prayer, otherwise it’s just a weight loss programme that doesn’t actually work! To fast is to deny ourselves food or pleasure in order to seek God. Eating is a pleasurable pursuit – when we’ve just eaten, we feel satisfied, mellow. When we deny food, our body is in the opposite state – dissatisfied, focussed on feeding. This adds intensity to prayer – our body will do anything to get back to the normal state, so if it’s praying that’s required, praying it is – with intensity that a full belly doesn’t deliver. Tomorrow – what other means of fasting does the Bible teach?