http://www.pb.org.nz/blog/ The latest Blog feeds from www.pb.org.nz en-us Fri, 12 Jun 2026 17:22:35 +1200 Rocketspark http://www.pb.org.nz/blog/post/166155/justice-as-a-lifestyle/ In Acts 2:42–47 we find a community transformed by the Holy Spirit, devoted to God and deeply committed to one another. Their faith was not merely expressed through worship and prayer; it was demonstrated through generosity, compassion, and justice.Today, the word “justice” often carries political or cultural baggage. It is often associated with punishment, revenge, or demanding that others pay for wrongdoing. Biblical justice is something far richer and broader. It flows from the very cha... Tue, 09 Jun 2026 12:54:18 +1200 http://www.pb.org.nz/blog/#post166155 http://www.pb.org.nz/blog/post/165656/sharing-the-story/ There are some sounds that change everything. Like the barking of a dog when you are fast asleep and you get up to discover she is barking at shadows. Or maybe it’s the sound of a newborn child crying for the first time, or the sound of a phone call in the middle of the night, or the sound of a crowd erupting in celebration. In Acts 2 there is another sound. A great sound.Luke tells us that On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly, there was a soun... Tue, 02 Jun 2026 11:12:47 +1200 http://www.pb.org.nz/blog/#post165656 http://www.pb.org.nz/blog/post/165446/who-influences-you/ We live in a world overflowing with opinions, podcasts, influencers, and endless streams of information. Every day we are being formed by the voices we listen to and the stories we immerse ourselves in.In Acts 2, the early church devoted themselves to “the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” Their faith was intentional and transformative. Scripture was not simply information to study; it was a way of life that shaped their identity and actions.His... Tue, 26 May 2026 13:32:59 +1200 http://www.pb.org.nz/blog/#post165446 http://www.pb.org.nz/blog/post/164876/pentecost-2026/ This coming Sunday is a big day in the church year – Pentecost – 50 days after Easter. it’s the day when the church remembers God pouring out his Spirit on the first disciples and what many consider the birthday of the Church. This year we are joining with other Baptist Churches around the world in the Acts 2 movement as we think about He Haruru Nui - the great noise that signalled God was doing something new. We will be exploring Acts and the characteristics that defined the early church ... Tue, 19 May 2026 16:43:38 +1200 http://www.pb.org.nz/blog/#post164876 http://www.pb.org.nz/blog/post/164481/build-or-tear-down/ I am often saddened by some of the derogatory language used by people on Facebook forums. Genuine questions or observations can generate a torrent of abuse against the original poster. And our public officials have become the source of online abuse and vitriol from those who hold opposing views. It is easier to tear down and destroy than to spend time building others up and encouraging genuine discussion and dialogue.And what we see on Facebook can happen between any two people or groups of peop... Tue, 12 May 2026 13:26:58 +1200 http://www.pb.org.nz/blog/#post164481 http://www.pb.org.nz/blog/post/164187/welcome-home/ Christina Koch was a member of the recent Artemis 2  mission to fly around the moon. Speaking about that mission she said "The thing that changed for me looking back at Earth was that I found myself noticing not only the beauty of the Earth, but how much blackness there was around it, and how it just made it even more special," Koch said."It truly emphasized how alike we are, how the same thing keeps every single person on planet Earth alive," she added. "We evolved on the same planet, we h... Tue, 05 May 2026 12:40:00 +1200 http://www.pb.org.nz/blog/#post164187 http://www.pb.org.nz/blog/post/163892/yes-or-no/ Have you ever noticed how our decisions in life affect us? Every time we say yes to something, by default we are saying no to a whole lot of other things. Maybe we notice it most with money – if I spend my last ten dollars on a pie then I no longer can choose to spend it on anything else. But life is more than just what we will spend our money on. We say yes to who we will vote for, or who we will spend our lives with, or what job we will hold down. And we can say yes or no to God. Many have d... Tue, 28 Apr 2026 15:51:50 +1200 http://www.pb.org.nz/blog/#post163892 http://www.pb.org.nz/blog/post/163632/to-lay-down-ones-life/ This coming Saturday is ANZAC day, when we as a nation will remember the people who served at Gallipoli, many of whom sacrificed their lives for others. And it is fitting that we remember those men and women who served on behalf of our country. Jesus said, ‘No greater love has a person than he lay down his life for his friends’, something he himself went on to do for all people.Sacrifice is not something many of us find easy, especially when our culture encourages us to pursue happiness and ... Tue, 21 Apr 2026 16:49:48 +1200 http://www.pb.org.nz/blog/#post163632 http://www.pb.org.nz/blog/post/163419/who-do-you-trust/ Earlier this week the people of a particular country voted overwhelmingly to ditch their current leader and choose a new person. It seems that the people no longer trusted that the old leader was trustworthy. Later this year our country will once again get to vote for those we want to govern for the next three years. Who we will vote for is really a question of trust – do we trust this group of people to have our countries best interests at the centre of what they do. It’s not always an easy... Tue, 14 Apr 2026 13:03:07 +1200 http://www.pb.org.nz/blog/#post163419 http://www.pb.org.nz/blog/post/163224/no-fear-in-death/ The resurrection story is a reminder that death has lost its power for those who place their faith and hope in Jesus. Jesus has conquered both the power of sin and the power of death. Which is why the early church faced death without fear. And why they refused to bow the knee to kings and authorities whose greatest threat was death. If the resurrection is true, then death has no power and need not be feared. The Christian lives with the hope that death is followed by a new resurrected life. This... Wed, 08 Apr 2026 15:44:44 +1200 http://www.pb.org.nz/blog/#post163224