John’s story
I recently found my baptismal certificate, dated 1967. This reminded me how good God is. He chose to place me in a faithful Presbyterian family in South Auckland. God called me through the simple rhythms of a faith filled family: regular worship, family prayer, discussion and discipline, and exciting adventures with my church.
God called me to trust in Jesus when I was a teenager living in Mt. Maunganui. When some of my friends became infected with the despair associated with punk music I followed. Even though we were living in a peaceful seaside town we drank in the message of the Sex Pistols – there is no future.
But God rescued me. He did this partially through a series of small group studies which helped me see that Christian faith is intellectually coherent. I can remember heading out on a 10k run and running hard down Ocean Beach Road at Mt. Maunganui, speaking to God, saying, “You’ve got me now, I’ll follow you.”
God gave me a new sense of purpose in life and a new joy in learning and sport. I changed from being a slacker to someone who is passionate about learning and sport.
Agriculture studies at Massey University followed. I met my future wife, Sara. We enjoyed being part of a lively Presbyterian church, St. Albans. There were many Sundays when our hearts were filled with joy as our ministers preached the word with power.
Years of family life, work and service followed. We experienced the normal joys and sorrows of life. After spending time farming and landscaping I moved into training young people in Agriculture and Horticulture. I also found myself serving as an elder and as a preacher. From time to time, I considered pursuing vocational ministry, but the time did not seem right.
In 2018 I was encouraged to take up a youth pastor role in our church in Tauranga. Then we were asked by friends to come and help and try to launch a Vineyard – Presbyterian church in Kaiti, Gisborne. Sadly, this exciting project ran into some roadblocks. We were lefenjoying Gisborne but wondering about our future direction. One morning my cell phone
rang. Someone with a cheerful voice and a Kenyan accent asked me a few questions about what we were up to and what our plans were. I discovered that I was talking to a bishop, the Bishop of Nelson! How exciting!
After an interview for another role, an Awatere stalwart James Jermyn suggested I might be a suitable candidates to lead the Joint Venture parish in the Awatere. The church management team agreed and now Sara and I have spent two and a half years helping revitalise congregations in Seddon and the East Coast. We’ve been working hard, and God has been gently renewing our congregations. I’m looking forward to seeing what he has got planned for us in the next few years.
John Phillips