What's the new National Leader of the Baptist Union of New Zealand been thinking about lately? Find out in this video update from Chris Chamberlain – see the abridged transcript below.
Kia ora New Zealand Baptists,
Recently I've been thinking a lot about the phrase ‘gospel renewal to people and places’. I've been wondering about what would happen if we fleshed it out a little. It’s a phrase our movement has used over the last few years, and a lot of people know it. But occasionally people ask me, what could we add to it?
One of the clever people at the National Support Centre created an amazing poster based on three texts that have been playing on my mind since I took up the role as national leader.
Three bible texts
The first text is Luke 4:16-21, the Nazareth Manifesto which talks about the kingdom of God; it’s Jesus announcing good news to the poor.
The second text is 2 Corinthians 5:16-21, which talks about how we, the Church, are agents of reconciliation. This is an amazing privilege gifted to us, this task of being involved in ‘fixing’ everything.
The third text is Revelation 21:4, right at the end of the book, this beautiful image of hope where God will wipe away every tear from our eyes.
In these three texts you've got the kingdom of God, agents of reconciliation, and hope. If you add those to the phrase ‘gospel renewal to people and places’, you get this:
Gospel renewal to people and places is possible when kingdom people (the Luke 4 part), act as agents of reconciliation (2 Corinthians) with a vision that demonstrates hope (Revelation 21).
This has really animated me, especially as I think about our churches, about what is possible, and about the confidence God has that we, the Church, can be agents of reconciliation.
A stirring
That question of hope, that long-term goal that I've got for my life, is informed by that vision of the kingdom Jesus has given to us. This is what's stirring me up at the moment and I encourage you to see this poster for yourself on our baptist.nz/kingdom-people webpage - perhaps print a copy out for a wall in your church building.
What would it mean for you?
I encourage you to think about what it would mean for you to be a kingdom person who is an agent of reconciliation and a person who is envisioned by hope.
Print them out for yourself
Download PDF files for A4 and A0 posters at baptist.nz/kingdom-people
More 'Together:...' columns by Chris Chamberlain
Together: When children struggle, the Church responds (9 March 2026)
Together: week one with Chris (16 February 2026)
