Tena tātou katoa e te iwi mīhana… (Greetings to all the people in mission)

This month’s whakatauki (proverb) is: “He toa taumata rau” (Courage has many resting places). A taumata is a raised lookout point, a great spot to rest and take in the vista (or spy out the land). It speaks to me of a posture of exploration, “Hey, look over there.”

Exploration is in the DNA of Kiwis (however you choose to define the term). It is core to our cultural identity. Whether you are a Māori, Pacific Islander or Pākehā (including all colonial or more recent immigrants), your people have come to this land from somewhere else at some point in the past. That is a very brave thing to do.

My wife’s family came here from England almost 40 years ago seeking better opportunities. The search for greener pasture is a common motivator, but a permanent transition still takes a lot of courage to make—it takes a step of faith.

It wasn’t long after the Treaty of Waitangi was signed before settled Kiwis started leaving to go elsewhere with a different motivation—to share the gospel with those without it. Pacific-oriented mission continued simultaneous with the founding of New Zealand, but as early as 1887 we were sending Kiwis beyond the Pacific; e.g. Baptist, Rosalie McGeorge to Bangladesh. Like Rosalie, many were never to return to this blessed homeland.

Courage has many resting places. The call of mission comes to us like the view from a taumata. If we rest long enough to gaze out upon the possibilities, the Holy Spirit can show us locations we may not have considered before—where God wants us to go, to share what He has deposited in us here. What we share can take myriad forms in any location (local or global), but it requires courage to respond to the Holy Spirit’s, “Hey, look over there” with, “Let’s go see”. And as we go, we are to make disciples.

“The Church has lived with creative tension between the goers and the stayers”

As much as we like to celebrate our common explorer heritage, Kiwis can tend to settle for settling. Like any other people, we want to put down roots, grow our families and live in peace. This can create some dissonance with certain missionary interpretations of the Bible. But the New Testament is full of people who stayed, planted and grew. Since then the Church has lived with creative tension between the goers and the stayers. We need to trust the Holy Spirit to show us which He wants us to be and for how long a season. We need to be courageously obedient people with our eyes open, looking out at the fields (Jn 4:35).

Courage has many resting places: in the hearts of all who dare to look, follow and share what God is doing. It helps ensure we #stayonmission. 👊🏼

Nga mihi nui (warmest greetings),

Jay