Why I love New Zealand Reason #147

Wild Calla Lillies grow in my back yard. Winding through fences, poking out of bushes,greeting me as I climb the shallow steps that wind around our flat.

from grace to grace

"How wonderful to know that Christianity is more than a padded down pew or a dim cathedral, but it is a real, living, daily experience which goes on from grace to grace."

Jim Elliot

I've been going through Galatians with each of the Bible Studies I lead through StudentLife and the theme of justification by faith alone pervades each study. But what a delicate balance it is! It is easy to look at stringent religious organisations and judge that they are trying to earn salvation by their efforts. But what about my heart?

In Romans 9:31-32 Paul explains that "Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works..."

Here we see that legalism is not defined by mere obedience but by the value the subject places on obedience. It makes me wonder if I obey God because I believe (in some small, unconscious area of my heart) that my salvation hinges on personal effort or if I obey in faith.

That raises the question; How do I obey in faith? I think we must first look at what we are to have faith in. The answer is Christ. We believe that God is faithful to keep his covenant with Abraham, we believe that the seed from which Abraham has many descendants is Christ (see Galatians 3) and we are included in the covenant that God makes with His people saying that He has wiped away our sins and forgiven our iniquities (See Hebrews 10).

I think we often forget how much of an impact perspective has in our walk with the Lord. If I don't have faith, I am unable to participate in the freedom of the Christian life. I begin to have faith in myself, which is no faith at all. And then I wonder why my walk with the Lord is so up and down. It's because I'm trying to live the Christian life in my own strength as opposed to by faith in God's grace.

But when I walk by faith I can see my life characterised by grace. I cannot keep myself from sinful thoughts, but He can. I cannot keep myself from reacting out of anger, jealousy, or pride, but He can. So I cling to Him, when I feel like a failure and I make much of Him when there is fruit.

"But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people." (Jer 31:33)

"Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful."
(Hebrews 10:19-23 ESV)

excessive drinking culture

Check out an article about Aaron Thompson (the director of Student Life in Dunedin, NZ) and his efforts to provide alternatives for students who live in the excessive drinking culture at Otago University. His idea is to get students actively involved in the community (by providing incentives) and help them to find positive ways to spend their time.

http://www.odt.co.nz/campus/university-otago/125614/scheme-will-reward-students-helping-residents

It's really cool to see how Student Life is having an impact in other campuses across the country!

Mt. Holdsworth

I finally got to go backpacking in NZ!!! Those of you who know me know that it is a hobby of mine to go into the woods for days on end and climb up mountains, and NZ is a backpacking destination that many only dream of chartering. I still can't believe I've been here 8 months and haven't taken advantage of the "Great Walks" of NZ.

But a few of us from church strapped on our packs and our hiking boots this weekend for a 4,000ft ascent up Mt. Holdsworth. It rained the entire time, and the second half was actual hands and feet climbing up root systems and rocks to get to the top. Once we arrived at our Hut we could barely see the tips of smaller mountains above the clouds. The evening was filled with a warm fire, clothes drying, and texas hold'em poker (two of the guys were training for harder treks and filled their packs excessively to prepare). We woke up to a breathtaking sunrise and a little bit of cloud clearing before it started to snow. The hike downhill was brutal on the knees and every bit as tricky as maneuvering uphill, but overall the trip was amazing.

It was such a blessing to be able to take a weekend and enjoy some mountain views, good company, and time with the Lord enjoying His creation.

"The sweetest thing in all my life has been the longing — to reach the Mountain, to find the place where all the beauty came from — my country, the place where I ought to have been born. Do you think it all meant nothing, all the longing? The longing for home? For indeed it now feels not like going, but like going back." (C.S. Lewis Till We Have Faces)

Te Reo Maori

The government puts on free language classes for Te Reo Maori (the indigenous language of New Zealand) and I met some students who go on Tuesday nights, so I’ve been taking language class with them and learning more about Maori culture, history, and how to speak te reo! I love languages and I’ve found it to be really helpful in pronouncing NZ place names and learning cultural conventions.

The thing I love most about it, though is meeting people that I normally wouldn't have the chance to meet. We are one big happy whanau (that's maori for family) and the food is always bountiful! It feels like I am stepping onto the set of a sitcom every time I enter the classroom. There are the archetypal characters and then there are the quirky comedians, and everyone seems to have a different perspective and a different history. I've decided that I fit in as the quirky foreign kid who pronounces everything oddly, and I love it!

I'm going to go see if I can make more money

On Friday nights a few of us from church have been serving the community by having a free bbq on the streets of Wellington. We park our bbq in front of one of the brothels in town and hand out sausages to the homeless, the prostitutes, and the usual crowd of Friday night party-goers.

The conversations that come out of a simple gesture are amazing. First, people are shocked that you are handing them free food, no strings attached. So typically they ask why and we simply reply that we are a group of Christians that want to show God’s love to them because of His great love for us. That is when the conversations, the questions, sometime the tears or the accusations begin pouring out. I’ve been asked the hardest questions by people and have prayed with prostitutes and bantered with drunk businessmen.

The hardest moment I had was while talking to one of the regular prostitutes that comes by. She was telling me of her difficulties, we talked about the Lord, about prayer, about hope, but when she had finished eating she turned and said, "Well I guess I'm going to go see if I can make some more money".

What do I do? I asked her to stay, told her we can find a place to help her, but the reality is that you can't force people to turn their lives around. She graciously declined my offer and walked away.

It was a profound moment for me, realizing that while poverty and desperation are part of a physical lifestyle for her, it is very much a spiritual reality for countless people in the world. How often are the answers to true joy, and meaning in our lives right there in front of us and we turn away, prostituting ourselves out to whatever will give us instant results?

What are the things you think you need? Where do you go to find instant gratification? I know for me many of the things I turn to for satisfaction are worthless in comparison to true satisfaction in the Lord.

The rain is settling

From atop the hill with fog settled low the skyscrapers looked as if they are floating---a city in the sky. We are plummeting through the city, a free fall on wheels, navigating the slopes with reckless agility. With each turn the exit doors clamor open and shut, teasing those seated next to it. How the brick sidewalks shine in the rain! Drenched from head to toe, the halo of streetlights warms my face. Winter in May.

Where Did May Go?

Do you ever find blogging intimidating? You have so much to say, but don't know where to begin? Every time I stare at this blank screen the wheels begin turning; I start thinking too much. So this entry is going to be more or less a laundry list of the craziness that has happened during the past few weeks.

1. When I first arrived I noticed that the worship music was unfamiliar. We sang heaps of music from bands such as Hillsong and other obscure bands mainly made popular by a large-scale music festival in New Zealand called Parachute. At church last Sunday it occurred to me that these songs were now becoming familiar, and that I had made some step over an invisible culture barrier.

Me and some of my Bible Study Girls at Spa Night

2. We had our women's retreat, which was a spa night focused on purity. It was beautiful watching the symbolic act of cleansing speak to the spiritual needs of the girls there. Each spa treatment was accompanied by verses from the Bible that explained the freedom that comes from walking in purity, the power of God to work in us and sanctify us, and how holiness invades every moment of our lives.

3. Love, Actually? is an "Artreach" some of our student leaders put together, partnering with other Christian groups on campus. We set up a canvas inside the quad and let students paint their responses to the prompt: What is Love? The results were encouraging and the conversations we got to have with students who we would otherwise not normally meet were fascinating. It was amazing to see the diversity of thoughts, languages, and opinions. It was also sobering to see that, for many, the unconditional, unshakable, sacrificial love of God is not something they experience. Our work here has only begun.

Painting at the Artreach!

the national anthem

In honor of ANZAC day, a national holiday to honor the Australia and NZ Army Corps, we sang the national anthem of NZ at church today. As I fumbled along, out of tune, I felt a sense of love for this nation and a strong desire to, as the last verse says: "preach love and truth to man, working out God's glorious plan. Striking that such a secular country had such faithful roots!

God of Nations at thy feet

In the bonds of love we meet;

Hear our voices we entreat;

God defend our free land;

Guard Pacific’s triple star;

From the shafts of strife and war;

Make her praises heard afar

God defend New Zealand.

E Ihoā Atua,

O ngā iwi mātou rā;

Āta whakarongona,

Me aroha noa;

Kia hua ko te pai

Kia tau to ata whai;

Manaakitia mai

Aotearoa

May our mountains ever be

Freedom's ramparts on the sea

Make us faithful unto Thee

God defend our free land

Guide her in the nations' van

Preaching love and truth to man

Working out Thy Glorious plan

God defend New Zealand

(I've omitted a few verses for the sake of space, but do look it up and listen to it!)

Australia

I recently returned from a brief trip to Australia with one of our students, Adele. We were welcomed to Melbourne with open arms by the Student Life Staff Team and stayed in a student flat for free. It was an amazing display of biblical hospitality, and for that I am so grateful!

Some highlights of the trip: seeing how the students in Melbourne take so much ownership of the ministry, spending quality time with Adele, seeing all of the cool buildings and alleyways in the city, but especially driving along the Great Ocean Road.

In my journal I wrote:

" I feel God here, under the lush canopy of the eucalyptus leaves, their scent magnified by the freshly fallen rain, the golden rays of sunlight peering through, and then round the corner the ocean roars as it rolls and breaks at the shore. There is a peace and a joy here that I only feel on such rare occasions, and it wouldn't be enough for me to look at the ocean and cry out 'what a great ocean you are!'. No, my reverence is deeper because that ocean was created by a personal God who knows me and loves me. That mighty, terrible ocean is at the will of an even mightier and lovelier God. My God, who cares for me.

Psalm 93:3-4
The floods have lifted up, O Lord,
the floods have lifted up their voice;
the floods lift up their roaring.
Mightier than the thunders of many waters,
mightier than the waves of the sea,
the Lord on high is mighty!

Delusions.

This evening a group of us watched a debate between Richard Dawkins, a contemporary Darwinist who is recently well-known for his book "The God Delusion" and a Christian mathematics and scientific philosophy scholar John Lennox. It was put on by a ministry known as "Fixed Point Foundation", (you can watch the debate and learn more about the ministry here http://bit.ly/RA1Fh).

Obviously this debate is not set up for Dawkins to look favorable, but even putting the structure of the debate aside, both Dawkins and Lennox brought up great points about faith, God, science, and evidence. If I didn't know the God of the universe in an intimate and profound way, I could see where Dawkins' arguments have some standing. But his strong atheism has brought him to a point where he actually is forced to believe very improbable things about the origin of the universe in order to remain in opposition to the idea of Intelligent Design.

Some funny points: When discussing whether or not we need God to have morals, Dawkins refers to "something in the air" that helps us to understand what is right and what is wrong. This implies that there is more to morals than just following social conventions that were put in place by humans who were simply seeking to preserve their group. In fact, if morals are relative, as Dawkins claims, then why haven't we eradicated those that benefit society and not ourselves as individuals, since we now have no need for them? For more eloquent thoughts on morals and how they point to God, read Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis.

I'm not a scholar, and my thoughts probably wouldn't hold up in a debate against Dawkins, but Lennox is and did make amazing claims, both for the logic of faith in God, and also against the logic of Darwinism. The most compelling part of the debate was the end when Lennox touches the core of his beliefs and the disparities among the two debators' worldviews.

I would remind you that the world Richard Dawkins wishes to bring us to is no paradise except for the few. It denies the existence of good and evil. It even denies justice. But ladies and gentlemen, our hearts cry out for justice. And centuries ago, the apostle Paul spoke to the philosophers of Athens and pointed out that there would be a day on which God would judge the world by the man that he had appointed, Jesus Christ, and that he’d given assurance to all people by raising him from the dead. And the resurrection of Jesus Christ, a miracle, something supernatural, for me constitutes the central evidence upon which i base my faith, not only that atheism is a delusion,but that justice is real and our sense of morality does not mock us.

The resurrection, you know, the holiday we just celebrated, is at the center of our faith, and regardless of science or Darwin, the origin of the cosmos or postmodernism, we Christians believe that the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus are the points on which the rest of history are fixed; where God's justice and mercy meet. And we can argue all we want about the cosmos and never find an answer. The real question we must ask ourselves is do we think rightly about God or are we just delusional?

notes from the upper room

Last Friday we had a Christian Passover, where we looked at the symbolism of passover, how the traditions and rituals point to Jesus. 20 students came to our flat which we have appropriately named the "Upper Room" because that is essentially what it is. It was crowded, there was barely enough food for everyone, and it was our first time ever doing something like that. However, it was an evening of beautiful reflection, respectful meditation of Jesus' last supper, complete with lamb, pita, matzah (Sarah and I made both the breads from scratch), charoset, bitter herbs, parsley, candles, and scripture. Afterward we ordered pizzas and had deep theological debates and played worship music on guitars.

Some fun facts about Easter in New Zealand:
1. It's not common at all to dye eggs, in fact I couldn't find eggs with white shells anywhere
2. They looooove their chocolate eggs
3. Hot cross buns are a must for Easter morning, and the week after they go on sale like nobody's business
4. No Reese's Peanut Butter eggs!
5. Even though most of the country does not practice Christianity, both Good Friday and the day after Easter are national holidays, meaning nothing (YES nothing) is open for business. It is more just an excuse for people to take a holiday. One journalist said publicly that he cannot ethically take those days off because he is not a Christian, but the rest of the country doesn't mind

So as you are eating jelly beans and chocolate bunnies, I will enjoy a cadbury egg and think of you. Remember what this day is really about; God's mercy and justice meet at the cross, and we now have life.
I know that my Redeemer lives (Job 19:25)

Love crosses cultures

Last night, I saw my friend Adam get baptised. Ten months ago Adam prayed in faith to accept Christ as his Savior. A year ago, Adam arrived in New Zealand from China, having never heard of Jesus and barely speaking English. Although it wasn't particularly articulate or poetic, Adam gave his testimony that Sunday night in a church filled with his brothers and sisters in Christ and it was the most genuine expression of his love for God. After that, seeing him go under water and come back up, a symbol of his new life in Jesus and his commitment to walk in faith, I was brought to tears.

One girl I disciple, Wai Li, is from Malaysia. Her English is very good, but there is still a language barrier, and it can sometimes be difficult for us to understand each other. So, when we meet up together I read a verse out of my English Bible, and she reads that verse in chinese. Being a language lover, it is stunning for me to see how God can permeate cultures and language barriers. Whether we are American Christians or Kiwi Christians or Malaysian Christians, we all need to hear the same message of hope.

Stepping out

Now that the ministry is up in place things are really starting to flesh out. Here is an idea of what my week looks like:
Leading 4 bible studies
Discipling 4 student leaders out of those studies

Often we will find students who are sitting around on campus, reading the school magazine, usually just bored, wanting someone to talk to, so most of my time in between appointments and studies I spend just talking to random students. It's really evident, in talking to these students (mostly first years who are commuting) that so many people do not know anything about Christianity here. It's amazing how asking a few simple questions and listening to the answers can really mean to someone. I've already met two young women with whom I want to continue building into our relationships. Both of these were from using Soularium, a creative tool designed to help students articulate answers to tough questions by using pictures. Each time I use this tool, I ask questions about faith and spirituality, and then ask the student if I can share with them what I have found to be true in my walk as a Christian.

Some will reject the message, some will want to know more, and for some it will be exactly what they need to hear in that moment. I am simply called to step out in faith and initiate conversations, walking in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Autumn Retreat! Get Amongst It!

We got back from Autumn retreat this weekend, and now that I have internet I thought I'd update on that and the past week.

Autumn retreat: We had heaps of fun partnering with the Street Church. The theme was community, so we spent time looking at the purpose of Christian community. Everywhere in the bible that there is an intentional community in the Bible, it is for the express purpose of showing God's glory. So as a community we spent time in prayer for our ministry and impact on campus and in Wellington. We also got to do team-building activities and hear testimonies of those who have been impacted by student life. I got to know three young women really well; Joane, Jessana, and Sarah who are all keen to get plugged in to student life. I am really looking forward to mentoring these girls and growing in faith alongside them.

making a pyramid at Autumn Retreat

Last week: In the evenings we've been making phone calls to set up appointments with students who want to know more about faith, growing closer to God, or about our organization. We meet with students and have conversations about the gospel, about having a relationship with Christ, and if they are keen we get them plugged into a bible study. It has been fun to see where people's schedules fit together and organize bible studies and connect with women. Their desire to know the Lord breaks my heart and gives me hope for the city of Wellington!

two peices of foam? upgrade!

We finally moved into our lovely flat, only a 25 minute walk uphill (everything is uphill in Wellington) to campus. We still don't have internet, so my update will be brief, but I wanted to let everyone know that the transition was smooth and we are blessed to have been left many amenities from past teams.

The best part is that I have now upgraded from sleeping on one peice of foam to sleeping on two peices of foam on top of a box spring! I know it sounds like I am being facetious, but I am actually pretty pumped about having two cushy peices of foam instead of a mattress! It's really comfortable and it's really nice to have a bedroom space to work on ministry stuff! Pictures of our humble abode to be posted soon!

Thank you for all of your prayers!

February Fotos

It has been a hectic week so far, and it isn't over yet, but I wanted to share with you all some fotos from February.

Enjoy!

February Fotos from Ashley Kohl on Vimeo.

untold treasures

"Saints of the early church reaped great harvests in the field of prayer and found the mercy seat to be a mine of untold treasures." C.H. Spurgeon

This weekend we met with CSL's (Committed Servant Leaders) for our kick-off retreat. It was here that we began planning for the year ahead, hearts heavy with prayer and eyes fixed attentively on the Lord. The work that we prepare for is the most important work we will ever do in our lives; sharing hope with a broken city. I cannot wait to see the treasures that we stumble across this year and I say stumble because, no doubt, we will!

Some of the CSL's at our kick-off retreat!

We began the retreat with introductions and cast a vision for the school year. Then we broke up into teams relating to various aspects of the ministry. The team that I am leading is the "FUSE and Community Team". Fuse is our monthly gathering where all of the Bible Studies from all of our campuses in Wellington get together to "creatively and actively spur one another on toward loving deeds and good works". Essentially we are the "fusing together" of all the students in our movement in such a way that students are energized to go back out to impact their campus and various communities.

Our first FUSE is Mar 5th (my 23rd birthday), so please keep it in your prayers as we finish hammering out logistics and continue to trust God for the details! I'll share more about FUSE in the weeks to come!

enjoying a BBQ!

Amusing musings...

One of the joys of being an overseas missionary is stumbling over my own two feet when it comes to culture. I've had a few moments in the past few days where I've had to look back and laugh at myself, usually because of some cultural differences, and I thought it'd be fun to share.

1. every single time I go to flip the turn signal, I accidentally turn on the windshield wipers. We call our van a "bubble van" because it's an old Japanese van that looks like a bubble. clever. since it's Japanese the signals and wipers are on opposite sides of what I am used to
2. I was running to get to church on time last night, took a 5:13 train, arrived in town at 5:24 and had a 40 minute walk to get to church by 6. I was so concerned with getting there on time only to find that people don't really stroll in until 6:15 and service starts whenever enough people arrive. It's much more laid back. I could get used to that!
3. I walked to the dairy to buy a local newspaper to find that they were sold out. So I continued walking until I found the BP Gas station. It's 6pm and the gas station is closed. Actually, almost everything is closed by 6pm. I am so used to getting what I want when I want it, because that is how we Americans function. I wonder, though, if maybe having 24-7 grocery stores just feeds our disease of self entitlement
4.Morning tea is required by law in the workplace. This means that we get a 15 min break for a hot drink, a quick stretch, maybe even a run to the toilet, just so that we can get back to focusing on our work. I actually thought people were messing with me when they told me that...but I was wrong...

okay that is all that I can remember for the moment, but if I embarrass myself any more I will be sure to share!

The last week of summer

I am ready to say goodbye to the summer holiday! We had a wonderful week, spent a few days as a team on our staff retreat to Hawkes Bay, enjoyed the warm sunshine in Welly, climbed Mt. Kaukau, and ran a 7k race. I've noticed that being active energizes me, so being outdoors all weekend and spending time with my teammates was the perfect way to end the summer before we start our 9-5 planning meetings this week.

The team retreat was refreshing. I spent most of my time getting to know my teammates, relaxing on the beach, reading my Bible, and admiring the 1920's art deco style of the buildings and the people. Apparently we picked the right time to visit this little town! It is so good to spend time with my team in an unstructured environment because the work we do is so personal and important that I want to be able to appreciate each person and become friends.

enjoying the view from the top of Mt. Kaukau

I also took the weekend to explore Welly's nature, and climbed Mt. Kaukau, a local summit of about 1400 ft. that provides a view of all of Wellington and part of the South Island (on a clear day). It was a spectacular sight and a neat opportunity to pray over (literally) the city that I am serving in.

The race was challenging, but I really enjoyed it. Running has become a new hobby of mine within the past year, and the part I love the most about it is the metaphors it provides for our faith life. It requires perseverance, strength, endurance, pain, elation, triumph, work, and dependance on the Lord to carry you through. And with this race in particular, you cannot always see the end! The course ran along the curvy bay of Wellington, and the sun was bright over the South Pacific Ocean. It was impossible to see the finish line until the last 1/2 kilo and I thought it would never end!

As great as this week has been, I am more than ready for our planning meetings and getting ready for the school year!