Ages 20 to 40

	Year	1988
	Age	20
	Sport	Karate
	Address	The Terrace, Wellington
	Education	Victoria University, BCA year 2
	Religion	Zen Buddhist
	Employment	Housing Corporation, Accounting Bursar
	Comment	At home for holidays with university buddy Henri from Lebanon.
	Year	1989
	Age	21
	Sport	Karate
	Address	The Terrace & McAlpine Avenue, Wellington
	Education	Victoria University, BCA year 3
	Religion	Zen Buddhist
	Employment	Housing Corporation, Accounting Bursar
	Comment	Met Fiona for the first time.
	Year	1990
	Age	22
	Sport	Fencing
	Address	Matai Road, Hataitai, Wellington
	Education	Victoria University, BCA Makeup Year
	Employment	Housing Corporation, Systems Administrator
	Religion	Zen Buddhist
	Comment	Black and White Party
	Year	1991
	Age	23
	Sport	Parachute Jump
	Address	Rolleston Street, Mount Cook, Wellington
	Education	Wairarapa Parachute Club
	Employment	Systems Consultant, Mana Information Systems Limited
	Religion	Zen Buddhist
	Comment	I look like my brother John in this shot!
	Year	1992
	Age	24
	Sport	None
	Address	Thurleigh Grove, Karori, Wellington
	Education	Onslow College, School Certificate Maori
	Employment	Systems Consultant, Mana Information Systems Limited
	Religion	Christian – Baptist
	Comment	With Fiona’s little friend Tony at Johnsonville McDonald’s.
	Year	1993
	Age	25
	Sport	Skiing
	Address	Thurleigh Grove, Karori, Wellington
	Education	Bible College of NZ, Certificate of Biblical Studies Dean Sherman of YWAM, Relating Between the Sexes
	Employment	Systems Consultant, Mana Information Systems Limited
	Religion	Christian – Pentecostal
	Comment	Snow Warrior!
	Year	1994
	Age	26
	Sport	None
	Address	Glenwood Grove, Woodridge, Wellington
	Education	Elim Cross Cultural Ministry Training, Perspectives A OAC Ministries, Operation Jerusalem
	Employment	Systems Consultant, Mana Information Systems Limited
	Religion	Christian – Pentecostal
	Comment	Got married!  Honeymoon in Australia, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia.  Visited Hong Kong and China in November.
	Year	1995
	Age	27
	Sport	None
	Address	Glenwood Grove, Woodridge, Wellington
	Education	ECCMT, Perspectives Part B Married For Life
	Employment	Systems Consultant, Mana Information Systems Limited
	Religion	Christian – Pentecostal
	Comment	Wedded bliss!
	Year	1996
	Age	28
	Sport	None
	Address	Glenwood Grove, Woodridge, Wellington
	Education	Elim Ministry Training, Internship.  Microsoft Certified Professional, Access 2.0
	Employment	Systems Consultant, Mana Information Systems Limited
	Religion	Christian – Pentecostal
	Comment	The wedding of our good friends John & Rebecca Kapa.
	Year	1997
	Age	29
	Sport	Dodging Bullets
	Address	Dr Vander Merwe Ave, Montana Park, Pretoria, South Africa
	Education	Elim Ministry Training, Missionary
	Employment	African Network Evangelism Task, Missionary
	Religion	Christian – Pentecostal
	Comment	Birth of Tane Ratapu Hippolite.
	Year	1998
	Age	30
	Sport	None
	Address	Glenwood Grove, Woodridge, Wellington
	Education	Microsoft Certified Professional, Windows 95 Parents Inc, Parenting Toolbox 1
	Employment	Systems Consultant, Mana Information Systems Limited
	Religion	Christian – Pentecostal
	Comment	Home from mission.
	Year	1999
	Age	31
	Sport	None
	Address	Glenwood Grove, Woodridge, Wellington
	Education	Microsoft Certified Professional, VB 5.0 & Access 95 Brian Tamaki of Lake City Church, Spiritual Warfare
	Employment	Systems Consultant, Mana Information Systems Limited
	Religion	Christian – Pentecostal
	Comment	Birth of Hamish Kirk Hippolite.
	Year	2000
	Age	32
	Sport	Playing with the kids.
	Address	Glenwood Grove, Woodridge, Wellington
	Education	Microsoft Certified Professional, Solution Architect Parents Inc, Parenting Toolbox 2
	Employment	Systems Consultant, Mana Information Systems Limited
	Religion	Christian – Pentecostal
	Comment	At Botanical Gardens, in September?!?!?
	Year	2001
	Age	33
	Sport	Biking
	Address	Glenwood Grove, Woodridge, Wellington
	Education	Microsoft Certified Professional, VB 6.0 & SQL 7.0 John Walton of AOG, Penetration Evangelism
	Employment	Systems Consultant, Mana Information Systems Limited
	Religion	Christian – Pentecostal
	Comment	Birth of Aimee Joyce Hippolite. Mission to Indonesia to deliver/setup a fast PC at a Bible College.
	Year	2002
	Age	34
	Sport	Biking
	Address	Glenwood Grove, Woodridge, Wellington
	Education	Microsoft Certified Professional, Windows 2000 & SQL DBA Jeannie Knott of Elim Church, The Power of One
	Employment	Systems Consultant, Mana Information Systems Limited
	Religion	Christian – Pentecostal
	Comment	Family man!
	Year	2003
	Age	35
	Sport	Biking
	Address	Glenwood Grove, Woodridge, Wellington
	Education	Microsoft Certified Trainer
	Employment	EFTPOS NZ, Database Analyst/Programmer
	Religion	Christian – Pentecostal
	Comment	I was at the world premiere of LOTR:ROTK.  I had a full beard and was dressed as a centurion for our company Christmas party.
	Year	2004
	Age	36
	Sport	Biking
	Address	Maracas Crescent, Grenada Village, Wellington
	Education	NZ Fire Service, Fire Extinguisher & Evacuation
	Employment	EFTPOS NZ, Database Analyst/Programmer
	Religion	Christian – Pentecostal
	Comment	Te Whanau Hippolite
	Year	2005
	Age	37
	Sport	Bike Pencarrow (18km)
	Address	Maracas Crescent, Grenada Village, Wellington
	Education	Microsoft Certified Professional, VB.NET (Windows)
	Employment	Telecom NZ, Senior Developer
	Religion	Christian – Pentecostal
	Comment	At home with Hamish.
	Year	2006
	Age	38
	Sport	None
	Address	Maracas Crescent, Grenada Village, Wellington
	Education	Wellington Free Ambulance, First Aid Microsoft Certified Professional, VB.NET (Web)
	Employment	Telecom NZ, Senior Developer
	Religion	Christian – Pentecostal
	Comment	At Russell’s 50th birthday party.
	Year	2007
	Age	39
	Sport	None
	Address	Maracas Crescent, Grenada Village, Wellington
	Education	Microsoft Certified Professional, .NET Framework 2.0 Elim Church, Ancient Paths 1
	Employment	Telecom NZ, Senior Developer
	Religion	Christian – Pentecostal
	Comment	With our very good friends the Cowans and the Foleys.
	Year	2008
	Age	40
	Sport	Bike the Bays (32km)
	Address	Maracas Crescent, Grenada Village, Wellington
	Education	Parents Inc, Parenting Toolbox 3 Microsoft Certified Professional, SQL 2005 Elim Church, Ancient Paths 2
	Employment	Telecom NZ, Senior Developer
	Religion	Christian – Pentecostal
	Comment	Must be an even-numbered year.  No moustache.

My Childhood

	Year	1968
	Age	0
	Sport	None
	Address	Waimea Road, Nelson
	School	None
	Employment	Son of a sheep shearer/labourer and housewife.
	Religion	Mormon
	Comment	None
	Year	1969
	Age	1
	Sport	Leap Frog
	Address	Waimea Road, Nelson
	School	None
	Religion	Mormon
	Comment	With my brother Ken and cousin Mandy at Tahuna Beach.
	Year	1970
	Age	2
	Sport	Skipping
	Address	Waimea Road, Nelson
	School	None
	Religion	Mormon
	Comment	With my brother Ken.  I’ve always looked up to him.
	Year	1971
	Age	3
	Sport	Fishing
	Address	Waimea Road, Nelson
	School	None
	Religion	Mormon
	Comment	Tahuna Beach!
	Year	1972
	Age	4
	Sport	Fishing
	Address	Waimea Road, Nelson
	School	Kindergarten
	Religion	Mormon
	Comment	Out on the harbour.
	Year	1973
	Age	5
	Sport	Hiding in the grass
	Address	Waimea Road, Nelson
	School	Enner Glynn, Primmer 1
	Religion	Mormon
	Comment	“If I can’t see you, then you can’t see me!”
	Year	1974
	Age	6
	Sport	None
	Address	Sea Lords & Motor Camp, Nelson
	School	Auckland Point, Tahunanui & Victory, Primmer 2 & 3
	Religion	Mormon
	Comment	I see Anthony Luton and Tony Cockcroft and my other cousin Lisa Hippolite in this picture.
	Year	1975
	Age	7
	Sport	None
	Address	Dodson Road, Takaka
	School	Takaka Central, Primmer 4
	Religion	Mormon
	Comment	Cut my own hair.
	Year	1976
	Age	8
	Sport	None
	Address	North Road, Nelson
	School	Nelson Central, Standard 1
	Religion	New Age
	Comment	With my aunty Melanie.
	Year	1977
	Age	9
	Sport	None
	Address	Vanguard Street, Nelson
	School	Victory, Standard 2
	Religion	New Age
	Comment	I couldn’t play guitar to save my life.
	Year	1978
	Age	10
	Sport	Camping
	Address	Vanguard Street, Nelson & Waltham, New Brighton, Christchurch
	School	Victory, Waltham, North New Brighton, Standard 3
	Religion	New Age
	Comment	Camping with my Dad at Te Hapua.
	Year	1979
	Age	11
	Sport	Dancing
	Address	Hampden Street, Nelson
	School	Victory, Standard 4
	Religion	New Age
	Comment	Dressed up for my “Greased Lightening” performance.
	Year	1980
	Age	12
	Sport	Swimming
	Address	Hampden Street, Nelson
	School	Nelson Intermediate, Form 1
	Religion	New Age
	Comment	Obviously about to go swimming, probably at Hampden Street School.
	Year	1981
	Age	13
	Sport	Harriers
	Address	Hampden Street, Nelson
	School	Nelson Intermediate, Form 2
	Religion	New Age
	Comment	My brothers John & Ken.
	Year	1982
	Age	14
	Sport	None
	Address	Hampden Street, Nelson
	School	Nelson College, 3TE Highest Level Attained: School Prefect, Head of Chaytor House, Higher School Certificate, UE, B Bursary.
	Religion	New Age
	Comment	Cheesy grin.
	Year	1983
	Age	15
	Sport	Rock wall climbing
	Address	Alfred Street, Nelson
	School	Nelson College, 4WH
	Religion	New Age
	Employment	Milk Run
	Comment	Corporal at No. 23 (Nelson) Squadron, Air Training Corps. Highest Level Attained: Flight Sergeant
	Year	1984
	Age	16
	Sport	Karate Highest Level Attained: 10th Kyu (Brown belt with black tip).
	Address	Alfred Street, Nelson
	School	Nelson College, 5TY
	Religion	Zen Buddhist
	Employment	Baigents Grocers
	Comment	Blue Belt at Nelson Seido Karate Club.
	Year	1985
	Age	17
	Sport	Karate
	Address	Alfred Street, Nelson
	School	Nelson College, 6AE
	Religion	Zen Buddhist
	Employment	Hotel Wakatu, Cobb & Co, Kitchen Hand
	Comment	With my sister Joy and her friend Marcia.
	Year	1986
	Age	18
	Sport	Karate
	Address	Alfred Street, Nelson
	School	Nelson College, 7DY
	Religion	Zen Buddhist
	Employment	Hotel Wakatu, Cobb & Co, Waiter
	Comment	With my three brothers, Roma, John & Ken at Roma’s wedding in Hamilton
	Year	1987
	Age	19
	Sport	Karate
	Address	The Terrace, Wellington
	School	Victoria University, BCA year 1 Highest Level Attained: Bachelor of Commerce and Administration Degree
	Religion	Zen Buddhist
	Employment	Housing Corporation, Accounting Bursar
	Comment	Visiting the Haast Pass.

The Salt Shaker Letter #70: The Trouble with the Treaty of Waitangi

	The Salt Shaker Letter No.70                              September 2006
	The Trouble with the Treaty of  Waitangi	WYN FOUNTAIN 13A Eltham Rd., Kohimarama, Auckland 5 N.Z. Phone 5289831 Fax 5289841 shirwyn@woosh.co.nz http://www.saltshaker.org.nz

 

The trouble with the Treaty of Waitangi is that it was conceived  in the ethos of a Christian world view by the colonial office and the  missionaries and also signed by the Maori chiefs on that basis. That fact is ignored by a secular government and  non-believing Maori when the question is asked “ What is the spirit of the Treaty?”.

 

The Tribunal is making an honest attempt to remedy the breaches of the Spirit of the Treaty in terms of money and land. For most Maori it is a matter of mana (prestige, pride or self respect) and redress that is driven by the  spirit of utu, (pay-back, revenge, restoring the balance).  Mana and utu kept the Tribes fighting each other for centuries and unfortunately they are still deep-seated and highly regarded. The call for justice camouflages a deeply offended mana. Pride and pay-back are not confined to the Maori culture. They are universal as in Yugoslavia and Ireland in recent times and among the clans of Scotland in earlier years. There are injustices that must be remedied, but using the Treaty to satisfy Mana and Utu is not in the Spirit of the Treaty.

 

SO LET’S EXAMINE THE ROOTS OF THE TREATY

Those roots are found in British colonial policy, reformed by men whose worldview had been transformed by the Wesleyan revival in Britain in the early 19^th century. Previously Britain had subjugated coLonised peoples such as the Indians, Africans and North Americans. The Treaty of Waitangi was the forerunner of the reformed  policy whereby  indigenous people were given equality of British citizenship with the British settlers.  Although most New Zealanders are aware that the Treaty of Waitangi was unique, in that it was the first such treaty, few appear to understand that it was rooted in the Great Evangelical Awakening of the early 19^th century, when many British leaders had been transformed. Wilberforce fought against slavery, Lord Teignmouth, was responsible for allowing Missionaries to work in India and Shaftsbury introduced legislation to improve conditions in the factories of the industrial revolution. The undersecretary for the Colonies, James Stephen and the Colonial Secretary, Lord Dartmouth, had both become keen evangelicals and were friends of Wesley. As a result of their influence the colonial policy was drastically reformed with the object of treating the indigenous people Christianly. It was the colonial Office that instructed Capt. Hobson to formulate a treaty with the Maori chiefs in this spirit.

 

The Anglican CMS missionaries who arrived in 1814, had also been influenced by the Awakening. The Maori tribes were viciously fighting each other with newly discovered muskets, in what became known as the musket wars. They were cannibals who enslaved members of other tribes, some of whom were eaten. When they discovered that traders would pay good money for tattooed heads, some tattooed their slaves, killed them and sold the heads. There was precious little Arohanui. The isthmus on which Auckland was built had been heavily populated, but when the missionaries visited there, it was completely devoid of human habitation. The local Ngati Whatua tribe had fled from the Ngapuhi tribe to the protection  of the Tainui chief, Te Whero Whero at Ngaruawahia.

 

The missionaries successfully stopped the fighting and  thousands welcomed  the Christian gospel some years before Capt Hobson arrived to propose the treaty.  Peace reigned throughout the land. It was with these converted Maoris that Hobson was able to negotiate. The Treaty could not have been achieved without the remarkable work of those missionaries, who would determinedly go to where a fight was to take place and stand between the warring tribes. Some modern historians who are trying to rewrite history are committing a gross injustice by disparaging those missionaries.

 

Unfortunately many settlers and some governors who cared little for the new Christian policies of the Colonial office, treated the Maoris the same as other indigenous people had been treated and confiscated land that the Treaty had promised would not be taken. When some of the Tribes who had become Christian complained and took non-violent action such as removing the survey pegs, they were attacked by soldiers and police and jailed.  War ensued and the lands remained confiscated.

 

Bewilderment and confusion reigned among the Maoris who had expected that all the British would be Christian like the missionaries.  When they discovered that the government was not on their side, an attempt was made to create unity under an elected Maori King, Te Whero Whero, of the powerful Tainui tribe in the Waikato.

 

However, twenty years after the signing of the Treaty, there was still a lot of goodwill towards the British, based on their new Christian faith. In 1860,  Governor Gore-Browne  called a large meeting of chiefs to discover what their attitude was.  This is an extract from Donald McLean’s speech -   ..….Christian principles have ruled the conduct of the British government in these islands. The policy pursued has been one of uniform kindness and in accordance with the precepts of Christianity”.           

 

The following quotes are typical of the responses made by 46 of those gathered chiefs.

Paora Tuhaere of Ngati Whatua, Auckland.  “ The Pakeha have their councils and the Maori have their separate councils, but this is wrong. Evil results from these councils not being one. I am desirous that the minds of the Europeans and the Maori should be brought into unison with each other”….. the benefits we received from the governor are Christianity and the law.

Ihakara Tokanui : Manawatu “ In former times the evil that prevailed in this land was war: now the gospel has been received………when Christianity came, then for the first time were made manifest the good things of the Pakeha and the evil things of the Maori”.

Parawhau ; Whangarei. “ It was the Pakeha that planted love among us, (referring to the former exterminating wars carried out by the Ngapuh, of which he was a chief.

 

No wonder they were confused and disillusioned by the subsequent  behaviour of the government. A fuller account of that meeting can be found at www.saltshaker.org.nz, in the Salt Shaker Letter No. 44 November 2004 

 

Although the Maori tribes still have a genuine grievance because of mistreatment, and rightly call for a recognition of the Treaty, we all need to recognise that their right of redress only exists because the treaty was framed in the ethos of a Christian worldview. Before 1840  the Colonial policy of conquest would have given them no such rights nor would they have had any such rights under their own Maori culture. When one Maori tribe conquered another there was no saying, “This is not fair”. Might was right.

 

Can reconciliation be affected by people who do not understand what Parawhau was talking about and that the origin of love is not found in laws, but in a relationship with God through Jesus Christ? The Love of God is not a matter of private personal concern only, it is also the basis for community and national relationships. Another sixty five years after that 1860 meeting, Ratana, an ardent supporter of the Treaty, was approached to engage in politics for the Treaty to be recognised and breaches redressed.

His reply was, ”The Bible first, then the Treaty”. He was right.  What a tragedy he was not heeded.  Separation of church and state does not mean that biblical principles are of no value. It was Christianity that was responsible for the Treaty. That is a historical fact. It is time that both Maori and Pakeha recognised that a successful conclusion to negotiations calls for a recognition of the roots of the Treaty, otherwise it is not a basis for negotiations.  Mana and utu have no place in that Treaty, but they will dominate relationships far into the future unless the true spirit of the treaty is recognised.

 

        

 

The Islamic Divide

The terms Shiite (Shia) and Sunni are heard often in stories about the Muslim world, but few people really know what they mean. Religion permeates every aspect of life in the Muslim world and understanding the differences between Shiites and Sunnis is important in understanding the complex geopolitics of the Middle East.

The division between Shiites and Sunnis began in the years immediately following the death of the Prophet Muhammad, the founder of the Islamic faith. When Muhammad died in 632 AD there was a disagreement over who should succeed him as the political and religious leader of the Muslim world. One group of Muslims elected Abu Bakr, a close companion of Muhammad to be the caliph, or leader. However a smaller group believed that Muhammad’s cousin and son-in-law, Ali ibn Abu Talib, was the rightful leader. The Muslims who believed that Abu Bakr should be Muhammad’s successor have come to be known as Sunni. Whereas the Muslims who felt Ali should have been the successor are now known as Shiite.

Abu Bakr was the first caliph, although Shiites considered him to be a usurper. He was succeeded by Umar ibn al-Khattab and Uthman ibn Affan, the second and third caliphs. In the year 656 AD, 24 years after the death of Muhammad, Uthman was murdered. After Uthman’s death Ali, whom Shiites had always considered the rightful leader, was finally elected to rule. Ali was opposed by Muhammad’s wife Aisha, the daughter of Abu Bakr. Aisha challenged his authority and criticized Ali for his lack of interest in bringing Uthman’s killers to justice. Aisha raised an army against Ali, which lead to the first Fitna, or Islamic civil war. Ali defeated Aisha at the Battle of Bassorah, also known as the Battle of the Camel. Ali’s reign was turbulent and he was assassinated in 661 AD.

Under the leadership of the first four caliphs (Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali), the political, social, and religious institutions of Islam were solidified. Islam spread far beyond the borders of the Arabian peninsula, east into the Persian empire, north into Byzantine territory, and west across northern Africa. After Ali’s death, however, Islamic unity splintered. Sunni Islam continued through the Umayyads and other dynasties that led to the powerful Ottoman and Mughal empires of the 15th to 20th Centuries. For Shiites, leadership was passed down through the Imams, who were believed to be divinely appointed from Muhammad’s family. The 12th and final Shiite Imam died in the late 9th Century. After several centuries a council was appointed to elect an Ayatollah, the supreme Shiite spiritual leader.

The divide between Shiite and Sunni Muslims began as a political one, but this ultimately led to some religious and theological differences. The divide between the two sects has grown over time. Shiites and Sunnis disagree on the identity of the Mahdi, the coming Islamic messiah. They also disagree on the interpretation of various key passages of the Quran and the hadith. The Quran (or Koran) is the Islamic holy scriptures – the word of Allah. While the hadith are teachings and traditions passed down from Muhammad – not divinely inspired nevertheless very significant. Yet while there are differences in beliefs, both Shiites and Sunnis share the main articles of faith – the five pillars of Islam – which are the testimony of faith, prayer, giving to charity, fasting, and the pilgrimage to Mecca.

Shiites and Sunnis are the two largest Islamic sub-groups. However there are other sects, as well as divisions within the two groups. Sunni Muslims make up the majority, approximately eighty-five percent, of Muslims all over the world – they are spread from North Africa to Asia. However large populations of Shiite Muslims live in Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Afghanistan and India.

Islam is the world’s fastest growing religion, and is second in size only to Christianity, but the god of Islam and the God of the Bible are not one and the same. Allah is presented as unknowable and capricious, and is derived from the ancient pagan moon god. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob delights in making and keeping His promises. Jesus summarized the entire Law of Moses in two commandments: Love God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind; and love your neighbor as yourself. Nowhere does the Koran make such a commandment. Although there are many peace-loving Muslims, study of the Islamic religion will reveal that true Islam is anything but a peaceful religion. Islam demands the utter destruction of all Jews, Christians, and anyone who refuses to convert to the Islamic faith. It is a warrior code that demands Muslims live and die by the sword.

The truth about Islam is exactly the opposite of what you will hear on the news. Many Americans believe that Islam is a religion of peace and that Christians and Muslims worship the same God. In public schools we teach our children a doctrine of tolerance, and in some schools students are even required to memorize passages of the Koran. While in comparison, Islamic children are taught that America is the Infidel. We are the enemy. When the towers came crashing down on September 11, 2001 and thousands of innocent people were killed, Muslims all over the world danced in the streets and praised the hijackers. Islamic terrorists are referred to in the West as radicals and extremists, while in the mid-east they are heralded by fundamentalists as martyrs and heroes, and the families of suicide bombers are rewarded monetary pensions. The disparity between the two perspectives is staggering, still Americans are not willing to face the truth about Islam.

[Editor's note: This is a highly condensed overview of early Islamic history as it pertains to the division between Shiites and Sunnis. It is important to note that Islamic sects tend to disagree on many aspects of key historical events (one man's hero is another's villain). See the links below for more detailed information. Also, check out our briefing pack The Sword of Allah to learn more about the origins of the Islamic faith.]

Related Links:

 • Islam – CARM
 • What’s the Difference Between Shi’ah and Sunni? – Christianity Today
 • The Sword of Allah – MP3 Download – Koinonia House
 • A Legacy of Hate – MP3 Download – Koinonia House
 • Strategic Trends: The Rise of Islam – Koinonia House

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Copyright © 1996-2006 by Koinonia House Inc., P.O. Box D, Coeur d’Alene, ID 83816

 

The Maori Names for God

Io nui	Io, the Supreme	Greater than all other gods.
Io roa	Io, the everlasting	His Being is eternal, he will never die.
Io matua	Io, the parent	He is the parent of the heavens, worlds, clouds, animals, cosmos, etc. He is over all, and is the parent of all things, including man.
Io matua te kore	Io, the parentless	He has no beginning, no brothers, sisters, etc.
Io take take	Io, the original	Io is permanent and enduring.
Io matangaro	Io, the hidden face	He cannot be seen anywhere by his Creation.
Io matanui	Io, the many eyed	All things are seen and observed by Him.
Io te toi o nga rangi	Io, the crown of heaven	He is the highest of the 12 heavens, beyond him there is nothing.
Io te wananga	Io, the source of knowledge
Io te pukenga	Io, the source of all thought
Io mataaho	Io, the radiant
Io te whiwhia	Io, the giver of all

World Christian Gathering on Indigenous People

Report on the Inaugural

World Christian Gathering on Indigenous People

Rotorua, New Zealand
10-17 November 1996

Author
(The Voice of Reason in New Zealand)

"We’ve been deceived by the Devil too long,
What he said was his, has been ours all along!"

---

Executive Summary

The Inaugural World Christian Gathering on Indigenous People was a spectacular event that marks the "coming of age" for many Indigenous followers of "the Jesus Way." But what does it hold for the rest of the Church in New Zealand? Some have expressed reservations about whether this Gathering can claim to be definitive at all. What can we say to alleviate the fears of Pakeha Christians? Specifically, these fears translate into the following concerns:

1. What is all the fuss? Are Maori pushing for separatist, apartheid-style policies?
2. Are Native forms of worship truly Christian?

This report sets out to answer these questions and others. It does so by drawing upon the personal experiences of its author. I and my wife were merely spectators ourselves during the Gathering, but by virtue of being a mixed Maori-Pakeha marriage, we find ourselves called upon to be a model for the reconciliation process this Gathering initiated.

---

Background

There were 32 nations represented, with probably 1,300-2,000 people attending over the course of the week. A different group of nations had each day dedicated to it:

• Sunday Opening Ceremonies
• Monday Maori and Pacific Islands (Fiji, Samoa, Cook Islands, Hawaii)
• Tuesday North American and Canadian First Nations Peoples
• Wednesday Break
• Thursday Asia (Korea, Haka Chinese, Borneo Malaysians, Philippines) and Australia (Mainland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander)
• Friday The Sammi people (from north of Norway, Sweden, Finland & Russia) and Israel
• Saturday Africa
• Sunday Closing Ceremonies

---

Interesting Comparisons

Among the many enlightening comments heard during the course of the week, were comparisons between the WCGIP and a preceding "World Indigenous People Conference" minus the Christian influence. This earlier conference (held in Brussels) became a forum for voicing the hurts and anger of Indigenous People. Without the hope of peace that comes from the Prince of Peace, this earlier conference was unable to offer any solutions. Consequently, those who were present at both found that whereas the previous one left them feeling empty and unsatisfied, this one gave them hope for the future.

Most groups recounted only a brief summary of the historical, cultural & current events that affect their people. In every case, delegates discussed only the facts, not in an emotive, blameful way. An interesting point of note was the similarity of situations involving contact between indigenous people and colonial powers, although certain details were different, for example:

• All were banned from speaking their languages at school, from a misguided attempt at assimilation; but
• Colonial powers removed forcibly Australian Aboriginal and Native North American children to boarding school, away from their homes. This was from a similarly misguided attempt to "educate" them into the white man’s ways (this never happened in NZ).

Throughout the Gathering, the delegates gave due recognition that the source of our shared woes was not the white man. If God had turned the tables, our sinful natures would have caused us to behave in exactly the same manner. And in the matter of bringing to us the Gospel, the delegates throughout the Gathering maintained a proper attitude of thankfulness.

However, what has the Church of Christ lost through these attempts at "assimilation" rather than "partnership"? What does a Native world view have to offer the Church? For a more thorough examination of this issue, we highly recommend The Turtle and the Snail by Richard Twiss. A brief summary would be:

• A more relational, community-based society.
• A more environmentally friendly society.
• A more spiritually aware society.

---

Call To Repentance

Please note that the Gathering was not saying that a Native world view is necessarily a better, more Christian way to live than the prevailing Western, materialistic, individualistic way we currently have. Both have their weak and strong points. The point is, that both systems are equally valid, and we all should be free to pick and choose aspects from either system to the greater Glory of God.

Attempts to legislate or peer-pressure these differences out of people, for the sake of "unity," are wrong. These are attitudes from which the Church should repent. This form of assimilation is not unity, but instead is uniformity. Uniformity is a passive form of racism, in that it does not allow for the unique differences God has built into cultures.

At the beginning of this report, we have quoted from a popular worship song "We’re Going Up To The High Places, To Tear The Devil’s Kingdom Down." A recurring theme of this Gathering was that for too long, we have believed a certain lie of the enemy. Namely, that certain aspects of each of our cultures were repugnant to God, and therefore we could not use them in our churches to glorify Him. What we did not realise was that as the only Creator, everything we have belongs to Him, and should be used to glorify Him. God created every cultural thing, as only God can create. Satan misuses and corrupts these things, but Christians are to reclaim these cultural expressions to give glory to God.

So, for instance:

• Maori haka should be used for spiritual warfare;
• Sammi Yoik should be redeemed from "just a traditional pub song" to a distinctive sounding praise song;
• and so on…

There is no definitive list of what is right or wrong in each culture. For example, could not a marae be a "church?"

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Process of Reconciliation

The Gathering gave various groups several opportunities for expressions of confession, repentance and forgiveness. All the groups did this with appropriate attitudes of love — not out of bitterness, resentment, or hatred. Three such calls were between:

1. Jew and Gentile
2. Indigenous and Colonial
3. Maori tribes, one to another

In this process of reconciliation between Indigenous and Colonial Peoples, we recognised that there is a continuum along which we all lie:

• At one end, Native Americans and Australian Aborigines have their own independent indigenous churches. For these people, total vertical reconciliation between their ethnos and God mean bringing all of music, dance, drama, song and language to Him — dedicated and consecrated to God.
• At the other end, some groups are happy with an occasional song in their language. For example, we sing Maori words to English hymns.

Both ends of the spectrum are valid for that people group at this time. The Gathering did not seek to push one form over another. What it did accomplish was to introduce the various reconciliation ministries to one another, to aid in this on-going, continuing process.

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Native Illustration

A delegate told a story that relates well the feeling of many at the Gathering. It tells of the journey of the kahawai (a medium sized fish). A passing shark swam by the kahawai. The shark asked, "Would you like to journey together?" The kahawai thought this sounded like a good idea and agreed, since they were heading in the same direction. The shark promptly swallowed the kahawai. The kahawai was surprised at this and commented upon it, to which the shark replied, "Why are you complaining? We’re going in the same direction, aren’t we?" The kahawai thought about this and had to agree, so they continued their journey together. However, after a time, the kahawai noticed several difficulties about this arrangement:

1. Because he could no longer see where they were, he could not be certain they were going in the right direction.
2. When he asked the shark to relay the details of where they were, he received the information as seen through the eyes of the shark.
3. Because he was unable to accurately work out where they were, his input into direction was misinformed as well as unwelcome.
4. Over time, as he grew, he could only grow to the size of the belly of the shark.

The morals of this story are that in Maori to Pakeha Christian relations:

1. Earlier colonial powers removed our indigenous forms of worship from us, so as a people we had to choose between being Maori or being Christian.
2. The information necessary to our current growth is being relayed to us in Pakeha forms, which are inappropriate.
3. When we attempt to influence the New Zealand Church, our brethren (largely) ignore us.
4. The Pakeha church confines our growth.

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Repentance Without Restitution?

It is the personal opinion of the author that repentance without restitution is like faith without works: a shallow faith (James 2:14-26). Another delegate told a story that relates to the depth of hurt felt by Native Christians:

Soon after the arrival of the Pakeha to New Zealand, most Maori were quick to adopt Christianity as the True Way. As a sign of gratitude to the missionary for bringing the Good News, Maori gifted a block of choice land near a particular marae to the Church. However, when the wars between the colonial powers and local Maori commenced, the missionary not only housed the soldiers upon this land, but also blessed them in their battle. When the Maori refused to battle on Sunday, "because it is the Lord’s day" but instead agreed to fight on Monday, the soldiers promptly went back on their word, and attacked the unsuspecting tribe. These actions caused a major negative reaction away from the Gospel. Subsequent to this, the Maori ceased worshipping the "white man’s god." This activity established a spiritual strong-hold, that we the Church must break before a revival for Maori can take place.

What are the actions we can take to rectify these situations? Would it be too bold and presumptuous of the author to respectfully submit that the Church has some attitudes and actions from which she needs to repent? Specifically, those earlier churches who committed these acts need to seek forgiveness. In those rare cases where the Church has retained title of gifted land not utilised for its original purpose, then returning this gifted land to Maori would be a monumental act of restitution.

Finally, the Pakeha church need not fear the formation of an indigenous church. Frankly, to question whether a people-group who have had the Gospel for 150 years can adapt it without compromising it, is patronising. Birthing these daughter congregations would become another form of restitution, as they will require resourcing initially.

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Recommendation

In a secular sense, this Gathering did not achieve much. It did not pass any binding resolutions capable of being implemented by either governments or churches. Neither had the workshops been designed to "reach a conclusion."

However, in a peculiarly Native sense, the Gathering did achieve much:

• On a spiritual level, we sounded a declaration of war against Satan.
• On a relational level, many ministries networked together.
• On an organisation level, the people affirmed the Gathering’s usefulness. Other nations will now repeat it, probably in Canada 1997 and Australia 1999.

What needs to happen now is for more Christians to heed this call. For too long the Church has been the tail, and not the head. The two greatest social justice issues of secular society today have been for a number of years:

1. Women’s Rights
2. Maori Partnership or Tino Rangatiratanga

But when talking with Christians, it’s as if these issues do not exist in the Church and do not matter to God. They do and they do! It’s time for the Church to embrace and affirm the validity of these causes rather than attempt to ignore or run away from them. It’s time for the Church to lead!  

Global Consultation on World Evangelisation

GCOWE’97

Pretoria, South Africa
30 June – 5 July 1997

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Dear GCOWE 97 Prayer Partner,

Welcome to this global consultation on the call to world evangelisation by the year 2000 and beyond!  We come to GCOWE 97 with a purpose – to pray and seek a further movement of God to advance the implementation plans of key AD2000 national and global initiatives towards the fulfillment of the goal of a church for every people and the gospel for every person by the year 2000, with a special emphasis on Africa’s involvment through national initiatives and Joshual Project 2000.

GCOWE 97 is not designed to be a pep rally or a parade of speeches but rather we trust it will be a time where God will do a deep penetrating work in the hearts and lives of each one of us.  We want to give the Lord room to change paradigms and directions and the focus of our ministries where needed – and to offer a sobering reality check!  In addition, we hope to lay vital foundations for the ongoing thrust to expand the Kingdom of God in the 21st century.

We come here with a contrite spirit, repenting for our lack of heart, vision, and compassion – yet grateful for the blood of Jesus that cleanses us from all of our sins.  We are thankful for the power of Jesus that enables us to go on; thankful for your being here – many of you as a result of major sacrifice; thankful for our hosts, the South African churches and particularly the World Mission Centre.

As God’s servants among the peoples of the earth, we do not come with forms of crusading triumphalism in the mission contexts of the unreached peoples. Our purpose in GCOWE 97 is to see the gospel willingly embraced in every ethno-linguistic people in such a way that it meets their diverse needs, heals their deepest wounds, redeems their distinct culture, and restores their God-given dignity and destiny.

At the same time, we come to CGOWE 97 with greta spiritual expe tation.  As God’s people from more than 110 countries of the world we believe we have moved from the generation of Moses to the generation of Joshua.  The serving, surveying, soldiering spirit of Joshua moves us to ask of our Lord for the remaining peoples on earth prior to the end of th emillennium and to act as though it might be so!  He has prepared the way that there be a church for each of these people.  Our goal is to have at least an outreach team and a church for each of the remaining Joshua Project 2000 peoples by the turn of the millennium.

GCOWE 97 is strategically positioned three and a half years (or 42 months or 1279 days) before the end of the century.  This is a critical time to assess what still needs to be done as we embark on our final major drive to establish a church for every people and make the Gospel available to every person.  We come with a sense of urgency – prasing and thanking God for His provision along the way!

We come to GCOWE 97 with a spirit of hope – not of despair – with regard to what God is doing in our world.  We have seen how God has broken through resistant ideologies, peoples, cities an countries.  We have seen how the church world-wide has joined together in praying through the 10/40 Window in October 1993 and October 1995 and the plans in place to pray for the unreached peoples in the month of October later this year, even believing for over 50 million to participate!  We have seen  how the churches around the world are adopting these peoples, how mission agencies are focusing to plant churches among the remaining unreached peoples, how the women in Africa and elsewhere have mobilised so many, how the business executives are becoming involved, how the students and young people are mobilising, how the needs of the poor are being increasingly addressed, how children are getting involved, how creative avenues and approaches are bing explored such as worship and fine arts.  We are delighed to see the presidents and acdemic deans from around the world amongst us with the purpose of considering how to train students to become more effective in the context of the current evangelisation thrusts and the new millennium needs.  For all this we say "Alleluia!"

We celebrate the vision and reality of the River of Life flowing from God’s throne for the healing of all peoples (Rev. 22), broadening and deepening even as we go!  We believe that the Gospel has the power to break down every wall of hostility among all the peoples of the earth, and to make them one in Christ.  We join with God’s strong desire that none should perish, but that every person on earth should be given real access to the good news of Jesus Christ within the context of their own cultural environment, through the emergence of a viable, indigenous, church-planting movement among them.

May God bless each one of you as we gather, and for your loved ones, ministry’s and/or institutions you represent.  Thank you for your many sacrifices!  What a joy to labour together in this great cause that brings/knits us together.

Sincerely in Christ,
Luis Bush
International Director – AD2000 & Beyond Movement

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The Global Consultation On World Evangelisation consists of 10 consultations in 1:

1. Business Executives
2. Mission Executives
3. Poor and Needy
4. African National Initiatives
5. Church Planting Movements
6. Pastors
7. Theology and Academics
8. Youth
9. Worship & Arts
10. Children’s Ministry

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1. Business Executive Consultation

As business executives and professionals, they are challenged to give our response to the call manifest in the Great Commission.  Christian leaders are calling on the successful business and government leaders because they hold the key to many of the unreached nations, and peoples, in their hands. They plan to do a case study, on "How to impact a nation."  Partnership opportunities in the 10/40 window and reaching the unreached.

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2. Mission Executive Consultation

The objectives of the Mission Executives consultation are to give mission executives from major denominations, parachurch organisations, and emerging mission boards the opportunity to discuss together what God is doing: to share how each is involved; and to develop networks so that each part of the Body knows what the rest is doing and how the various parts may partner in our common mission.  To give mission executives who have the missionary forces and resources to give the world an opportunity to move in unity of the heart toward the fulfillment of the Great Commission.  To give the leaders of old and new missions agencies an opportunity to dialogue and learn from one another.  To assess work among the Joshua Project’s 2000 peoples and look for places where we can cooperate for the good of the Kingdom.  To encourage the formation for people-specific networking/partnership to reach all the 1739 peoples in the Joshua Project.

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3. Meeting the Needs of the Poor and Needy Consultation

People already ministering to-and involved in working with the poor and needy of the world will meet.  Their first objective will be to learn from each other and secondly to, strategically seek ways together on how to reach the "poorest of the poor" among the unreached people’s groups of the world.  In this they target the 10/40 window specifically, with the GOSPEL.

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4. Africa National AD2000 Initiative Consultation

The objectives of the African National Initiatives consultation include the mobilisation of national churches in partnership with the wider body of Christ to:

1. Penetrate the least evangelised peoples groups, geographical areas, and classes of society through effective pioneer church planting movements;
2. Play a significant role in reaching the least evangelised peoples, areas and classes worldwide (Joshua Project); and
3. Develop cooperative national Saturation Church Planting strategies designed to saturate each country with accessible groups of believers in Christ. 

Critical to this process is a strategic integration of all-existing AD2000 Task Forces and Resource Networks.  Among these will be a focus on national research, prayer mobilisation and strategy development.  Specialist ministries focusing on church planting among Muslims, rural and urban outreach and church planting will be covered.  Breakout groups also are geared towards resource development, and the strategic use of radio and media, audio communications, audiovisual (Jesus Film Project), Bible translation and availability and distribution of Christian literature. Further attention will be given to denominational and local church mobilisation.  The role of denominational leader pastors and lay leadres, along with the mobilisation of women and cross-cultural missionaries is vital to the process.  Under-girding all of this is a commitment to the unreached peoples and those least likely to be reached through "business as usual."

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5. Training for Church Planting Movements Consultation

Church planters will discuss ways in which to train others in methods that will lead to multiplying indigenous churches amongst the unreached peoples of the world.

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6. Pastors Consultation

We believe that the Essential Ingredient that is missing in the task of world evangelisation is the Local Church and that the amazing resources of people, finances, etc. that are locked up in the Local Church, needs to be released.  This consultation seeks to encourage the South African Church to fulfil the vital role that it is called to play.  We are committed to facilitating the formation of strategic vision and committed relationships, which will lead pastors into a well-defined missions process and thrust the South African Church into reaching the unreached across the spectrum, to the very ends of the earth.  This Local Church-based network of involvement in world evangelisation will serve as a model to the rest of the world and will make a church for every people, and the gospel, for every person possible by the year 2000.

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7. Theological Institution Presidents and Academic Deans Consultation

For the first time in the history of international evangelical congresses focused on global evangelisation, the most strategic training institutions in the world are meeting together as a distinct group to consider their role in the fulfillment of Christ’s Great Commission.  They aim to learn from one another, to explore ways to coordinate efforts in a spirit of partnership, and to consider how to help accomplish the task of a Church for every people and the Gospel for every person.

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8. University Students and Youth Leader Consultation

Ultimate objective of consultation: to construct a tailor-made strategy to mobilise the youth for missions.  Key goals: Analyse the input and expertise of all the participating youth leaders on the following subjects:

1. Facilitating a mission movement.
2. Community compassion.
3. Short term outreaches.
4. Training for missions.

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9. Worship and Performing Arts in Missions Consultation

The ultimate goal of this Consultation is to raise up an army of those involved in worship and the arts, so that God will be worshipped by all peoples throught the earth (Rev 7:9).  Our objectives in this Consultation are to bring key motivators and catalyst in the field of the arts together, to share, to learn from one another and from the Lord.  To seek the Lord and in this spirit to strategise together how best to fulfill the above goal. Each person will contribute from their experience, wisdom and knowledge, culminating in the formation of a strategy, which we believe could be part of one of the greatest moves in worship and the arts since the Renaissance. Gifted Christian artists and heads of like ministries will discuss how to use the arts to gain access to restricted countries and how to impart the gospel through non-threatening presentations.

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10. Children’s Ministry Consultation

Because of the vital importance of the evangelising and spiritual building process in the most receptive years of a person’s life, the committee took this challenge with great enthusiasm.  Leaders in Children’s Ministry will discuss the different circumstances of children and plan strategic initiatives for effective global child evangelism and to mobilise children in world evangelisation; both locally, as well as amongst the unreached people groups.