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New Zealand
New Generation is the youth ministry of the Assemblies Of God in New Zealand. Braden and Andrea Matson are the facilitators and are working with Youth Pastors around the country to equip young people to reach a nation.

Monday, March 24, 2008

West Coast

Andrea and I had a great time Saturday and Sunday in Wanganui. Saturday was a combined event with youth from Palmerston North, Wanganui, and New Plymouth. We started with a raft race (which was hilarious to watch) and then had a rally in the evening. There is such a great sense of unity in the West Coast region and so refreshing to see such a commitment to serving each other.

Sunday morning I had the privilege of speaking at Faith City Church led by Pastors Iliafi and Fia Esera. They have been doing such an amazing work in Wanganui for a long time now, steadily building a strong, healthy church. They are such a great example of a releasing church. Their pastors are released to help build the movement and to minister nationally and internationally, and people are released to minister such as Dennis and Caroline Isaacs being sent to pastor a church in Kaipoi. It's all about being kingdom minded.

Posted by Braden Matson

Monday, March 17, 2008

Dessert Night, West Auckland


We had a great night last night at Waitakere City Church. Pastor Luka Robertson was really challenging and inspiring. It was great to see so many Youth Leaders from all around Auckland (and even Hamilton - you guys were legends for coming all the way for the meeting!!).

One of the most challenging things form Pastor Luka, I thought, was the need for a fresh revelation of God's love for the people we lead. How are we treating the people God has entrusted to us? How am I loving them?

I trust you were really blessed if you were able to be there last night.

Posted by Braden Matson

Thursday, March 6, 2008

Increasing Your Influence

Here are some notes form the Dessert Night in Christchurch

Increasing your influence.


1. Lead yourself

Develop self discipline

People will seek you out because you have habits that people know are good, but neglect.

What areas of self-discipline do you need to improve?


2. Know the purpose of your influence.

Its not about you, your power, or ego.
Its about being a vessel of God. How will you influence people for him?

When people cross your path how will lives be different because they were influenced by you?


3. Get out of your way

Don’t let your age or personality limit you influence. 1 Tim 4:12

You have opportunities each day. Move out of your comfort zone.

How are you limiting yourself right now?


4. Raise the bar

If you have the same standards as everyone else, your influence is diminished. People are influenced by those they see ahead of them.

How could you raise the bar in your life?


5. Make people feel significant


People want to feel important. It is a basic human need. No one likes to feel insignificant.

If you, by your words, action or attitude make people feel significant, you will have influence with them.

Who can you make feel significant?


6. Develop your gifts

What are you doing to grow?

Use your gifts that God gave you, but develop them

Listen and learn.


7. Choose who will influence you.

Surround yourself with peers who will encourage you.
Find mentors who will help you grow.
Follow the writings of the experts in books and blogs.

Posted by Braden Matson

What will happen to me?

The third most important question is "What will happen to me when I die?"

Here are some quotes to help your thinking along these lines:

Evil can be cast out, not by man alone nor by a dictatorial God who invades our lives, but when we open the door and invite God through Christ to enter.

'Behold, I stand at the door, and knock; if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.'

God is too courteous to break open the door, but when we open it in faith believing, a divine and human confrontation will transform our sin-ruined lives into radiant personalities.
Martin Luther KingGrace

U2
Grace, she takes the blame
She covers the shame
Removes the stain
It could be her name
Grace, it's the name for a girl
It's also a thought that could change the world
And when she walks on the street you can hear the strings
Grace finds goodness in everything
Grace, she's got the walk
Not on a ramp or on chalkS
he's got the time to talk
She travels outside of karma, karmaSh
e travels outside of karma
When she goes to work you can hear the strings
Grace finds beauty in everything
Grace, she carries a world on her hips
No champagne flue for her lips
No twirls or skips between her fingertips
She carries a pearl in perfect condition
What once was hurtWhat once was friction
What left a mark no longer stings
Because Grace makes beauty out of ugly things
Grace finds beauty in everything
Grace finds goodness in everything

King Solomon.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-2, “There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die.”

Famous last words.
General Jon B Sedgwick:“They couldn’t hit an elephant from this distance.”
H.G. Wells“Go away… I’m all right.”

Christchurch Dessert Night

Had a great time last night with Youth Leaders from the Worship Centre as well as the Fijian and Samoan churches. There was such a great sense of unity. I love it that we can get together from various churches and encourage each other. I spoke on how we can increase our influence. I have had a great few days meeting with Dave and Jackie Sampson in Nelson and Deon January in from Lower Hutt but I can't wait to get home to see Andrea and hang out with our little baby (even though it isn't born yet!)

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

What will I do with my life?

The second Question that Phillip Yancy posed while he lay somewhere between death and life was "What have I done with my life?" We can turn that around a little but to "What will I do with my life". Here are some quotes to get you thinking on this topic:

Proverbs 29:18
Where there is no vision, the people perish

When Alexander the Great had a vision, he conquered countries; when he lost it, he couldn’t conquer a liquor bottle. When David had a vision, he conquered Goliath; and when he lost his vision, he couldn’t conquer his own lust. When Samson had a vision, he won many battles; when he lost his vision, he couldn’t win his battle with Delilah. When Solomon had a vision, he was the wisest man in the world; when he lost the dream God had given him, he couldn’t control his own evil passion for foreign women. When Saul had a vision, he could conquer kings; when he lost his vision, he couldn’t conquer his own jealousy. When Noah had a vision, he could build an ark and help keep the human race on track; when he lost his vision, he got drunk. When Elijah had a vision, he could pray down fire from heaven and chop off the heads of false prophets; when he lost the dream, he ran from Jezebel. It’s the dream that keeps us young; it’s the vision that keeps us

“Well, I don’t know what will happen now. We’ve got some difficult days ahead. But it really doesn’t matter with me now, because I’ve been to the mountaintop and I don’t mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I’m not concerned about that now. I just want to do God’s will, and He’s allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I’ve looked over and I’ve seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you, but I want you to know tonight, that we as a people will get to the Promised Land. And I’m happy tonight; I’m not worried about anything. I’m not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.”
Martin Luther King

Be Planted
Psalm 92
The righteous will flourish like a palm tree,they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon;planted in the house of the LORD ,they will flourish in the courts of our God.They will still bear fruit in old age,they will stay fresh and green.

Mark 8:34-37
Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?

I refuse to accept the idea that man is mere flotsam and jetsam in the river of life unable to influence the unfolding of events which surround him.
Martin Luther King

Psalm 139:3
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

Eph 1:23
The church, you see, is not peripheral to the world; the world is peripheral to the church. The church is Christ's body, in which he speaks and acts, by which he fills everything with his presence.

"Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes, and look to the fields, that they are white for harvest." (John 4:35)