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ON NEW ZEALAND'S NORTH ISLAND
The population of Auckland provides access to many people who need to hear the Gospel. Auckland's diversity of cultures and growing immigrant population present challenges for presenting the Gospel in a relevant and understandable way. It is an exciting corner of the Lord's harvest field in which to be working !!

The strategy of BMW-New Zealand is to see four existing church plants in Auckland and Hamilton become independent. We further purpose to start four new churches in this target area by 2012.

In the future, the field will be "targeting" the greater Auckland area, which has a population of over one million. We hope to see a "network" of churches started in the Auckland area. We will use these pastors and missionaries to work together in the training of leaders and more pastors. We are looking for eight missionaries to help in fulfilling this strategy.

BMW'S HISTORY ON THE ISLAND
Ted and Kay Cripe were the first missionaries with any U.S. mission organization to enter New Zealand. They went there with their five children in December, 1967, and within two weeks met two couples and a woman who were praying for someone to come and minister to them. Thus, the Turangi Evangelical Church began on February 11, 1968, in a small town in the centre of the North Island. Today the church is pastored by a New Zealander and his American wife, John and Bev Campbell.

In the past 35 years the Cripes have been involved in many different ministries throughout New Zealand - in Bible studies, discipling, church planting efforts, children's ministries, Bible college. After two years of teaching a Bible study in West Auckland (while living and ministering at South Auckland Bible Church) the Lord led Ted and Kay to begin the Waitakere (Why-tack-er-ee) City Bible Church at the end of July 1993.

Waitakere City Bible Church in West Auckland. The church recently elected their first officers: two elders and two deacons. Jack McMahan is assisting in the continue development of ministry of Waitakere City Bible Church.

Hamilton Bible Church was started by Bill and Helen Lake in 1980 after two years of home Bible studies. Barry and Laurie Smith are currently working in a rebuilding phase of the church’s growth and development. They are involved in evangelism, discipleship, and leadership development. Robin Brooks has also joined the NZ team and is working at HBC.

South Auckland Bible Church was a struggling church that came and asked BMW to assume leadership. Jack and Bev McMahan have been assisting this work. The church currently has one elder and three deacons. A pastoral intern will work at SABC in 2006, Lord willing, with the prospect of becoming the pastor in 2007. SABC has a vision to establish two new works in the next five years. The McMahans are working in a Bible study 10 minutes south to help accomplish this goal.

East Auckland Church Planting
Michael and Genia Huffman started a bible study group in East Auckland in 2001 that eventually grew into Seven Oaks Baptist Church. After six years of nurturing and growing, this small group of believers merged together with an established church, International Baptist Church, in December 2007. These two congregations united as one and entered into a building project to expand the facilities to accommodate more growth. Michael and Genia continue to minister in a support role with the national leadership at IBC under Pastor Ken Young. As missionaries, Michael and Genia are involved in evangelism, discipleship, leadership development and biblical counseling with International Baptist Church where weekly Life Groups are reaching the community. In this setting, the missionary is not pastoring the church but rather working with the national pastor to develop additional national leadership within the mostly Asian congregation. The ultimate goal would be to start additional churches through the ministry of International Baptist Church in Auckland and send missionaries out of IBC into Asia. You may follow the daily and weekly progress of the Huffmans and this exciting ministry through their blog at this web address: www.mghuff.blogspot.com.

JOINING THE TEAM
We are always looking for available people to help mentor and disciple others for the ministry. If you are interested in joining the team of church planters with BMW in New Zealand, we would be most happy to have your inquiry. You may contact Jack McMahan personally or better yet, contact the BMW office to plan a trip to New Zealand and see first hand the excitement and satisfaction of church planting in an English-speaking country with a diversity of cultures.

Two missionary units have been accepted to join the BMW team in New Zealand:

Mike and Brenda Cooper are currently raising support. Their place of church planting with a team in New Zealand will be determined in the near future.

Pink and Selena Davis are currently raising support and will work with the McMahans in establishing two new works in South Auckland

Interested in doing an internship in New Zealand? Read about an exciting opportunity in InterNZ (PDF).

For more information on serving with BMW's New Zealand team, contact Bill Lake, BMW's Area Director for the Pacific, or Jack McMahan, the Field Leader for New Zealand.

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