I brought home some magazines – all sorts – from the library. They are no longer wanted there. I asked, if I could have them.

One magazine is called “New Zealand Engineering News”. In the July 2009 issue I found the following quote:

“What is needed today is powerful leadership, supported by a national strategy.” – Nick Inskip

The article written by Nick Inskip is called: “Clean energy – a time for leadership”. Nick Inskip is “NZ Heavy Engineering Research Association Industry development manager.”

A call for powerful Leadership! Clean energy is calling for powerful leadership.

But I think the CHURCHES, the local congregations, are also crying out for powerful leadership. Don’t you think so? Something like that was actually expressed to me by somebody only the other day.

I really have been reluctant to write this post, because I am still looking for something, what a read some time ago. I cannot find it. Maybe somebody can help me out?

But I think C. H. Spurgeon was once asked, “What makes a church grow strong?” And this was his answer: “1. Leadership, 2. Leadership, 3. Leadership!”

(The magazine of the Baptist Churches in New Zealand is called “BAPTIST” and on the front page of every issue you find written: “Growing Healthy Churches – Whakatupungia te Hauora ki nga Haahi”)

And please remember:

“LEADERSHIP IS ACTION, NOT POSITION.”

Jehoshaphat in Second Chronicles chapter 20 was a really good leader of his people.

Type JEHOSHAPHAT into the SERCH box and find a sermon outline on Second Chronicles 20:1-29

“DEATH” I read on the front of the T – shirt of the teenager who came towards me on his skateboard. When I got talking to him he was pleased to let me read the whole sentence: ” DEATH our nations number one killer.”

I was anyway on my way to the Warehouse here in Kaitaia to buy something. I was so taken in with that writing on the T – shirt that I asked two shops assistents if they had T – shirts with that writing for sale. “No”, was the answer.

When I paid for my bottle of water at the checkout, I mentioned the T – shirt slogan to the checkout operator. But that is not all. A little bit later I entered the shop of my friend John to ask him something. During the conversation the T – shirt came to my mind again and John laughed also when I said to him: “DEATH our nations number one killer.”

Do people think that is funny. Is that slogan unusual?

DEATH is also called the “grim reaper”. DEATH is the international reaper. Death is the number one killer of all the nations.

Usually you have to wait until you come to the last pages of a book to find out who the killer is. But this is too serious. That’s why I am telling you right at the beginning who the killer is. The killer is the devil. You know that already? Good!

DEATH is in the hands of the devil. That makes the devil the killer. We fear the devil, the killer. He is holding us in slavery all the days of our lives.

Since death is in the hands of the devil and the devil has been sinning from beginning death is sin.

But the Lord Jesus Christ died for us and by his death destroyed the devil. We have freedom through the death of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Lord Jesus Christ is also our high priest and made atonement for our sins.

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Please read Hebrews 2:14-18; First John 3:8 in the BIBLE!

“For her birthday, she just wants cards, like American Express, Visa…”

(Coffee News, 17th August 2009)