Golden Sands Baptist Churchgoldensands.nzA collection of our sermons, interviews and anything else that helps us to follow Jesus as we navigate our complex world. goldensands.nzhttps://admin.ezystream.com/static/images/podcast/3f710af2-dfdf-441b-8b3e-40b935362f30.pngGolden Sands Baptist ChurchGolden Sands Baptist ChurchColin@goldensands.nzen-usgoldensandsbaptistnoIn our first week we set the stage and context. Historically when it comes to politics, the church tends to either go all in, where the ends justify the means, or we avoid it altogether. Neither response has been helpful or appropriate. So drawing inspiration from Daniel, we are exploring a third way to engage where deep convictions are expressed with humility, compassion and grace.Sun, 06 Sep 2020 00:00:00 +0000Colin GruetzmacherColin Gruetzmacher39:0035fd874e-fc7b-4d9a-9425-d4316ac67737noArguably one of the biggest challenges facing the church is the culture of polarisation that is influencing all of us. The crisis of information and alternative facts, the algorithms that give us more of what we want, and a media reduced to ever increasing sensationalisation is making it harder than ever to come together. Now it's more important than ever that the church learns how to be a reconciling presence. Sun, 13 Sep 2020 00:00:00 +0000Colin GruetzmacherColin Gruetzmacher34:00f7a5231e-3536-4b9b-9feb-294e42400de4noIn the opening to this series we take a look at the wider context of Daniel. Long story short, it's complicated and messy. But in that messiness there is a promise of God's ability to bring life even after a horrible crisis.Sun, 12 Jul 2020 00:00:00 +0000Colin GruetzmacherColin Gruetzmacher30:00e1168570-5851-47cf-9715-a3b9ab4d7f79noThis week learn from Daniel's decision to refuse the Babylonian kings food as he is groomed for service. It raises up questions of our relationship to the culture around us. We'll see that while the temptation is there for us to fall into extremes like all out resistance or total assimilation, Daniel shows us a third way of faithful participation. Sun, 19 Jul 2020 00:00:00 +0000Colin GruetzmacherColin Gruetzmacher35:0069e29d7e-06d2-46ee-a71e-b805876c0800noWhen you get into the voting booth, how do you choose what to vote for? This week, Colin talks us through the complex imperfect reality of voting, as well as giving us 4 values drawn from the early church that can help guide us.Sun, 20 Sep 2020 00:00:00 +0000Colin GruetzmacherColin Gruetzmacher45:5179d28fcc-537e-46f5-a1ab-fe3dd43da333noAs we close out our series on politics we talk about political visions. Every party has a vision of what our country should look like. While those visions are important for deciding our votes, Colin reminds us that they shouldn't have our ultimate allegiance. Instead we follow the vision of Jesus as He makes all things new. Sun, 04 Oct 2020 00:00:00 +0000Colin GruetzmacherColin Gruetzmacher40:55f0559cb8-3228-4cbc-8482-f9c511140e36noThis week we have Bernie Cowan from BBC talking about something Jesus never said: go and do what makes you happy. Despite our culture's fascination with happiness and fulfilment, Jesus reminds us that He leads us in a better way to find what our souls truly desire. Sun, 11 Oct 2020 00:00:00 +0000Bernie CowanBernie Cowan32:41286c94f3-0af3-4d9e-985e-72483fbab315noAs we look toward the future Colin reflects on the Israelite journey out of slavery in Egypt. Despite the big vision God had given them, when they stood on the edge of the promised land, the sacrifice and cost seemed too great and they turned their backs on God's plan. As a church we find ourselves in a similar position carrying a big vision. The question is whether we will push ahead with who God is calling us to be. Sun, 18 Oct 2020 00:00:00 +0000Colin GruetzmacherColin Gruetzmacher37:0890b932a9-369c-45cc-b3c9-d822cf457f7bnoAs we continue our vision 2021 series, Colin had us engage around the theme of mission. If we really want to see God make all things new in our community, then we need to take God's mission seriously. As part of the sermon, we discussed three questions in groups: On a scale of 1-5, how well are we doing mission? What would a level 5 mission church look like? What are the biggest needs in the community? Listen in to be a part of our direction for the future. Sun, 25 Oct 2020 00:00:00 +0000Colin GruetzmacherColin Gruetzmacher36:545ed1290b-2ec8-47e5-928e-1bc740f1f064noIn our third week discussing the future vision and mission of the church we looked at worship. Worship is what happens when we encounter God and live out of that reality. So how do we as a church continue to keep Jesus at the heart of everything we do, encouraging peole to meet with Him every step of the way?Sun, 01 Nov 2020 00:00:00 +0000Colin GruetzmacherColin Gruetzmacher39:573ed98253-5d47-449d-a000-41cb420dc57enoIn our vision 2021 series we looked at discipleship. In a world that lives off shallow connections, Jesus calls us to go deeper. Discipleship is a lifelong journey where we are made new by deep committed obedience to Jesus, and as we are made new, that overflows into the transformation we want to see in society. Sun, 08 Nov 2020 00:00:00 +0000Colin GruetzmacherColin Gruetzmacher43:4095dd7d94-c831-4278-a23a-4498de5dde26noIn our continuing vision series, we look at the role of community in making all things new. Our culture prizes individualism almost above all else, but is it only making us more lonely. Instead we come back to the gospel, that sets the lonely in families and rediscover the power of community. Sun, 15 Nov 2020 00:00:00 +0000Colin GruetzmacherColin Gruetzmacher51:26ef5fc5ed-9fb7-4adf-9a17-6e6f8969fb9fnoOne of the biggest obstacles that we face in our life is the challenge of busyness. It was one of the most common issues that came up in our feedback. This week, Colin explores some of the cultural reasons that we find ourselves so busy all the time, and then reminds us of the gospel of Jesus, which invites us to rediscover the unforced rhythms of grace. Sun, 22 Nov 2020 00:00:00 +0000Colin GruetzmacherColin Gruetzmacher25:4980ba4985-90d2-4427-8817-b020a20c4d9anoThis week is the culmination of our 6 weeks of conversation about the future direction of our church. We take the time to remember some of the biggest moments from the years, as they happened in the different ministry areas. Then we present the focus areas for the next few years, drawn from the 630+ responses we got back from the community. If you consider this church your home, can we encourage you to take the time to hear about what God is doing. Sun, 29 Nov 2020 00:00:00 +0000Colin Ryan GruetzmacherColin Ryan Gruetzmacher47:192fdfdf35-07e0-4422-ab03-c49ff5d9554enoChristmas is the time where we look to see where God is at work in the world. But often, despite our best intentions we end up acting like it's our work to do. We feel that we're meant to better ourselves, to stop sinning, to be more kind, to look after more people etc... However as we look at the story of Mary, she reminds us that despite our best efforts, God doesn't need us. In fact, It's Him that is doing the work, we just need to get better at saying yes. Sun, 06 Dec 2020 00:00:00 +0000Colin GruetzmacherColin Gruetzmacher30:10847d18ac-4165-41b3-8e5e-10151424873dnoIn our second week of our Advent series, Brooke looks at the gritty nature of Jesus' birth. As God comes into the story of a tired pregnant mary and draws in marginalized shepherds, Heaven invites us in, with all of our faults, into the very life of God. Sun, 13 Dec 2020 00:00:00 +0000Brooke RosieBrooke Rosie36:15060a9c77-a6bc-4a60-ac97-d5bb18aa5df3noClosing out our Advent series we look at the encounter Jesus has with Simeon. Despite most leaders at the time thinking the messiah was only going to come to establish Israeli Dominance, Simeon understood that God's mission was so much bigger. He's throwing wide the gates and bringing in all the outsiders into the family. Sun, 20 Dec 2020 00:00:00 +0000Colin GruetzmacherColin Gruetzmacher21:343c146eea-0693-43a7-b30a-0ac987fbb591noIn an increasingly secular country, it's easy to relate to God as more of an idea than a person; more as a set of cultural values than a living being who acts in our lives. In direct contrast to that, John begins his gospel with a startling claim, God is not far off but has actually come down to us. In the grit and grime of daily life, Jesus is tenting with us. Sun, 24 Jan 2021 00:00:00 +0000Colin GruetzmacherColin Gruetzmacher31:091613b5c1-e696-48b9-8e01-be924ef17d6fnoLooking at the life of Levi the tax collector we find someone carrying a lot of baggage. We all carry the baggage of some sort; it might be dreams for our future, it might be hurts from the past. Instead of God asking us to do more, He asks us to let go, and follow Him into a new and better world. Sun, 31 Jan 2021 00:00:00 +0000Colin GruetzmacherColin Gruetzmacher33:0087f4284b-3305-4067-9029-72ba8636d805noHere Graeme Chamberlain tells Jesus' parable of the lost sheep and lost coin, reminding each of us that God is seeking us. Sun, 14 Feb 2021 00:00:00 +0000Graeme ChamberlainGraeme Chamberlain31:3015e0717c-537d-42da-9ba8-b9e2f6e55db4noThis week we played a video of Jay Ruka explaining some of the history of Te Tiriti and connecting it with the story of the church. This is a great resource if you want to learn a bit more about what God was up to in the writing of this document. Sun, 07 Feb 2021 00:00:00 +0000Jay RukaJay Ruka40:079d41e584-83d8-4f0a-a43c-91d4c6a551d2noOften when churches talk about the Bi-cultural journey, one might ask, "Why are we distracting ourselves from the gospel with these social justice issues?" While this is natural to ask, once we take a closer look at the New Testament, we can see that Racial Reconciliation between Jews and Gentiles was a central theme. And if it mattered that much to Peter, Paul, James and John, then it should matter to us today. Sun, 21 Feb 2021 00:00:00 +0000Colin GruetzmacherColin Gruetzmacher42:4140033d6d-8351-4f25-a480-f84f79314f7dnoThis week we opened the series with an exploratory discussion on Evangelism and its place in the church today. Colin, Brooke and Bernie talk through our natural responses to the idea, while asking questions about how we might be more faithful followers of Jesus. Sun, 28 Feb 2021 00:00:00 +0000Colin Gruetzmacher, Brooke Rosie, Bernie CowanColin Gruetzmacher, Brooke Rosie, Bernie Cowan32:4962be00d4-e10d-41f1-b966-4f67b28608f2noHave we lost confidence in the Gospel? This week Colin looks at modern evangelism strategies, suggesting that maybe we have lost confidence in the power of the gospel is because our modern strategies are solely based on our efforts. Instead, evangelism is less about what we do, and more about how we bear witness to what God is already doing in us and others?Sun, 07 Mar 2021 00:00:00 +0000Colin GruetzmacherColin Gruetzmacher29:2619fd182d-11ee-461a-b045-fb8a89d265c2noKnowing how to share your faith can be hard, especially in our modern context. In this sermon, Colin unpacks the big social shifts that have happened in our Secular world and presents opportunities where God is still at work drawing people to Himself. Sun, 14 Mar 2021 00:00:00 +0000Colin Ryan GruetzmacherColin Ryan Gruetzmacher44:45dfd81caa-e3d6-437f-b716-15d01d854b3dnoContinuing our series in evangelism Colin unpacks on of the key competing Gospels of our culture: Authenticity. The idea is that if we can cast off any external constraints and discover our true desires, then we can live as fulfilled authentic people. But how does this interact with the Gospel of Jesus, and how do we pass on His Gospel to our family and friends? Listen here to learn more.Sun, 21 Mar 2021 00:00:00 +0000Colin Ryan GruetzmacherColin Ryan Gruetzmacher37:5918fb8ad8-4d9f-4131-b097-55ed094d7c17noSun, 21 Mar 2021 00:00:00 +0000