Our Vision
To see 120,000 more Aucklanders trusting in Jesus.
In 2012 it was estimated that around 2-3% of people in Auckland trusted in Jesus. That’s 30,000 people. It is our prayer that God would increase that number to 150,000 people and 10% of Auckland in bible believing, missional churches. That means asking God to bring 120,000 more people to a saving knowledge of Jesus.
Will you join us in that prayer?
How?
“… we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles. Yet to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.”
1 Corinthians 1:23-24
Over 2500 years ago, God sent a man named Jonah to speak His word to Nineveh, a city that had lost its way. Despite Jonah’s reluctance and attempts to escape the mission God had planned for him, Jonah spoke. The content of his message was just five words, but through those five words, God caused the whole city to turn back to Him. The whole city, 120,000 people, believed God.
Since we started as a church, we have been asking God to move 10% of Auckland from darkness into His marvellous light. Why 10%? Because 10% is a good start. When a minority group becomes 10% of the population, the way that group is viewed within society changes. But also because God has done it before! Through history’s most reluctant prophet, God chose to save 120,000 people!
The story of Jonah has provided great encouragement to us as a church. It’s a story of God’s incredible power despite great human weakness. In Matthew 12 Jesus explained to His disciples that one “greater than Jonah” was among them (Matthew 12:41). The life and mission of Jesus Christ proclaims a gospel of greater salvation, and greater hope than Nineveh ever knew, and yet they turned to God in just one day.
Centrality of the Gospel
The gospel is His power for salvation to everyone who believes
Romans 1:16
And so it is through this gospel power that we ask God to work in and through us, to see many many more people trust in Jesus across this great land and beyond.
At Auckland Ev we are very aware of the fact that we are weak. At the same time, we are extraordinarily confident because of God’s strength. The news of Jesus’ life, death, resurrection and ascension, though appearing foolish to the world around us, is God’s power for salvation!
It’s this gospel message, this news of Jesus Christ the Lord, that defines who we are and fuels everything that we do! We are unequivocally committed to the fact that God works, by His Spirit, through this living and active Word.
Paul says that all over the world, “the Gospel has been bearing fruit and growing, just as it has among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace” (Col 1:6). Understanding the news of who Jesus is and what He has done brings life, moving people out of the darkness and into the light of Life. Paul says, “Just as you receive Christ Jesus as Lord, so continue in Him” (Col 2:5-6). This gospel message is not just the beginning of the Christian life, but the way in which God keeps and grows us in the Christian life.
The story so far
Auckland Ev started in January 2012 as a group of 8 people, gathered in a loungeroom in central Auckland. It was our prayer, that we would be people captivated, grounded and growing in Jesus.
God slowly grew that little group of people to publicly launch our first service in the Movie Cinemas at St Lukes Mall, February 2013. People put their trust in Jesus, and were captured by a vision of seeing more and more people move from darkness into Jesus’ light. In March 2014 we planted Unichurch Ev, an evening congregation of Auckland Ev on the University of Auckland campus.
Over the next few years God grew our staff team, and raised up apprentices as workers for the harvest field across New Zealand and the world.
As we launch our 2030 vision in February 2019, God has made us a church of over 300 people from across the city of Auckland, prayerfully depending on Him to grow His kingdom for His glory! Join with us in praising God for His kindness, goodness and growth.