Witness at Waitangi

The Salvation Army in New Zealand has entered a covenant relationship with the formation of the Rūnanga and the commitment from the Territorial Governance Board to share decision-making pertaining to Māori across all aspects of ministry and engagement.

This pivotal decision and relationship builds on our historic early ministry with Māori in earlier decades, where seeds were sown in fertile ground by Māori and Pākehā together and where a harvest awaits.

Seed time and harvest is a fundamental law and rhythm that God has put in place, and the Church at large does well to identify the seed sown, as it will come to harvest. Many people have laboured in these fields in previous generations. They hoped for a unified future and better outcomes for Māori, but somewhere along the way we lost the vision. Now is the time to stand together and commit to reclaiming biblical cultural unity.

This Waitangi Day, The Salvation Army will be represented at Waitangi, a place where another covenant was signed at the formation of our nation—Te Tiriti o Waitangi. God holds covenants as sacred. He instituted covenants spanning time, from the days of Noah in the Old Testament right through to the new covenant in the New Testament. Breaking these spiritual and relational covenants led to ramifications both for the land of Israel and people’s relationship with God across time. We should not underestimate the power of honouring and implementing covenants.

Across the world we are seeing wars (both civil and nation against nation), and discontent and frustration are evident in our own country. As the people of Te Ope Whakaora (the Army that brings life) stand at Waitangi, pray for them. Pray that they will bring the gospel message of reconciliation, peace and restoration. May they be both salt and light in these troubling times. Pray their voices, their worship and prayers will be heard and that the Holy Spirit will empower them, not only at Waitangi, but in the working out of our own covenant relationship within The Salvation Army.

Vivienne Hill, Editor