Kia ora e te whanau
I’ve been watching YouTube videos over the last week on the state of the ‘modern’ Church – especially in the USA. Being confronted with the apparent demise of the Mega Church phenomenon (with many such churches really struggling since covid), the collapse of the primary sources of the ‘Worship’ music industry (Hillsong, Bethel, Elevate – and previously, Vineyard), and the precipitous decline of such ministries as ‘Promisekeepers’, – all indicates that ‘the times, they are a-changing’.
I don’t know if the claims are overstated or not. They do point to a significant change in the emerging church culture. It just may be that people are increasingly looking for authenticity over hype, theological substance over emotional floss, and real connection over passing anonymity.
Many of our churches, both in UCANZ and in the Partners, tend to be small. My tour around the North verified that most of our congregations are in this category – aging, and small. And yet, when we open our eyes to what is happening, and what still could happen, we see there are still opportunities for effective and congregation sustaining ministries. All hope is not lost.
Leadership & Personal Development Resources
The Hidden Architecture of Culture
I’ve posted articles on this before. It’s important! Peter Drucker (Management Guru) is credited with the phrase “Culture eats strategy for breakfast”. Culture is invisible – it’s in the hearts and heads of the people. In organisations (including churches) it’s established by its leaders – by their personality quirks, strengths and weaknesses. We can focus on mission, on strategy, on our planning – yet it can all be sabotaged by the culture that we’re encouraging, or tolerating. The article can be accessed here: https://www.smartbrief.com/original/the-hidden-architecture-of-culture
The Myth Of Executive Alignment: Why Top Teams Need Honesty, Not Harmony
This article can effectively follow on from the previous one. For quite some years I’ve been a big fan of Patrick Lencioni (The Five Dysfunctions of a Team). The author of this article is in conversation with Lencioni. It starts and finishes at a most telling place.
It starts with the question: what happens inside executive teams when responsibility fades? Lencioni responds: “The absence of vulnerability,” he said, “That’s where it starts. Everything else — the lack of conflict, the false harmony, the slow decisions — flows from that.”
It finishes with Lencioni being unequivocal: “The leader must be the first one to be vulnerable… If the CEO won’t go there, no one else will.” Vulnerability doesn’t cascade up — it only cascades down.
That may not be what we want to hear, but need to hear; The article can be accessed here: https://www.forbes.com/sites/vibhasratanjee/2025/11/13/the-myth-of-executive-alignment-why-top-teams-need-honesty-not-harmony/
Human Consciousness Comes From a Higher Dimension Scientist Claims — Meaning It Could Transcend the Physical World
And finally, for something completely out of the ball park, this ‘Popular Mechanics’ article resonated with me – it’s something I’ve been wondering about for a number of years. Unproveable, but interesting (to me anyway) – confirmation bias is a wonderful thing 
. This outlier article can be accessed here: https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/a69438408/consciousness-comes-from-higher-dimension/
Homilies and Preaching Resources
My response to the lectionary for the 14th of December is titled ‘A Different Kind of Messiah‘ – responding to an imprisoned John the Baptist’s crisis of faith as found in Matthew 11 vs 2-11. The homily can be engaged with here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HuejcCMLhc
Trevor Hoggard continues with the 2nd set of Lectionary readings. His texts for Sunday the 14th of December are Isaiah 5 vs 8-30, and John 5 vs 31-40. Trevor’s sermon considers Jesus’ claim to be the Messiah, and can be accessed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=turfVgIAbNU
Gospel Conversations – out of the Dunedin Anglican Diocese. They host a conversation of 4 Theologians / Practitioners around the Gospel lectionary text for the coming Sunday. The site with all its options can be accessed here: https://www.calledsouth.org.nz/gospel-conversations/ . The latest ‘Conversation’ is for the coming Sunday based on the lectionary Gospel of Matthew 11 vs 2-11. It can be accessed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vD95Odal__g