Speaker: Ps Chrissie Lander, Activate Tuakau
Ps Chrissie Lander: Hey, everyone, it's Chrissy here, and I have the privilege of being the Gatherings Leader at our Activate Tuakau location.
How does Activate Tuakau show love to others?
Ps Chrissie Lander: Our Activate Tuakau community is incredibly Big-Hearted. Every Sunday at our gatherings. the welcome will always be warm and friendly, but also throughout the week. We run our free community barbecue every second Friday, and it's just so well received by our local community. We'll often get the question. "Why do you do this?" "Why is it free?" And of course, the answer is always love. It's just such a great practical expression of Jesus love for our community.
How do you personally show love to others in your role?
Ps Chrissie Lander: My goal as a follower of Jesus wherever I am has always been to represent Him well. You know, everything Jesus did was motivated by a heart of love and compassion for people. So I guess for me it's as simple as seeing people through the same lens that Jesus does. What that means is that every moment is an opportunity. Every conversation is an opportunity to bring hope, to bring life, to bring love, to release Kingdom purpose over people and in their world and whatever situation they may be facing. So for me, loving people is as simple as taking every opportunity, making the most of those encounters that God brings along my path, I guess letting people experience the Kingdom through Christ in me because He is the hope of glory. And that's the only thing really that I have to offer that makes a difference for people's worlds.
When have you smiled, knowing God is at work?
Ps Chrissie Lander: So really for me, it's little moments that make a difference where I see people in their lives making a decision that maybe a month before they wouldn't have made. That's going to bring them closer to Jesus, where they're letting go of things that have held them back in the past. You know, really, it's just the one step at a time where they're being changed inwardly to become more like Jesus. That's the reason that I do what I do, and it's just such a privilege to walk with people. And that's why I say "Yes, awesome. Thank you God".
What motivates you to love others?
Ps Chrissie Lander: So what motivates me to love others? Well, its simple. I love others because He first loved me. He's given me a capacity to love, you know. He transformed me. He changed me. He turned my world upside down for the better. And I know that if he can take something that was as broken as I was, then there's so much opportunity that He has for others also. So I guess I just want to show them what the difference He can make in their world. And I do that through loving them.
