Regeneration and Mission
Being a Christian means we have a fundamental conviction that Jesus is the key to human flourishing and knowing and loving him is the most fundamental thing we can do with our lives. Our churches are therefore places where we celebrate this life with Jesus and learn the practices of the good life in community. This can only happen if God is at the center of life, and that we love both God and neighbour with our whole being. Seen in this way, life is an exciting journey of discovery of who God is and who we are becoming in God.
Our joint commitment to regeneration.
In 2021, the Synod of our Diocese agreed on a plan designed to renew our whole Diocese – parishes, chaplaincies and social agencies.
We called it the Diocesan Mission Action Plan (DMAP). This plan involved being and making disciples of Jesus, supporting young people and their families and strengthening communities. We decided that we want to revitalise inherited structures but be open to new ways of being and doing church.
These plans were undergirded by the conviction that God is always at work in our communities and world and that we are called to follow the Spirit into new areas of ministry and mission.
How are we working toward regeneration?
This process of regeneration takes many forms. We encourage all of our parishes to undertake a process of Mission Action Planning whereby our parishes are led with intentionality and purpose.
Each year, 10 of our parishes are reviewed to help identify challenges and suggest strategic areas for development. We have resourced our parishes through conferences, local meetings and specific training. This has resulted in renewed energy and commitment to Jesus. We have encouraged the planting of new expressions of church. Diocesan groups and agencies have also been encouraged to be aligned according to the principles of the DMAP.
Prayer Community committed to daily prayer.
At the beginning of 2024, a Prayer Community was established in the Anglican Diocese of Christchurch to pray daily for the regeneration of our Diocese.
Members of the Prayer Community make four commitments:
- Read and reflect on a passage of scripture,
- Pray the Lord’s Prayer,
- Pray the Diocese Prayer for Regeneration, and
- Pray for other needs in the local parish and wider Diocese.
Since December 2024, about 270 members of the Prayer Community who have made this pledge of daily prayer, and everyone is invited to join. The ministry of the Prayer Community undergirds all the work of regeneration in the Diocese.
Making disciples who make other disciples.
We also recognise the need to encourage and resource everyone – enquirers, new Christians, and more mature Christians – to grow in faith and become more like Jesus.
This will involve our parishes and ministry units developing cultures of disciple making.
This process takes place in community as we see this new way of life being modelled and we learn to become ‘Jesus-shaped’ disciples.