Welcome to this the first issue of the Dovetales Newsletter. We hope you will enjoy it!

In this Issue

	When The Rot Set In
	Devotional Use of Scripture
	An Appraisal of The House Church Movement

In Other News

Where have the mobile ministry gone? You can find out in
“A Normal Body Has Two Legs”

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When The Rot Set In Down Under

There was a time not so long ago when New Zealand was far off the trade routes.
It used to take 6 weeks to get here from Europe by ship and a couple of months to get here from the US. Then in the sixties the jet age kicked in bringing NZ into the modern world.

Prior to that a trickle of preachers came here from overseas but they were few in number but it was all about to change. The FGBFI were the first to arrive in large numbers via charter flights (150 at a time) from the USA; they were quickly followed by Pentecostal Preachers from the States who came to see what God was doing in our land. And doing something He surely was.

At first we admired, then gradually we were seduced into accepting the American model regards how we ought to run our churches; and 45 years later we are still haven’t woken up. We bought their package hook line and sinker. After that time it was a subtle slide into mediocrity a la Americana. It was not unlike Ezekiel’s vision in 9:10 where the glory of the Lord took wings and departed from among us.

Why did so many of us feel the continued need to import promoters of American style Christianity into this country to tell us how we should be doing things? Surely God today has the ears of a few individuals between the North Cape and Bluff that can hear His voice.

In the late 50s, 60s and 70s we experienced a visitation in New Zealand that was the envy of people outside this country. It was said that what God was doing here was unique as a network of autonomous fellowships united by relationships flourished under the hand of God. They gathered around an open table where body ministry, was “par for the course”. It wasn’t perfect but it was pregnant with life. Missionary zeal was evident and powerful. Gifted brethren without titles were recognized, and released in our midst to minister. We never relied upon overseas speakers for conferences, but if they came our way they were welcome. We were not anti anyone. We came together without programs, to allow the Holy Spirit to move freely. Every saint was given opportunity to share; the environment was stimulating and vibrant 1 Cor 14.

Moses said thou shall remember all the way that the Lord led thee, that He might humble thee and make thee to know His ways. Sadly today truth has been replaced with pragmatism, while absolutes are a liability to the pursuit of our goals.

True there is no going back, but should we remove waymarks that our fathers set up? Jeremiah 31:21. “Set up waymarks, make sign posts for yourself. Set your heart toward the highway, the way you went. Turn again, O virgin of Israel, turn again to these your cities”. (MKJV)

The Devotional Use of Scripture

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”Ps. 119: 105. In each verse of Pslam 119 the Psalmist makes mention of the scriptures with only one exception, and the constant quotation of the Old Testament by our Lord and His Apostles gives abundant evidence of loving and reverent fellowship with holy men of past ages, who wrote and spoke as moved by the Holy Spirit. 2 Peter 1:21.

It is especially remarkable that in His Temptation, in all His teaching, and in the agony of the Cross the Lord bore witness to the unique authority of the Word of God spoken through the Old Testament saints.

Psalm 19: declares we may know God, through a threefold revelation.
The heavens declare the glory of God though they have no audible voice or language. The firmament of space, studded with myriads of stars, shows His handiwork. Though speechless, their words witness for Him to the uttermost parts of the earth. Romans 1:20 “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse”.

In the second half of this great Psalm God unfolds His handiwork in the construction of our moral nature as the Psalmist extols the virtue of the Scriptures with ten striking comparatives. There are none of us that do not come within the scope of every one of them.

• The soul that needs restoring
• The simple who wants to become wise
• The sad heart who would rejoice
• The eyes that would be enlightened
• The soul that longs for the golden treasure of truth
• The desire for sincerity and reality
• The search for understanding and righteousness

All these needs and many more are met from a devout reading of Holy Scripture.

All faithful ministries which have remained alive and fresh; fragrant and useful through long years have proved the wealth of the inexhaustible teaching and inspiration which lies hidden in the Bible.

We should one and all resolve to soak ourselves in the Scripture before turning to prayer, as water poured in will bring the plant to life. A farmer will not sow until the ground has a good soaking.

PRAYER.—Teach us, 0 Blessed Spirit of Inspiration, so to read, to mark, to meditate, and inwardly digest Thy words, that we may be thoroughly furnished unto all good works, and be enabled to lead others into a true understanding of, and a love for, its hidden treasures. Amen.

An Appraisal of The House Church Movement

Without the following the present house church movement will eventually suffer the same fate as the movement they left. Like the old soldier they will slowly fade away. Euphoric home groups, with their ladders up against the wrong wall are already growing stale, or self-destructing because they failed to recognize and receive the mobile ascension gifts.

It matters not whether you meet in a home, or how many you meet with, but are you prepared to recognize and receive these gifts of the Saviour? Perhaps you feel that you have no need of these special gifts of Christ, i.e. Apostles, Prophets and Teachers. Unlike Paul you possibly feel you have arrived? Are you sure you’re not just a group of young reactionaries who moved from a church building into a home? Or was it because you had a conviction that there was so much more to Christianity than what you were experiencing. Or perhaps you are in the semi retirement mode where the only thing missing from your spiritual experience since you pulled out of the system was a miniature church where you could meet in the comfort zone of a home with Christian friends to talk things over?

Then perhaps deep down inside you jealously always wanted to have a group of your very own? Maybe you believe you know everything because you’re a priest now, and as such you are as well equipped as any other individual regardless of calling?

How soon we forget that we have nothing that we didn’t receive. That if there is any virtue in what we have then it probably came from the Lord through His trusted servant. 2 Tim 1:6.

Luke 13:34-35 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing! "

See! Your house is left to you desolate; and assuredly, I say to you, you shall not see Me until the time comes when you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!'" (NKJV)