Church Members Witness to Maori Neighbours

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1960

Church Members Witness to Maori Neighbours - 1960

Hawkes Bay Venture - Rev. D. C. Rogers of Hastings

The Baptists of Hawkes Bay have never had any organised work amongst the Maori people although as individuals they have endeavoured to witness to young people and occasionally have been able to associate with other denominations in their activities. About ten years ago Mr. Duke Maddox, a member of the Hastings Church, became burdened with the needs of the Maoris, and went to a number of pas to witness to the saving power of Jesus Christ. This was done entirely as an independent and undenominational activity. In his 10th annual report on the work, Mr. Maddox refers to this beginning when he says: "One victory for which praise is due to our Lord is the extending of a warm hand by the Church of England.

False cults are gaining ground and so the Church needs a united front to defeat the powers of darkness." In the ten years of activity Mr. Maddox has largely been alone, gathering a team of helpers from year to year to assist. Though largely drawn from the Hastings Church, there have been helpers also from Napier and from other denominational Churches in the two cities. Up till this current season, films have been largely used as a draw and a teaching aid, some secular, some spiritual. Singing of the popular choruses has been aided by young musicians of our Churches taking instruments for accompanying. The gospel has always been presented and decisions have been recorded. Over the last few years, at least one pa has been visited every night of the week and one or two on Sundays. Seasonal work has meant that the visiting has largely been confined to the winter months although in the last two years a summer Bible School has been held in one of the pas with very considerable success.

Feeding Converts

One of the main problems that has faced this work over the years has been that of feeding converts into an active Church life. The mixed team of workers and avowedly undenominational character of the work limited the possibility of engrafting the convert into a spiritual home with the resulting drift as the years pass. This year the work has been reconstituted somewhat, so that a particular pa is worked only by members of a particular Church. There has also been a limiting of the use of films and at the risk of lowering numbers attending, the introductions of club activity and class instruction in the Bible. So far this appears to be meeting with a successful appeal.

Teacher Needed

So far in these ten years there have been no Maori converts baptised in the Hastings Church, nor any added to the membership of the Church. Neither has there yet been any opportunity for the establishment of a Maori Baptist Church or Fellowship. Nevertheless, we believe that the tide has turned and the ensuing years will see an increase in Baptist witness to the Maori of Hawkes Bay. The prayers of readers are asked for the hundreds of young Maoris who flock into Hastings and Napier for shopping and entertainment. So much harder to reach than parents and younger brothers in the pa, these fine young people seem to show a resentment toward the pakeha and a scorn for things spiritual. We in Hawkes Bay have the same convictions of our brethren in other parts of New Zealand that one of the greatest needs for the spread of the gospel in our area is a Maori teacher for the Maori people. We believe that God will answer these prayers and raise up Maori leaders who will lead and teach their people in the truths of God and His Son, our Saviour.