We have been delighted in the last week to launch our new membership system, following the complete renewal of our NZCN website.
Here’s a couple of questions people are asking…
Am I a member of NZCN if I receive the newsletter?
Subscribing to NZCN news is highly recommended, but that does not in itself make you a member. Becoming a member is a further step.
Becoming a member brings you some benefits, and also costs a little, but is above all about making a commitment to all that NZCN stands for, including the Gospel, unity among Christians, and having a greater impact for good on New Zealand. See the buttons below about becoming an actual member.
Am I still a member if I used to be a member?
If you previously signed up to NZCN as a member, we of course still consider you part of the family. However, we have now completely renewed and digitised our membership system, and we need you and everyone else to renew your membership (and to update any details that have changed). Once you have done that, your membership will now automatically renew every year unless you cancel it.
Why this change? Because up to five years ago, we used to send out thousands of annual membership invoices. But with snail mail and staff time, it became financially unviable. However, everything is now online and we are commencing a new membership drive.
And now for the topic of this week’s newsletter…
“Freedom of religion”
Freedom to believe and practise religious faith is considered a basic human right. It has not always been so. In the early church, great numbers of Christian believers were persecuted or killed by the Roman State, which demanded on pain of death that everyone worship the emperors and the pagan gods, In medieval times, Catholic authorities were involved in burning heretics (and later some Protestants) at the stake. In modern times, Christians in many parts of the world are subject to discrimination, violence, and bloodshed, as are members of some other faiths.
By comparison, Christians in New Zealand lead a much easier life. We need to be aware, however, that any poorly-written legislation in the areas of ‘hate speech’ and ‘anti-conversion therapy’ could pose significant risks to the freedoms of religion and expression for Christians, and also for people of other faiths. But we can acknowledge there is a case for changes to legislation that would deal more effectively with extreme and deliberate incitements to hatred and violence.
Ngā mihi nui,
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Stuart Lange
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Gayann Phillips
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National Director
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General Manager
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