Travel. Europe. Leadership thought.

We are off to Vision Church Kaikohe with Mike & Raewyn Tohu this weekend. Then I go to NLT (National leadership Team meeting) in Christchurch. Karen comes back to Hamilton.
On the 5th Dec. Karen & I are involved in Naomi's Moores & Dricus wedding. Which will be a fantastic time.
The 6th & 7th Dec I am in Inglewood with Kevin & Penny Dixon then onto New Plymouth for an evening meeting On Monday evening is a leadership night.
On the 13th Dec we are in Auckland with Russell & Marie McGuiness.
Inbetween times we are praparing to rent our home, catch up with family & friends & prepare going to Europe around April the 6th, 2010. Plus I am about half way to finishing another book on devotions on healing...I am so enjoying writting.
We will spend Christmas around the Waikato, then we begin travelling again on the 10th of January 2010. Its a privaledge, alot of fun & exciting being involved in His purposes.

Here is the latest re Europe. I just recieved my Dutch passport in the post...a miracle!! We will aim at this stage to live in Amsterdam as I know the City & have relatives there. Also there is no Acts Churches (Apostolic) in Holland & lastly most people are fluent in English.
How will we do this: I want to work with people who don't know what they can't do! The 2 priorities are; 1. To plant churches and establish a beachhead. 2. We need to disciple, train, mentor & coach leaders. That's why we will plant churches most nights of the week. We are expecting the supernatural; signs, wonders & miracles...I am expecting to have words of knowledge - revelation of which streets to walk in, homes to go to, people to meet...also Miracles of healing etc. I do not want to plant A church, we want to plant churchES! So we need to have a reproducible system immediately! It will take faith, and the supernatural power of God! I absolutely believe after 20 years of prayer & the leading of God; I cannot see how it cannot happen!!!!! It is important to recognize that it is Western Europe that we have a vision for! Please pray for leadership connections & finances to be released for this dream.

It really is very exciting and momentum is gathering in our Spirit!

The other day I was musing on things I have had to say to myself as a Pastor / leader of a church: (actually I believe they are the same for bussiness). Please allow me to provoke you, Here are a few...
1. If your the leader do everyone a favour including yourself & please lead. I had to relize God has put me in the role, so back yourself, commit yourself to that role & go for it. Three time God said to Joshua (Josh 1) "Be strong & of good courage...be strong & couragous...be strong & of good courage!"
2. Grow up! I've had to say that to myself...It sounds a little harsh, it's certainly not meant to. I know the pain of this as I've had to grow up & be the big person! In other words I've had to think release, ask forgiveness often, restore, love as though I've never been hurt. Often I've simply had to get over myself, & stop making excuses!
Hummm, who says leadership is easy & without it's struggles!

Anyway there's a few thoughts...until next time...thanks for your prayers...

Europe, travel, leadership thoughts...

We are back from Brisbane Australia. It was a great time with a number of churches there and we were also able to catch up with various leaders and renew a few friendships...an excellent time.

This weekend we are in Pukekohe Church with Craig & Jean Clements. Then on Monday 2nd Nov we are off to Christchurch for our Vision Churches get together! (VCI South). There will be about 20 leaders there from the South but also a few from the North Island. It is going to be a blast! Both Karen & I are really looking forward to it, actually there is nothing quite like getting with friends doing ministry together!

Then we are in Rolleston Church with Scott & Giovana Tones.

We are home again on the 9th Nov.
Fielding Church on the 13th - 19th Nov.
Vision Church Palmerston North 20th - 23rd Nov.
Vision Church Kaikohe 27th - 30th Nov.

Again we do really value your prayer support. Thanks...

As many of you know Europe is a go now! We are aiming to leave after Easter 2010 which is early April. There is much to do. Please read previous blogs for details. Also for those in the Waikato area we have a meeting in our home on the 11th November at 7:30pm. We will answer questions and of course discuss in detail more about the dream of Euro-Vision! Please email me if your thinking of coming; nick@apo.org.nz

Here's a thought: "How come people who love Jesus lost Him!" Luke 2:41ff... Mary & Joseph lost Jesus for 3 days!!! How does this happen? I remember this happened to us, we lost our middle boy when he was 4 for about 5Min's in the middle of a strange city. When we realised, that he wasn't with us I rushed back to the last shop & there he was swinging around the lamp-post oblivious that we had gone without him! Phew!!! But Joe & Mary lost GOD for 3 days!!! How does one loose GOD? Easy I suppose in that family, friendly environment.

I believe in this day that it's easy to loose Jesus! Oh we love Him, serve Him and work for Him...but with all that we can still loose Jesus!! We can so easily loose the vitality of our relationship with Him. In Busyness we can loose Him; Not being focused we can loose Him; Being distracted we can loose Him! Joesph & Mary - us loosing our middle boy for 5Min's was a matter of distraction, not focused, simply busy! Busy with good things I might add. Do we love Jesus - Yes. Do we serve Him and are we committed to Him - absolutely. But we can still loose Him! Christianity is ALL about a daily vibrant relationship with Him, emotionally & spiritually!!

Keep undistracted towards HIM...even in the busy times...

Thanks for your prayer...

Special Announcement...(had a problem with posting blog earlier).

We have made a decision - it's taken 20 years!!! We are definitely GOing to Western Europe! It's all on... We will leave just after Easter, April 2010. This has been a dream for 20 years... we've prayed, discussed, researched, talked to our peers & others. It has been peculating & marinating over many years and now it's the season to GO. It was 20 years ago in a meeting I received Ps 2:8 "Ask of me & I will give the Nations as your inheritance..." I knew instantly where this was to take place and what to do: this was for Western Europe, & the task was to plant churches! It is important to note we are not planting a church, we are planting churches...from the beginning! I absolutely believe there is no missiological principle more important than the planting of new churches.

I do believe this is what we were created for, in fact I have a strong feeling that all the previous ministry experience is preparation for this to take place. So here we GO! We will aim at this stage to live in Amsterdam, Holland.

So the huge thing for us is if you could pray. As you can imagine there is a large amount to do in preparation; for instance, prayer & financial support, contacting people in NZ, Aussy & Europe who I know have been keen to join with us in some way. Supernatural leading to the right people & places in Europe.

Did you know that everyday 7000 people leave the church in Europe! The European population is less than 2% Christian. In fact many countries have less than 1% who claim to be evangelical Christians. Maybe you have heard of the 10/40 window. Now mission leaders are also talking about the 40/70 window. This includes Europe!! I believe Western Europe is the new mission field of the 21st century!!

Please feel free to email me nick@apo.org.nz or phone me +64 21 483 777

Thanks for your prayer...Eph. 3:20-21 is indeed my life scripture, It's going to be exciting to see what God will do. We are believing this next season will mean in a word; HARVEST...1000's of lives changed & discipled for Christ!!!
Until next time! Nick & Karen

travel nick & Karen; plus a leadership thought!!

Leadership always looks great from a distance and often we simply see the tip of the iceberg. But there is a huge amount of substance underneath. The underneath as I would call it has words like; endurance, perserverance, pain, exercising faith, praise, making tough decisions - some of them emotionally taxing, communicating & receiving from God daily, reading the Word daily, praying & fasting, exercising spiritual disciplines regularly!

We sometimes think there is a quick fix to this leadership journey, but there simply isn't!!

No wonder Jesus calls it labouring or work!! Matt 9:37-38. There are no short cuts. I've discovered many times we want leadership to be exercised under IDEAL conditions, whatever they are!!! In fact leadership comes to the fore when there are tough decisions to be made, resources are low or all one can see is darkness. Leadership needs to act and in faith begins to call the darkness night and light begins to dawn into the situation. Often there is not the ideal situation but there is the right time for leadership to act. That's the ART!! Many times I see people not act because they are waiting for the ideal conditions or they believe it will solve itself, or they are waiting for some conference, seminar or teaching, or they want it to be instantly solved by some magical act of?????

Leaders, it's always the right time to act,(whether it be prayer, fasting, talking with peers, waiting on God, etc etc) many times we don't have the ideal climate, welcome to the real world!!! Leaders create the right climate so that faith movement takes place...and light begins to dawn so that people see the way ahead! Amen!

Keep doing the stuff that people don't see, no matter what season you are in: Prayer, listening to God, imagining, dreaming, envisioning, prayer, fasting, prayer, imagining, listening, prayer, reading His Word, meditating, praising, giving thanks, thinking, praying, praising, worshipping, singing, confessing...

Anyway that's my thoughts for the week: Look below for where we are over the next few months!! Please pray for us...thanks.

• 13th September...we are with Mike & Sue Hayes at Mount Maunganui.
• The following week 19th - 26th Sept, we are in Queenstown with my brothers family from Christchurch. This is the first time we have ever been able to go away together. We are really looking forward to great times together in this fantastic part of the world.
• 27th Sept. we are at Eastside for a baby dedication, little Zara McConnell. A great family & very dear friends.
• 28th Sept - 1st Oct Acts ministries conference. This is always an excellent time of input, blessing & ministry to hundreds of people from around NZ & overseas. Actually we will have some friends here from Australia.
• Then we go to Whangarei & Kaikohe, 2nd - 7th. October with Paul & Sharon Buick & Mike & Raewyn Tohu - It's always a fantastic time in the north.
• It looks like Karen is going to Aussy on the 5th Oct. to help run a seminar with a friend & see family. I will join her in Brisbane on the 15th Oct thru till 27th. We will be with Nick & Lynn Watson's church.
• 10th - 12th Oct I am at Toko-vagus!!! Tokoroa! It's aways great to be with friends Lionel & Rebekah Smith.
• Then I'm off to Brisbane.
• 1st Novemeber we are in Pukekohe, with friends Craig & Jean Clements.
• 2nd - 4th November is VCI South, Vision Churches leaders are gathering in Christchurch. This will be a fantastic time...they always are. If you are in the South & want to come please email me & we will send you the details! Most should have them now, but if you haven't call me. 5th - 9th Oct we stay on to be with Scott & Giovana Tones, in Rolleston!!! Museums, food & Fun.
• 13th - 23rd it's Fielding with John & Jenny Sefton, then Palmerston North with Dale & Rachael Meecham. This will be an excellent time!!!
• Then the end of the month 27th - 30th Oct Whangarei & Kaikohe...

Thanks for praying...we do appreciate it. I'll be back soon for more updates. We have some very huge decisions to make in the next few weeks - I would appreciate your prayers...Thanks.

Update on our travel

On the 9th of August we were at Te Awamutu Church with Andrew & Judy Vossen and their team. It was an excellent time... Then the following weekend 14th - 17th August we were with Lawrance and Philippa Kirby at Paraparaumu Family Church. Great people great church! Karen spoke at a ladies retreat, Sunday in Paraparaumu and pm was in Waikane. This brought back many many wonderful memories. We met quite a number of people who we journeyed with over 20 years ago...it was a very encouraging time. Also being in the Pram Family Church that we planted 25 years ago was a blast. What a great history it has, but more than that what a fantastic future it has yet to realise!!

On the 19th August - We are off to Christchurch to be with Warren and Jeanette Hight for a week. Plus we will catch up with many other Pastors in the Christchurch area. It will be fun! Plus of course we'll catch up with my mum & brother and his family.

Then we are at Manifest Presence Conference for a few days at Harbourside Church. We have always wanted to attend but never been able to so we are looking forward to this.

On the 30th August we are in famous Raglan with Alex and Cher Davis. This will be fun as there are quite a number of people we know there really well.

In early September is an NLT - then a wedding in Ragas!! Then off to Te Aroha Mountain View Church on the 6th Sept. Then the Mount on the 13th Sept. with Mike Hayes.

On the 9th of Sept we have an upclose and personal with Weston Carryer at Eastside. Simply email me at nick@apo.org.nz if you want to attend. The details are on the blog site. I consider him to be one of NZ's for-most healing evangelists. He has amazing results.

Looking forward to catching up somewhere along the way...We are looking at being in Holland in April 2010. for an extended period to plant churches, actually a movement/s of churches. More on that later. I am looking forward to working with mostly young people in Europe who don't know what can't be done!!!

Keep daily contact with me (NickKlinkenberg) thru twitter...I do find this fun!!

Inspire Conference; August Travels.

Inspire Conference was a blast. Supernatural was the theme. Martin Steel from Harbourside Church Akd was the keynote speaker as well as Don Lake - Lifechangers Church North Shore. Wayne & Libby Huiria led worship on the Saturday night. Plus there were excellent electives covering parenting, supernatural from the Bible, Worship leading, Business, Leadership, health & Fitness...and more!!! Food, connection, prayer for one another, ministry, speakers, words, power, lights, sound, presence of God...it was all happening. Salvations, God doing His thing in peoples lives. Simply a great time. A conference big enough to Inspire and small enough to connect: with God & one another...we achieved it. There were many Vision Church leaders present and excellent times of connection & ministry. Special meals and meetings were put on for VCI guests.

Ray Pickett was ordained on the Friday evening of Inspire...it was a very special event both for Ray and Eastside. Fantastic to have so many Pastors, leaders & friends there!

Some thoughts that inspired me: Martin's message on the Kingdom of God was revelationary!! It's all about Lordship. The Kingdom of God is all about total submission & surrender to God's Lordship.

Some more Martin Steel quotes: "Whatever we focus on will grow." "What is the mandate of your Church, how much rhythm is in that area?" "The season between sowing & reaping is usually marked by less or lack."

His message on Relationships was outstanding. One of the best I've heard.

"We have been moulded & designed by God so we are able to express Him, that's Supernatural". Don Lake.

"An earthly King would take everything we have; God the King of Kings, doesn't only ask for the best, He gives the best!!!" Sheridyn Rodgers. "The death of Jesus meant curtains for the curtain".

2010 Inspire theme is "It's all about JESUS". 22nd-25th - July!!! Plan to be there!!!

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Twitter is a great tool: I'm on it; I've found it a quick & easy to use for communicating... www.twitter.com

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Karen & I are in Christchurch with Steve & Christine Graham at Westside Church 30th July - 4th August.

Sunday 9th August we are in Te Awamutu Church with Andrew & Judy Vossen.

14th - 17th August we are in Paraparaumu Church and Engage Service in Waikane (Sunday night), with Lawrence & Philippa Kirby.

19th - 26th of August we are in Christchurch again with Warren & Jeanette Height; plus we will catch up with many other Pastors & Leaders as well.

Then Raglan on the 30th August!!

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For 20 years I've had a dream & I feel a word to plant a movement/movements of Churches in Western Europe. Well we are aiming to go in (still under discussion & prayer) April 2010 and plant in Holland!!! We have contacts in Belguim. It will be initally 4-6 months creating a beach-head. We see this is a season & window for us to do this...there is still alot to do of course, but that's the idea so far.

Thanks for praying for us...please feel free to contact us...Catch you somewhere in NZ perhaps...

Taupo, Mangaweka, Inspire Conference, Leadership Tip.

It was exciting being at Inspire Church Taupo on Saturday 27th June for Neville Kings Ordination. Neville came to Christ as a young boy in the Presbyterian Church. Neville and Gail have been involved in the Taupo church for many years as an Elder and now as the Senior Pastor. It was an excellent milestone event for the Church as well as Neville and Gail. Well Done Taupo!!!

The next day (28th June) we spoke at Southcity Church Hamilton. Barry and Pam Sanders are doing a great job...I love it when God moves. Many people were touched and good stuff happened. On the Tuesday following it was excellent to meet with their elders and talk about Southcity future! Fun.

Vision Churches trustees met in Tirau as it was the halfway point for people to come to. It's exciting to see what God is doing through the network. There are 18 churches part of vision churches and over 30 ministry couples. It's great to see the connections and partnerships take place. I've been to about 60% of the churches in the network and by the end of the year I'll have covered every one...some twice. Where-ever I go I see Pastors and leaders doiing there utmost for God, sacrificing and aiming to further God's purposes where He's placed them..."you are champions and don't forget you are involved in the greatest cause and God's plan A for this world!!!"

One of the theme's that's on my heart and that I've been speaking often about is "Who Christ is...we have sooo much". Often we hear what we lack, "How to overcome sin; how to have peace; How to live victoriously." etc etc... These are all good and have there place, but what about focusing on what we do have...for we have sooo much in Christ. I think often we have focused maybe even to much, on what WE have in Christ. How about focusing on the CHRIST in us!! An amazing adventure of discovery realising how big and great He is!!

Twitter is a great communication tool...who thinks these things up, incredible!! I use it often and like to think it's not only information but trust people pray for us...

Inspire Conference 23-26th July is happening! View the DVD and register online www.eastside.apo.org.nz The theme = Supernatural!! I can't wait!!!

Leadership Tip: I have found that if you are going to step out and move forward in your faith personally or as a church beware of the first "border bully!" For moving out of familier territiory or comfort zone land you will encounter the border bully called, lack of resouce! It happened to Moses. Fear will whisper and sometimes call out and shout, sometimes even screem, "your crazy, what are you doing, go back to what's familier and comfortable!!" Fear begins to invade...but I say move in Faith and move through the fear. By the way many wait for fear to totally disappear before they step out in faith. Often fear is there, pulling, tugging, softly whispering, "go back to comfort, go back to what you know, it's better for you." NO!! Often fear is there, but step out in faith!! I've had to learn if I'm going to live the dream that God has given me, I have to Live-scared! We have to defeat the border bully of no resource. Let's be wise...but let's take the steps God want's us to take.

Until the next update; continue to give thanks: I've been a Christian now for 34 years and I've discovered it still a choice I must make...yet it's a little easier now that's all. But it's still a choice! Actually living for Christ is a daily choice! Live wisely choose HIM! The greatest power we have is the power to decide!!

Nick is on twitter / Multiplication.

It's great being on twitter...Day by day & week by week updates for your prayer support. Thanks for praying for us.

Also my new book, only book actually!!! 3-5 books a week are selling! Multiplication; inspiration and tools for church planting. Not the most popular title on the Christian market for books, but probably the most needed...The greatest long term evangelistic method under Heaven is the planting of new churches!!