Missions Overseas
Is the gospel good news? We’re in no doubt. For as long as anyone can remember, Lifepoint has been sending its best and brightest overseas, armed only with the gospel. We partner with nationals of other countries also in the task of mission.
Support groups meet to pray for our mission partners, and a hard-working Mission Council keeps Lifepoint honest and focussed. Andrew Penhey will connect your call.
Rajesh and Babita and Sanam
Pastor Rajesh Magar leads a small church in the Kathmandu Valley with his wife Babita, supported by Sanam Maskey. For the last five years these three have been mission partners with Lifepoint, and through them we are privileged to bless the church they lead and the mission they undertake to the poor and needy neighbourhood where they live. We also support their ministry to needy children, who are fostered in the Magars’ home.
We are privileged and excited to welcome Sanam to New Zealand over the next few years, as he completes a PhD at Vic University. Sanam’s passion for social uplift in Nepal has us all excited.
John and Mary
John Elliot is the Emeritus International Director of World Outreach (WO), a multicultural and interdenominational faith mission operating in over 60 countries. John and Mary are based in Tauranga.
The mission of World Outreach is to impact least–reached peoples with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. WO is currently working directly with 35 such people groups, raising and training leaders, engaging in evangelism, church planting and children’s ministry, assisting emerging missions and offering humanitarian aid.
Matt and Liz
Matt and Liz lead Vine Design, an ultra-cool design and marketing ministry that brings creative flair to mission and aid organizations with great vision but limited resource. Their love of mission grew out of five years in Kathmandu, where Matt worked with the International Nepal Fellowship (INF), and developed further as Matt did design work for the Loyal Workshop, Holiboli and other fantastic ministries, while leading our young adults ministry here at Lifepoint.
Now, Matt is full-time with Vine Design, with Liz watching over, and Lifepoint is right behind them. A fabulous mission partnership, completely in sync with Lifepoint’s passion for the marginalized and needy.
Vijaya
Responding to a deep sense of call, Biswanath and Vijaya Chowdhuri founded the Christian Discipleship Centre (CDC) in Bangladesh some 40 years ago. CDC’s vision is to train young Bangladeshis to bring the good news to their nation. Christians are a minority in this largely moslem country.
As of 2022 over 900 men and women have trained at CDC, and now serve in Christian ministries and cutting-edge mission across Bangladesh. Aided by a gifted and passionate staff team, Vijaya has led the ministry since Bishu passed away in 2010. Recently, Brother Pintu (CDC Principal) has taken the lead, allowing Vijaya to focus on fast-growing projects in the regions of Bangladesh.
CDC’s range and reach have grown in response to God’s call. In addition to the one year diploma for pastors and evangelists, CDC runs discipleship courses for majority background believers, an increasing number of “village schools”, a growing and effective adult literacy program, some small development projects, and a burgeoning media ministry making programs for broadcast in Bengali. Through all this many people are coming to trust in Jesus.
Val and the Good News Team
For over 30 years Val Bateup has poured her life into spreading the good news about Jesus to Thai children. Through her God established the Good News Team (GNT)—a committed team of local Thais who regularly travel throughout Thailand sharing the gospel in a fun way (mainly in state-run Buddhist schools). Quite literally hundreds of thousands of Thai children have been reached by the Good News Team and its literature.
Some of the earliest converts are now leaders in the Thai Church, and some are now leading the Good News Team itself, allowing Val to transition to a well-earned semi-retirement in Whakatane. Key leaders are Win and Kanchana, both of them passionate, gifted and experienced disciplers of young people (together, they also lead a midweek club and Sunday church for young people).
Lifepoint’s support aids the Team in many ways. We bring Win and Kanchana to New Zealand every couple of years, and send teams to lend creative and spiritual strength. We’re currently supporting a promising leader of the next generation — Bae — as he spends a year at Bible college.