Nelson International Church History Since 1996

This is a transcript from my Talk at our Special Welcome Home Sunday Service

The Nelson International Church was started by Pastor Doug Duncan in 1996 and was called the Nelson Chinese Church. After 1-year, Pastor Duncan moved out of Nelson and a new Pastor came from Malaysia called Tay Un Hui. He stayed for 5 years.

Somewhere between 1997 and 2001 the Church was re-named the Nelson Asian Church. It was at that time that I first met Ps. Tay and offered him the use of our facilities on Halifax Street in the city. As we were chatting, I mentioned to Tay that we were considering re-naming our Church, Christian Life Center International. Shortly after that he changed the name of the Nelson Asian Church to the Nelson International Church which I think is a really good name considering God’s will that His House be a ‘House of prayer for all nations’ - a ‘House of prayer’ not just for the Chinese, not just for the Filipinos, not just for the New Zealanders, but a ‘House of prayer for all nations’.

I began my ministry in 1987 in Timaru, serving as Assistant Pastor to my Mentor Pastor John Carlisle, who was the Senior Pastor of the Timaru Assembly of God. I became the Senior Pastor of that Church in 1990. It was in the early 1990’s that the Lord gave me and Jennifer a ‘heart’ for the internationals and particularly the Chinese. In 1997 I became the Senior Pastor of the Christian Life Centre here in Nelson and then became the Senior Pastor of the Nelson International Church in early 2003 and then relinquished my position a little over 18 years later on February 14th 2021 to our brilliant new Senior Pastors Terrense and Shalom. Senior Elder Philip and Eden complete our Pastoral Team and are both outstanding in their many years of faithful ministry here in the Nelson International Church.

With our ministry towards the internationals over the years, I have preached and taught God’s Word in numerous Churches in New Zealand and in a few Churches and Ministries overseas including Africa, China and the Philippines. We have had the great pleasure of pastoring God’s people who have come to us from all over the world including Israel, the U.K, Korea, Japan, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Australia, Samoa, Fiji, New Caledonia, the Philippines, Thailand, Zimbabwe, South Africa, the Caribbean, and even a few local Kiwis.

This ‘heart’ for the internationals has led to the development of Ministry Partners; firstly, in the Philippines with Nick and Maricon Fell in 2010. Over the years we have developed new ministry relationships in the Philippines with Pastor Nomar and Olive Gasilao and our dear sister Pastora Carmen Ph.D.

Our first ‘home-grown’ Associate Pastor Kong Xiao Yuan started a new Church in China in 2013 called the Qingdao Christ Harvest Church, (Please see the History Album of the QCHC while you are here today). During her 10 years of Pastoral Ministry in China Pastor Kong has trained several new leaders for Pastoral Ministry and established Ministry Partners with a few other Churches there. Pastor Shalom and I went to China in in 2019 to visit with the Church there, learning how Pastor Kong started the new Church and meeting several times with some of the leaders in the Church. Upon Henry (2020) and Pastor Kong’s return to Nelson (2022) they have started a new Church in Tasman called the Home of Harvest Church and with the leading of the Lord will start another Chinese Church here in Nelson.

In 2013 we began to establish new relationships with several Pastors and Churches in Zimbabwe and following several trips to Africa we now have a Ministry Partner in Cuthbert Phiri who has a ministry in music with the Churches there.

In 2018 we sent two intrepid explorers in Pastor Terrense Barbero and Senior Elder Philip to Thailand and now support Pastor Gideon and Supanee Prapan as our Ministry Partners there. We also support new Ministry Partners Pastor John and Rina Macadangdang in Thailand.

To conclude this part of our recent history it remains to be said that Jennifer and I are very excited about the Lord leading us on new adventures to Israel both last year and this year and we are looking forward to taking a Team there in 2025.

In ‘welcoming you home’ to the Nelson International Church let me say that you are not here randomly or by accident, you are not here even because of a decision you made – you are here because God’s Providence brought you here. This is the same Providence that has led this Church and its ministry for the last 27 years.

The Lord has called you here for His purposes, He has put you with the right people so that He can bless you and grow this ministry for His glory, Ephesians 4: 16 ‘He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.’

By God’s providence He has chosen you for Himself and called you to a lifetime of serving the Lord – we are ‘welcoming you home’ today that you might discover your ministry here in the Nelson International Church. God bless you!

To find out more about the history and ministry of the NIC please Order a copy of my 2021 Book: ‘The Best of the Best’ - Thirty-three years of Pastoral Ministry for the glory of God

My Book is Top Rated on REALNZ Books and RRP is $40

Order your signed copy here today for $35

Thank you and God bless you