Living the Acts 2 Movement: Deepening Friendship, Unity, and A Call to Faithful Community!

David from East Tamaki

Are Leaders and Individuals within Our Communities Truly Living Friendship, Unity, and Repentant Community?

First and foremost, the 2025 NZ Baptist National Hui provided a profound reminder of the journey our Baptist whānau is undertaking together. Across multiple sessions, leaders were invited to lean intentionally into the Acts 2 movement, not merely as a biblical passage, but as a Spirit-led framework shaping collective life, witness, and strategic direction for churches throughout Aotearoa New Zealand.

Firstly, strong emphasis was placed on the call to deepen friendships and strengthen bonds with one another as a central expression of the Acts 2 movement. Notably, we are clearly reminded that the early Christian community flourished not through programmes or organisational structures, but through people intentionally sharing life. Devotion to fellowship was expressed through practical, everyday rhythms, grounded in hospitality, presence, and mutual accountability. Thereby, church leaders today are invited to embody the same relational intentionality and commitment.

Furthermore, deepening friendships means choosing to spend good quality time together, engaging in unhurried conversations, laughing together, praying together, going away for at least two to three days, and undertaking shared activities, making the effort whenever people are available. Thus, such patterns reflect the life of the early church in Acts 2, where believers met regularly, broke bread together, and shared in ordinary realities of daily life. When such rhythms are prioritised, relational bonds grow stronger, and church communities begin to mirror the unity, generosity, and shared devotion evident in the first-century church.

Henceforth, attention was drawn to situating local stories within a global narrative. With the 2000th anniversary of Pentecost approaching in 2033, leaders were invited to participate alongside approximately 51 million Baptists worldwide who are committing themselves afresh to the Acts 2 movement. Global participation is framed around five pathways flowing from Acts 2, namely Bible, Story with an emphasis on discipleship, Deepen Friendship, Care, and Justice. In addition to these pathways, churches gain a shared framework for faithful engagement within diverse contexts and communities.

Besides this global framing, particular weight was given to friendship as foundational to discipleship and spiritual formation. Long-term friendships provide the context in which individuals are known, encouraged, and nurtured. It is within such relationships that believers learn to journey faithfully, endure challenges, and rejoice together in milestones. Strengthening bonds demands intentional slowing down, prioritising presence, and engaging in life beyond superficial interactions.

Moreso, pathways of Bible and Story with a focus on discipleship reinforced that formation occurs through attentiveness to Scripture and to one another’s lived experiences. Collective engagement with Scripture, openness to the Spirit, and sharing testimonies of God’s work cultivate alignment with divine purposes. As stories are exchanged and heard, friendships deepen, and the community becomes more attuned to the Spirit’s movement.

In accordance with this emphasis, pathways of Care and Justice expanded the scope of relational responsibility. Care calls communities to notice needs, bear one another’s burdens, and respond practically within the body. Justice extends concern outward, challenging churches to stand alongside the marginalised, advocate for the voiceless, and participate in God’s restorative purposes. Together, care and justice demonstrate that strong relational foundations equip churches for faithful and compassionate engagement.

Significantly, it reinforces that we are one body with many members, united by one Spirit who brings coherence and purpose. Every member belongs, every contribution matters, and no one is redundant. Emphasis was placed on the Spirit’s ordering of each part as intended, with diversity functioning as strength rather than weakness. Imagery from 1 Corinthians affirms that even parts perceived as weaker are indispensable, and each unique contribution is vital for the flourishing of the whole.

Consequently, unity was framed not as uniformity, but as relational belonging grounded in mutual honour. On the other hand, when one part of the body suffers, the whole body is affected, and likewise when one part is honoured, all share in that honour. Belonging is strengthened through intentional space-making, mutual care, and recognition of every member’s contribution. In accordance with this vision, unity within the body of Christ necessarily requires a rejection of any form of discrimination, particularly toward those from minority groups or those with different abilities. On that note, such commitment calls the church to deeper attentiveness and responsibility, hence strengthening the integrity and witness of the whole body.

In light of the above, honouring one another demands more than passive inclusion. Genuine unity calls the church to listen attentively, learn intentionally, and seek understanding, especially where difference exists. In light of Acts 2 and the teaching of 1 Corinthians 12, no part of the body may be dismissed, overlooked, or marginalised without weakening the whole. Most importantly, learning to understand people whose experiences or abilities differ from the majority strengthens the body and reflects the Spirit’s work in forming a community where every person is valued, needed, and integral to the life and witness of Christ’s church.

Finally, Hui 2025 offered both encouragement and strategic direction. Participation in the Acts 2 movement does not seek replication of historical practice, but invites the Holy Spirit to shape faithful engagement today. Nevertheless, pathways of the Bible, Story with an emphasis on discipleship, Deepen Friendship, Care, and Justice provide a tangible framework for life together, marked by intentional relational presence, deep bonds, and genuine community. Above all, prayer remains that church communities will increasingly become places where people truly belong, are authentically known, and together reflect Christ’s life and love to neighbours and society at large.

In conclusion, leaders within our faith communities are invited to pause and reflect honestly on how faithfully these commitments are being embodied, while also deeply challenging every individual within our faith community in everyday life. Let us ponder and challenge ourselves to reflect with humility and, where necessary, to repent of attitudes, actions, or omissions that have hindered unity, diminished honour, or excluded others within the body of Christ. As the Spirit continues to call the church into deeper faithfulness through the Acts 2 movement, may there be a renewed willingness to turn afresh toward lives marked by genuine fellowship, attentive listening, and Christ-shaped love, for the sake of God’s glory and the flourishing of the whole body.

Thank - you.

Atua (God) Bless.

** Please check out the article below, which I have published on Substack: nzanonymouschristian.substack.com... .