BACKGROUND
Dear beloved all,
We give thanks to the Lord our God, who not only guides us all gently by His right hand but has also quietly been working behind the scenes in Aotearoa New Zealand, for the sake of His great Name, and on behalf of His set apart people.
As a family we first met Grant Luton in 2016 and 2018 at Garden Route Restoration Fellowship in George, South Africa. Grant would minister the Word at our local congregation during Sukkot Festivals. Back then we as a family were fairly new to Messianic teaching, this was when we began understanding the beautiful simplicity of biblical doctrine. In October 2023, my son Benjamin and I visited the USA and by road trip travelled from Texas to Ohio, visiting different people including the Luton Family in Hartville near Akron that November.
AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND
About a year has passed since my son and I were in the USA. Roughly five weeks ago on the 19th of November 2024, Grant Luton departed from Cleveland Ohio USA, headed for New Zealand. After two layovers and many hours in flight, Grant landed at Auck
land International Terminal, to join us, the Barry family for a journey in which we passed through about nine provinces in the North Island!
Our itinerary was marked by visiting various towns and places, some of which I Joshua had grown up in, and some we had never been to before. We met many different people, and lots of beautiful new faces within the Messianic community in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Our journey was a bit like the idea from the movie The Hobbit, where Bilbo Baggins left the comfort of home and stepped out into the unknown, on an adventure which could be referred to as ‘risk’! Well, we’re the Barry Bunch not the Baggins Brigade, and it’s not our fault we’re all so tall and could never pass as hobbits. However, God managed to line us all up with His will and purpose, and bring brave Grant along as a co-pilot to, ‘steady the ship’, so to speak.
The point of all this is, six Barrys plus one American makes seven, which is the perfect number for a team to co-work with our God. As usual, our faithful God had already gone
ahead of us and set the stage for His Word to go forth throughout Aotearoa New Zealand. B stands for behave, so the fun and laughter were in context, and the ministry was loaded with many memorable teachings, questions, and comments.
AUCKLAND CITY
For me Joshua, the trip which started in Auckland was like a home coming as I was born and raised in Auckland, and it has been thirty- six years since I left Auckland as a twenty-year-old.
After collecting Grant from the airport, we arrived at our friend’s ministry called ‘Drury Christian Church’, they are believers who live in community, are passionate about Israel, and are so faithful in
prayer. Their selfless hospitality was wonderful and set the stage for a fantastic trip throughout the North Island. Thanks so much to all at Drury Christian Church.
Our first Sabbath evening was on Auckland’s North Shore, in a town called Albany, our evening gathering was with a precious fellowship called ‘People of the way’. This was the beginning of meeting new people and it wasn’t long before we were all chatting, laughing, and breaking bread during erev sabbath. The next morning, we arrived at a church building in Point Chevalier where we sat together for sabbath to hear the Word. People came from far and wide and some even took a two-hour drive from Tauranga to be there.
One of the early obvious marks of Gods hand on this trip was how He was bringing likeminded people together throughout the North Island of New Zealand, and Auckland was where it all began! It was such a pleasure to watch people’s faces light up as they reunited with friends that they hadn’t seen for many moons, as if God one upped all our plans. As I looked about the room around me, I could see He
brought the Nations together, there was such a diverse range of cultures present. After the congregational fellowship we had oneg (lunch) together, then a time of Torah portion Q and A with Grant. Thank you to the family of believers at “People of the way”, for allowing us to celebrate alongside of you! It has been a great joy to meet you all and we hope to see you again in the future.
We factored in some enjoyable excursions which included visiting, Sky Tower Auckland. This Barry builder was the scaredy cat up so high in the sky, even my knees were too scared to knock together. I hung around by the lifts, trying to act cool, in case I needed a quick escape only to find that I had to stand on the clear glass floor tile in the lift as it descended. Back on the ground we found our way through the Auckland trafic, then hit the highway to Waikato Province for a night’s farm stay.
TARANAKI PROVINCE
Next day and after a long afternoon driving, we arrived to an enthuastic welcome from a few locals, in a small town called Manaia. There is something about the wide-open spaces of Taranaki that matched the big-hearted folk we met in both
Hawera and Manaia. The three teaching sessions the next day wereintentional and packed with at least three decades of experiential truth for life application. We sunk our teeth into the meat of the Word, as Grant took us through topics which included discipleship, fruit of the spirit, and maturity in expression as believers. It was a full day, and the teaching carried on into the evening after dinner, for those who could join us after their days work.
The beautiful Mt Taranaki appeared through the clouds on a breath-taking sun lit evening, to cap off the day. Didn’t our magnificent Messiah do some of his greatest works in the smallest of setings. This sums up our time in little Manaia ‘(the bread capital of NZ)’, where the fresh bread of God’s word sunk into our hearts. Some sightseeing included, the west coast black iron sand beach and its endless cliffs, then straight to the Kiosk on Mt Taranaki with its crystal-clear rivers and its snowcapped peak. Thanks so much to all our family in Messiah, who are now our new friends in Taranaki.
HOROWHENUA / MANAWATU PROVINCE
As we headed south-east, we stopped for lunch in Wanganui, and it just so happened to be, ‘Thanks- giving Day’, so we celebrated together around a fellowship meal. The next day we headed on to Palmerston North where we connected with a home group who have been particularly consistent with the learning of Hebrew. There was so much to chat about as we sat down for Erev Sabbath dinner, Grant fitted in so well with his hosts we thought we could make him an honorary New Zealander.
Next morning we headed on down to Zion House in Levin, a nice central location for a combined Sabbath service, along with the team from Palmerton North. Some people trekked up from Wellington and it certainly was a packed house, so we utilized the stairs as a mini stadium stand. Once again, our hosts were amazing, and that’s what I love about our God when He brings out the beauty of local expression and marries it with unity and diversity. There was a consistent thread which ran through Grants teachings that we could see was now climaxing, as if the spirit of God was expounding more and more on our foundational topics, and carrying it on through to the current
The next day being Sunday we gathered together in a local hall in Palmerston North, as some of the people we met the day before joined us from Levin. There were plenty of chairs and space for us to stretch out in the hall, how appropriate as the new set of topics was about to stretch our thinking. Grant had to weave his way through explaining the differences between, clean vs unclean, holy vs unholy, sinless vs sinful, and righteousness vs unrighteousness. He went on to teach what, ‘negative restrictions’, may be on a believer in these states, and the requirements for a believer to be restored for the sake of a healthy body of people. After a BYO lunch, with tea and coffee, we headed into the afternoon session where Grant made plenty of time for Q and A and comments. He landed the topic by spreading the weight of it among us all as he hosted an environment for feedback, this helped us to understand that our questions are more important than anyone’s answers, and that the study of Scripture is a lifelong journey.
By mid-afternoon we had packed up the hall and it was hot outside in Palmerston North, so it was off to the pools for a swim with my children. Next thing I know is that this dad was two or three stories high, perched on the edge of a slide with an immediate and almost vertical drop away. From up there you can only see where you’re going to end up but nothing in-between, ‘at least it’s not the sky tower, I think can do this’. I followed the instructions on the board, (cross your arms over your chest then definitely cross your feet), so when you hit the body of water at the bottom you can aqua plain without experiencing any uncomfortable,
’negative restrictions’, on your swim trunks. As I tipped over the edge that was my license to let out a long shout on the decent, as my 104 kgs hurled towards the bottom of the slide, the splash was like a mini wave, as I finally came to a wild watery stop, I looked up to see the laughing and amused faces of my children, with a cell phone and camera pointing my way.
Thanks to all the precious folk we met in both Palmerston North and Levin, may God bless you as you continue to be salt and light to the respective communities around you.
EASTERN BAY OF PLENTY
As we pulled out of Palmerston North, we headed for Tauranga City in the Eastern Bay of Plenty, about six hours driving. This was a chance for Grant to see some more of New Zealand’s beautiful scenery, deep gorges with flowing rivers, distant rising ranges, and much farmland with rolling hills and green grass lands. We passed by snowcapped Mt Ruapehu, the tallest mountain in the North Island near the rugged desert road which runs next to the distant Kaimanawa Forrest Park and then around Lake Taupo’s edge. We finally arrived at our destination in time for dinner at our friend’s home, we call it the ‘Hockley Homestead’, it was now a chance for us to stay in one place for a whole week, as Grant would be ministering the Word locally in Tauranga.
The Hockley family hosted several meetings at their residence which included, their own home fellowship group, where Grant spoke about, insights into that which helped the Beth Tikkun fellowship in Ohio grow spiritually. At the combined youth group meeting they discussed, the purpose of life, among other things. Friday is always like a preparation day for us as it leads up to erev Sabbath, this sabbath evening as
Grant took us through the beautiful traditions of the evening fellowship meal, it was as if new and deeper layers of understanding were opening up as we shared the bread and cup. Messiah Himself said to his own disciples…’do this in remembrance of me’…, and being disciples of his, (although it’s not Passover), in spirit and in truth, we could have just as well been among them the evening before His crucifixion. This was an extra special night for me, as I reflect back upon it, being exactly 28 years to the day that I sincerely gave my life over to Jesus Christ as my Lord and saviour, on December the 06th 1996. That makes me tremble as it soberly reminds me that we can only give God all the glory for His gracious dealings in all our lives.
The next morning, we headed to, Beth El Messianic Family, in the suburbs near Tauranga City, the sabbath service was such a pleasure once again, and it was a real blessing to see our sons included in the order of service. Grant shared on the Torah portion Vayeitzei, which means ‘And he went out’, something that stood out for me is the question, am I building a Tower of Babel religious approach to my God or am I cultivating a loving relationship to my Heavenly Father in response to the Jacobs ladder, He Himself provided for me through Messiah Yeshua. For us as a family the time at Beth El was like a massive reunion, because we live so far away in Northland near Kaitaia, friends from Hawkes Bay, Waikato, Auckland, and beyond came to enjoy fellowship and hear the word of the Lord. Afterwards I caught up with a precious man that I hadn’t seen in about 5 years, and it was so good to look around the large foyer area and see the buzz of intimate fellowship. I say it again, our God is working in the midst of His people throughout New Zealand so take just a moment on that thought to, selah!
By early afternoon on Sabbath, we headed across town to Tauranga South for the Combined Service, where locals and people from around the central North Island come for a monthly gathering. During the day I kept bothering Grant with glasses of water to be sure he kept hydrated, and I noticed that the more people engaged with him the more refreshed he looked. God really blessed us with a group of people, so hungry to learn and full of expectation that it felt as if we didn’t want the fellowship to end. During the dinner break there is a chance for people to not only catch up, but also mums help each other with home schooling needs and advice, other families live off the land, and compare what’s working in their region with their gardens, chooks, sheep, cattle, and dairy products etc. It’s not business, it’s doing life together and being there for one another. As the evening session rolled around it was as if things began to soar higher and higher, as once again Grant opened the floor for, Q and A and comments. I am so happy that we took our time and were able to allow people an opportunity as the needed, to connect with Grant, I know for sure that he also really appreciated being with you all.
Thank you so much to, Beth El Messianic Family, and Combined Service Fellowship, for hosting Grant so kindly, right there in Tauranga City.
On Sunday morning we had a men’s breakfast at the Patio-Rose in Tauriko suburb. Grant encouraged us to glean more and more from the book of Proverbs, and to continue to seek and ask God for His wisdom to apply in our lives. The breakfast was great, and it was good to see the men so committed to stick it out right to the end, to get everything they can from our time with Grant. I know that many families had a long way to drive back home to their various provinces. In the mid-afternoon Grant, along with my two girls, had a scenic flight around the area and passed over Mt Maunganui, really cool fun for them all.
As Monday rolled around it was time to take Grant to catch a much bigger flight at the Auckland International Terminal. We stopped for a quick lunch at Drury Christian Church, said our thankyous and goodbyes to them, and then dropped Grant off at the Airport.
I want to say a special thanks to our Abba Father for the way He placed His intentional hand of guidance upon our co-working efforts with Him. I also want to communicate our thanks and gratitude to Robin Luton, for releasing her Husband Grant to come and be with us in New Zealand, we did our best to take good care of him for you.
Much Love and blessings to all our friends, both in America and New Zealand. From the Barry family,
Joshua, Mercia, Benjamin, Daniel, Beulah and Sarah.
