"God begun to put Dunedin on my heart toward the end of 2002. One morning in January 2004 I woke up earlier than usual and felt a great weight on me. While this supernatural weight remained on me I had only one thought - Dunedin. I knew God was calling me to establish a work in Dunedin. I could not see how this could happen so I buried the thought. Twice in the following 6 months the Holy Spirit came on me and spoke clearly to my spirit saying, 'I have given you authority in this city.' My vision is for a city caught in the grip a continuous supernatural move of the Spirit, birthing strong Holy Spirit church that is extravagant in worship, fervent in intercession, passionate to reach the lost and founded upon true apostolic and prophetic foundations. There are many other churches in Dunedin, each with an integral part to play in God's plan. God has laid it strongly on my heart that it is time for me to rise and build a spiritual work that is one part of His overall plan" - Nathan Shaw.
Specific emphases of Fire and Destiny Centre
1. The supernatural - "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also" (John 14:12). The New Testament Church was birthed (Acts 2), planted (1 Corinthians 3:6-7) and built (Ephesians 4:22) supernaturally. Jesus said, "I will build my church" (Matthew 16:18). Unless the Lord builds the house the labourers labour in vain (Psalm 127:1).
2. Prophetic and apostolic ministry. God has been restoring prophetic and apostolic ministry to the church. We believe these two ministries are vitally important in building His church because they bring the greatest revelation of Jesus Christ - "Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit" (Ephesians 2:19-22).
3. Harvest - "The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest" (Matthew 9:38, Luke 10:2). We are all called to do the work of evangelism and discipleship as He directs.
4. Growth - The church is a body which if connected properly to the Head will grow in every respect - authority, character, numbers, ministry. "Christ— from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love" (Ephesians 4:16). "...holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God" (Colossians 2:19).
5. Abundance - "And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work" (2 Corinthians 9:8). God's word teaches us how to have an abundance for every good work. This abundance is the result of our obedience to the principles of the word of God and the release of His supernatural grace. We desire all who are associated with Fire and Destiny Centre to partake of this grace. We want to encourage all believers to live by biblical financial principles, however we do not believe it is God's will to put anybody under compulsion to do with money. God desires that we give willingly of our own choice (2 Corinthians 9:7).
6. Opportunity - "And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry" (Ephesians 4:11-12). We plan to build the church using the J12 cell model. This model combines the strengths of the Jethro cell model and the more recent G12 cell model. The New Testament church consisted of both corporate gatherings and house meetings (Acts 2:46, 5:42). In this respect it was like a bird which can only fly with two wings. J12 is founded on the principle that every person is a potential leader.
7. Esteem for people - "Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others" (Philippians 2:3-4). We believe that many of the key players in God's end-time purposes are people who are considered insignificant in the natural (1 Corinthians 1:26-29). Every person is important to God.