Reflecting on 50 Years of Tandem Ministries

What does it mean to be fruitful in your career, community, or athletic pursuits? At Tandem Ministries, one of our core values is fruitfulness, even when it may feel unpredictable or take years to see results. True fruitfulness in ministry is about trusting God to bring growth and impact, sometimes in unexpected ways. One of the ways we’ve seen this fruitfulness is through the diversity of our ministries, reaching into every area of life where God is needed and filling each unique need with faithful people eager to make a difference.

Military Life: Serving Those Who Serve

Al Mackinnon leads Military Life in New Zealand and the Asia Pacific. From the beginning, Al recognised that following a strict, step-by-step plan wouldn’t work for the military ministry. Instead, he and his team focused on following wherever God led, staying close to the Holy Spirit’s guidance. Over time, they expanded their strategy beyond the “Win-Build-Send” model, adding “Serve” as both the first and last steps to emphasise their approach of serving and empowering others.

Military Life’s work has brought Al into contact with military personnel across multiple countries, providing opportunities to discuss Bible-based ethics, support military families, and share the gospel even during military activities. Al marvels at how God has opened doors, moving the ministry from what felt like the back row of a stadium to a front-row view, allowing them to witness profound transformation. He and his team are deeply grateful to be part of this journey and to stay near where they see God at work.

Renewal Through Relationships

Wherever God moves, renewal and change follow. This has been true for Howard and Lynette Webb’s ministry, Love Your Neighbour, based in Point Chevalier.

Howard and Lynette Webb with Love Your Neighbour

In 2005, Howard and Lynette Webb started Love Your Neighbour to help churches find new ways to reach their communities. They began by gathering stories of ordinary churches doing extraordinary things, then provided practical tools and training to help other churches connect with their neighborhoods. Over time, they saw that their greatest impact came from working with entire congregations, encouraging them to operate as a unified family on a mission.

More recently, Howard and Lynette have led a church plant called Church at 126 in Point Chevalier. Focused on invitation and hospitality, they gather around meal tables each Sunday to befriend and share the gospel with attendees. For Howard and Lynette, fruitfulness in the church is about making new friends, practicing hospitality, and connecting their Christian friends with those who don’t yet know Jesus. To them, loving one’s neighbour is the essence of fruitfulness and the heart of the gospel.

Merging Faith and Sport

Jesus is the true source of fruitfulness, transforming our hearts and lives. But what does fruitfulness look like for athletes who dedicate their lives to training, discipline, and competition? How can they experience both physical and spiritual growth?

Timo and Frances Tagaloa with Athletes in Action

Timo and Frances Tagaloa work with Athletes in Action, a ministry that combines their passion for sports with their dedication to sharing the gospel. Timo was introduced to Athletes in Action while playing American football in the United States, where he saw how sports could break through social and economic barriers. Frances began her journey with Student Life at the University of Auckland and, after experiencing the impact of her work, felt called to full-time ministry. Together, they focused on reaching athletes, moving from student ministry to sports chaplaincy and eventually to broader community outreach.

In 2007, they launched the Ultimate Training Camps, high-intensity sports camps designed to integrate faith, life, and athletics. After some years, the Tagaloa family decided to return to universities to work with student athletes on campus, where they saw the greatest potential for growth. Today, they are part of a larger team dedicated to building movements on campuses across New Zealand, and they are thankful for the answered prayers that continue to support their ministry.

A Vision of Fruitfulness Across Every Sector

From military bases and neighbourhoods to sports fields and beyond, Tandem Ministries has witnessed God’s power to bring fruitfulness wherever He is welcomed. It’s through this diversity of ministry that we see God’s kingdom expand, reaching people in every walk of life and making disciples who impact their communities and the world.