Reflecting on 50 Years of Tandem Ministries

“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase,” Martin Luther King Jr. once said. This perfectly describes the early days of Tandem Ministries. When the first individuals stepped onto New Zealand shores with a vision, they couldn’t foresee the full journey ahead. Yet, they took that initial step in faith, leading to a ministry that now reaches all aspects of life in New Zealand. The early days involved planting seeds of new ministries, building partnerships across nations, and seeing thousands come to know Christ over the past 50 years—all starting with that one step of faith.

Wes Brennaman and the Beginnings of Student Life

Wes Brennaman and his wife, Susie, had the privilege of pioneering Student Life in New Zealand. At the time, Wes was serving as the Pacific Islands Director for Campus Crusade for Christ and living in Fiji. When invited to bring Campus Crusade’s ministry to New Zealand, Wes and Susie felt called to take on the challenge, planting what would later become Tandem Ministries. Their ministry began as the Lay Institute for Evangelism, with a vision to equip anyone willing to share their faith and make disciples.

Initially, Student Life was the only ministry in New Zealand, operating under the oversight of Student Life in Australia. Over time, additional ministries like Family Life, Athletes in Action, and the Jesus Film Project joined the fold. Wes and his team followed the foundational model of “Win, Build, Send,” which focuses on leading people to Christ, equipping them in faith, and then sending them out to reach others. For Wes, the core values of faith, fruitfulness, and growth were central to the ministry’s purpose and success. Reflecting on the journey, he is grateful to have witnessed God’s hand at work in countless lives across New Zealand.

The Power of Faithful Support

But none of this growth could have happened without God’s provision through the faith and support of others. Tandem Ministries has always been supported by a network of people who believe in its mission and have faithfully backed the work through prayer and financial gifts. Their faith has fueled this ministry, enabling it to reach those who are searching for a life-changing relationship with Christ.

Sandy and the First Steps of Faith

Sandy was the first person to come to faith through Student Life in New Zealand. In 1983, as a student at Auckland University, she noticed an advertisement for a lunchtime talk titled “The Case of the Empty Tomb” and decided to attend. Afterward, Sandy met with Susie Brennaman, who explained to her the meaning of a personal relationship with Christ. Growing up in a churchgoing family, Sandy already believed in God and understood that Jesus died for her sins, but she hadn’t yet embraced the personal aspect of faith. Susie’s guidance helped her take that next step.

Through involvement in discovery and action groups, Sandy found the foundation that would carry her forward in her Christian walk. The discipleship she received during those formative years not only grounded her faith but also helped her grow into a lifelong journey with Christ. Decades later, Sandy looks back with gratitude for the way Tandem Ministries and its faithful people played such a vital role in her spiritual growth.

A Legacy of Growth and Transformation

From those early days in the 1970s with only two staff, Tandem Ministries has grown to a team of over 100, reaching across ten campuses and impacting communities in New Zealand and beyond. The story of Tandem Ministries is a story of countless individuals taking one step at a time, contributing to a larger narrative of God’s redemption. Through each step of faith and each life transformed, Tandem has made disciples wherever possible, so that one day, we may stand together and declare, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7).