PROPHETIC WORDS

STANDING ON SACRED GROUND – PROPHETIC MINISTRY IN AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND

by Jill Smith

June 2025

God has always been speaking in Aotearoa. Long before European missionaries arrived, the Spirit of God was already at work among Māori iwi and hapū (tribes and sub-tribes), preparing the land and hearts of people to receive the Gospel. The prophetic voice in this nation has a deep and rich history—and today’s prophetic ministers are not starting from scratch. We are standing on the shoulders of those who heard, obeyed, and responded to God before us.

To walk in authentic prophetic authority in New Zealand, we must understand our spiritual and cultural foundations. Honouring the story of this land and its people isn’t optional—it’s essential.

God Was Already Speaking – Pre-European Prophetic Insight

Māori oral history and traditions are full of prophetic dreams, visions, and words that pointed to the coming of light, truth, and even a sacred book. Many iwi have accounts of tohunga (priests, experts) and rangatira (chiefs) who foresaw the arrival of foreign sails, the Gospel, or spiritual transformation.

These were not vague myths. In many cases, they were precise revelations that softened the hearts of people to receive the missionaries and their message. God was already preparing the way.

Why this matters

• The land of Aotearoa has a prophetic inheritance—it has heard the voice of God.

• Māori did not begin their spiritual journey with colonisation. God was at work long before.

• When we minister prophetically today, we are not “bringing God in”—we are joining what He is already doing.

Maori Prophets and the Gospel Movement

After the Gospel was introduced in the early 1800s, a wave of Māori-led prophetic movements emerged. These leaders were often evangelists, revivalists, and reformers who mixed deep biblical understanding with powerful spiritual insight.

Some significant Māori prophetic leaders include:

• Tohu Kākahi and Te Whiti-o-Rongomai (of Parihaka) – prophets of peace and justice who resisted violent colonial confiscation with nonviolence and spiritual leadership.

• Wiremu Tāmihana – known as the “Kingmaker,” a Christian chief and prophetic statesman who sought peaceful partnership between Māori and Pākehā.

• Rua Kenana – a visionary and healer who sought to establish a prophetic community rooted in justice and spiritual renewal.

Though not all of these leaders fit neatly into modern Christian categories, many carried genuine spiritual insight and responded to God's voice with courage. Their stories remind us that the prophetic has always been alive in Aotearoa—and often through those who were marginalised or misunderstood.

The Treaty of Waitangi – A Prophetic Covenant

The Treaty of Waitangi (Te Tiriti o Waitangi) is more than a political document—it carries spiritual weight. It was intended as a covenant between Māori and the Crown, based on partnership, protection, and participation.

Unfortunately, the Treaty was often dishonoured and ignored, leading to pain, brokenness, and injustice. But in recent decades, many in the Church have recognised the need to return to this foundation and seek reconciliation.

For prophetic ministers, this means:

• Honouring the Treaty as part of our spiritual and moral responsibility.

• Listening to the pain of the past, not denying or minimising it.

• Speaking hope, healing, and justice where systems have failed.

• Walking in humility, not as saviours but as co-labourers.

The prophetic ministry is not just about personal words—it’s about speaking into culture, systems, and history with God’s heart.

Authentic Prophetic Expression in Aotearoa New Zealand Today

To minister prophetically in this land with authority, we must be grounded in humility and honour.

Keys for prophetic ministers in Aotearoa:

• Know the story. Learn the prophetic history of the land. Understand Te Tiriti, colonisation, and Māori prophetic movements.

• Honour Māori voices. Make space for Māori prophetic leaders—not as tokens, but as equal and valued parts of the Body of Christ.

• Minister from relationship. True authority comes through connection. Listen before speaking.

• Seek reconciliation. Be part of healing historical wounds—not by quick fixes but through long-term partnership.

• Walk in unity. Māori and Pākehā, men and women, young and old—all carry part of the picture. We need each other.

• Speak life into the whenua (land). Declare God’s purpose over cities, regions, and iwi with humility and hope.

Our Prophetic Foundation – A Sacred Partnership

We are not called to copy overseas models of prophetic ministry – as much as we value, learn from them and honour them – we are called to hear what the Spirit is saying HERE in Aotearoa. When we honour our foundations—God’s work through Māori prophets, the Treaty of Waitangi, and the stories in our soil—we step into something authentic, powerful, and uniquely New Zealand.

The prophetic voice today must be both RELATIONAL AND RIGHTEOUS, RECONCILING AND COURAGEOUS, BIBLICAL AND BICULTURAL.

This is the kind of prophetic ministry that carries true authority—because it flows from love, justice, and humility.

Reflection: Standing in the Story

Take time to pause, listen, and let the Holy Spirit speak to you through these questions.

1. How well do I understand the prophetic history of Aotearoa? What stories or voices might I need to learn from?

2. Do I carry assumptions or attitudes about Māori history or the Treaty that the Holy Spirit may want to challenge?

3. In what ways can I grow in honouring Māori prophetic voices and making space for true partnership?

4. Is my prophetic ministry shaped more by international influences or by the heart of God for this land?

5. What would it look like for me to be a prophetic voice for reconciliation and healing—not just in words, but in actions?

6. Who in my life can walk with me on this journey of growing in bicultural understanding and prophetic authority in Aotearoa?

Prayer:

Lord, I thank You for the sacred story of this land. Thank You for the prophets You have raised in Aotearoa – Maori and Pakeha, known and unknown. Teach me to honour this story, to walk humbly, and to speak only what is rooted in Your love and justice. Use me as a voice of reconcilliation, healing, and hope in this land, and from this land. Let my prophetic ministry flow from a place of honour, humility, and connection to the whenua and the people, as well as the church. Amen.

BIO