It’s not every day that meet someone who hails from the small New Zealand town of Napier. His life seems to be what every Christian teacher would wish for – leadership positions, scholarly research, elderships in Christian churches. Dr Gregg Weaver is one very accomplished individual. But it wasn’t always like this for the young Kiwi.
“I had two particularly influential friends as a young teenager in the public school system there – one was from a Christian family, and the other was from a very broken family. I was 13 years old, and both of these friends were very ‘fired up’ for God. They were forever talking about Jesus!” says Gregg.
“One night at my local Boys Brigade, my younger brother and I looked at each other and decided to go and talk to the man who was running the study. He had not presented anything in a flippant way to us. It was “Do you really want to sail this course for the rest of your life?” It was a reality that was standing in front of us. Everything can change for you, but it’s a big decision. For my brother and I at that young age, it made a lot of sense to us.”
Gregg’s brother has now gone on to serve as a missionary in Russia. He now resides in Ukraine as he continues his ministry there.
“I wasn’t planning on being a teacher. I wanted to be a pastor at aged 17, and then a Christian guidance counsellor told me the best training field would be for me would be to train as a teacher. I had some hesitancy because I was really ‘on fire’ for God. Once I was in Teacher’s College I realized that this training made a lot of sense. Forty years later, I’m still in the game!”
“Career-wise, my first fifteen years I worked for the state system in New Zealand and worked my way up through that system. I was living out Christ as best as I could, but I wondered whether I could have a greater influence through Christian schooling. I moved across into Christian schooling as a Principal. I worked in closed-enrolment, church-based schools, independent Christian Schools -but in each one I was just there to serve. They were my mission field. I had an opportunity to serve on the New Zealand Association of Christian Schools as the head of their organization. I loved seeing how God moved in Christian schools. I then ‘hopped across the ditch’ to Australia – first in Toowoomba, Queensland, then down to Victoria and Melbourne.”
“Christian education has the danger of being ‘just a label’ It’s ‘just another brand of education.’ But, what’s kept me going is that this is a vehicle for the gospel. It’s a lived-out, real experience. We can have an impact and we do have an impact in people’s lives.”
“What brought me across to Kalamunda was the sense that ‘there is something more.’ Life was quite settled where we were and church was great. But there was a sense that ‘there is something more.’ I love than Corrie ten Boom quote : the more you pray, the more coincidences happen.”
“You start to really seek the Lord for direction and things fall into place. Kalamunda Christian School is a place where I think the Lord is doing good things. We are co-labourers with Christ. What a privilege that is! It’s a unique situation. Untapped in many ways. But I think it time to value the time that’s gone and seek fresh insight from the Holy Spirit for our way forward.”
Gregg’s socks were acquired last week from the Whaling Station at Albany. He accompanied the Year 6 crew from Kalamunda on their camp and picked up the socks on the way. “ What can I say? I feel like I’m sailing in the right direction!”