What if:
What if your marriage was never meant to end with you?
What if the love you nurture, the faith you live, and the home you build could become a beacon of hope in a world aching for redemption?
We believe marriage is more than a covenant — it’s a calling. A divine invitation to live The Gospel daily, to outwork the Great Commission side by side. When couples walk in step with God’s mission, ordinary moments can have eternal impact.
Marriage on Mission is a movement of families growing together and going together — homes marked by grace, purpose, and love. As each couple steps into their calling, neighbourhoods shift, generations heal, and the gospel reaches every corner of Aotearoa.
This is the mission.
This is the movement.
Marriage on Mission.
The Vision:
A two-day conference to inspire, equip, connect, and engage 200 marriages on mission across Aotearoa in 2025.
About The Conference
Marriage on Mission Conference is all about transforming everyday couples into intentional missionaries right in their own communities. We believe that family is a powerful, untapped resource for spreading good in the world. Our vision is to ignite a movement of marriages committed to following Jesus and the Great Commission — a movement of multiplying disciples who will reach the 1.7 million families who call New Zealand home. Our goal? To see every home become a godly home.
Inspire
Connect
Equip
Engage
Inspire
Connect
Equip
Engage
What to Expect - Schedule
Friday 12 September
Theme: “The Call & Commitment”
9:00 AM Registration & Coffee
9:30 AM Opening & Worship
10:00 AM Why Marriage on Mission? [Wynand Jacobs]
10:45 AM Morning Tea & Fellowship
11:15 AM The Power of the Gospel [Ron & Nan Deal]
12:00 PM We Had to Learn the Hard Way [Panel]
12:45 PM Equip: Sharing Your Testimony
1:00 PM Lunch & Couple’s Project
2:30 PM What Qualifies Me to Be a Guide? [Tony Wee]
3:15 PM Start Where You Are [Nick & Sarah Field]
4:00 PM Prayer: Heaven & Earth Together
5:00 PM Free Time
6:15 PM Vision Evening: Food, Fellowship, Stories, and Opportunities to Impact
9:00 AM
9:30 AM
10:00 AM
10:45 AM
11:15 AM
12:00 PM
12:45 PM
1:00 PM
2:30 PM
3:15 PM
4:00 PM
5:00 PM
6:15 PM
Registration & Coffee
Opening & Worship
Why Marriage on Mission? [Wynand Jacobs]
Morning Tea & Fellowship
The Power of the Gospel [Ron & Nan Deal]
We Had to Learn the Hard Way [Panel]
Equip: Sharing Your Testimony
Lunch & Couple’s Project
What Qualifies Me to Be a Guide? [Tony Wee]
Start Where You Are [Nick & Sarah Field]
Prayer: Heaven & Earth Together
Free Time
Vision Evening
Food, Fellowship, Stories, and Opportunities to Impact
Saturday 13 September
Theme: “Action & Impact“
9:00 AM Worship & Devotional
9:45 AM The Power of Two
10:30 AM Morning Tea & Fellowship
11:00 AM Conversations with Purpose
12:00 PM Jesus Film Testimony
12:15 PM Equip: Circles of Influence
12:30 PM Lunch & Couple’s Project
2:00 PM Partnering with the Holy Spirit
2:30 PM Closing Worship & Commissioning
9:00 AM
9:45 AM
10:30 AM
11:00 AM
12:00 PM
12:15 PM
12:30 PM
2:00 PM
2:30 PM
Worship & Devotional
The Power of Two
Morning Tea & Fellowship
Conversations with Purpose
Jesus Film Testimony
Equip: Circles of Influence
Lunch & Couple’s Project
Partnering with the Holy Spirit
Closing Worship & Commissioning
Vision: To inspire, equip, connect, and engage 200 guiding couples on mission across Oceania in 2025.
Marriage on Mission is a movement of families growing together and going together — homes marked by grace, purpose, and love.
As each couple steps into their calling, neighbourhoods shift, generations heal, and the gospel reaches every corner of Aotearoa.
Our Speakers
Neil & Sharol Josephson
Equipping Couples & Church Leaders for Stronger Marriages
Neil and Sharol Josephson, Vice Presidents of FamilyLife Global Resourcing, are dedicated to strengthening marriages and equipping church leaders. Married since 1978, they bring decades of experience from leadership, pastoral ministry, and family coaching.
Their passion for marriage mentorship has led them to develop programs that empower couples to guide others, helping churches build thriving marriage ministries. Their engaging, practical approach has impacted countless relationships, making their sessions both inspiring and transformative.
Join Neil and Sharol at the Marriage on Mission conference to strengthen your marriage and ministry with wisdom, encouragement, and proven mentorship strategies.
Ron & Nan Deal
Strengthening Marriages with Faith & Wisdom
Ron and Nan Deal are passionate about equipping couples and pastors with practical, faith-based tools to build strong, lasting marriages. Ron, a licensed marriage and family therapist, bestselling author, and Director of FamilyLife Blended®, is a leading expert on stepfamilies and marriage enrichment. Nan, an experienced educator and ministry leader, has dedicated her life to mentoring women, supporting grieving parents, and guiding couples toward emotional healing and connection.
Their journey—marked by deep love, personal loss, and unwavering faith—fuels their mission to help couples grow in trust and resilience. Through engaging, research-backed insights, they empower relationships to thrive, even in life’s toughest seasons.
Tony Wee
Empowering Families, Expanding Global Impact
Tony Wee is the Executive Director of Field Expansion at FamilyLife, where he leads initiatives to extend the organization’s global reach and impact. With a Master of Divinity from Talbot School of Theology, Tony brings over two decades of experience in missionary work with Cru, specialising in evangelism, discipleship, and leadership development.
In his current role, Tony is focused on expanding FamilyLife’s presence globally, fostering partnerships, and developing strategies to help families thrive through biblical principles. He is passionate about equipping couples and parents to build strong, faith-centered relationships.
Nick & Sarah Field
Making Disciples Generation to Generation
Nick and Sarah Field are followers of Jesus Christ with a deep commitment to disciple-making and strengthening families. After 25 years pastoring a regional church in Wellington, their passion for the Great Commission now fuels a disciple-making and church-planting movement across Aotearoa and beyond. Sent from their home church, they train and coach Jesus-followers to reach the lost and raise up disciple-makers, aiming to see no place left where the gospel isn’t multiplying.
Now empty-nesters with three grandsons, Nick and Sarah are equally passionate about equipping parents with Biblical principles for raising children. Having raised their own kids in the faith, they developed Good Stuff Parenting—a program providing Biblical foundations and age-specific training for parents of children from birth through the teen years.
Aidan & Bonnie Shotbolt
Empowering Leaders and Strengthening Communities
Aidan and Bonnie Shotbolt are passionate leaders who are committed to the Great Commission. Together, they began serving in student ministry in 2005, and have been sharing the gospel with students, neighbours, family, and strangers since then. They have done outreach work in five countries, including taking their kids on both domestic and international mission trips. Aidan now oversees staff development at Tandem Ministries, while Bonnie invests in the next generation as an educator at Kingsway Christian School.
At the Marriage on Mission conference, Aidan and Bonnie will share their journey of faith, marriage and outreach, offering valuable insights into communicating the gospel together.
Wynand Jacobs
Growing Godly Homes and Thriving Families
For over 35 years, FamilyLife NZ has been bringing help and hope to couples across New Zealand. In 2019, Wynand Jacobs was called to lead the ministry into a new season, passionately championing the mission of seeing every home become a godly home. Through radio broadcasts, conferences, and practical resources, he inspires couples to experience lasting transformation in their relationships.
At the Marriage on Mission Conference, Wynand will share a compelling vision for the Great Commission and invite couples to pursue what truly matters: a thriving relationship with Jesus, each other and the world around them.
Our Partners
Part of Marriage Week NZ
Marriage Week is an opportunity for people to be reminded about the importance of marriage, why it matters, and what you can do to strengthen your marriage relationship.
Conference Registration
11 September
$55 / $95
Individual / Couple
Registration
Featuring: Global experts Ron Deal (Blended Families) and Neil & Sharol Josephson (Marriage Mentoring), the training explores why relationships are central to discipleship, how to launch or grow a family ministry, and how mentoring can multiply impact without overburdening staff.
Sessions include: Interactive workshops, a vision-casting moment from Tony Wee on mobilising couples for mission, and insights tailored to the New Zealand context. Leave with tools, inspiration, and a renewed calling to disciple through marriage and family.
Who it's for: Senior pastors, ministry staff, and key lay leaders wanting to build stronger families and churches through intentional, gospel-shaped relationships.
Venue: Windsor Park Baptist Church - 550 East Coast Road, Mairangi Bay, Auckland 0732
Register as an individual ($55) or save by registering as a couple for $95.
12-13 September
$350
Per Couple
*Full Conference Pass
A two-day gospel-centered event that equips couples to thrive in their marriage and live on mission together—at home, in their communities, and beyond. With practical training, inspiring teaching, and a focus on real-world application, couples are empowered to share the love of Jesus through their relationship and bring gospel hope to those around them.
Tickets include: All sessions, conference materials, morning teas, and grazing dinner on Friday evening. You'll be responsible for your own lunches as you'll have time for your couple's projects during lunch. If you're travelling from outside of Auckland, see our information on accommodation options below.
Venue: Windsor Park Baptist Church - 550 East Coast Road, Mairangi Bay, Auckland 0732
Kids Conference: We have partnered with CEF (Child Evangelism Fellowship) to prepare an amazing lineup for our kids that will engage them in fun, age-appropriate ways to share the Gospel and be "on mission" together. Please register below if you're planning to bring your children along so we can prepare accordingly.
12 September
$198
Per Couple
*Friday Only Pass
Tickets include: All Friday sessions, conference materials, morning tea, and grazing dinner on Friday evening. You'll be responsible for your own lunches as you'll have time for your couple's projects during lunch. If you're travelling from outside of Auckland, see our information on accommodation options below.
Venue: Windsor Park Baptist Church - 550 East Coast Road, Mairangi Bay, Auckland 0732
Kids Conference: We have partnered with CEF (Child Evangelism Fellowship) to prepare an amazing lineup for our kids that will engage them in fun, age-appropriate ways to share the Gospel and be "on mission" together. Please register below if you're planning to bring your children along so we can prepare accordingly.
12-13 September
$198
Per Couple
*Friday Evening + Saturday Day Pass
Tickets include: Friday evening vision night and Saturday Day sessions, conference materials, morning tea, and grazing dinner on Friday evening. You'll be responsible for your own lunch as you'll have time for your couple's projects during lunch. If you're travelling from outside of Auckland, see our information on accommodation options below.
Venue: Windsor Park Baptist Church - 550 East Coast Road, Mairangi Bay, Auckland 0732
Kids Conference: We have partnered with CEF (Child Evangelism Fellowship) to prepare an amazing lineup for our kids that will engage them in fun, age-appropriate ways to share the Gospel and be "on mission" together. Please register below if you're planning to bring your children along so we can prepare accordingly.
13 September
$145
Per Couple
*Saturday Only Pass
Tickets include: All Saturday sessions, conference materials and morning tea. You'll be responsible for your own lunches as you'll have time for your couple's projects during lunch. If you're travelling from outside of Auckland, see our information on accommodation options below.
Venue: Windsor Park Baptist Church - 550 East Coast Road, Mairangi Bay, Auckland 0732
Kids Conference: We have partnered with CEF (Child Evangelism Fellowship) to prepare an amazing lineup for our kids that will engage them in fun, age-appropriate ways to share the Gospel and be "on mission" together. Please register below if you're planning to bring your children along so we can prepare accordingly.
Kids Conference
In partnership with CEF.
Ages:
Kids 2-13 years old
Cost:
FREE
Note:
Parents need to register for the conference before registering their children. You will receive a link to register your children after you have registered for the main event.
Logistics
Accommodation Options
This list highlights recommended accommodation options for local and international guests attending the Marriage on Mission Conference at Windsor Park Baptist Church. The focus is on walkability, comfort, ease of transfers from Auckland Airport, and amenities suited to visitors who may or may not have cars. Drive times to Windsor Park (550 East Coast Rd, Mairangi Bay) are included for convenience.
Lunch Options
This list provides a wide selection of lunch options. The venues are chosen to suit both local and international attendees, offering a balance between polished sit-down experiences, casual Kiwi café culture, and affordable fast-casual bites. All options are within a 5–10-minute drive.
Frequently Asked Questions
Marriage on Mission Conference is all about transforming everyday couples into intentional missionaries right in their own communities. We believe that family is a powerful, untapped resource for spreading good in the world. Our vision is to ignite a movement of marriages committed to following Jesus and the Great Commission — a movement of multiplying disciples who will reach the 1.7 million families who call New Zealand home. Our goal? To see every home become a godly home.
The Marriage on Mission Conference is two day event focused on equipping couples to strengthen their marriages and impact their communities through disciple-making, marriage mentoring, and family ministry.
The conference will be held from 12-13 September 2025 in Auckland, New Zealand (Windsor Park Baptist Church, North Shore). There will be an additional day of ministry training on the 11th of September for pastors and ministry leaders and teams on building effective marriage ministry.
The conference features a powerful lineup of speakers:
- Ron & Nan Deal, experts in blended families and author of The Mindful Marriage;
- Neil & Sharol Josephson, global leaders in marriage mentoring and raising up homebuilders;
- Tony Wee, a global ministry strategist specialising in family discipleship;
- Nick & Sarah Field, Wellington-based disciple-makers, church planters, and Biblical parenting trainers;
- Adian & Bonnie Shotbolt, with over two decades of experiences in discipleship and living as a family on mission;
- Wynand Jacobs, Executive director for FamilyLife NZ with a vision to see revival across our nation – until every home is a godly home!
This event is ideal for couples who see marriage as a calling and want to grow as a team in God’s mission. It’s also for church staff, ministry leaders, and anyone passionate about strengthening marriages, families, and communities through the good news of Jesus.
Topics include:
- The Call to Live “Sent” – Living the Great Commission in Our Everyday Lives
- The Power of Mentoring the Next Generation
- Reaching Blended Families With a Vision of Hope
- Creating a Culture of Disciple-Making in Your Home
- Sharing Your Personal Testimony and How to Present the Gospel in a Non-Weird Way
- The Power of Two – Ministry As a Couple
- Living on Mission – A Vision To Let Your Life and Marriage Make a Difference Where You Are
Yes, we will be offering a children’s programme, with engaging, age-appropriate activities that align with the Great Commission vision you will be training on.
We’re excited to invite your kids to a fun and faith-filled programme running alongside the Church Leader Training Day and Marriage on Mission Conference.
More info: Kids Conference Programme
Kids will be experiencing stories, games, crafts, music, Bible-based teaching and learn how to share the Gospel!
Once you have registered yourself for the conference, please fill out this form to register your kids: Form Link.
The conference is designed to be attended as an immersive and transformational two-day experience for couples. The Friday night vision evening can be attended separately, and the Thursday 11th of September ministry training also stands on its own. Check the registration page for specific pricing and availability.
Unfortunately not this year, as our content focuses primarily on the context of marriage on mission. However, couples who are in a committed relationship but not yet married may register.
Yes, we will be offering a children’s programme, with engaging, age-appropriate activities that align with the Great Commission vision you will be training on.
More info: Kids Conference Programme
No, the purpose of the conference is to gather couples in person. If we’ve filled the event to capacity and there are more couples interested in attending, we may consider running additional sites via simulcast.
Our basic registration includes morning teas and Friday night dinner. You’ll have a 90-minute lunch block for you and your spouse to work on a project together. Please arrange your own lunch during this time.
Absolutely. Marriage on Mission is all about communities of couples growing together and going together on mission. We will have a group discount available for ministries and small-groups of 5 or more couples (10- tickets).
Contact info@FamilyLife.nz for details.
More from FamilyLife NZ
Why not share this with a friend?
Pursue what matters most
