22.2.26 Q&A with Graham Preston & LEGACY with Ps Paul Whitehead

·47 min·4 clips

Graham Preston waited 17 years after God told him to build a Christian school, starting with just $47.

This episode features a Q&A session with Graham Preston, followed by a sermon from Ps Paul Whitehead on legacy. Graham recounts how God gave him a vision at age 21 to build a Christian school, but it took 17 years before he built the first four classrooms with 400 volunteers after Cyclone Bowler. He explains his background, including a family legacy of preaching dating back to 1840 with Samuel Marsden. Graham details steps like taking a sabbatical and receiving land offers, such as from deputy mayor Eleanor Elder, to confirm the vision. He discusses growing the school to 4,500 students, managing finances with teams of accountants, and balancing spiritual guidance with professional advice. Graham reflects on living on campus and the emotional reward of seeing students and grandchildren thrive. Paul Whitehead then speaks, using a stolen car analogy to urge surrendering control to God. He ties this to Excite Church's campaign to buy 15.5 acres of land in Northland for $22.58 per square meter, aiming to create a hub for church, community, and regional revival. Paul references biblical stories like the feeding of the 5,000 and encourages cheerful giving. The episode concludes with a prayer blessing the vision and Northland.

As heard by us

A 17-year calling becomes shared work, with legacy measured in classrooms and generations.

Graham's long-held sense of calling gives the episode its spine: he says God spoke to him at about 21 about building a Christian school, then 17 years passed before he stepped onto the land and the first classrooms went up.

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Why you'd press play

For a 17-year calling that finally reaches the first classrooms, with a candid word about giving when it costs more than feels easy.

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