Our Team
Meet Mission's Interlink's team!
At Missions Interlink NZ, we are blessed to journey alongside a vibrant community of individuals and organisations who are faithfully living out the call to share the love and truth of Christ. Each member plays a unique role in God's mission - serving locally and globally with passion, purpose, and prayer. Meet the team that forms the heart of our network.
Executive & Operational Team
(please note info@missions.org.nz is the primary contact for any general enquiry)
Director – Chris Ponniah. In November 2024, Chris Ponniah took on the role of Director of Missions Interlink following 33 years in pastoral ministry. He brings a deep enthusiasm for mission and disciple-making, having actively participated in training and mobilising missional practitioners both in New Zealand and internationally.
Click here for more about Chris
Administrator – Ben Poulton. Ben’s primary ministry is with International Student Ministries. He and his wife Stephanie spent 15 years with YWAM in the USA, Australia and Nepal, teaching the Bible.
Member relations Liaison- Graeme Winthrop.
Auckland based, Graeme's role is to extend the impact of MI in the area.
Graeme's involvement in missions has included establishing and leading Business as Mission organisations, leading and serving in NGO’s, serving in the Church, and leading a Christian Counselling Centre. This staff role is self-funded.
Click here for more about Graeme
Care & Culture Facilitator: Shashikant Christian
(Volunteer role).
Auckland based, Shashi's role is to encourage pastoral care in our network and be a cross-cultural advice advisor- primarily for MAIN, but also to our members.
Shashi has walked alongside mission workers in pastoral and cross-cultural ministry, offering care and encouragement. With experience in intercultural engagement, he developed the LOTUS Framework for cross-cultural pastoral care to help mission workers, organisations and Christian communities to flourish in their calling.
Click here for more about Shashi
Social media team, Lisa :
Digital Communications Strategist - Lisa McKenzie (Volunteer role).
Lisa's main ministry is with Hope and Joy Ministries in Nepal and she supports her self by consulting for families moving into home schooling in NZ- along with home schooling her own 4 children. She is offering us some precious time to help organise MI's social media.
Click here for more about Lisa
Digital Engagement Facilitator- Anisha - Anisha stepped down in March 2026 due to her full time work commitments. We are very thankful for Anisha's help with social media and wish her all the best!
Chair of Council – Joseph Bateson. Joseph is the co-Director of WEC NZ, alongside his wife Lois. WEC has been a longtime member of the Missions Interlink Council. Joseph was appointed as Chair in 2020.
Vice Chair - Vacant
Secretary - Johan Linder. Johan is the Director of OMF NZ Originally from Sweden, Johan moved to Australia as a boy and grew up in Sydney, while his wife Debbie lived in PNG, NZ and Australia. Johan and Debbie joined OMF in 1993 and worked in Thailand for 14 years, then with the OMF Australia team. They moved to New Zealand in 2022.
Treasurer - Jon Horne. Jon is the business manager of Pinehurst School in Albany and has served previously in the NZ Christian aid sector. An individual member of Missions Interlink, Jon brings great accounting and business management expertise to Missions Interlink as Treasurer since 2016
The Executive Team is appointed by the Council and comprises of four to six members who implement policies, represent the Council, and advise the Director, ensuring the effective operation of Missions Interlink.
The Council is Elected at the Annual General Meeting for three-year terms, and comprises 12 to 20 dedicated members. They are committed to advancing Missions Interlink’s mission, managing resources, formulating policies, ensuring diverse representation, and overseeing operations.
"In a multitude of counsellors there is safety." Proverbs 24:6
Missions Interlink Council
Joseph Bateson | Chair; WEC |  |
|---|---|---|
Chris Ponniah | Director |  |
Renata Hanscamp | Eastwest College |  |
Chris Ayres | PINZ |  |
Glenn Carter | Asian Outreach |  |
Féy Cotter | European Christian Mission |  |
Rebecca de Jong | Laidlaw College |  |
Bruce Eirena | Wycliffe |  |
Jonathan Fletcher | World Vision |  |
Rosie Fyfe | NZCMS |  |
Michael Hanson | GC3 |  |
Jon Horne | Individual Member | |
Graham | Interserve |  |
Neels Janse van Rensburg | Bible Society |  |
Rob Reynolds | SIM |  |
Andrew Marriott | Mission Ventures/MotiVate |  |
Russell Thorpe | Beacon Partnerships |  |
Johan Linder | OMF |  |