media
I never knew that reading a newspaper could be so exhilarating. So it has proved to be today with NZ’s leading newspaper, the New Zealand Herald. First they choose to name Tony McLean and Austin Hemmings as their NZers of the year. What an inspired choice! And what compelling evidence of the impact on this…
READ MOREWhether it be the evening TV news, the midday news, or the morning news there are three features with which I am increasingly frustrated. It is copy-catWhenever I travelled to Australia I would smile at how much they copied the Americans. From extending news broadcasts beyond the evening hour … to single news readers becoming…
READ MOREI have a fair amount of Americana in me – having been educated at an American boarding school (Woodstock School, India) and then at an American theological college(Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Chicago). So when the presidential elections come around I struggle to shrug off compulsive behavioural patterns! 2008 has proved the biggest struggle of all.…
READ MOREWhen the Americans went into Iraq the first time they left the English language with a phrase – “surgical strike”. In this second invasion new significance seems to have been poured into the word “surge”. Well this past week I escaped to an iconic Kiwi bach (cottage) for a writing ‘surge’. Sleeping and writing was…
READ MOREI just love the moment when he opens his mouth to sing, the intensity and pathos of his expression as he sings … and then the gradual evolution of the smile across his face. nice chatting – but no singing from me Paul
READ MOREI note that this morning’s list of ‘Today’s Most Viewed’ news stories on the http://stuff.co.nz/ website goes like this: 1. George Clooney held at gunpoint2. Shakira ‘sex tape’ an April Fool’s Day hoax3. Family claims largest ever Lotto prize4. Croc Hunter hid pain and suffering, father says5. Comedian convicted on drink-drive charge6. Professor calls for…
READ MOREDoes anyone else take exception to the way that whenever there are global statistics related to standard of living in our media, New Zealand seems to be always and only compared with the OECD? [The NZ Herald published a weekload of such articles/rankings earlier this month in a special series]. It might be about house…
READ MOREI have just come from my TV. A few weeks ago I discovered Christian programmes running on four different channels all at the same time. I lingered with each one for awhile. I moved on to the next one. But each time my response was the same – sad, to the point of grief. My…
READ MOREAbout Me
the art of unpacking
After a childhood in India, a theological training in the USA and a pastoral ministry in Southland (New Zealand), I spent twenty years in theological education in New Zealand — first at Laidlaw College and then at Carey Baptist College, where I served as principal. In 2009 I began working with Langham Partnership and since 2013 I have been the Programme Director (Langham Preaching). Through it all I've cherished the experience of the 'gracious hand of God upon me' and I've relished the opportunity to 'unpack', or exegete, all that I encounter in my walk through life with Jesus.