spirituality
All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth … to sit in a pew stuffed with my kids, giving O Holy Night a real rip together. But it ain’t gonna happen this year. The divas line up to sing this song, don’t they? Go to youtube. They are all there. Mariah. Whitney. Celine.…
READ MOREWith the power China has – and the global attention it receives – maybe it is time to label Europe the ‘Far West’ and the USA the ‘Far East’…Our labels become dated so quickly, don’t they? East and West? Developed and Developing? First World and Third World? Not many are helpful – and too many…
READ MOREI am 55 today. In Hindi, 55 is the catchy little alliterative, puchpun (पचपन). My mum enjoys ticking off her children as they pass through this age and stage. Just one more to go, Mum. I have moved past the expectation of real presents on my birthdays (although my son Joseph did send me a much-appreciated…
READ MOREI am sitting here in Wycliffe Hall (Oxford). Wikipedia tells me that before I sat here, such assorted luminaries as JC Ryle, Nicky Gumbell, JI Packer, NT Wright, Alister McGrath and Lord Coggan sat here as well. As I’ve been sitting, I’ve been thinking and feeling. Today it is one year since Barby and I…
READ MOREI have loved John 1 for many years. This week I have added Mark 1 to my deeper affections. In John 1 we encounter Jesus in the pile-up of nouns which describe who Jesus is. Word, God (1) life, light (4-5, 8-9) grace, truth (14) Jesus Christ (17) Lord…
READ MOREI’d love to be a really good listener. In fact three longings cluster together for me. I’d love to be more humble, to be more holy – and to be a really good listener. Why? As far as I can observe, this is the combo that God delights in using and I really want to be…
READ MOREI’ve been trying to free the Holy Spirit to loosen the control which the love of sports can have on my heart. Targeting the compulsive aspect. Enjoy it, without being addicted to it. Increasingly I feel the contradiction of following sports with such obscene salaries – and thereby feeling a little bit complicit – in…
READ MOREOff the train. Into a taxi. The long weekend in Mysore with our friends, Rod & Denise Edwards, had begun. Immediately, our chatty taxi-driver asked me, “Are you here for the illumination on Sunday?” “Yes, we are.” Every Sunday night, the Mysore Palace is illuminated with thousands and thousands of light bulbs. It lasts for…
READ MOREIt has been around for twenty years. I’ve been aware of it, but just never read it. But recently Langham’s Executive Director, Mark Hunt, gave me a copy of Gene Edwards’ A Tale of Three Kings. It tracks with David as he relates to Saul above him and then Absalom below him, giving the reader…
READ MOREYou know how a book can stay on your shelf and remain unread for years? Then you pick it up, get into it and exclaim ‘how come I didn’t read this ages ago?’. Well, let me introduce you to Cornelius Plantinga Jr.’s Beyond Doubt. As always, read on to the subtitle: ‘Faith-Building Devotions on Questions…
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.