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Who could ever have nightmared that in the very month of the 80th anniversary of the Napier earthquake, that nation-defining event, there could be the possibility of it being eclipsed by another quake further down the faultline? I find myself with God’s people in Sri Lanka – tsunami-land – and I have been touched by…
READ MOREThe Capetown Commitment is now available here. My initial impression is positive. I like the effort made to bring ‘unchanging gospel’ and ‘changing world’ together for this time in which we live. Neither text nor context seems compromised. The initial reading causes heart and mind to come alive to both word and world. I am…
READ MOREEvery year the controversy swirling around the Halberg Sports awards seems to be increasingly cyclonic. Goodness me, we’ve even had a judge spit the dummy and resign because the ‘supreme’ award went to the wrong person/team… I am numbered among those sports fans who are disaffected by it all. So, here is the approach I…
READ MOREI’ve been spending some time reflecting on the similarities between the contemporary advertisement and the ancient parable as part of my DMin thesis. [Some reflections on the similarity of the political cartoon and the parable can be found here.] May I introduce you to one of my companions? It is Mario Pricken. While he has…
READ MOREIt is eighty years today since the Napier earthquake – so that means my mum must be turning eighty today too. And that she is… I’ve always loved being introduced by reference to my relationships. Joseph’s Dad. Diane’s brother. Barby’s husband. Someone’s teacher. Rachel’s boss. Martin’s friend. Someone’s principal. You get the idea. Well –…
READ MOREI’ve been reading it three times a year for more than thirty years. It is the magazine that goes to alumni of Wheaton College, among whom Barby (to whom I am married) is counted. It is just called Wheaton. It always sparks a mixture of reactions as I read. One is admiration for the professionalism…
READ MOREBefore I move on from my eleven week sojourn in India, here are some of the memories which will linger: As foreign missionary numbers have declined the growth in the number of Indians moving cross-culturally within India is staggering. We kept bumping into some of the 50,000 Indians who have heard this call of God…
READ MOREYears ago I remember my father-in-law expressing a reluctance to offer seminars on parenting. I think I am beginning to understand his reasons… There is just something about parenting. You never feel like an expert. There is no clear pattern of ’cause and effect’ because nothing seems to guarantee anything. Great parents can have such…
READ MOREIndian Railways is one of the wonders of the world. Not only is it the largest employer in the world, I am now convinced that riding on their trains is the best way to see India. After a few weeks of travelling on trains, here is my advice to others who want to enjoy the…
READ MOREReturning to the land of my childhood always brings a resonance within me. There is this ‘joy ‘n peace’ combo working away inside. I just enjoy being back in India. I like noting the things that stay the same and the things that change. About 90% of men still seem to have moustaches – but…
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.