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In my lifetime I have never experienced a period of time when there has been such a convergence of unspeakable pain among the peoples of the world. Here in NZ – just as we were negotiating our way through the Mangatepopo flash flood tragedy, there came word from Austria of a man who reminded us…
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 MOREAs a teenager the decisive moment in my life with Jesus was when I decided to make two choices. One was to make the words of hymns my own as I sang them. The other was to read the Bible in my own language (when I was given a JB Phillips paraphrase by a friend).…
READ MORETwo funerals in five days. Mike (aged 27) died of cancer. Tony (aged 29) drowned in the flash Mangetepopo flood that also took the lives of six of his Elim Christian College students. Both ‘orders of service’ from the funerals are in front of me as I write. Mike was a close relative of a…
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 MORETwenty years ago – as a young pastor – I was captured by the writings of Kenneth Bailey on the parables of Jesus. He wrote a book in 1976 that lay dormant for years. I discovered it in the mid-80s (published in the same cover with a second book) and had it by my side…
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 MOREMy Dad turns 80 on Easter Sunday. I reckon that is pretty cool. It has caused me to reflect on some of the things for which I am grateful about my Dad (and my Mum) who is now more frail as Parkinsons accompanies him through these later years. I’d like to pay tribute to him,…
READ MOREHere are some reflections on the 5th New Zealand Christian Leaders’ Congress held last week in Waikanae. I had mixed feelings, with question marks living alongside exclamation marks. Four Exclamation Marks: 1. We have some remarkable leaders in New Zealand. Kim Workman, soon to retire as Director of Prison Fellowship (NZ), is one of my…
READ MOREThis week I had a friend ask my opinion on home-schooling. His little family is reaching that stage where a decision needs to be made. Knowing that Barby and I had chosen to public-school, he wanted to hear some reasons for doing so. The arguments can go on forever. I realise that. Our view is…
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.