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The deepest divisions among the people of God in our nation have nothing to do with denominations. They have nothing to do with political loyalties. No – the deepest divisions cut through the life of individuals. Take the time to listen to Christians talk. I do this all the time. Let me tell you what…
READ MOREThe Netball World Championships are on in Auckland at the moment and this causes me to reflect on the sport – especially as a lifelong basketball fan and player. I must confess that netball has become an acquired taste. I enjoy the game.the goodNetball has advantages over basketball. Two come to mind. By not allowing…
READ MOREA couple of Sundays ago I received an early morning email from Zambia. I had been there last year speaking at a pastors’ conference alongside a delightful Zambian man called Albert. We (my son Martin was with me) grew close to Albert. We’ve kept in touch … except that in August we received an email…
READ MOREA couple of blindspots have been exposed in recent decades… First-up there is the recognition that the earth needs stewardship and the environment needs care. The genius of Genesis 1 & 2 is that it constitutes every possible relationship (God:world; God:humanity; humanity:humanity; humanity:world) – but then from Genesis 3 all of these relationships get stained…
READ MOREA 2005 song from Chris Martin (Coldplay) contains these lyrics: My song is love Love to the loveless shown And it goes up You don’t have to be alone … My song is love, unknown But I’m on fire for you, clearly… You’re the target I’m aiming at And I’m nothing on my own Got…
READ MOREThe inexplicable has happened – again! Going into their fourth straight World Cup rugby tournament as overwhelming favourites NZ’s All Blacks were yesterday knocked out, this time earlier than ever before. If the inexplicable keeps happening when will it cease to be called inexplicable? My mind goes to the Good to Great book by Jim…
READ MOREI grew up with Robin Hood. My Dad is a big fan of the 1938 movie version starring Errol Flynn. We watched it as kids. The storyline has grafted into my heritage. Then there was the 1991 version with Kevin Costner as Robin Hood. And now … on Monday nights the phone gets ignored and…
READ MOREMaybe someone can help me with one of the great mysteries of church life in NZ for me. Why is it that within the ‘protestant’ scene (particularly the Baptist one, for me) the word “Calvin” seems to be a dirtier ‘C’ word than the word “Catholic”? On which side of the Reformation did we actually…
READ MOREThere are times when mature people really frustrate me. Seasoned pastors and leaders (and lecturers themselves, it must be said) can peer into a training programme like ours at Carey and be a little too hasty to contribute into it out of their current and exciting ‘growing edge’, rather than rewinding to what was useful…
READ MOREThe final course in Carey’s BAppTheol is the Integrative Seminar. We choose a theme. The students select a specific topic. Then in their 6000 word piece of research they are required to move FROM some kind of social scientific analysis of the topic THROUGH a biblical-theological lens and then ONTO a missional outcome of some…
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.