In this second reflection on the life of Gregory the Great (c.a. 540 – 604), we consider some of the messages from his preaching ministry for us in the 21st century. “This is my unchanging conviction in changing circumstances” The circumstances that forced Gregory into new ministry spaces and the inner conflict he experienced because […]
COVID-19 has forced people into isolation and lockdown with little notice. Suddenly the nature of Christian ministry has changed. Much of what is usually done face-to-face, such as pastoral care and preaching, now needs to be conducted at a distance. What is the impact on the preacher and preaching at a time like this? With […]
Mark 1:1-4 1The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, 2 as it is written in Isaiah the prophet: “I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way”— 3 “a voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight […]
Tell us a bit about yourself and how long have you been a Christian? I’m a woman in my early 50s. I grew up in a Christian home and have been Christian for as long as I can remember. Sometimes (if not often!) I’ve struggled with what this means. My understanding of my relationship with […]
How to Promote Biblical Virtues Without Sliding Into Moralism A few weeks back I assigned myself what would appear to be a simple enough task of preparing a sermon on holiness. I found out it wasn’t simple after all. I found myself struggling over how I may promote a biblical virtue without degenerating into a […]
As I was teaching a course on the Thessalonian letters recently, I was struck by how 1 Thessalonians 1–2 is a veritable feast of insights for preachers. Paul and his team wrote 1 Thessalonians from Corinth within six months of the initial planting of the church. As they wrote, the preaching of the Pauline team was fresh in […]
Viv – you have been a Presbyterian minister for decades in NZ and in later years involved in a Baptist church. You were also involved for a number of years in the assessment of candidates for vocational ministry training. What have you been doing more recently? These days I am self-employed as a ministry coach, […]
Tell us a bit about yourself, Lynne. I’m a late bloomer. I was ordained as a Presbyterian minister at 45 to serve a church in Seattle. (I’m an American). At 55 I earned a PhD and began a teaching career, which took me to the Department of Theology and Religion at the University of Otago […]
I’m writing this around the time of Anzac Day, an important day on our national calendar for remembering those in New Zealand and Australia who have been killed in war, particularly the Gallipoli campaign. Through dawn services, tributes and personal reflections on this day, we honour the fallen, we keep their memory alive, and we […]
Tell us a bit about yourself Simon. Tēnā koutou katoa. (Greetings to you all)Ko Te Aroha toku maunga, (My mountain is Te Aroha)Ko Waikato toku Awa, (My river is Waikato)Ko Westland toku waka (My canoe is Westland)Ko McLeay toku whanau. (My family is McLeay)Nō Morrinsville ahau (I am from Morrinsville) I was born in Morrinsville […]
