Gospel communication at Christmas – with Dave
Hear some valuable TIPS about how to connect, relate to and intrigue audiences with information RELEVANT to them - even if they aren't ready to respond....
12 December, 2023
History Tag
The Crusades – What happened and what’s your opinion?
It's easy to judge others from a distance. The realities are often much more difficult. It is Christians who have condemned the Crusades. But there is more to this picture if we look....
28 November, 2023
Storytelling – can restore the spiritual consciousness of a nation
When a people are cut off from their history - they are easily manipulated. For a fact - NZers are cut off from their history! Those who tell the history write the future. That makes...
23 November, 2023
God in our history – a journey to work to preserve
This past decade churches from Kaitaia to Invercargill came to a new understanding on the relationship between Te Tiriti, the gospel and our churches - but this could now be undermined. What can we do?...
09 January, 2023
Matariki – What is it and how might we lean in?
NZ has a new annual celebration and public holiday - Matariki. How could we lean into and understand this as the Christian community?...
20 June, 2022
An observable process in reconciliation of Māori with the wider Church
A profound reconciliation between Māori and the wider Church has been taking place under our noses. Here's how it is happening....
04 January, 2022
Why and how church leaders could engage better with local Māori
If you believe it is important for local pastors to engage with local kaumatua, here are a few tips that might help your group with this - because it really is important! (And the article...
07 September, 2021
Overcoming threats to the bicultural journey of the NZ Church
In connecting with pastors' groups across the nation this year I've identified some 'threats' to the bicultural journey we are on together. Here is what they are - and how we could address them together....
25 August, 2021
Bicultural or multi-cultural? (Defining some vocabulary – and why it’s important)
Terminology is important - because it's hard to discuss and apply something we don't have a terminology for! So, are we a bicultural nation, or a multi-cultural nation? ...
06 January, 2021
Toward reconciling the Maori and Pakeha Church
In this very uncomfortable reflection I point out some dishonesties that I see creeping into our bicultural narrative, which i believe could backfire in time to come if we do not choose to continually self-correct...
06 January, 2020
The First Kiwi Christmas
A new illustrated NZ history story for age 4 to 7 - telling a little-known yet highly significant part of our history....
04 November, 2019
The need to keep our bicultural story honest
In this very uncomfortable reflection I point out some dishonesties that I see creeping into our bicultural narrative, which i believe could backfire in time to come if we do not choose to continually self-correct...
04 November, 2019
How to ensure de-colonisation doesn’t become de-Christianisatian
We live in a 'de-Colonisation' era, and to many this means we are also to 'de-Christianise'. Why is this, and what are we to do?...
04 November, 2019
A vision of our bicultural future
As part two of my Waitangi day reflection I share about three areas of cultural change in relation to our nations uncomfortable bicultural identity. Some may find this hard to digest - but the implications...
19 December, 2017
Te Tiriti o Waitangi – how to overcome cultural mistrust
This Waitangi day reflection is the result of a few years of reflection. I have divided it into two separate thoughts. The is about the leadership role the Church could play in our nations restorative...
19 December, 2017
How could this happen? A community didn’t know!
Not all resources are equal - and I believe this new resource is one of the most strategically significant for outreach in our nation at this time, and that every church needs a copy (and...
13 June, 2017
New illustrated ‘Treaty of Waitangi’ series to be launched
It is with some excitement that we announce the launch of the third series, with five stories on the "Treaty of Waitangi". This series was a big undertaking, and the hardest thus far...
24 January, 2017
A reason to celebrate Waitangi
Views of the Treaty of Waitangi range in NZ from negative to neutral to positive. However, as Christians we should celebrate (not just commemorate) Waitangi. Here are two simple reasons....
24 January, 2017
NEW RESOURCE-The Chronicles of Paki – Series II
How much do you know about our nation’s bicultural heritage? Most New Zealanders are unaware that there are many positive stories in our early history. However, this awareness is important - because we learn a...
02 November, 2015
Chris Finlayson’s Gospel-Bicentenary Speech
A friend emailed this to me. I thought this concise speech was worth a post because of the breadth of perspective it brings to the kind of world we lived in back in 1814. The following speech...
10 July, 2015