Further Back, 1986

Another 10 years further back will bring me into my 20s, as 1986 was my final year at Law School and then working as a chambering student or legal assistant in a law firm in 1987 before being admitted to the Bar at the High Court of New Zealand in Christchurch. All four decades long until today in 2026. All four decades long of learning and training and equipping in order to be ready to serve the king of kings and the Lord of Lords, our Lord Jesus Christ. Speaking of law studies, my friend commented just a few weeks ago that I was the only church leader in his memory to encourage young people to enter law, to become lawyers.

What were you doing 10 years ago?

One thing I do is to plan 10 years ahead of time. What will I be doing in 10 years' time? What would I like to have achieved in a decade's time? Simply put, visit Europe and Jerusalem and write a couple more books. But what were you doing 10 years ago? 10 years ago, I suddenly received a call to lead our Bible College for one Semester (Jan-June 2016). It was the most exciting times of my life, filled with adventures at College and outside of College.

Vision fulfilled & unfulfilled

I do not want to be a hypocrite. In fact, when I say or said something in the Lord, it will come to pass. My earliest pronouncement last January 2025 when I held the first leaders’ retreat to set the vision for 2025 and one of the first was to visit a nearby church, to establish sisterly or brotherly relationship with a fellow SIB church and the very next week I met a church leader at McD (he told me he hardly ever dined at a McD) and the church leader invited me to bring a team from my church to visit them.

Counting Down, 26

The countdown has begun. It's 26 days before I retire from my current position. No idea where I am going next. Many of my friends think I might be going back to College next year, but it is far from certain. I do not fancy living outside the city in my 60s. I thought when I turned 55 I had done my duty as far as living in the interior is concerned.

The Speech’s Aftermath

As the church hall was packed with worshippers, 138 adults inside with a few outside and downstairs as all seats were taken, I preached a sermon on 1 Corinthians 8 and gave my speech on the reason why I was leaving the church as pastor. Three weeks ago I told my six leaders who were present at the prayer meeting that I could no longer serve as pastor but I could come as a visitor or worshipper.

Parable of an Eagle

I gave a 14 minute farewell speech after a 30 min sermon. Everything went according to plan. At the end of speech I gave a parable of an eagle. I told the church the Lord showed to me an eagle with one of its wings bound - this image came to me often in my prayers and every time I thought of my ministry in church and for the future. My speech was composed and calm.

New Tech 4 New Year

I am about set. This is my first blogspot using my new MacBook computer. I need to use it for two or three weeks to get familiarise with it, so I can get started writing my commentary on it by middle of February. It is already the final week of the first month. I need to get going and get working on my project. I dwell not on the past. The past is the past. At the end it is the Lord who judges as all of us will stand before the judgement seat of Christ at the last day.

Saying farewell

I attended my last council meeting last night. It was the first meeting in four months since September 2025. Perhaps that’s why I am leaving. I like to follow rules. I am intent in following the church’s constitution that says meetings must be held at least once in two months. You can’t get a united team if we meet so irregularly. As chairman in my first two churches, I chaired meetings every month, elders’ meetings followed by the church council meetings without fail for 5 years. Likewise, I did the same in Ranau, once a month meeting with the elders and then, the church council meetings without fail with all the deacons and deaconesses.

Pen of a Ready Scribe

In ancient times, it was the pen, a stylus for writing that was the instrument for writing for over a millennium. Then new ways or instruments are invented with pen and paper, type writers, and the like in the 20th century and in the past 25 years, it is the computer or the laptop that is the most popular form of tech for writing. Putting pen on paper is now typing on a keyboard on a desktop or a notebook.

Five Sundays

There are five more Sundays to go with four sermons and one Sunday’s break on 8th Feb. Soon I will be counting down days and not weeks. Only one church member called and asked me why I resigned. Cut to the chase, I felt vindicated with the events of last weekend. I am neither team A or team B, but I am ready to serve. I always give my best wherever I am. 

Meeting Delegates & Friends

I thank the Lord that I did not attend the first two days of the AGM. There was simply too much at stake, although I was unaware of what was happening. I received several text messages and even had my phone put on silence. Someone called me two hours before the close of nomination. This time I was unmoved by any pleas or advice by friends or delegates. I was not going to stand for any post. Even if I stood, my nomination might not be accepted. I did not know that fierce battles were being fought in the hall and outside the hall on Thursday night and whole day Friday until the early hours of Saturday when voting started at 8.30am.