Videos
A selection of videos that will introduce you to my world.
"... see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him." Psalm 34:8
"... see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him." Psalm 34:8
Welcoming Refugees
Once again in 2022, the subject of welcoming refugees is very much in the news. Having recently returned from the Romanian / Ukrainian borders Alan shares some stories of the people he met (04.00-22.12), and then outlines what the bible has to say about the way God asks His people to welcome them into our lives (22:12-38.20)
Derek Copley
A massive honour for me - to publicly pay my respects to Derek Copley at the thanksgiving service arranged in celebration of his life.
Prayer with Fasting
In this session, I start by looking at the role and practice of fasting in different church confessions. I then go on to outline some biblical examples of fasting, and what the bible teaches us on the subject. I look at the strong links between fasting and a) grief, anguish and mourning, b) repentance and an awareness of sin, c) hunger for and intimacy with God, and d) breakthrough and answer to prayer. At the end of the session my wife Bela shares some of what she has learned through her experiences of fasting.
Pentecost in Ephesus
In Acts 19, we read that Paul then took the road through the interior, or upper country, and arrived at Ephesus. Ephesus is about an hour’s drive south of Izmir, just inland from the Turkish holiday resort of Kuşadasi. There he found some disciples and asked them a simple question.
“Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”
If Paul turned up in our churches today, and asked the same question, what would we say?
“Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”
If Paul turned up in our churches today, and asked the same question, what would we say?
Palm Sunday unplugged
Palm Sunday, and the crowds shouted "Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!" And, "Blessed is the king of Israel!'' But the Pharisees were livid, and wanted even more to kill Jesus. And the disciples? Well, they were puzzled, and had no idea what was really happening. As I walk across the park near my home, I suggest that the crowds might have got their palm branches out a little early, and explain why I identify mostly with the disciples in their confusion. Talk starts at 19:25.
Community Transformation through the Local Church
Rachel and Bojan Ruvarac, who live near Belgrade, Serbia, are directors of Renewing Our Minds. ROM's mission is to develop leaders of integrity who are committed to reconciliation and peace-building in the Balkans and throughout the world. They invited me to speak at this online event on the facilitating role of the church in enabling neighbourhood transformation.
Response, Recovery, Reconstruction
Simon Barrington from Forge Leadership interviews me on my Disaster Response experience around the world, and its relevance to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Cutting Across the Borders...
Simon Harris, senior pastor of Burlington Baptist Church, interviews me after the publication of my first book, Cutting Across the Borders.
When life gives you lemons...
From 2012 until 2018, my role with Samaritan's Purse was to manage the Raising Families programme. This is an 'integral mission' programme that envisions and equips churches to commit to twenty of the most vulnerable families in their village or neighbourhood. Over a three year period these families can anticipate seeing positive, quantifiable, positive changes to their health, their education, their livelihoods, their shelter and their protection.
In 2017 Raising Families was the Spring Harvest main stage mission of choice and, to prepare for this, two of their leaders, Malcolm Duncan and Cathy Madavan, came with me to Rwanda to film this video.
In 2017 Raising Families was the Spring Harvest main stage mission of choice and, to prepare for this, two of their leaders, Malcolm Duncan and Cathy Madavan, came with me to Rwanda to film this video.
Syrian Refugees and the Belgrade Bus Station...
September 2015. A tidal wave of refugees flooding into Europe caught the compassionate imagination of millions, consumed the attention of every news channel, and caused governments and politicians to hastily reassess their policies on migration and border control. Samaritan's Purse had teams in all the major hubs, at all the major pinch points, and in all the capital cities. We distributed food and non-food items, set up temporary shelter and shower facilities. I was based in Serbia, and day after day I listened to and walked with and prayed for the displaced, the abused and the bewildered. On a rainy Thursday evening, 10 September, 2015, I met some of the travellers who had walked as far as Belgrade bus station.
Commuting in rural Rwanda...
A little taster of the type of journey I typically make to visit Raising Families' rural churches. This commute was in Rwanda.
Commuting in rural Zambia
Another little taster of the type of journey I typically make to visit Raising Families' rural churches. This commute was in Zambia.
Habitat for Humanity Global Village team to Nicaragua (2000)
Habitat for Humanity is a worldwide housing charity that empowers those with a small but sustainable income to access simple, decent and affordable housing. For several years Shaftesbury Housing Association, my employers from 1995 to 2004, seconded me part time to develop the link between the two organisations. The highlight of this partnership was the Global Village programme, a travel experience that enabled a team of Shaftesbury Housing employees to spend a couple of weeks in a developing nation, meeting its people, experiencing its culture, and providing labour for the building of more homes.
During this era, Shaftesbury Housing sent teams to Romania, South Africa, Kyrgyzstan, and Nicaragua, an employee incentive and good practice initiative that won them plaudits from the National Housing Federation and housing publications.
Narrated by BBC’s Fran Godfrey, the ‘Nicaragua Global Village Project 2000’ video was very rapidly produced for presentation at Shaftesbury Housing’s prestigious 30th anniversary celebrations, which took place just three days after the team returned from Nicaragua.