Archives For communication

What is the Bible?

12 May, 2026 — Leave a comment

I grew up in a Christian family and went to church services every week, which included going to children’s Sunday School, and mid-week youth programmes. I would have heard more than a thousand sermons or lessons before I became a teenager, yet I didn’t fully grasp the concept of what the Bible is until I was an adult.

I currently have the opportunity of asking myself “what would have helped the 8 year-old me to understand the Bible more and sooner?” This is because an 8 year-old lives in my household, and I’m a volunteer leader in our local church’s Sunday morning children’s programme – we call it ‘Royal Kids’ (the church is in a suburb called Royal Oak).

Keep reading to see how I introduced the Bible to a bunch of 4-11 year-olds:

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The queen’s English was good enough for Jesus Christ

18 September, 2013 — 6 Comments

I’m currently outside my usual routine, having spent a month away from New Zealand. Today I’m traveling home from China where I’ve spent the last ten days. In this post I’m recycling an idea I wrote about several years ago in another context, on the subject of language, based on a song from a New Zealand band called The Mutton Birds. Being an English-only speaker in China has reminded me of this song, as well as listening to a Mutton Birds live album at my kiwi friends’ place in Beijing yesterday. Listen to the track:

“The queens English was good enough for Jesus Christ and it’s good enough for me”

According to the song, this was the supporting argument of a US Congressman who was a guest on a talk show on the subject of “language”. Among other things, this guy is a xenophobe, and wants the whole world to speak his language. You could say he has an inexcusable naivety merged with arrogance and ignorance – and that makes for a really good song.

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In church, communication, discipleship, New Zealand, Song , , , , , , ,
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How do you describe the kingdom of God?

11 July, 2013 — 23 Comments

The “kingdom of God” is a phrase translated into English from something that was central to the teaching of Jesus. This phrase has become church jargon. What does it actually mean? Is the intended original significance lost in the way it gets used today?

How do you describe the kingdom of God?

Are you able to simply define the kingdom of God to someone not part of the church who has never been Christianised?
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In communication, explaining our faith, kingdom of God, kingdom of heaven, relationships, society , , , , , , ,
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One way to think of communication

5 July, 2013 — 12 Comments

In its most basic form communication is the establishment of common ground in terms of shared understanding. If there is no common ground, there is an inability to reach shared understanding, which means there will be an inability to communicate effectively.

MikeCrudge.com Akaroa, New Zealand

When I think of any communication process as an attempt to gain shared understanding about something, it helps me to think of those who are receiving or sharing in my communication, as well as the context in which the communication is occurring.

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