The Napier Equippers Church has taken down their “Jesus Heals Cancer” sign. I recently blogged on this suggesting that the sign was too ambiguous and a potential cause of offense (http://drmarkk.blogspot.co.nz/2012/03/jesus-heals-cancer-please-take-it-down.html). I congratulate the church leaders for taking it down – it shows real humility and concern for others.  Read More...

Marie Colvin died on Tuesday in Homs, Syria. She was a war correspondent for the London Sunday Times. She was an iconic figure in war correspondence looking rather like a female version of Israeli war hero Moshe Dayan: strong, compelled, an irrepressible spirit. She continued to pursue her vocation even though she had lost an eye to shrapnel in war torn Sri Lanka in 2001. Her black eye patch became trademark.  Read More...

One of the toughest verses in the Bible is 1 Thessalonians 5:18: “Give thanks in all circumstances.” It is always easy to give thanks when one is the recipient of great news – like the birth of a baby. On the other hand, how does one give thanks after the loss of a loved one or something like the Christchurch or Japanese earthquake? It seems a naive and self-indulgent attitude in the face of the reality of life’s struggles. What is Paul driving at? Is he for real? Read More...