2 Sam 18:19-33 Some years ago, the mayor of a New Zealand city had an extramarital affair, which got into the media. The distraught family members asked for privacy, and one can readily understand their concerns. However, they behaved as…

2 Sam 18:1-18 A Christian leader I know about grew up in a faithful Christian family and became a gifted interpreter of the Bible, which was a great blessing for many. As the years went by, however, things began to…

2 Sam 17:15-29 During my long years of theological study, I often did not know where the next year’s funds would come from. I received some grants or scholarships along the way and was supported by church or friends for…

2 Sam 17:1-14 Back in 1950s Hungary, my father was barred from entering university for political reasons. Every year for 15 years, Dad sat the entrance exam, but was rejected at the oral interview, which assessed a candidate’s ‘political reliability’.…

2 Sam 16:15-23 Long before Communism fell in Hungary, my Dad used to say that a corrupt government built on oppression and lies cannot stand forever. He was convinced that eventually the regime would fall and spent his life preparing…

2 Sam 16:1-14 Before I went to study at Bible college/seminary, I told a Christian colleague about it in confidence. However, I soon found out that he went straight to my boss with the information because the latter called me…

2 Sam 15:30-37 In the year that I was finishing my university degree in Budapest and after an earlier tourist visit to Israel, I was hoping and praying that I might go back there for a gap year. Opportunities, however,…

2 Sam 15:13-29 In my twenties, I was reading the Bible with a girl I met at an evening course. She was not a Christian but was interested to hear more and we used to sit in a local McDonalds…

2 Sam 15:1-12 A Christian friend gave up a prestigious job and a sizable salary to take on an IT role in a Christian organisation for much less pay. He was motivated to be of service to Christians and only…

2 Sam 14:21-33 I once attended an academic conference on the question of forgiveness. Biblical scholars in Old and New Testament, as well as psychologists and counsellors all weighed in on what forgiveness means, why it matters, how it should…