In and Out of Sync

For anyone in ministry in New Zealand in the decades from 1960 it was never going to be an easy ride. Loren Mead of the Alban Institute once described this country as the most secularised he had ever encountered. So it was easy for many clergy to find relevant service in other fields than the institutional church or the parish. But for those who stayed that less than popular course during that period there was the privilege of engagement in one of the most remarkably turbulent periods the NZ Methodist Church ever experienced.
Written around the segments of life created by his appointments in the denomination, this book offers sketches of Dave’s professional life and the many opportunities of interesting service that came his way. In an age of adventurous theology and ambitious re-structuring of the denomination, its ministry and strategies, Dave played a significant role on central councils of the denomination. He was one of a group who came to institutional leadership a decade ahead of when their predecessors did—he offers an interesting theory to explain this situation and its consequences from the early 1980s.
In a later age in which the adventurous vision was gradually muted, he was able to contribute much less to the denomination. But his commitment to small congregational life flourished. Self-supporting ministry and—more recently—lay ministry team strategy has been at the centre of his voluntary working life since retirement. His passion for communication is evidence in over 130 books published using his own short-run binding process. Dave has done a considerable amount of video production and from time to time posts thoughtful observations on life and faith.
While this book offers a full account of Dave’s own childhood and youth, there is less attention to the next generation of family life in this redacted version of a much fuller and more personal account. This book has been most appreciated for its insights and commentary on the denomination which Dave described as an often nurturing mother but also a somewhat overbearing father in the different stages of his pilgrimage.
The book has been commended for its fresh writing. Reviewers with a historical bent have appreciated some of the detailed insights from busy parish and administrative ministry. One reviewer noted that the photos were a little small; that problem has been solved in this version—they’re left out. But it is felt that the text alone is adequate to convey a story of a style of being church that has largely disappeared.