Q: What are you currently reading?
A:  Tim Winton’s Dirt Music. Winton is a great tonic for homesickness. I love the colourful characters he creates - the best and worst of the Aussie battler. I’m also working through Patrick Johnstone’s The Church Is Bigger Than You Think.

Q: Do you have a favourite hymn?
A: It’s either, ‘When I Survey’ or ‘And Can It Be?’. Both hymns move me to reflect on the grace that God has shown me in Christ. I really miss hearing these songs at the Katoomba conventions.

Q: Thoughts on American football?
A: Confusing and slow. Our family prefers to watch baseball (“go the Rangers”) and ice hockey (“go the Stars”).

Q: With whom would you like to sit on a long flight?
A. Definitely Mel Gibson. I’d quiz him about his experience in directing and producing The Passion of the Christ.

Q: What do you miss most/least about Sydney?
A:  Most: The beach. I purchased a new long board before I left Sydney. There’s not even a remote need for a surfboard in Texas!  I also miss the theological clarity and evangelistic zeal of the Sydney Diocese.  I learned to think theologically in Sydney and for that I am most grateful.
Least: That said, I do not miss what I perceive as a ‘collective arrogance’ in Sydney. This tends to shut out the rest of the Christian world, in my view.  A more cooperative approach would surely advance the gospel.

Q: What do you enjoy most/least about Dallas?
A:  Most: Texan BBQ. Meat is slowly cooked over mesquite or hickory wood.  I’ve also gained a broader appreciation of world affairs and global Christianity. We’ve lived through September 11, presidential elections, two wars, and the space shuttle Columbia tragedy. People here also appreciate my ‘exotic’ accent. I love that.  Apparently it helps hold their attention when I preach.
Least:  The long, hot summers.