John’s preparation for cross-cultural missionary service included a BA in education, youth work in Christchurch, BD studies at Laidlaw and pastoral experience at Rutland St Chapel. With his wife Ann, he served as Dean and Principal of Christian Leaders Training College in Papua New Guinea. John’s PhD from the University of Aberdeen, focused on 19th century mission in the Pacific. Returning to New Zealand in 1984, John again served with Rutland St Chapel before appointment to Laidlaw as Dean of the Christchurch branch in 1987. He served as National Principal from 1990 to 1998.

PUBLICATIONS

Books and Multi-Author Collections

2011

Theological Education and Formation in Mission: An Evangelical Response,’ in Edinburgh 2010: Mission Now and Then [Regnum Edinburgh 2010 Series #3], Edited by Kirsteen Kim and Andrew Anderson, Oxford: Regnum Books, 2011: 230-238

2008

‘The Missional, Multi-ethnic Nature of the Church’, in Bruce Patrick (Ed.), New Vision New Zealand: Volume III, 2008, Auckland: Vision Network of New Zealand, pp63-78

1997

‘Involved in Politics … Why?’, in Bruce Patrick, (Ed.) The Vision New Zealand Congress 1997, Auckland: Vision New Zealand, 1997, pp174-196, and 205-7

1995

'Evangelism and Mission -What is the Gospel?', in Mission and Message: Report on the (Ecumenical) Conference on Evangelism in the Context of Aotearoa New Zealand, 2-4 June 1995, Wellington, pp38-60.

1994

'The Gospel for New Zealanders', in J Crawshaw and Alan Vink, (Eds), New Zealand Made, Wellington: Signposts, pp7-24

1993

'What is Our Gospel ?' in Bruce Patrick, (ed), New Vision New Zealand, Auckland: Vision New Zealand, 1993, pp146-157.,

'The Gospel for Today's New Zealanders', in Bruce Patrick, (Ed), The Vision New Zealand Congress, Auckland, Vision New Zealand, 1993, pp29-44.

Biographical articles in Scottish Dictionary of Theology and Church History, Ed. Nigel M.deS.Cameron, Edinburgh:T&T Clark, - 'George Douglas Campbell, Eighth Duke of Argyll'; p128; 'James Chalmers'; p158; 'Joseph Angus'; p17; 'W.G. Lawes'; p473; 'J.G.Paton'; p648.

Refereed Journals

2011

‘Confirming the Christian Scholar and Theological Educator’s Identity through New Testament Metaphor,’ Evangelical Review of Theology, 35:2 (July 2011): 276-287

2010

Kenneth Fleck, Elizabeth Ann Smythe, and John M. Hitchen, ‘Hermeneutics of Self as a Research Approach’ in International Journal of Qualitative Methods, Vol 10(1) 2010:14-29

2004

‘What It Means To Be an Evangelical Today – An Antipodean Perspective: Part Two - Confirming Our Core & Engaging Our Changed Context,’ Evangelical Quarterly 76:2 (April 2004), 99-115. Available on-line through www.biblicalstudies.org.uk

‘What It Means To Be an Evangelical Today – An Antipodean Perspective: Part One – Mapping Our Movement,’ Evangelical Quarterly 76:1 (Jan 2004), 47-64. Available on-line through www.biblicalstudies.org.uk

2002

‘Relations between Missiology and Anthropology Then and Now – Insights from the Contribution to Ethnography and Anthropology by Nineteenth Century Missionaries in the South Pacific’, Missiology, Vol 30(4) October 2002:455-478.

2001

‘Evangelism and Mission – What is the Gospel?’ Scottish Bulletin of Evangelical Theology, Vol 19(1) Spring 2001: 4-30

1992

'The Eighth Duke of Argyll and the Formation of a Missionary Worldview', Bulletin of the Scottish Institute of Missionary Studies, N.S. Vol 8-9. 1992-93:9-28

Quality Assured Journals

2011

‘Dreams in Traditional Thought and in the Encounter with Christianity in Melanesia,’ Melanesian Journal of Theology, Vol 27(2) 2011

1999

“Theological Roots of a Nineteenth Century Missionary Worldview.” Stimulus, 7/2: 40-47.

Non-Refereed Journals and Magazines

2005

“What is Involved in Becoming a Christian in a Tribal Society?” Serving Together 6/1 (February): 4-6

2004

Edited, “Growth and Renewal in New Zealand Churches.” Partnership Perspectives: Occasional Papers of Pathways College of Bible and Mission 3 (November) 24pp.

2002

“Those Questions Again – ‘Who Are We?’” and “What do ‘The Brethren’ have to Offer Today?” Occasional Papers of Pathways College of Bible and Mission 1 (September) 7pp.

“Harold W. Turner Remembered.” International Bulletin of Missionary Research 26/3 (July): 112-3. A fuller version of this obituary appeared as “Celebrating a Fruitful Life.”, in New Slant.27 (April): 1-5. Extracts were also published in the Sunday Star Times, Auckland New Zealand, 20 May 2002: C9, under the title, “Scholar changed way the world understood religion.”

2001

“Some Biblical Themes on Local Church Leadership.” The Treasury 103/6 (July): 6-7.

“Evangelical Evangelists on Culture – Comments on the Amsterdam 2000 Declaration.” Guest Editorial, New Slant 25/26 (April): 1-3.

“Exploring the Gospel’s Transforming Impact on a New Testament City: Aspects of an Ephesian Case-Study.” New Slant 25/26 (April): 6-10.

2000

“The Past and Future Meet at Amsterdam 2000.” The Treasury 102/10 (Nov): 10-11.