Topics
overcome tough questions about faith and the changing culture
Please note: Unfortunately due to a family illness, Eric George, is no longer able to speak for us.
Our new speaker line-up and topics are:
Brendan Malone – Free Speech, Hate Speech, & the Suppression of Truth: Why we need to protect our right to hear both sides.
Dr Shawn Means – The Bible and Social Justice Today: A Critical View – Part 1 The Rising Tide of Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity
Ronji Tanielu – Brown People Need Jesus too!: Engaging Polynesian people with the Gospel of Christ
Dr Shawn Means – The Bible and Social Justice Today: A Critical View – Part 2 Fighting Oppression or Just Another Distraction from Jesus?
Brendan Malone – The Courage to be Counter-cultural: Why NZ desperately needs Christians who are living a culture of goodness, truth and beauty
Q & A – Brendan, Ronji, & Shawn
MAIN VIDEOS:
- Brendan Malone – Free Speech Hate Speech and the Suppression of Truth: Why we need to protect our right to hear both sides.
- Eric George – The Cross in the Shadow of Colonization: Defending Christianity from an indigenous perspective.
- Shawn Means – The Bible and Social Justice Today: A Critical View – Part 1 The Rising Tide of Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity.
- Shawn Means – The Bible and Social Justice Today: A Critical View – Part 2 Fighting Oppression or Just Another Distraction from Jesus?
BONUS VIDEOS:
- Eric George – Critical Theory, Critical Everything: What about forgiveness? A defense of Biblical truths in the face of severe disunity.
- Brendan Malone – The Struggle for the Soul of the Culture: How Identity Politics undermines the Gospel and destroys authentic Community.
BONUS AUDIO:
- Ronji Tanielu – Brown People Need Jesus Too: Engaging Polynesian People with the Gospel.
- Brendan Malone – The Courage to be Counter-cultural: Why NZ desperately needs Christians who are living a culture of goodness, truth, and beauty.
Presenters
powerful communicators from around New Zealand

Eric George
With a background in comparative religion, theology, biblical studies and anthropology, he currently serves vocationally as extramural Assistant Professor of Theology & Biblical Studies with World Wide Evangelical Seminary. Eric has previously been a guest lecturer with Te Wananga o Aotearoa (Social Services) and is pursuing graduate and postgraduate studies in biblical studies and philosophy of religion through Bible University and Nations University.

Brendan Malone
Brendan Malone is the Director of LifeNET NZ. He has been working full-time in pro-life, marriage, and family ministry for the last 14 years where he speaks at churches, universities, high schools, and conferences on bioethics and sexuality issues throughout New Zealand and Australia. During that time he has delivered over 500 presentations, and spoken to more than 30,000 people. He is one of the founders of ACTIV8 Pro-Life Training Week – an annual philosophy, apologetics, and media/social-media training event for young adults which has been running for 10 years in New Zealand and over 7 years in Australia. He is married to Katie and they have five children. Brendan also has a background in communications and media training, and he regularly connects with people in the online space via his YouTube channel which has approximately 20,000 subscribers.

Shawn Means
Shawn is a mathematician who uses maths to help biologists figure out biological problems — ranging from signals for muscles to contract, to livers surviving viruses and neurons networking together. He loves to teach on diverse issues from a Christian perspective such as politics in science and how mathematics itself reflects a great mathematical creator. Shawn balances all this cerebral stuff with drumming in worship teams and his band, and sharing his own variety of spicy New Mexican dishes with just about anyone willing to taste.
Info
There are many cultural issues Christians find difficult to navigate and give thoughtful, compassionate, and biblical answers to. The Faith and Culture Forum is a one-day event with some of New Zealand’s best speakers on current cultural issues. Our speakers will equip you with answers to some of the toughest questions facing Christians in New Zealand today, leaving you with greater confidence to enter into the hard conversations of our times from a Christian perspective.
Testimonials
here’s what people have had to say about previous Thinking Matters events
It was absolutely stupendous – what an amazing line-up of supremely gifted speakers! If Christianity can produce this level of excellence it is even more proof that God enables us to live up to our true potential!
The speakers were so gracious and the clarity that they delivered their message with was outstanding.
So brilliant once again! I cannot get over how relevant and needed these conversations are. These issues are so complicated and I really appreciate hearing about them from people who have poured time and research in them.
Forum
There are many cultural issues Christians find difficult to navigate and give thoughtful, compassionate, and biblical answers to.
Get in touch
Have a question? Don’t hesitate to ask!