our presentations
Every year we have a jam-packed schedule of speaking engagements at conferences, churches, schools and other events around New Zealand and Australia.
Below is a list and description of our most requested presentations. These are ideally presented in-person, but can also be offered online via Zoom if circumstances necessitate this.
These presentations can be delivered as one-off sessions, or you could combine multiple topics into a longer one day or weekend event.
We can also offer other messages that are specially tailored according to specific needs, so please don’t hesitate to contact us to ask about other topics if they are not listed here.
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AI and Human Dignity
This presentation explores what it means to be made in the image of God, with human dignity, and why it is important to understand this key difference between humans and AI when we see it mimicking human behaviour. We also explore the major moral questions about the use of AI, what the Christian Church has to say about this important issue, and what a moral of AI might look like.
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If God Exists, Why is There Suffering and Evil?
This common objection to belief in God is probably one of atheism’s strongest arguments, but it’s also one that the Christian Church offers a robust and profound response to. In this session we begin by exploring some of the compelling reasons to believe that God is real, and that Christianity is the only faith that offers the fullness of truth about who God is. From there we’ll tackle the question of suffering and evil head on, before exploring why Christianity offers the most humane and logical account of human suffering and grief.
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The Lord's Prayer as a Template for the Christian Life
Saint Augustine once said that “you will find no prayer that is not already contained in the Lord’s Prayer”. Saint Thomas Aquinas once described it as “the most perfect prayer”. In this presentation we explore the great depth and riches of this prayer and how it offers a concise template for living a full and flourishing Christian life. This can be offered as a condensed one hour presentation, or a seminar presented over two more in-depth 60 minute sessions.
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Christianity and Politics
A summary of the interaction between politics and Christianity, and some of the key principles that the Christian tradition applies to this issue. Along with an exploration of fundamental concepts such as the common good, and avoiding the temptation of political utopianism, this presentation also offers basic principles for sound discernment in voting.
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Cast Your Net: How to Share Your Faith
Evangelism is an important part of the life of faith that Jesus calls all of us to participate in, but for many of us it can also feel like a very scary and uncertain thing to do. This presentation explores some essential practical insights that take the fear out of sharing faith while also maximising the impact of your conversations with others about this important topic.
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Year 12 Retreat Day
The Year 12 retreat day features three or four 60 minute sessions, plus break times, presented over a single day. The sessions are: Human Dignity & Technology; The Heart of Christian Leadership (with special emphasis on preparing to be senior students in Year 13); and Prayer and Reflection time (featuring personal reflection and small group activities that build on the first two sessions - this can either be one, or two sessions).
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Year 13 Retreat Day
The Year 13 retreat day features three or four 60 minute sessions, plus break times, presented over a single day. The sessions are: Faith, Hope, and Love; The Importance of Community; and Prayer and Reflection time (featuring personal reflection and small group activities that build on the first two sessions - this can either be one, or two sessions). This retreat day has a special focus on encouraging faith beyond high school.
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Technology and Human Dignity
This presentation starts by exploring the importance of our human dignity, and what this means for our use of social media technology. The various pitfalls and risks that users should be aware of are also presented, along with practical advice about how to be a more astute and ethical social media user who prioritises the human dignity of ourselves and others.
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Together Alone: the Loss of Authentic Community
This presentation explores the various currents that have all come together in the modern world to form a ‘perfect storm’ of atomised human living. It explores why the human person needs community, along with practical advice for recovering and proactively nurturing intentional community. This presentation can be offered in both a faith-based and non-religious context.
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The Problem with Porn
This presentation explores the fundamental problems that pornography poses to healthy relationships and personal human flourishing. Along with an exploration of the ethical and practical issues, it also offers practical tips for those who are struggling with pornography and looking to regain control of this aspect of their lives. This presentation can be offered in both a faith-based and non-religious context.
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Authentic: 4 Rules Every Man Should Live By
This presentation for male audiences explores the essence of masculinity, and what it means to live this out in a truly flourishing and life-giving way. It explores four important principles that every man should live by if they want to leave a meaningful and celebrated legacy in their wake.
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The Four R’s of Effective Leadership
This presentation utilises personal stories and practical principles to promote a virtue and relational based approach to leadership. It encourages people to consider leadership as something deeper than simply power or title, instead, leadership is something that all of us are called to in many different ways no matter what our state in life happens to be.
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Love, Sex and the Truth
This presentation is specially tailored for young adult audiences (high school age and older). It weaves personal story with important information about sexual health, and pragmatic relationship considerations to make the case that saving sex for marriage is a sensible approach to adopt for personal health and wellbeing.
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The Case Against Euthanasia
This presentation explores the case against legalised euthanasia, presenting both the ethical and pragmatic arguments made by its opponents. This talk can be tailored for different types of audiences, and it is an excellent session for senior high school classes studying this topic.
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The Powerful Secularising Forces that have Shaped the Modern Mind
There is a lot of talk today about the emptiness caused by the crisis of meaning that increasing numbers of people are experiencing in the Western world. In this session we unpack the key ideologies that are driving this unhappiness in many hearts and minds, what the Christian vision of reality has to say in response to them, and how we can live a more flourishing human experience because of it. This can be presented as a condensed one hour presentation, or multiple 60 minute more in-depth sessions.
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What Pro-Lifers Really Believe
This presentation explores the ethical arguments which inform the pro-life approach to the abortion debate. It builds on the most common pro-choice arguments used in favour of abortion, and the responses that pro-lifers would give to them. This presentation can be offered in both a faith-based and non-religious context.
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The Courage to be Counter-Cultural
This presentation is designed specifically for a Christian audience. It presents the Gospel call to be ‘salt and light’, unpacking this important command in the light of the current cultural challenges Christianity finds itself facing in the modern West.
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Theology of the Body: The Imago Dei made real
This presentation explores the ways in which we all image God in and through our bodies, and the important truths this can teach us about sexuality and human identity.
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Christianity and the Sanctity of Life
This presentation explores what the Christian Scriptures, the early Church, and other sources have to say about human dignity and the sanctity of every human life. This presentation also explores some of the basic natural law arguments in favour of the Christian pro-life position.
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How to Give Impactful Presentations
This presentation gives lots of practical advice about how to plan, prepare and then deliver public presentations with confidence and excellence.
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Media Training
This multi-session seminar provides practical training on how to confidently navigate media interviews, write effective press releases, and plan sound media communications strategies. Mock interview training (including on-camera training) can also be included in this seminar if required.
“Drawing upon a depth of cultural insight, and with scholarly precision, Brendan is our nation’s go-to person for presenting on the challenging ethical issue of promoting respect for the dignity of every human person.”
- Jason, NZ Church Pastor -
“Brendan is an effective communicator. He engages teenage audiences with the relevance of the gospel amidst the chaos of a largely secular society.”
- Anita, NZ High School HOD -
“Brendan speaks with a humble honesty, a depth of wisdom, and a conviction that calls the audience to go beyond simply listening, to live counter-culturally. ”
- Kate, former VFL NZ President -
“You have changed my perspective about the importance of ethics in my role as a future doctor. I cannot thank you enough.”
- Niel, NZ Trainee Medical Intern -
“Being a small, provincial College it has been great to zoom an expert in front of our students. They have enjoyed the sessions and we have appreciated the follow up Brendan offers when they have extra questions.”
- Jane, NZ High School Teacher -