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1. What have you found most challenging as a church leader?

Keeping my heart alive in worship and wonder, and tender towards God and people. Continuing to be fascinated with God and the scriptures.

2. How did you become a church leader? Can you please briefly tell the story?

I was 16. Our church needed someone to lead the 16 years and over youth group and I was willing to do it. The deacons were unsure so I recruited my friend who was 5 years older than I and we were elected by the members for the job. I continued in this role for six years and then became the part-time Youth Pastor whilst also studying fulltime at Vose Seminary.

3. How do you structure your work days from waking up to going to sleep?

Time with God followed by time with people and other leadership responsibilities. Coffee and food are interspersed through the day.

4. What's one book apart from the Bible that has had a profound impact on your leadership so far? Can you please briefly tell the story of how that book impacted your leadership?

I will mention two.
After God's Own Heart by Mike Bickle and, The Emotionally Healthy Leader by Pete Scazzero. Bickle's book unlocked deeper levels of love for God as he walked me through a greater understanding of the depths of God's desire for me. Scazzero's book gave me lots of practical tools to maintain my own emotional health. I took the Overseers, Board and Pastoral team to his day-long seminar in Perth.

5. What's the most recent significant leadership lesson you've learned?

Teaching people to Pray the Bible, especially Pauls' apostolic prayers, is transformative discipleship.

6. How do you develop a healthy leadership pipeline in a church?

Zealously create, promote and guard a church-wide culture of transformative discipleship which requires obedience to Jesus in all of life. We use 5 C's to evaluate people before recruiting them to leadership roles. We examine their Character, Competency for the role, Chemistry (how they relate to people), Courage and sense of Calling.

7. What is one meaningful story that comes to mind from your time as a church leader so far?

The apostle Paul said something like, "you have many teachers but very few fathers".
The church and society desperately leaders who will father and mother people through the different seasons of their lives and keep them heading in Jesus direction. Fathers and mothers who have a history of obedience to God in seasons of storms and sunshine.
Let me tell you about Dave. He no longer attends my church in person as he lives on a different continent. However, I've walked with him for just under 20 years connecting with varying frequency and utilising the available technology.
I'm helping him to love, obey and worship Jesus. I listen, reflect back and help him align his heart and behaviour to Christ. I've seen him become a more Christ-like husband and father and employee.
It is an enormous privilege to partner with God in His commitment to transform people to become like His Son.