7 Questions with Church leaders
Read insights and thoughts on leadership from Church Leaders around the world.
Thank you to the amazing church leaders who have answered our 7 questions so far, we hope you find their answers helpful for you in your leadership journey!
7 Questions with David Elvery
Name: David Elvery
Current title: Director of Pastoral Services
Current organisation: Queensland Baptists
David is the husband of one wife and the father of 3 teenage children. He began life as a Mechanical Engineer preparing for ministry as a tentmaker in a closed country in our worldwide mission field, before being redirected into Pastoral Ministry. He then spent 16 years in local church ministry before moving to Queensland Baptists to take over the role of overseeing the registration, formation and pastoral care of Baptist pastors in Queensland. In his free time, David, is in his happy place if he is his shed building or fixing something.
7 Questions with Chris Mulhare
Name: Chris Mulhare
Current title: Senior Pastor
Current organisation: New Hope Church Toowoomba
Chris & Sue Mulhare have been the Senior Pastors of New Hope Church Toowoomba since 2001. Their focus is reaching communities with the Hope of Jesus Christ, and this is reflected in the multi-site aspect of the church.
They are passionate about empowering like-minded churches to partner together to release people and mobilise resource that will practically meet need and touch lives right across the state.
Both Chris and Sue are dynamic, down to earth communicators who will challenge you to make every day count. Chris is passionate about equipping people to be effective disciples in their everyday environments, building strong relationships and seeing the church engage the community in practical ways that meet need and demonstrate the love of Christ.
Both Chris and Sue’s experience in a wide range of ministry environments and their commitment to equipping the next generation enable them to impart on all levels of church life.
Their son Levi married the amazing Talitha and now have a beautiful granddaughter called River Rose. Chris & Sue are also so proud of their daughter Bethany & son Reuben who are fun loving and caring young adults.
7 Questions with Jason Heale
Name: Jason Heale
Current title: Senior Pastor
Current organisation: Hillside Community Church
I was born and raised out in West Auckland, New Zealand. God grabbed a hold of me in a huge way at the age of 17, in my last year of high school. I felt a call towards full time ministry and completed a Ministry Internship Diploma and Bachelor of Theology at Laidlaw College. I have a passion for theology and how it interfaces with the culture around us. I really desire to see people come to grips with what it means to truly encounter the risen Jesus and live that encounter out in the world around them. I’m married to Cristiane, and we have two beautiful children.
7 Questions with Jim Catford
Name: Jim Catford
Current title: Senior Minister
Current organisation: Doncaster Church of Christ
Jim has been in ministry at Doncaster Church of Christ for the past 3 year. He was previously in ministry at Mornington Church of Christ for a decade and over a decade as Principal of Tabor College Victoria. Jim has a bachelor degree in religion and philosophy, a masters degree in biblical interpretation, and a post-graduate diploma in organisational leadership. He is married to Liz who is also an ordained Churches of Christ minister and currently teaching at a local primary school. He has two adult children, two grandchildren & three adult step-children, along with three dogs, two alpacas, 10 chickens, a rabbit and a goldfish!
7 Questions with Todd Dugard
Name: Todd Dugard
Current title: Lead Pastor
Current organisation: Harvest Bible Chapel Barrie
Todd and his wife Cheryl and their three (now adult) children came to Barrie, Ontario in 2001 to plant Harvest Bible Chapel with a group of eight local families.
Todd became a Christ-follower at the age of 15 through the ministry of The Salvation Army and Youth for Christ. A few years later, he was baptized at Faith Baptist Church in St. Thomas, Ontario where he would later serve as the adult ministries pastor and be ordained to pastoral ministry. He is a graduate of London Baptist Bible College and Heritage Seminary in Cambridge, Ontario.
Born in Montreal, Todd continues to enthusiastically support the Montreal Canadiens, and is also a diehard Dallas Cowboys fan because he only cheers for classy teams.
Todd and Cheryl have been married for 31 years. Their three children are all married, and they have one granddaughter and two more grandchildren on the way!
Todd has a deep passion for the church and the preaching of God’s Word. and he knows through his more than 25 years of pastoral ministry that what counts most is finishing well. Based on Galatians 2:20, his life mission is to, “Live and lead others to live by faith in Christ.”
7 Questions with Jeff Hale
Name: Jeff Hale
Current title: Pastor
Current organisation: Emmanuel Christian Reformed Church
Celebrating 38 years of marriage this year, Jeff and Renée have three adult sons, Nathan, Stephen and Mark. Nathan and Stephen are married, in full-time ministry and account for Jeff and Renée's 6 grandchildren. Mark completed his undergraduate degree in trumpet performance in 2020.
Jeff grew up in a small town in Georgia (USA). Jeff and Renée met while students at the University of Illinois where they completed their master's degrees in music performance. For the first decade of their married life, Jeff and Renée served local churches and their denomination in various roles as church musicians.
For the next 14 years, Jeff and Renee served as missionaries in West Africa. Their work involved working with local churches to encourage the use of indigenous musical forms in worship and planting new churches. By the end of their missionary career, they were giving oversight to church planting teams working over 180 people groups across 8 African nations.
After returning to the USA, Jeff and Renée completed their doctorates in organizational leadership from Regent University. During the next 7 years, Jeff worked in various roles with a Christian non-profit specializing in Bible engagement and church planting, including giving oversight to ministry operations in over 50 countries. Renée founded WellSpirit Consulting Group, Inc.
For the past four years, Jeff has served as pastor of Emmanuel Christian Reformed Church near Chicago, IL. Renée serves as Executive Director of the Paul Carlson Partnership, a Christian non-profit organization focused on economic and medical development in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Jeff and Renee enjoy spending time with family and friends, cooking, traveling, being in nature together, and making music together and with others.
7 Questions with Graham Joseph Hill
Name: Graham Joseph Hill
Current title: Principal
Current organisation: Stirling Theological College (University of Divinity)
Graham Joseph Hill is the Principal of Stirling Theological College (University of Divinity) in Melbourne, Australia. His author website is https://grahamjosephhill.com/
Graham has planted and pastored churches and been in theological education for over twenty years. He is the author or editor of ten books including "Holding Up Half the Sky" and "Hide This in Your Heart" (co-authored with Michael Frost). Graham also directs TheGlobalChurchProject.com
7 Questions with Damion Q. Chapman
Name: Damion Q. Chapman
Current title: Executive Pastor
Current organisation: New Day Life Ministries International
I am 40 years old. I have been serving the ministry for 10 years now. I am married to Johanna, my wife of 12 years. I am the father of 6 beautiful children. 4 girls to boys. I have primarily. I have served the ministry in many capacities, from youth leadership to marriage ministry.
7 Questions with Julian Dunham
Name: Julian Dunham
Current title: CEO
Current organisation: Arrow Leadership International Development
Julian has been of follower of Jesus since 1985 and a pastor since 1991. He led Arrow in Australia from 2008 to 2017 and is now CEO Arrow Leadership International Development; providing leadership development opportunities in the majority world for Christian leaders age 25-40.
7 Questions with Rob Douglas
Name: Rob Douglas
Current title: "Between Jobs"
Current organisation: Baptist Church
Rob Douglas describes himself as a storyteller, author, pastor and community leader. He has been involved in the ministry of Baptist Churches in Western Australia for 40 years and is currently producing a five minute good news story that is loaded to YouTube each week. Rob's stories are at inspirenewscast.com
7 Questions with Peter Englert
Name: Peter Englert
Current title: Adult Ministries Director
Current organisation: Browncroft Community Church
Peter Englert serves as the Adult Ministries Director at Browncroft Community Church in Rochester, NY. He is married to his wife Robyn. They have a daughter, Hayley, and one daughter on the way. He loves the New York Yankees, New York Jets, Brooklyn Nets, and Buffalo Sabres. You can find Peter reading a good book or enjoying a great cup of coffee. He has a passion for seeing small groups experiencing the gospel in everyday life.
