People

Role at SMBC:

Ben is the Director of The Bridge gap year program at SMBC. The Bridge is a one year program tailored for 18-21 year old’s, providing a solid biblical foundation and missional understanding, for confident service in the world as they enter adulthood. Ben oversees the development of the program and Diploma of Christian studies, leads the Bridge team, and engages with schools, churches, and mission agencies in their development of teens and young adults.  In addition to this, Ben lectures in missions as a member of SMBC's teaching team.

Prior to SMBC:

Ben served on the staff of St James Anglican church, Turramurra for 8 years (2001-2008) as the Youth and Evening congregation minister, leading a healthy and growing youth ministry and young adult leadership team. In 2009, with his wife Beth, they moved to East Asia with a global mission agency, serving on a church planting team among an unreached Muslim people group. From 2009 – 2021, Ben and Beth served in church planting, development and leadership of a launch team responsible for mentoring new missionaries arriving to the field, Area and Regional leadership within the organisation.  From 2018 – 2021 they served on the International Leadership Team, overseeing a team with responsibility for over 200 workers and the facilitation of their ministries in the East Asia region. This time coincided with a new period of extreme volatility in global missions across the region resulting in hundreds of workers relocating and entering new fields of service.

Academic Interests:

Global Christianity and leadership; mission and missionary identity and formation; the rapidly shifting global missions landscape; and engaging future generations in mission.

Speaking Ministry:

Ben has spoken in a variety of churches and events in Australia and internationally, including recently;

• 2022 Missions Interlink National Conference seminar on Engaging Young People in Mission
• 2023 SMBC Interact: ‘Power’ and global missions.

Personal:

Ben is married to Beth, and they have two children.  They enjoy camping, exploring the different cultural neighbourhoods of Sydney, and watching the Sydney Sixers cricket team over the long summers.

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