Forget the Channel

Dear friends,

We thought it would be good to keep you up to date with our thinking about future plans.

Our time in England has been immensely valuable. Our original reasons to go to England to study for a PhD have, in God’s kindness, been realised. Studying here in the UK has provided many opportunities for me to interact with a number of world-class and diverse scholars with whom I would not otherwise come into contact. I’ve had to grapple with unfamiliar concepts and have in-depth discussions with people with whom I disagree theologically. As an evangelical, I’ve had to work out, in more depth, why I believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ. God willing, this should be valuable for future teaching and training of others. Furthermore, it seems that I will be able to finish the PhD in time (with some sustained effort and Bronwyn’s graciousness between now and June!)

Despite all this, however, right now it seems that there are no jobs in formal educational settings in Australia that would enable me to use this experience to teach and train Christian ministers in biblical studies and theology.

Nevertheless, we think that the wisest course of action for us is to return to Australia in the middle of this year, rather than look for jobs in other countries. There are a number of reasons for this. Firstly, we have a heart for the proclamation of the gospel in Australia and (perhaps in the future) Malaysia. Secondly, our financial situation means that it is best for us to move back home to Australia: we will return with no debts – thanks to God’s gracious provision of generous supporters – but neither will we have any assets or savings. Thirdly, our family  needs some stability in the short-to-medium term, given Ellie’s autism, etc.

For these reasons, I am currently looking for pastoral ministry positions in Australia, particularly in the Anglican Diocese of Sydney. Pastoral ministry is, of course, a valuable opportunity in and of itself. Furthermore, I would hope that if I were able to be involved in pastoral ministry, I would also be able to spend some time and energy contributing to wider theological discussion and education. I also expect, under God, that what I have learned in the UK will provide further opportunities for me to train and teach pastors, perhaps in an academic role, in the future.

Please pray for us at the moment – for contentment, for God’s provision, and for the time and space to complete the PhD in the midst of many other pressures.

If you’re able to help let people know that I’m looking for an Anglican ministry role, we would greatly appreciate it. It’s quite difficult to make contact with potential employers in Australia from halfway around the world, so we do need to rely on friends in Australia such as yourselves. The most helpful things you could do for us would be to either:

1. Pass on my contact details (below) to potential employers that you may know.
2. Email me with contact details for particular Anglican ministry positions that you know have been advertised (at this point, information about particular positions is far more valuable than general ideas or suggestions).

I can be contacted on mail@lionelwindsor.net.

With love in Christ and with so very many thanks for your past and ongoing support,
Lionel & Bronwyn