What did you do prior to studying at the PTC?
I was working as an accountant at a sports insurance company. I then did a ministry apprenticeship (METRO) with the RMIT Christian Union and my local church as part of my training for future ministry.
Why did you decide to enter the ordained ministry?
While I enjoyed working as an accountant, I soon found that I had a growing desire to spend more time sharing the gospel with people. This led me to begin my apprenticeship, where I had the opportunity to experience serving in full-time ministry. It was as I met with students, and watched them grow and begin sharing the gospel with others, that I realised I couldn’t imagine doing anything else with my life.
During this time, the training I received in my local church gave me a real passion for serving in church ministry. I especially loved the idea of being able to serve a particular group of people over many years, and watch them grow towards maturity in Christ. My trainers shared with me that they thought I was suitable to serve in full-time church ministry, and this led me to start training to be an ordained minister.
What ministry work have you been doing since graduation?
I have been serving as the minister at Williamstown Presbyterian Church. It has been a joy to be able to get to know the congregation and form relationships with people in the community.
In particular, it is a privilege to be able to share the gospel through preaching, leading Bible studies, and meeting one-to-one with people every week. As this has been happening, it’s been encouraging to see God giving growth in people’s lives.
Did your time at the PTC prepare you well for ministry?
Definitely. I found that the PTC’s commitment to faithfully teaching the Word of God, helped grow me in my knowledge of the truth and challenged me in my personal godliness. Meanwhile, I received great practical training in my placements at Donvale Presbyterian Church and Surrey Hills Presbyterian Church to help prepare me for church ministry.
I’m also grateful to have studied with others who were preparing for ordained ministry, as it helped me to form strong friendships with those who I am now serving alongside.
What would you say to others considering ordained ministry?
There is a real need for the gospel to be proclaimed in our churches and to our world, and ordained ministry is a great way of being able to do this. It certainly is challenging, but God will strengthen you for it.
Ultimately, it is the most important work in the world, and the PTC will help equip you well for the task.
