Meet Our International Speakers
Paul Tripp
Dr. Paul David Tripp is a pastor, speaker, and best-selling author. His driving passion is to connect the transforming power of Jesus Christ to everyday life. He lives in Philadelphia with his wife, Luella, of 50 years, and they have four adult children.
Paul will be presenting the following talks at Oxygen 2023:
1. The Heart of a Ministry Leader (Ezekiel 14:1-8)
2. The Ultimate Ministry Leadership Model (Isaiah 42:4, Matt. 12:20)
3. Ministry Leadership and Spiritual Warfare (1 Peter 5:6-11)
Zack Eswine
A pastor at Riverside Church in Missouri, Zack describes himself as a ‘flawed but earnest’ encourager of those working in ministry. He is extremely passionate about supporting Christian ministry workers as they ask questions and speak honestly about their doubts and uncertainties. This passion has led to the founding of Sage Christianity: an organisation where Zack, along with wife Jessica, aim to create a safe space for those in ministry to bring their doubts into conversation with the wisdom of Jesus.
When he’s not busy mentoring, preaching or writing a book, Zack enjoys watching ‘old’ movies, reading a good novel or essay, and cheering on his basketball team with his four kids. When he really needs to focus on Jesus, Zack likes to sit by the ocean; he says that it calms his mind and helps him zero-in on God’s voice.
Zack will be presenting four talks at Oxygen 2023 on:
1. Recovering Our Humanity in Ministry (Ecclesiastes 10:5-14)
2. Recovering Our Wisdom for Ministry (Proverbs 1:22)
3. Recovering Our Ambition (Psalm 131)
4. Recovering His Love (1 Corinthians 13:1-8)
Meet Our International Special Guests
John Lennox
John Lennox MA MMath PhD (Cambridge) MA DPhil (Oxford) DSc (Wales) MA Bioethics (Surrey) is Emeritus Professor of Mathematics at the University of Oxford, Emeritus Fellow in Mathematics and the Philosophy of Science and Pastoral Advisor at Green Templeton College and former Associate Fellow at Saïd Business School.
John has written extensively on the interface between science, philosophy and theology, and recent titles include: Can Science Explain Everything? Where is God in a Coronavirus World? 2084: Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Humanity, and Cosmic Chemistry: Do God and Science Mix? also been involved in high-profile public debates with Richard Dawkins, Peter Singer and the late Christopher Hitchens. He has done many lectures, interviews and debates for the Veritas Forum, particularly in the USA. He is a Senior Fellow of the Trinity Forum.
He is known internationally as a Bible teacher and has written Against the Flow: The Witness of Daniel in an Age of Relativism; Seven Days that Divide the World; Joseph: A Story of Love, Hate, Slavery, Power, and Forgiveness: Determined to Believe? ; A Good Return: Biblical Principles of Work, Wealth and Wisdom.
He is married to Sally, and they have three children and ten grandchildren and live near Oxford.
John Lennox will be joining us virtually, live from the UK for one of our evening segments titled ‘The Non-Negotiables of Christian Ministry’. He will also be delivering the opening remarks with a pre-recorded welcome address.
1. The Heart of a Ministry Leader (Ezekiel 14:1-8)
2. The Ultimate Ministry Leadership Model (Isaiah 42:4, Matt. 12:20)
3. Ministry Leadership and Spiritual Warfare (1 Peter 5:6-11)
Glen Scrivener
Glen Scrivener is passionate about people meeting Christ and equipping Christians to share their faith. He’s often found speaking at Churches and Universities, in the studio producing online media or in his office, writing books and other evangelistic material. Glen is married to Emma, and they have a daughter, Ruby and son, JJ.
Glen will be presenting a pre-recorded short talk, reflecting on the current cultural dynamics that are at play in the world and how they can impact our hearts and shape the ministry and work we do.
1. The Heart of a Ministry Leader (Ezekiel 14:1-8)
2. The Ultimate Ministry Leadership Model (Isaiah 42:4, Matt. 12:20)
3. Ministry Leadership and Spiritual Warfare (1 Peter 5:6-11)
Miroslav Volf
Professor Volf is the Henry B. Wright Professor of Theology and Yale Divinity School and founding Director of the Yale Center for Faith and Culture. His most recent books are Life Worth Living: A Guide to What Matters Most (with Croasmun and MacAnnally-Linz) and The Home of God: A Brief Story of Everything (with MacAnnally-Linz). Earlier works Exclusion and Embrace: A Theological Exploration of Identity, Otherness, and Reconciliation (1996), a winner of the 2002 Grawemeyer Award; and After Our Likeness: The Church as the Image of the Trinity (1998), winner of the Christianity Today book award, and include Free of Charge: Giving and Forgiving in a Culture Stripped of Grace (2006), which was the Archbishop of Canterbury Lenten book for 2006.
Miroslav will be joining us virtually, in a live-cross interview, for one of our evening segments titled ‘The Non-Negotiables of Christian Ministry’.
1. The Heart of a Ministry Leader (Ezekiel 14:1-8)
2. The Ultimate Ministry Leadership Model (Isaiah 42:4, Matt. 12:20)
3. Ministry Leadership and Spiritual Warfare (1 Peter 5:6-11)
Meet Our Local Special Guests
Malcolm Gill
Malcolm is the recently appointed Lead Pastor of Multicultural Bible Ministry (MBM) in Sydney’s western suburbs. Prior to pastoral ministry Malcolm taught Preaching, Greek, and New Testament at Sydney Missionary & Bible College and Dallas Theological Seminary (USA). Malcolm is married to Tamara and they are the parents of Annabel, Adam, and Zara, and their loyal dog Tyndale.
Malcolm will be presenting a short sermon as part of the segment ‘The Cross & Christian Ministry’.
Wisdom & Foolishness (1 Corinthians 1:18-25)
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Jonathan Dykes
Jonathan joined the KCC Board in 2012 as Executive Director. Prior to this he served as a Faculty member of SMBC and on the staff teams of St Thomas’ Anglican Church North Sydney and City Bible Forum. Jonathan was extensively involved in the ministry of KCC as a volunteer prior his appointment as Executive Director, leading the Oxygen, KEC and CYC Committees. Jonathan is married to Sarah and they have four children.
Jonathan will be sharing a short sermon at Oxygen as part of the segment ‘The Cross & Christian Ministry’.
Strength & Weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)
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Anna Powell
Anna Powell is married to Morgan and they have two delightful daughters. They served for 13 years in South America with SIM, in Ecuador and Peru. Since returning to Australia, Anna has continued to work with SIM International, as their Learning and Development Lead.
Anna will be sharing her personal experiences and giving a short talk as part of the segment ‘Lessons from Life in Ministry’.
Seeing Clearly: How our Culture Deforms our Hearts for Ministry.
Like a fish, who has no concept of the water it swims in, it took leaving Australia before I could see clearly how our culture had left its non-Biblical imprint on my understanding of ministry. At that distance, it was easier to see how our cultural lenses distorts Biblical understanding of ministry and our part in it.
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Sarah Irving-Stonebraker
Dr. Sarah Irving-Stonebraker is Associate Professor of History and Western Civilisation at Australian Catholic University. She was awarded her PhD in History from Cambridge University and held then a Junior Research Fellowship at Wolfson College, Oxford University. Her first book, Natural Science and the Origins of the British Empire, was awarded The Royal Society of Literature and Jerwood Foundation Award for Non-fiction. She is married to Johnathan and they have three children.
Sarah will be sharing her personal experiences and giving a short talk as part of the segment ‘Lessons from Life in Ministry’.
How Historical Traditions of Spiritual Formation Can Help Us Reshape Our Hearts
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Kirk Patston
Kirk has a background in speech pathology and Presbyterian ministry and has been lecturing at SMBC since 2000 where he is the Director of the Centre for Preaching and Pastoral Ministry. He’s interested in understanding the Bible well and applying it in a complex world.
Kirk and his wife, Lisa, share an interest in connections between art and faith and enjoy the creativity of the Springwood Presbyterian Churches.
They are the parents of two adult sons and Co-Founders of ‘Our Place Christian Communities’ – a ministry that builds capacity of churches in disability inclusion and nurtures mixed-ability residential communities in living relationships with local churches.
Kirk will be presenting a short sermon as part of the segment ‘The Cross & Christian Ministry’.
Visible & Invisible (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)
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Eleasa Sieh
Eleasa is a Can-Aussie – a Canadian-born Chinese from Toronto and now working as a GP and GP counsellor in Brisbane. She is passionate about discipleship and Biblical counselling, having just finished the online MAC program through Westminster Theological Seminary. She attends Village Church, serves with the Christian Medical and Dental Fellowship of Australia, and enjoys exploring the great outdoors hiking and the great indoors reading.
Eleasa will be one of our MCs at Oxygen. This will be her first Oxygen Conference and she is excited and privileged to be able to attend and serve in this way.
Visible & Invisible (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)
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Meet Our Workshop Facilitators
Grant Norsworthy
Grant Norsworthy is an Aussie who was based in Nashville, Tennessee, USA from 2002 to 2018. He achieved considerable success as a professional musician including a Grammy® nomination, a Dove Award, extensive touring, recording and radio hits with bands like Paul Colman Trio and Sonicflood.
Now conducting global ministry work from his Nelson, New Zealand home base, Grant uses his musicianship, freewheeling wit and uncommon candour to encourage audiences to deeper faith in Christ and good works. As the founder, content developer and principal instructor for More Than Music Mentor, he provides high quality online and onsite training for the heart and the art of worshiping musicians everywhere.
Grant’s workshop:
“Why aren’t they singing?” – Crafting a Sound That Invites the Congregation
Is your congregation too casual, struggling, or even resisting singing as an expression of worship? In this workshop, Grant Norsworthy will teach and demonstrate simple, practical techniques (that really work!) to help increase your congregation’s participation, fulfilment and volume. A timely reminder of the value and importance of singing prayers, praises and reminder’s of Biblical truth together.
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Kurt Peters
Rev. Kurt Peters is an ordained pastor with nearly two decades of experience coaching, counselling, mentoring and supervising Christian ministry workers. He is a trained pastor, counsellor and supervisor registered with Australasian Association of Supervisors (AAOS).
He is the founder and director of Red Sheep and the developer of Ministry Wellness Report a burnout and wellness assessment tool for Ministry workers. He sits on the board of Restore Ministries and was the co-founder of Biblical Counselling Australia and is currently a special advisor to the board.
Kurt’s Workshop:
9 Ways to Walk in Weakness
Join Kurt as he shares his journey and God’s wisdom on walking with early onset Parkinson’s disease.
Whether you are struggling yourself or walking with others this session will equip you to find God’s strength in the midst of your weakness.
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Valerie Ling
Valerie is the founder of the Centre for Effective Serving, as well as the Clinical Director and founder of the Centre for Effective Living, a group psychology practice dedicated to clinical excellence in mental health. Valerie is a Clinical Psychologist, speaker, published author and Clinical Supervisor with a special interest in the prevention and treatment of burnout. As a ministry wife herself, Valerie has a particular passion to support gospel workers. She has recently completed a Masters of Leadership, with the final research project based on her 2023 leadership and wellbeing survey of Australian clergy.
Valerie’s workshop:
Moving from a Reactive to Reflective Ministry: Leadership and Ministry Longevity in a Hectic and Troubled World
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Grant Bickerton
Grant Bickerton is a registered psychologist who has gained over twenty years of experience working in full-time Christian ministry here in Australia and overseas with Power to Change (formerly known as Campus Crusade for Christ). Seeking to blend personal ministry experience with the latest psychological research and practice, Grant now focuses on the well-being and development of Power to Change missionaries as well as providing psychological services for other Christian organisations and clergy/missionaries.
Grant’s workshop:
Serving Confidently Amidst Strain, Uncertainty and Change
Living through the past few years has introduced the reality of living and ministering in an environment of uncertainty and change that our generation has not seen.
For some, change and uncertainty can be experienced as initially stimulating – a challenge to embrace. But even if that was an initial response, living in an environment of chronic change and uncertainty can leave us feeling uncertain, deeply fatigued, and even incompetent in areas we previously felt competent.
This workshop will build your capacity to cope with change and help you serve Jesus amidst uncertainty. Grant will present a framework for understanding why change generates fatigue and stress, explore work and spiritual resources that can promote a greater sense of motivation in an environment of change, and personal practices that enable us to persevere with vigour.
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Kerrell Ranucci
Kerrell together with her husband Andrew, spent almost three decades planting a church, a school and pioneering ministries to reach the lost and disciple them to Jesus. Kerrell takes the words of Jesus seriously when he invites us to ‘come walk with me and work with me….’. Her journey of engaging with Biblical spiritual practices, have been transformative in nurturing her life with God. Kerrell is passionate about soul care, facilitating spiritual retreats, and walking with pastors to support them to develop a deep personal devotional life.
Kerrell’s workshop:
Cultivating Our Life with God
How can we make sure our life with God, remains life-giving, fuelling our ministry and sustaining our calling? What can we learn from the life of Jesus to help us cultivate healthy spiritual rhythms?
In this workshop we will explore the role of spiritual practices, to help us experience the presence of God in our daily life. We will explore a vision for what our life with God can look like, and discover ‘our own beat, ‘taking into account our unique personality, and the ways that we naturally connect with God, in our current season.
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Susan Marcuccio
Susan is the National Supervision Director for Chaplaincy Australia and President of Australasian Association of Supervision. She brings vast experience as a supervisor, mentor, pastor and chaplain as well as a published author, trainer and speaker on these subjects. Susan is passionate about all those in the helping professions being able to access quality not judgemental, confidential support and engage in transformational learning. She specialises in the practical application of theory.
Susan’s workshop:
Pastoral Supervision: Protecting Your Heart to Go the Distance in Ministry
Have you ever wondered why some people seem to thrive in ministry and absolutely love what they do? In this workshop we will be exploring how supervision can not only enhance your ministry but ignite your passion. We will be looking at who is walking with you in ministry and what steps you can take to protect your heart.
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Tim Dyer
Tim Dyer is a trainer of pastors, church consultants, mentors, and Christian leaders. He works across many mainline denominations and focuses on the care, development and support of clergy and the health of congregations. He trained in psychology at Melbourne and Monash Universities before researching and publishing on Youth Homelessness as a staff worker with Scripture Union Victoria. He teaches at a graduate level for several theological colleges in Leadership, Team Relationships, Conflict Management, Resilience and Self Care, Trauma and Recovery and the Personal Life of the Minister.
Tim will be facilitating two workshops at Oxygen.
Mending the Broken-Hearted: Trauma Informed Pastoral Ministry
Stewarding Ourselves: Creating and Implementing a Personalised Self-Care Plan in Ministry
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Rachael Litchfield
Rachael has been involved in cross-cultural mission work in Thailand, Cambodia and Australia for much of the last 30 years serving in physiotherapy, community health, leadership and pastoral care roles. In 2020 she completed a doctor of ministry dissertation titled “A Spirituality for Transition Grief”. She loves this work of prayerful accompaniment, presence and creative retreats believing we all need support and encouragement to slow down, listen attentively, and connect deeply to our inner selves and the Spirit of God in order to grow towards a wholistic and healthy spirituality that has restorative impact beyond ourselves.
Rachael’s workshop:
Spiritual Practices for the Grief of Transitions
This workshop focuses on insights and spiritual practices for when we are processing key life transitions using the lens of the Paschal Mystery. Major life transitions, such a moving communities or countries, changing roles, retirement, altered family dynamics, chronic health changes etc., are often spaces of liminality and grief which are not always well acknowledged or supported. It is helpful to be aware of how a Dual Process Model of grief, involving oscillating between loss orientation and restoration orientation, may manifest in these times. Reframing this oscillating as naming deaths and claiming births can strengthen awareness, develop greater meaning, and deepen a sense of union with Christ within the processing of grief and adjustment to a new way of life. In this workshop we will explore the questions:
How can we strengthen our capacity to craft meaning and move deeper into our life with God in unsettling transitions?
What can we draw on from our Christian spiritual tradition and practices that enables honest engagement with our reality while opening us to new possibilities for life and wholeness?
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Miriam Chan
Miriam Chan is an accredited mental health social worker, counsellor and supervisor. Miriam currently works as a counsellor at an Australian University and in private practice in Burwood at New Leaf Centre. She has worked in hospital settings, Family Support Services, and on four university campuses in the roles of chaplain and counsellor. Miriam is a ministry wife and mum to two high schoolers and is keen to help people find hope in the face of mental health afflictions.
Miriam’s workshop:
Mental Health and Ministry
Passionate about working in the sphere where theology and psychology intersect, Miriam seeks to help Christians nurture mental health resilience within our challenging world, and also find hope in living out God’s grace when faced with mental health afflictions.
Miriam is leading a “Mental Health and Ministry” workshop, which will travel a Biblical overview of mental and emotional wellbeing and explore practical ideas on how to best serve Jesus when we are feeling unstable. Vocational ministry is complex, demanding, glorious, and gutting. With hands on experience in ministry and mental health, Miriam will provide you with tools to thrive physically, mentally, relationally, and spiritually in your calling.
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Dave & Kathy Thurston
Five and a half years ago Dave and Kathy Thurston left Sydney and parish ministry to work in the Presbyterian Church of Queensland. Their brief was mentoring pastors and their wives, training other to be mentors, develop a post college training program as well as various other ventures. Six months ago, they returned to their three adult children and wider family but not to the inner west. They now live in Blackheath on two acres where God willing they will build a Christian Retreat centre. They love working with their brothers and sisters in Christian ministry to be healthy and fruitful followers of Jesus.
Dave and Kathy’s workshop:
The Importance of Emotional Self Awareness for Healthy Ministry
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Jonathan Andrews
Dr Jonathan Andrews is a Clinical Psychologist who works with adults helping them to overcome depression and anxiety.
Dr Andrews is registered with the Psychology Board of Australia (PBA) and is a PBA-approved Supervisor. He has had over 20 years experience in private practice. He is also a member of the Australian Psychological Society (MAPS) and is a full member of the Clinical College of the APS. He holds a position as an Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Queensland.
He frequently presents to churches and schools.
His life motto is to live with his “heart in mind” and encourages others to live this way too.
He has four children, loves to read Tim Winton and watch his greyhound run at full speed up in Shorncliffe.
He is the author of the book “The Reconnected Heart: How Relationships Help us Heal” which explores how the heart is broken by bad or insufficient connection, and how a three way connection (God, self and others) can help us recover.
Jonathan’s workshop:
The Reconnected Heart
This workshop will outline how to live a robust life in ministry by keeping your heart in mind. A 4-step process will be discussed.
- Go In: Into your heart
- Go Back: Link the past with the present
- Go Up: To God because He is your loving father, and then
- Go Forward: Connecting, loving, thinking and acting in ways that keep you going in ministry.
The workshop will be pastoral and practical, as well as providing the framework for continuing well in ministry from a psychological perspective.
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