State Executive Minister

Rev. Mike Mills

• State Executive Minister since 2008
• Edwardstown Baptist

Committee Membership

• As SEM Mike participates in all the current committees

Qualifications

• Professional Engineering background providing attention to detail and processes
• Theological/Ministry training, Ordination
• Local church pastoral leadership
• 8 years’ board/governance experience

Biography

Mike has 25+ years pastoral leadership with the past 8 years as Baptist Churches SA State Executive Minister. Mike has a passion for our movement of churches; leadership and project management. Mike enjoys the opportunity Baptist Churches SA provides to “work with our diversity of churches and church leaders, helping them to be all that they can be under God”. Through Baptist Churches SA we can “see a much broader spectrum of God’s activity than when leading a single congregation”.

President

Dr Karen Walker

• Board member since 2014
• Church: Knightsbridge Baptist Church

Committee Membership

• Accreditation & Ordination committee
• Nomination and Remuneration committee
• Officers
• As President Karen can serve on all committees

Qualifications

• (Flinders University) M.Spec.Ed.(Flinders University), B.Spec.Ed., Dip. Teaching, Clinical Pastoral Education, currently completing M.Div. (Tabor College)

Biography

Karen has a significant background in education, higher education and not for profit sectors. Over 6 years the Walkers lived and worked in Cambodia as GIA team members. During this time, Karen engaged in the capacity development of Khmer academic staff and policy development for the national higher education sector.  Karen is married to John, a long-serving Baptist minister, and they share in parenting and grandparenting roles.

Vice President

Daniel Gardiner

• Board member since 2016
• Church: Christies Beach Baptist Church

Committee Membership

• Assets Management Committee
• Audit, Risk & Compliance Committee
• Officers

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Ministry, Tabor completed Nov 16

Biography

Daniel has served on a variety of church, church denominational and not-for-profit boards in the UK and as a founding Director of ‘Cherish Uganda’ (a major NGO providing care for orphans with HIV). Concurrently with Pastoral leadership in churches, including church planting in Scotland, Daniel developed a multi-branch real estate business.  This experience in property and church development means he understands pastoral, business and financial leadership.  Being a strategic thinker Daniel can see value in providing a perspective to the Baptist movement informed by his experience from different fields and other regions around the world.

Past President

Rev. Jason Hoet

• Board member since 2014
• Church: Unley Park Baptist Church

Committee Membership

• Officers (Past President)
• Nomination & Remuneration
• Reconciliation Action Plan

Qualifications

• BEng(Elec), BTh, Grad Dip Theol, C4 TAA, C4 Pastoral Care, AICD Member

Biography

Jason is Lead Pastor at Unley Park Baptist Church, was a former staff member for Baptist Churches SA, and has now over 24 years’ vocational ministry in various contexts. Jason has been a member of not for profit boards and worked to develop Governance frameworks for ministry initiatives. Jason believes Governance is the necessary ‘invisible’ work to provide a platform for ministry and mission. He values serving the fantastic people in our Churches and hopes to positively influence our movement’s current and future opportunities.

Gaynor Johnson

• Board member since 2016
• Church: Parkside Baptist Church

Committee Membership

• Accreditation and Ordination Committee (Chair)
• Nomination & Remuneration (N&R)

Qualifications

• BSc(Hons), MDiv (Tabor)

Biography

Gaynor brings 30 years of experience in private business; has served as Treasurer, Secretary and Chair of Church Council at PBC; and served on the Board of Maranatha Health (NFP operating in Uganda) from its inception in 2008 until the end of 2014.

Over the years, Gaynor has benefited through her roles from the advice and practical help of Baptist Churches SA. Gaynor is keen to help maintain the standard of help offered to all our churches by BCSA. Through her theological studies Gaynor is interested in development of Pastors. Gaynor wants to see our churches benefit from best practice in all aspects of governance and see the outworking of the kingdom in BCSA’s area of influence.

Rev. Dr Tony Ling

• Board member since 2016
• Church: Victor Harbor Baptist

Committee Membership

• Accreditation & Ordination Committee

Qualifications

• BMin, DMin (MST)

Biography

Tony has a diversity of pastoral experience in Baptist churches since 1987, serving in three churches in two States, suburban and rural. In these contexts, Tony has experience in planting a church, leading through change, conflict management and church growth. Tony’s governance experience includes three school Boards, various community consultancy groups dealing with rural communities in crisis. Tony’s Doctoral research paper was centred on Pastoral burnout in the context of church culture, and he continues this research into spirituality and mental health.

He values the opportunity to serve God in the broader context of church life outside of his local ministry, putting back into the family of Churches.

Dr John Medlin

• Board member since 2011
• Church: Rostrevor Baptist Church

Committee Membership

• Asset Management Committee (Chair)

Qualifications

• PhD, B.Ec., M.Ec., FCA

Biography

John worked for public accounting firm before becoming a lecturer at the University of South Australia. John is currently the Associate Dean: Online Education for the UniSA School of Business. As a Board member John values making decisions for the long term interests of the Churches that are not just based on worldly principles but also reflect God’s love and mission for his Church.

Elizabeth Moncrieff-Philp

• Board member since 2015
• Church: Mt Barker Baptist Church

Committee Membership

• None currently

Qualifications

• BA BTh MSW Grad Dip Mental Health Science

Biography

Elizabeth has been actively involved in not for profit governance for the past 20 years. She has served on the executive of Interserve Australia as vice chair for three years. She joined the board of TEAR Australia in 2006 and served for 8 years, the last two years as National Chairperson. She also chaired the board of West Coast Youth and Community Support (an independent homelessness service) for four years through a period of constitutional review and structural change.

Elizabeth spent 6 years in Nepal as a partner of Interserve in the 1980s. On return to Australia she completed a Bachelor of Theology and Master of Social Work and currently works in the field of mental health.  She is married to Leigh who is senior pastor at Mt Barker Baptist church and together they have 6 children and 8 grandchildren. 

James Whalland

• Board member since 2015
• Church: Village Melrose Park – Blackwood Hills Baptist

Committee Membership

• Audit & Risk (Chair)

Biography

James commercial experience includes areas of risk and insurance. In addition to this he has not for profit board experience with the State Youth Exec for Churches of Christ. James values to opportunity to put his professional experience and qualifications into use for a faith and church context.

Margaret Owade

• Board member since 2017
• Church: Active member of Rostrevor Baptist Church since 2009.

Committee Membership

• None currently

Qualifications

• Was involved in Christian Union leadership while at the University and local church leadership in Kenya.
• Holds a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree. Works as a Clinical Pharmacist at the Royal Adelaide Hospital.

Biography

Being a migrant and being involved in outreach to migrants and international students and working closely with the church leadership, Margaret has been actively involved in helping bridge the cultural divide that often leaves migrants not feeling as really part of their local church or the mainline church members feeling like migrants have nothing to offer.

Scott Cadman

• Board member since 2018
• Church: Flinders Street Baptist

Committee Membership

• None currently

Qualifications

• BA (Hons) and BD

Biography

Scott has served in churches in England, New Zealand and for the last 12 years at Flinders St Baptist. He has spent most of his ministry in inner and central city churches. He served on the Assembly Council of the Baptist Churches in New Zealand for a period and has recently joined this board. He has a deep love and commitment to the local church and more than a passing interest in how long held Baptist principles fashions and shape our lives as Baptist Christian churches.