ABOUT US
The Assembly Board
The Assembly Board’s role is to ensure that Baptist Churches of South Australia’s ministry is done in accordance with its values, mission, purpose, and strategic goals. They establish and oversee our governing policies and seek to do so with strategic vision, a future perspective, and an appreciation for diverse viewpoints.
Members of the Assembly Board
Officers of the Association

Rev Dr Melinda Cousins
Director of Ministries
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Director of Ministries
Melinda Cousins
- Director of Ministries since 2021
- Church: Richmond Baptist Church
Committee Membership
- As DoM Melinda participates in all the current committees
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Laws (Honours)
- Bachelor of Theology (Honours)
- Advanced Diploma of Theology (Pastoral Ministry)
- Master of Arts (Theology)
- Doctor of Philosophy
- Graduate Certificate in Professional Supervision (Pastoral)
Biography
Melinda had been a pastor with Baptist Churches SA since 2002, serving at Blackwood Hills Baptist and Richmond Baptist. She has also served as State Director for Global Interaction, Lecturer at Burleigh Theological College and Bible College SA, as Senior Lecturer at Tabor College before being appointed Director of Ministry Accreditation in 2016 and then Director of Ministries in 2021. Melinda has a deep love for God’s word and God’s world and is committed to seeing our biblical and theological values shape our actions as we participate in God’s mission together as a movement of local churches thriving in Jesus transforming the world.

Rev Daniel Gardiner
President
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President
Daniel Gardiner
- Board member since 2016
- Church: Christies Beach Baptist Church
Committee Membership
- Assets Management
- Audit, Risk & Compliance
- Nomination & remuneration
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.

Rev Scott Cadman
Vice President
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Scott Cadman
- Board member since 2018
- Church: Flinders Street Baptist Church
Committee Membership
- Moderating
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.

Dr Karen Walker
Immediate Past President
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Immediate Past President
Karen Walker
- Board member since 2014
- Church: Knightsbridge Baptist Church
Committee Membership
- Nomination and Remuneration
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.
Elected Members

Ms Gaynor Johnson
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Gaynor Johnson
- Board member since 2016
- Church: Parkside Baptist Church
Committee Membership
- Accreditation and Ordination (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
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Rev. Dr Tony Ling
- Board member since 2016
- Church: Victor Harbor Baptist
Committee Membership
- Accreditation & Ordination
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.

Ms Elizabeth Moncrieff-Philp
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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.Â

Mr James Whalland
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James Whalland
- Board member since 2015
- Church: Unley Park Baptist Church
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.

Ms Margaret Owade
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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.
Linda Carrapiett
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Linda Carrapiett
- Filling casual vacancy since Dec 2020
- Church: Unley Park Baptist Church
-
Committee Membership
- Asset Management

Joshua Baldwin
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Joshua Baldwin
- Board member since Nov 2019
- Church: Clovercrest Baptist Church
Committee Membership
- Asset Management
Biography
Currently the Director for the Munro Group, Joshua has been in the real estate industry since 2011 and specialised in the formation and consulting of community plans in South Australia. A member of Clovercrest Baptist since 2015 and previously a member of the Uniting church, he has served in local church roles as well as state based leadership roles. He is thankful for the opportunities he has had to be involved with faith-based organisations and is passionate about moving them more deeply into the mission that God has called them to.
Assembly Board Skills Matrix
Board Skills
General Board Capacities
Skill |
Overview |
Importance |
Status |
 |  |  |  |
Audit, Risk and Compliance |
Capacity to identify key risks, monitor risk and compliance and knowledge of legal and regulatory requirements. |
High |
Opportunity |
Assets Management |
Experience in business, economics, accounting and finance to analyse statements, assess business and financial viability, contribute to financial planning, oversee budgets, oversee funding arrangements. |
High |
Opportunity |
Strategy |
Identify and critically assess strategic opportunities and threats to an organization. Â Capacity to develop and implement strategies in context to our policies and objectives. |
High |
Strong |
Policy Development |
Ability to identify key issues for an organisation and develop appropriate policy parameters within which the organization should operate. |
Medium |
Satisfactory |
Human Relations Management |
Experience in evaluating performance of senior management, overseeing strategic staff management. Experience in industrial relations, human relations and organizational change management programmes. |
Medium |
Opportunity |
Governance & Board Experience |
Level of Board experience and completed formal training in governance and risk. |
Medium |
Satisfactory |
Baptist Churches of SA Skills
Skills aligning with the purpose and strategic plan of Baptist Churches of SA
Skill |
Overview |
Importance |
Status |
 |  |  |  |
Theology and Ministry |
Experience and qualifications in Theology and Ministry. Experience as a Pastor, Church or mission parachurch leader. |
High |
Strong |
Mission |
Experience as an evangelist, a mission parachurch leader, cross cultural missionary. Qualifications in Mission studies, cultural anthropology, evangelism |
High |
Strong |
Formation |
Experience in education, training, development of people. Experience in theological and discipleship formation within Church |
Medium |
Strong |
Community Development |
Experience or qualifications in community development, church development, social services |
Medium |
Strong |
Public Relations |
Experience in Public Relations, Marketing, Advocacy. Experience in public engagement to positively influence public discourse |
Medium |
Opportunity |
Movement Connection |
Degree to which the member has connections to our churches and people across our Movement |
Medium |
Strong |
Diversity and Other
 Diversity leads to better board outcomes
Skill |
Overview |
Importance |
Status |
 |  |  |  |
Board Term |
Length of Board experience can carry institutional memory and experience |
Low |
1 members with > 5 years experience |
Aligned Organisations |
Aligned organisations relevant to Baptist Churches SA purpose to which members hold a strong connection |
Medium |
Satisfactory |
Church participation |
Level of Church Participation as ministry volunteer, leader, accredited Pastoral Leader or Chaplain |
High |
Strong |
Gender Diversity |
Equal gender representation is a priority |
High |
Opportunity Female 36%, Male 64% |
Age Diversity |
Age diversity brings different perspectives to board discussions. |
Medium |
Opportunity |
Cultural Diversity |
Member cultural heritage with a focus on inclusion for Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander and CALD |
High |
Opportunity Aboriginal-Torres Strait 0, CALD 1, Other 10 |
Qualifications |
Board breadth of qualification experience |
Low |
Satisfactory |
Board Committees |
Committees members are part of |
 |
Opportunity |
Assembly Board Committees
Accreditation and Ordination Committee
- Gaynor Johnson (Chair)
- Colin Rolfs
- Nathan Walker
- Tony Ling
- Elliot Keane
- Cung Hnin
- Melinda Cousins
Assets Management Committee
- Daniel Gardiner (Chair)
- Bridget Townsend
- Josh Baldwin
- John Medlin
- Linda Carrapiett
- Melinda Cousins
Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee
- James Whalland (Chair)
- Daniel Gardiner
- Glenn Dixon
- Melinda Cousins
Moderating Committee
- Melinda Cousins (Chair)
- Mark Sanders
- Andrew Turner
- Mark Foley
- Scott Cadman
Nomination and Remuneration Committee
- Karen Walker (Chair)
- Daniel Gardiner
- Gaynor Johnson
- Melinda Cousins