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.

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.

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.

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

• 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.

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.

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.

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.