Tom was at College from 1966 to 1969 and lived on campus as a single man, as was required. At that time boarders needed to fulfil many basic tasks on rosters to keep the College operating. There was much to enjoy in community life. He shared that one area he particularly enjoyed “was the challenging debates among my peers, as we tried to ensure a right understanding of the Scriptures. Friendships forged in those years, have endured to the present.”
After College he served briefly as an assistant at Carlingford and at Peakhurst/Lugarno, then took responsibility for McCallums Hill and Cooks River. Both parishes had fallen on hard times. He recalls that “expository preaching, loving care and missionary focus were used by God to produce another generation of ministers, missionaries and Biblical Lay leaders”.
After brief service with CMS in Sabah in East Malaysia, invitations came to teach and demonstrate expository preaching in various countries. At first, Cooks River Parish programmed 6-8 weeks annually for this to happen, but Tom decided to resign in 2006 to take up more opportunities. The Dean of Sydney at the time, Philip Jensen, invited him onto the staff of the Cathedral, where he remained until 2019.
Since resigning from the Cathedral staff he has had more time to prepare for overseas ministry. He now makes 4-5 trips annually in places as diverse as India, Sri Lanka, Asia, Canada, Europe and the UK. He now also has more time for writing. His most recent book “Real Men Do Cry” [an exposition of Nehemiah] is being translated into the Indian language Telugu and should also be available in Tamil and Hindi. With his wife Clare, they are now part of the Carlton congregation in the St George North Parish.
Then came 2020! Since escaping from India on the last flight out of Bangalore before the airport was closed on 21 March, 2020, Tom has experienced the longest period in 25 years without flying. The new factor in his ministry is preaching and teaching by Zoom, both within Australia and overseas. This reduces the strain and expense of travelling, but leaves an aching void in fellowship with the people being served. As part of their support to more than 1,000 missionaries, Indian Evangelical Mission are producing videos based on Christian biographies for use by missionaries and evangelists to supplement and illustrate Bible teaching across India. Tom is editing basic English scripts for easy translation into 10 languages. Plans are also in hand for systematic Bible teaching and lectures on expository preaching through a dedicated youtube channel. He sees this approach as a supplementary way of doing things under present restrictions, rather than a permanent replacement for personal ministry. There are no hugs and handshakes on Zoom; not to mention an absence of international cuisine and the joy of crossing cultures regularly.
