We have a team of experienced and inspiring module leaders who are all “practitioners of what they preach”, including:
Jonny Baker, course leader, specialises in gospel and culture and applying creativity to worship. He is author of Alternative Worship and Curating Worship and has been networking with mission leaders and catalysing mission training for the last decade. He teaches theological reflection, mission and worship modules.
Dr Cathy Ross is tutor in contextual theology at Ripon College Cuddesdon and tutor in mission at Regent’s Park College. She is currently the general secretary of the International Association for Mission Studies. She is the author of Women with a Mission and has taught all over the world. She oversees the MA and will teach mission and theology in a global context.
Shannon Hopkins leads the missional entrepreneurship module. Shannon is director of an umbrella organisation that develops social enterprises.
John Drane, one of the UK’s leading missiologists and author of several books, teaches New Testament.
Mark Berry, CMS pioneer of Safespace in Telford, teaches on pioneer ministry.
Dean Ayres, a chaplain at the West of England University, teaches Old Testament.
Jim Barker, member of the Home community in Oxford and a consultant in leadership and organisational change, teaches missional leadership.
Paul Thaxter has worked with CMS for 20 years, first in Pakistan and then pioneering CMS mission in the UK emerging culture. He teaches The Bible’s Big Story: Our Story.
Johnny Sertin, who has pioneered a new friary in southwest London and is cofounder of make believe, a learning community exploring vocation as it relates to mission, teaches on mission spirituality.
Debbie James, having facilitated numerous CMS teams to go elsewhere in the world, will teach on contextual mission and facilitate cross cultural placements.
Berdine Van den Toren, leader of CMS People in Mission training, teaches the mission story of the church and cross cultural skills.
Andy Freeman, the pioneer hub co-ordinator for the South Central RTP, teaches pastoral care and co-ordinates student support.
CMS missiologists in residence. Two or three times a year CMS hosts a missiologist from elsewhere in the world, usually the majority world, who contributes to the teaching. For example, Rose Uchem from Nigeria taught on contextual theology and mission spirituality. Past missiologists have included: Rene Padilla, Steve Bevans, Lalsangkima Pachuau and Atola Longkumer.
Guest pioneers. Each module also incorporates one or two guest pioneers who speak at pioneer witness sessions and reflect on how the module connects with their practice.
Helen Harwood is our course administrator.
