Meet the Students

Will He

Third Year

Prior to coming to college, I had been at Macquarie University for five years. University was an incredibly formative time for me, as I came to grips with my struggles in academia, and my passion for genuine discipleship and mentoring. I did an AFES Apprenticeship in those last two years at Macquarie and found it thoroughly joyful and challenging. Among the highs and lows, I definitely saw the bigger picture of God’s Word at work on campus and in the lives of the students. It kept me humble and kept me keen to continue being a part of God’s work.

Coming to college felt like the logical step after finishing my AFES Apprenticeship. But why should that be the case, and why Moore? I had no immediate answers before coming to college. Answering the second question was much easier; Moore had a reputation of being a thorough and challenging theological college, and I knew I needed to be challenged and pushed in the way that I think and in the way that I work.

The first question was harder to address. Although I started my apprenticeship with the expectation and hope to go on to do further biblical study, I wondered why I should stop what I was already doing, and also address my anxieties about returning to study. But in order to be better equipped for the sake of future gospel work and for those I will serve in the future, I applied to Moore towards the end of my apprenticeship.

My college experience has been holistically challenging; in thinking, in reading, in detail, in articulation, in consequence, and all in regard to handling God’s Word faithfully and carefully. But that was expected. Overcoming my anxieties about studying was the harder task and was not going to be easy and definitely not going to be accomplished alone. I’ve found that one of the most impelling elements has been the community at college.

Through the college community, I have seen Christian love for each other poured out in droves, as we support one another in our study and in our ministry, studying and serving together—where one succeeds, we’ve all succeeded, and where one fails, we’ve all failed.

… challenging in thinking, in reading, in detail, in articulation, in consequence, and all in regard to handling God’s Word faithfully and carefully.

Although I try to remain open to the possibilities of serving the Lord wherever, my current passions are university students, and also third-culture individuals, especially Australian-born Chinese. The tentative plan is to return to the university context, to preach and teach the Word faithfully and clearly, so that we might present everyone as mature in Christ.

Stuart Jansen

Third Year

Before coming to Moore College, I was living just down the coast in Wollongong. I went to university to study history with the original intention of becoming a teacher. But after a couple of years I realised that I was passionate about teaching the Bible.

I then enrolled at Youthworks College to study a Diploma of Theology / Children’s Ministry. During my two years there I worked as a kids’ ministry trainee at my home church where I was able to be trained on the ground while applying what I was learning at Youthworks.

Part of the reason I chose to come to Moore was the great opportunity to come straight into second year at Moore through their partnership with Youthworks. This meant that I could take what I had already been learning and experiencing, and transition into life at Moore, cutting a year off my degree here. I also knew that Moore had a great reputation for faithfully teaching the Bible.

Lots changed very quickly in the year I moved to College. I left my home town, my home church and my family. Though all those things are only an hour away, it was a scary time. But moving into the singles’ quarters at College made the transition far easier than I had anticipated. Even though I was crashing into second year, they welcomed me and made Newtown feel like home very quickly. Moore has also built on the things I learnt at Youthworks College and has continued to challenge me in the way that I read and teach the Bible.

I’m currently looking to pursue children’s ministry after college. Kids are such an important part of God’s family, and I love getting alongside them and our families to help them grow in love and knowledge of God. At the moment I’m exploring options of heading overseas to places where people doing kids ministry haven’t had access to the great training that those in Sydney have access to.

Paul Berzekian

Second Year

Before I had considered going into full time ministry, I was a graphic designer working in a branding agency.

A vast number of those who have had an influence on my Christian growth studied at Moore. When looking at options and thinking through strengths of different colleges, I was able to discern that Moore would be the best place to be trained for long term ministry of teaching the word of God.

I was in the singles accommodation last year and really loved the fellowship. It is good to meet so many different people who come from different intensities of training before college. So much is learnt from relating to each other.

My plans are flexible and changing. I would love to be in parish ministry with a team. But as a more specific plan, I would love to use the things I’m learning to teach the Bible to Armenian people in a context that I’m unsure about yet.

Karen Lawson-Smith

Fourth Year

I was studying Social Work at university (which I loved!) when I first began to think seriously about training for full-time ministry. Whilst on a hospital placement, I was really saddened that I couldn’t share the hope of Jesus with my clients. I wanted to be better equipped to do this! With the encouragement of my ministers, women who I read the Bible with one-to-one, and the staff workers at my uni Christian group, I decided to embark on a ministry apprenticeship. As I served uni students, I noticed that there were (many!) gaps in my understanding, and so I was encouraged to come to college to be further equipped to serve people.