After Regents...
Alex Hunt's journey from theology student to church pastor shows what's possible when we rethink traditional pathways to ministry.
For three years, Motherwell Elim Church searched for a pastor. It's a great church with a capable team, so finding someone should have been straightforward. Yet every door seemed to close. Meanwhile, 400 miles south at Regents Theological College, a second-year student named Alex Hunt was feeling an unmistakable call to Scotland, even though he hadn't finished his degree. What happened next shows how creative partnerships and bold faith can turn impossible situations into unexpected opportunities.
James Glass:
(NLT and Regional Leader for Scotland, the North Midlands & North-West regions)
“When I was a Minister-in-Training, one of Elim’s great leaders used to say, ‘You don’t have problems, you have opportunities.’
“For about three years there was exactly this type of opportunity in seeking a pastor for Elim’s Motherwell Church.
“It’s a great church with a really capable and supportive team, so finding a new pastor should have been straightforward. However, that was not the way it was working out and there didn’t seem to be an obvious solution to the problem.
“That’s when the ‘problem’ became an ‘opportunity’.
“On a visit to the Elim International Centre in Malvern, where our theological college and training centre is also based, I was introduced to Alex Hunt who shared his desire to pastor in Scotland.
“Alex was about to complete the second year of his BA (Hons) in Applied Theology at Regents Theological College with a focus on Church Leadership.
“With support from Michelle Nunn (NLT and Principal of Regents) and Stuart Blount (NLT and Director of Ministry), things moved very quickly.
“We arranged an interview and were soon making plans for Alex, his wife Stacey and their two children to move to Scotland, where he became pastor at the Motherwell Elim Church in September.
“The opportunity enabled a Regents student to fulfil their call and begin pastoring as he was coming to the end of his studies. It also opened the door for a young leader to pastor an Elim church and become a core part of the Elim community in that region.
“It has been really encouraging to see all the parties embrace the way forward so enthusiastically, and impressive to watch Alex and Stacey step out in faith.
“I’m equally impressed to see the way Regents can so effectively train a new young leader for our movement, and how the Motherwell church took hold of this opportunity.
“Of course, none of this would have happened without the support of Regents who have been exceptional in the way that they have made it possible.
“Who knows, this might be reigniting another chapter in our continued partnership between Regents and the Elim churches in releasing students to pastoral ministry in a church-based context whilst they continue their final theological studies and training in leadership.”
Michelle Nunn:
(NLT and Principal of Regents Theological College)
“Regents was established over 100 years ago will the aim of training ministers for Elim, and the mission field.
“When Alex, who was studying in the second year of his degree, felt the call to Scotland, we were able to connect him with James Glass, Scotland’s Regional Leader.
“James knew Motherwell Elim had been hoping for a minister for several years.
“Working together with Stuart Blount, Elim’s Director of Ministries, we were all able to support Alex as he considered taking the bold step of changing from being a campus student to learning in context (from home) while applying to the Elim Ministerial Selection Board.
“And so, in September I was accompanied by Jenny Kimble, Regent’s Dean of Undergraduate Studies, at Alex’s induction service in Motherwell.
“Alex, Stacey, and their children seemed to be fitting right in, and are already expressing how blessed they felt to be leading the church whilst he completes his final years of studies.
“We now see Alex at Regents for one week in five as he visits the Malvern campus to complete the 3rd year of his degree in Applied Theology with Church Leadership and Management.
“It is so good to hear that they are thriving as a family, in their ministry, and in the way God has provided and settled them in Motherwell.
This article was first featured in the Your Elim newsletter. You can read the Your Elim newsletter here, and sign up to the newsletter here.