Under the leadership of our risen and reigning saviour Jesus, Gospel Church is led by a group of elders who seek to show the servant hearted leadership of Jesus as they work to equip the church for gospel ministry. At this point, that group consists of:
John Cook
John grew up in Minlaton, but spent about a decade living interstate in Alice Springs and Brisbane. In Brisbane he studied at the Brisbane School of Theology and worked as a pastor. In addition to being a pastor, he also works as a nurse. He is married to Krystal and they are the parents of four adorable, loud children.
In addition to John, Gospel Church also has two external elders, Mike Westhuyzen from Enoggera Baptist Church and Jake Swadling from Anchor Church Port Adelaide. We’re deeply grateful for these two men and their families who give sacrificially of their time and gifts for the sake of the Kingdom of God outside their immediate sphere, and much of the work of Gospel Church would not have been possible without them.
Mike Westhuyzen (left) and Jake and Kathy Swadling (Right)
Both of our external elders are men who have been called as elders (pastors) of their own churches, having been tested by the measures of Scripture (e.g. 1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9) and having a solid track record of Christ honouring ministry both personally and as leaders of the Church.
The structure of external elders is seen as a temporary necessity in the formative years of Gospel Church, we take seriously the words “do not be hasty in the laying on of hands (1 Timothy 5:22), but we earnestly seek to have exclusively local leadership in the long term.