Pastors' Academy
Lecturers & Pastoral Support Team
Revd Dr Garry Williams
Director, Pastors’ Academy
Garry oversees the work of the Academy, teaching Study Hours, Days, Projects, and on the ThM course. Alongside his work at the Pastors’ Academy he serves as the Minister of Ebenezer Chapel, Luton, a congregation in the International Presbyterian Church, and teaches Systematic Theology on the Pastoral Training Course.
Garry holds a Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctorate in theology from Oxford. His master’s was in Reformation theology, and his Doctorate, supervised by Oliver O’Donovan, was on Hugo Grotius’s defence of the catholic doctrine of the atonement. He is Adjunct Professor of Historical Theology (doctoral program) at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary (Michigan).
Garry has published numerous book chapters and journal articles, and two popular-level books. His long-term project (God willing) is to publish a multi-volume organic study of penal substitutionary atonement formed by the way in which the Gospels use the figures, types, and covenant of the Old Testament to interpret the person and work of Christ, taking the historical proponents of the doctrine as teachers, and exploring pertinent dogmatic questions at the points where they naturally arise within that covenantally-shaped framework.
Dr Matthew Mason
Assistant Director, Pastors' Academy
Matthew helps to oversee the work of the Academy and teaches on ethics study days and the master’s course. He supervises pastors working on study projects, and leads the online ethics reading group. He is also an Associate Fellow of the Kirby Laing Centre for Public Theology, and teaches Ethics on the Pastoral Training Course.
Previously, Matthew served as a pastor of churches in England and the USA. He has published journal articles and book chapters on sexuality, gender, transgender, catechesis, and the Lord’s Supper, and is currently working on a theological commentary on Ruth. His longer-term writing project involves work in the area of theological anthropology. More generally, he is interested in the intersection of doctrine and ethics as aspects of the ministry of the Word of God.
Steven Bowers
Director of Pastoral Support
Steven and the Pastoral Support team complement our theological work with pastors by providing them with one-to-one pastoral support, as well as study days on topics specific to pastoral ministry. Steven is based in West Yorkshire, and works alongside Malcolm MacGregor providing pastoral support in the North of England.
Steven retired as Director of European Missionary Fellowship at the end of 2020. Prior to that he served for 36 years as Pastor of Cornerstone Church Brighouse, West Yorkshire, and was part of a team providing training for Pastors mainly in Yorkshire.
Revd Malcolm MacGregor
Pastoral Support Worker
Malcolm works alongside Steven and the team in providing pastoral support to pastors, primarily in the east of England where he is based.
Malcolm was a pastor for 37 years, first at a church in industrial Lancashire and then for eighteen years at Cauldwell Hall Road Baptist church, Ipswich. Since retiring, Malcolm has continued to serve the Lord in the church and through the local pastors’ network and fraternals. He is also a member of the team running the Suffolk School of Christian Studies.
Phil Raine
Pastoral Support Worker
Phil is serving alongside Steven and the team in providing pastoral support for those in the Midlands.
He is married to Beth and they have 6 grown up children. Phil has served as a Pastor in Leicester and Bristol for over 30 years, and they are now settled in Leicester. Before the Lord called him into pastoral ministry, Phil was a GP in the Bristol area. Phil loves encouraging and supporting others and excels in the ministry of serving tea and coffee! Beth has also been involved in supporting Pastor’s wives through the Midlands Pastor’s wives’ group.
Mike Plant
Pastoral Support Worker
Mike is working alongside Steven and the team providing pastoral support for those in the North of England.
He is married to Margaret and they have two adult sons. Mike has served as a Pastor in the North-East and in Devon and also worked full-time in pastoral support with the Evangelical Fellowship of Congregational Churches. Mike served for 40 years in these ministries and is now living on Teesside. Mike has been involved with local fraternals and with local initiatives in training and has written one book: ‘Before the Throne of God above’ (Day One Publications). His experience in pastoral ministry, and in supporting others in their ministries means he has a deep concern to support and help pastors function well and cope in today’s challenging environment.
