BIBLE, MINISTRY & THEOLOGY

• Ross Clifford (AM) - Principal

  

  Principal

  Diploma of Law, Diploma of Ministry, Bachelor of Theology (First class Hons.), Master of Arts: Law/Theology, Master of Theology, Doctor of Theology.

  Ross Clifford has been Principal of Morling College since 1997. He joined the College faculty as a lecturer in Theology in 1992 after twelve years of pastoral work at South Windsor and Gymea Baptist Churches. Before he entered the ministry he practised law in New South Wales and the Northern Territory. Ross’ focus areas include apologetics, ethics and Theology.

  Recent Publications

  Taboo or To Do? Is Christianity complementary with yoga, martial arts, Hallowe’en, mindfulness and other alternative practices? (London: Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd, 2017) (Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress, 2020), Clifford & Johnson

  The Cross Is Not Enough (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2012), Clifford & Johnson

  Apologetic Preaching and Teaching for the Church and the Marketplace (Macquarie Park, NSW: Morling Press, 2011)

  “Apologetics, Persuasion, and Pastoral Care” in Tough-Minded Christianity: Honoring the Legacy of John Warwick Montgomery (eds. William Dembski and Thomas Schirrmacher (Nashville: B & H Academic), 2008)

  “Do-it-yourself: New Age Spirituality” in A Spectator’s guide to World Views: Ten ways of understanding life (Sydney: Blue Bottle Books, 2007)

  John Warwick Montgomery’s Legal Apologetic: An Apologetic for all Seasons (Verlag für Kultur und Wissenschaft/Culture and Science Publishers, Bonn, Germany, 2004)

  “Reframing a Traditional Apologetic to Reach ‘New Spirituality’ Seekers,” in Encountering New Religious Movements: A Holistic Evangelical Approach (Irving Hexham, Stephen Rost and John Morehead, eds. (Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2004))

  Beyond Prediction: The Tarot and Your Spirituality (Oxford: Lion, 2001)

  The International Gods of Sport (Sydney: Strand, 1999)

  Leading Lawyer's Look at the Resurrection (Sutherland: Albatross Books, 1991)

  View Ross Clifford's blog posts here.

• David Starling - Chief Academic Officer

  

  Chief Academic Officer

  MA, Dip Ed, BTh (Hons), BMin, PhD

  David Starling joined the Morling faculty in 2005 and has lectured since then in New Testament, Hermeneutics, Greek and Theology.

  He became the Head of Morling’s Bible and Theology Department in 2014, and was appointed as the Chief Academic Officer in 2019. He exercises a senior role in ministry and leadership, overseeing learning, teaching and research across the faculties.

  David worked as an English teacher in Western Sydney before completing theological studies and serving as a pastor in Sydney's Inner West. He and his family currently attend Chatswood Baptist Church.

  Recent Publications

  Reading Ephesians and Colossians (Smyth & Helwys, 2020)

  Hermeneutics as Apprenticeship (Baker Academic, 2016)

  UnCorinthian Leadership (Cascade, 2014)

  Not my People: Gentiles as Exiles in Pauline Hermeneutics (DeGruyter, 2011).

  View Publications by David Starling here.

• Gayle Kent - Chief Community Life Officer

  

  Chief Community Life Officer
  Lecturer in Pastoral and Practical Studies

  BADipEd, GradDip Counselling, MAChrSt, MIntEd (School Leadership), GradCert Professional Supervision (Pastoral)

  Gayle joined the Morling team in 2006, serving as the Dean of Students from 2008-2019 before being appointed as the Chief Community Life Officer. Her role involves overseeing our teams who interact with students at all points of their journey at Morling, with a particular focus on student services and student success. She enjoys working with others to develop a welcoming, supportive and transformative community for students and staff. Gayle also lectures in the Pastoral and Practical studies units; drawing on her experience in pastoral ministry and professional supervision. She has a passion for all people to grow together in wisdom, understanding and passion about how God has shaped them and what he has gifted them to do.

  Recent Publications

  "Adult, Single and Christian: Exploring the Impact of Gender Expectations and Family Roles." In The Gender Conversation : Evangelical Perspectives on Gender, Scripture, and the Christian Life, edited by Edwina Murphy and David Starling, 93-102. Macquarie Park, N.S.W.: Morling Press, 2016.

  Out of our Comfort Zones: Connecting transformative pedagogy and intercultural competence in Christian Higher Education Paper Presented at International Conference for Christian Educators BTI, Tauranga NZ 2018

• Tim MacBride - Dean of Bible and Theology

  

  Dean of Bible and Theology
  Lecturer in New Testament and Preaching 

  B.Th.(Hons), M.Th., Th.D., B.Mus., A.Mus.A.

  Tim has been at Morling since 2008 and is the Dean of the Bible & Theology faculty, lecturing in New Testament and Preaching. His research interest is in rhetoric - both in the New Testament texts and in contemporary preaching.

  Prior to teaching at Morling, Tim was the Associate Pastor at Narwee Baptist Church for 8 years.

  Recent Publications:

  To Aliens and Exiles: Preaching the New Testament as Minority-Group Rhetoric in a Post-Christendom World (Cascade, 2020).

  "Preaching Paul to Australians" in Preaching with an Accent, ed. Ian Hussey (Morling, 2020)

  "Aliens and Strangers: Minority Group Rhetoric in the Later New Testament Writings" in Into All The World, ed. Harding & Nobbs (Eerdmans, 2017).

  Catching the Wave: Preaching the New Testament as Rhetoric (IVP, 2016).

  Preaching the New Testament as Rhetoric: The Promise of Rhetorical Criticism for Expository Preaching (Wipf & Stock, 2014).

  coffeewiththeking.org

• Aaron Chidgzey - Online Developer and Lecturer in Christian Thought

  

  Online Developer and Lecturer in Christian Thought

  BTh (Hons), PhD

  Aaron began his undergraduate degree in theology at Vose in 2010 and loved it so much he never left. Even when he worked on his PhD at Murdoch University he was teaching at Vose and was involved in the VET courses. His research focuses on the resurrection of Jesus, the thought of Wolfhart Pannenberg and N.T. Wright, and has recently expanded into church history.

• Andrew Sloane - Lecturer in Old Testament and Christian Thought

  

  Lecturer in Old Testament and Christian Thought

  M.B.,B.S. (Hons 2A), B.Th. (Hons 1), Dip.Min., Th.D.

  Andrew was appointed Lecturer in Old Testament and Christian Thought in 2002. He teaches in the areas of integration of faith and work, OT exegesis (Genesis, Deuteronomy, 1&2 Samuel, Ezekiel, Psalms), OT interpretation, philosophy of religion and bioethics. Andrew qualified in medicine and practiced briefly as a doctor before going into Baptist ministry. Prior to moving to Morling, he taught at Ridley College in Melbourne (1996–2002). He has published in Old Testament and hermeneutics, ethics, philosophy, and theology.

  Recent Publications:

  Vulnerability and Care: Christian Reflections on the Philosophy of Medicine (London: Bloomsbury T&T Clark, 2016)

   At Home in a Strange Land: Using the Old Testament in Christian Ethics (Peabody: Hendrickson, 2008)

  Tamar's Tears: Evangelical Engagements with Feminist Old Testament Hermeneutics (Eugene, OR: Pickwick, 2012) - editor

  Andrew’s current research focuses on matters relating to theology of medicine, the integration of faith and work, and philosophical theology.

  View further information about Andrew Sloane’s research.

• Anthony Petterson - Lecturer in Old Testament and Biblical Hebrew

  

  Lecturer in Old Testament and Biblical Hebrew

  BSc, BD (Hons), BMin, PhD

  Anthony Petterson joined the faculty at Morling College in 2006 as a Lecturer in Old Testament and Hebrew. Anthony teaches Old Testament Foundations, Old Testament Prophets and Writings, and various Old Testament exegesis subjects. He is currently writing a commentary on the first six minor prophets. He is the course advisor for MDiv, MMin, GradDipDiv, GradCert students.

  Anthony was pastor of Hornsby Heights Baptist Church from 1999-2002, and associate pastor of Grosvenor Road Baptist Church in Dublin, Ireland, from 2002-2006. During his time in Ireland, he also completed a PhD through Queen’s University Belfast.

  Recent Publications:

  His publications include Behold Your King: The Hope for the House of David in the Book of Zechariah (LHBOTS), a commentary on Haggai, Zechariah & Malachi (Apollos), study notes on Haggai and Zechariah for the NIV (Zondervan) Study Bible edited by Don Carson, and study notes on the Twelve Minor Prophets in the Grace and Truth Study Bible edited by Albert Mohler. His ongoing research interest is in the Book of the Twelve Prophets.

  Other publications: https://morlingcollege.academia.edu/AnthonyPetterson

• Brian Harris - Lecturer in Christian Ministry & Thought

  

  Lecturer in Christian Ministry & Thought

  Education Adjunct Lecturer

  BSocSc, BTh, BTh (Hons), MTh, PhD

  Brian has pastored churches in South Africa, New Zealand and Australia, and has also been involved in theological education in each of these countries. He was the Principal of Vose Seminary, in Perth Australia from 2004 - 2020. Brian has served on the board of several Christian schools including the Western Australian and National Council of Christian Schools Australia. Brian is in demand as a speaker and teacher. His PhD has been published by Mellen Press, and he has written numerous articles in both scholarly and popular journals, and well as contributing chapters to several books.

• David Cohen - Director of Research

  

  Director of Research and Lecturer in Hebrew Bible and Language

  DipT., BEd., BD (Hons), GradDipTh, MA(Th), PhD

  David was the Head of the Department of Biblical Studies on the Vose campus from 2004 as well as lecturer in Hebrew Bible and language. At the beginning of 2022, David was appointed Director of Research, which he has taken on in addition to his lecturing. 

  David is also the Head of Bible and Languages for the Australian College of Theology which offers him the opportunity to see what is happening in this area of teaching across the consortium.

  Recent Publications:

  ‘Getting to the Heart of the Matter – A Lamentable Situation’ in Michael Parsons (ed.), Text and Task: Scripture and Mission (Carlisle: Paternoster, 2005) 50-63.

  ‘A Prophet in Motion’ in David J Cohen and Michael Parsons (eds.) On Eagles’ Wings (Eugene, Oregon: Wipf and Stock, 2008).

  ‘Praying the Lament Psalms’ in J. Harold Ellens (ed.), Healing Power of Spirituality and Religion (Westport, Connecticut: Praeger Publishers, 2009).

  ‘Journey to the center of the heart: Psalm 19 as transformance in David J Cohen and Michael Parsons (eds.), In Praise of worship: Text and practice (Eugene, Oregon: Wipf and Stock, 2009).

  Beyond 400: Exploring Baptist Futures, David J Cohen and Michael Parsons (eds.) (Eugene, Oregon: Wipf and Stock, 2010).

  “Possession is Nine-Tenths of the Law: Psalm 24, the Environment and Human Responsibility.” Torch Trinity Journal 14, no. 1 (May 2011): 23-37.

  Why O Lord? Carlisle, U.K.: Paternoster Press, 2013.

  “Biblical Studies— Whence and Where?” in Nathan Hobby, John Olley and Michael O’Neil (eds.), Vose Seminary at Fifty, pp. 161-174 (Preston, Victoria: Mosaic Press, 2013).

  “At the Edge of the Precipice: Psalm 89 as Liturgical Memory.” Paradosis 2 (2015): 127–144.

  Praying Lament Psalms: The Psychodynamics of Distress. Paternoster biblical monographs. Bletchley, Milton Keynes: Paternoster, 2016.

  “An Encounter with Midbar as Liminal Space and the Enigma of Mosaic Leadership.” In Essays on Moses from Buenos Aires: Moses in Three Traditions and in Literature, edited by John Tracy Greene, 133–150. 1st Unabridged edition. S.l.: Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2017.

  “Why O Lord? Lament as a window to the human experience of suffering” in Finding Lost Words: The Church’s Right to Lament, G. G. Harper and K. Barker (eds.), 176-192. ACT Monograph Series, Eugene: Wipf & Stock, 2017.

  “Using the Psalms in Ministry,” Crucible: Theology and Ministry 8.2, November (2017).

  Co-authored with Erin Martine Sessions “Psalms are the Manna of the Church: Preaching the Psalter to Australians”, Ian Hussey (ed.), 103-124. Sydney: Morling Press, 2019.

  ———. “The Goldilocks Planet: When it’s just not right.” In Beyond Four Walls: An exploration of being church, edited by Michael D. O’Neil and Peter Elliott 176-192. Eugene, Oregon: Wipf and Stock 2020.

  Forthcoming publications:

  ———. “Discovering Jesus in the Psalms: Early Christian reception of the Psalms as messianic texts.” In Afterlives: Jesus in Global Perspectives, edited by Gregory C. Jenks. Westar Studies Series, Eugene: Wipf and Stock, 2021.

• Graeme Dunkley - Lecturer in Missions

  

  Lecturer in Missions

  Cert IV TAA, B.Eng. B.Th. MA Min

  Graeme joined us in 2020 to lecture in Mission. He was Associate Pastor at Nowra Baptist before serving in ministry for a number of years in the Middle East. Graeme has also pastored other churches and worked in other roles in Mission agencies.

• Keith Mitchell - Lecturer in Pastoral and Practical Studies

  

  Lecturer in Pastoral and Practical Studies

  PhD, M.Ed, B.Min, Dip.Th, B.Bus

  Keith commenced at Morling in 2010 and teaches in areas of ministry formation, leadership and management, spirituality, pastoral care, theological reflection, worship, and pastoral development.

  Keith has a passion to see people formed in a healthy and effective Christ centered ways for ministry. Keith's research is in the area of developing leadership sustainability and resilience in pastors; ensuring strong spiritual development in ministry formation processes; and growing together in faith through Christian worship.

  Besides enabling people to become reflective practitioners, Keith has a focus on ensuring awareness and insight are developed in students for effectiveness in ministry.

  Prior to teaching full time at Morling, Keith had been involved in pastoral ministry for over 17 years, and taught pastoral units part time at Morling and other theological colleges.

  Recent Publications

  Mitchell, Keith. 2021. "Sustainability and Preventing Dropout in the Human Services Industry: A Study of Pastors in the Australian Context." In Transforming vocation : connecting theology, church, and the workplace for a flourishing world, edited by David Benson, Kara Martin and Andrew Sloane, Eugene, Oregon: Wipf and Stock.

  "Sustainability in Ministry and the Prevention of Dropout for Australian Baptist Pastors Serving in Local Church-Based Ministries." Doctor of Philosophy PhD, University of Technology Sydney, 2020. http://hdl.handle.net/10453/140793

  "Truth, Traditional Teaching, and Constructivism." In Foundations of Education : A Christian Vision, edited by Matthew Bruce Etherington. Eugene, Or.: Wipf & Stock, 2014.

  Keith also has an interest in ensuring that pastors have a clear theological understanding of faith and work and so is part of a cohort of Australian pastors connected with the Oikonomia network, USA and Reventure, Australia. Since spiritual formation is important to Keith he, also, has connections with Renovaré surrounding aspects of spiritual formation and Christian worship.

• Lloyd Porter - Associate Dean of Bible and Theology

  

  Associate Dean of Bible and Theology, Lecturer in Missions

  PhD candidate, MA Leadership & Theology, Diploma of Theology (Spurgeon's College UK), Bachelor of Applied Science - Quantity Surveying, Diploma of Architectural Drafting

  Lloyd joined Vose Seminary in 2013 as the Director of Missions and was also the Academic Dean at Vose for the last two years prior to the merger. Lloyd is now the Associate Dean of Bible and Theology with Morling and lectures in Mission.

  Lloyd served as a missionary in Russia for 15 years and continues to visit Siberia regularly teaching and training in OM Russia's discipleship training school.

• Marc Rader - Lecturer in Bible and Theology

  

  Lecturer in Bible and Theology

  Bachelor of Religious Studies (Tyndale), Grad. Dip Arts (History) (Sydney), D.Min (Morling)

  Marc was appointed as a part-time faculty member in 2005 and has taught a wide variety of subjects over the last decade. His area of expertise is preaching which was the focus of his doctoral work which he completed in 2013.

  Marc is also the senior pastor of Gymea Baptist Church, a large, multi-staff church in Sydney's south where he has been since his arrival from Canada in 1997. 

  Recent Publications

  "Preaching Wisdom to Australians" in Preaching With An Accent: Biblical genres for Australian congregations, 2019, Ian Hussey (ed.), Morling Press, Sydney

  "Looking backward to look forward: Insights from the past for preaching in the future" in Text Messages: Preaching God's Word in a Smartphone World, 2017, John Tucker (ed.), Wipf&Stock, Eugene, OR.

• Michael Kok - Lecturer in New Testament

  

  Lecturer in New Testament

  PhD, MA in Religious Studies, BA in Religion and Theology with a Specialisation in Biblical Studies

  After serving as an adjunct lecturer and ministry intern in Canada, Michael moved to Perth in 2018 to take up the role of New Testament Lecturer at Vose Seminary. Michael teaches in the area of the New Testament and early Christian history. He supervises research projects, advises undergraduate students in their course pathways, plans student events with the student team, and organises Perth Chapel.

• Michael O'Neil - Dean of Campus - Perth Vose Campus

  

  Dean of Campus - Perth Vose Campus and Lecturer in Christian Thought and History

  PhD

  Michael has taught Christian Thought and History at Vose Campus in Perth since 2010. He has particular interests in the theology of Karl Barth, theological ethics, and the doctrine and practice of the Christian life. Michael says, “I love the way reading and studying theology has deepened my faith, broadened my vision, enriched my ministry and changed my life. I hope you find that studying theology brings you into closer proximity to and alignment with Jesus.”

  Recent Publications

  O’Neil, Michael D. & Peter Elliott (eds.), Beyond Four Walls: An Exploration of Being the Church (Eugene, OR.: Wipf & Stock, 2020)

  Church as Moral Community: Karl Barth’s Vision of Christian Life, 1915-1922 (Milton Keynes: Paternoster, 2013)

  Hobby, N., Olley, J. & O’Neil, M. (eds.), Vose Seminary At Fifty: From “Preach The Word” to “Come Grow” (Melbourne: Mosaic Press, 2013). 

  https://theologyandchurch.com/

• Mike Frost - Director of the Tinsley Institute

  

  Director of the Tinsley Institute

  DMin, MA, BTh.

  Michael Frost is the Director of the Tinsley Institute, the mission study centre he founded at Morling 20 years ago. Michael teaches such units as Missional Leadership, Evangelism Principles, Preaching II, History of Christian Mission, Church Planting, Cultural Exegesis, and the odd NT unit. Michael was also the Vice Principal at Morling for 12 years. He is an internationally recognised missiologist and one of the leading voices in the missional church movement. He is the author or editor of 20 theological books, some of which are required reading in colleges and seminaries around the world, and he is much sought after as an international conference speaker. He is also an adjunct or visiting professor with several seminaries in the USA.

  Michael was one of the founders of the Forge Mission Training Network and the founder of the missional Christian community, Smallboatbigsea, based in Manly in Sydney’s north.

  Recent Publications:

  Jesus the Fool (1994; 2007; 2010)

  Longing for Love (1996)

  Seeing God in the Ordinary (1998; 2000)

  Lessons from Reel Life (2001) co-authored with Robert Banks

  Freedom to Explore (2001)

  The Shaping of Things to Come (2003) co-authored with Alan Hirsch

  Speaking of Mission (2006) - editor

  Exiles (2006)

  ReJesus (2008) co-authored with Alan Hirsch

  The Faith of Leap (2011) co-authored with Alan Hirsch

  The Road to Missional (2011)

  The Big Ideas (2011)

  Speaking of Mission Vol.2 (2013) - editor

  Incarnate (2014)

  InterVarsity Press (2014)

  Surprise the World! (2016)

  To Alter Your World (2017) co-authored with Christiana Rice

  Keep Christianity Weird (2018)

  Not in Kansas Anymore (2020) co-edited with Darrell Jackson and David Starling

  Hide This in Your Heart (2020) co-authored with Graham Joseph Hill

  Blog at www.mikefrost.net

• Monica O'Neil - Lecturer in Christian Ministry and Practice

  

  Lecturer in Christian Ministry and Practice

  Doctor of Ministry candidate, MA (Min); Grad Cert Min; Grad Cert Professional Supervision

  Monica was the Director of Vose Leadership before Vose merged with Morling, and is now a lecturer in Christian Ministry and Practice. She is an experienced minister, facilitator and strategy consultant, with a demonstrated history of working in professional training and coaching.

  Monica is the senior minister at Living Grace Dianella Church of Christ, and she serves on the leadership of Australian Christian Mentoring Network.

  Recent Publications

  O'Neil, Monica (2021) Tethered between Reality and Aspiration: Grounding and Formative Practices for Australian Leaders in Grounded in the Body, in Time and Place, in Scripture: Papers by Australian Women Scholars in the Evangelical Tradition. Edited by Jill Firth and Denise Cooper-Clarke. ACT Monograph Series. Wipf and Stock

• Nicole Starling - Lecturer in Church History

  

  Lecturer in Church History

  BA/LLB (Hons), MA(CS), MRes, PhD

  Nicole began teaching Christianity in History at Morling in 2014 before joining the Bible and Theology faculty in 2022. She competed her doctorate and post-doctoral fellowship through Macquarie University, researching the relationship between religious belief and enlightenment morality in the Australian temperance movement. Her research is focussed on the history of evangelicalism, Christian social activism and the church in Australia. Nicole is a member of the Evangelical History Association Executive and from 2023 will the Editor of their journal, Lucas.
  Nicole was previously a member of the pastoral team at Chatswood Baptist where she continues to serve as a member.

  Recent publications:

  “‘Victims of Intemperance’: Status Politics and Clerical Drunkenness in the Second-Wave Temperance Societies of Colonial Sydney,” Australian Historical Studies, Vol 53, 1, 2022, 43.

  “‘An auxiliary, not an usurper’: John Saunders, Temperance, and Secularisation,” Journal of Religious History 43 (2019): 380–99.

  “‘A combination of aristocrats and religionists’? Religion, class and respectability in the Temperance activism of John Saunders,” Lucas: An Evangelical History Review 2.13 (2019): 13–38.

  “‘Only Connect’: E. M. Forster, the Bloomsbury group, and the two Marianne Thorntons,” Fides et Historia 49 (2017): 16–35.

• Paul Kang - Lecturer in Pastoral and Practical Studies

  

  Lecturer in Pastoral and Practical Studies
  Director of Korean Program

  PhD, M.Div, M.A., B.A

  Paul began to serve Morling College from 2019 as a lecturer in Pastoral and Practical Studies and overseeing the Korean program. Paul was born in South Korea but he grew up in Australia where he finished most of his schooling.

  Paul has a diverse ministry and academic experiences having done studies and ministry in Australia, South Korea, and the United States. His doctorate study (Christian Education emphasis) was completed in Talbot School of Theology, in California, United States. Prior to teaching at Morling, Paul was involved with pastoral ministry for over 18 years serving in areas of multicultural ministries (Sri Lanka, Korea) youth ministry, and both young and old adults ministry, and taught Christian education and leadership courses in Torch Trinity Graduate University in Korea (2013 to 2018).

  Recent Publications

  “Integration of Faith and Learning: Reflections in Christian Education Context”, Theology and Praxis,54, 425-448, 2017.

  “Teaching in a world that cries out for authenticity: Reflections on teacher authenticity in Christian education”, Korea Society for Christian Education & Information Technology, 30, 121-141, 2016.

  “Teaching for transformation: Exploring potential domains of transformative learning”, Korea Society for Christian Education & Information Technology, 28, 99-125, 2015.

  “Perception and Experience of Transformative Learning and Faculty Authenticity among North American Professors of Christian Education”, Christian Education Journal, 10(Fall), 339-359. 2013.

• Stephen Bray - Educational Designer

  

  Educational Designer

  PhD [Candidate], BEd(AdultEd), BTh, GradCertTheology, GradCertHigherEd, CertIVTAE, MACE

  Stephen works alongside academic faculty, designing, developing and delivering online and on campus courses, providing educational and technical expertise, including administering the Morling Online learning management system. In addition, he teaches church history units online and occasionally on campus.

  Stephen has academic interests in the history and practice of theological education, ministry formation, and technologically integrated learning. His PhD thesis looks at the study of Christian history as a part of the theological education curriculum, and its capacity to shape Christians for kingdom ministry.

• Steve Dixon - Coordinator of Youth Ministry Studies

  

  Coordinator of Youth Ministry Studies

  MA(Ministry); MDiv; BIT

  Steve commenced on staff at Morling in 2013 and oversees our youth ministry offerings. Steve has a passion to see the local church be effective in its ministry for and with the next generation. Steve also works with the Baptist Association of Churches in NSW and ACT to support and equip churches in their youth adult ministries.