Aug 08: Ordinand Interview - David Paterson



How did you first come to know the Lord?

I can remember sitting on the oval of my primary school one day talking with my best friend about whatever young boys talk about when they’re eight or nine years old. Then somehow the conversation turned to what happens when you die and my friend began to tell me in his own way about God and salvation as well as heaven and hell. These were pretty heavy themes for a young boy to get his head around and it was probably more the fear of hell than the love of God that motivated me but nevertheless that’s where my journey towards Jesus Christ began.


What inspired you to become ordained?

Like most people growing up in their final years at high school, I came to the point where I inevitably asked myself what do I want to do with the rest of my life. While most of my friends seemed to have a plan about future studies and employment I was struggling to find my way. After a year of work and another year of study I found myself at a crossroads between what I thought I wanted to do and what I felt God was calling me to do. I made my decision to follow the call of God, which eventually led me to study at Whitley College and then down the path of the ordination process. For me, the main source of inspiration to follow the call of God has always come through the encouragement of friends wrestling with their own sense of call.


What’s the best and hardest thing about ministry?

The best thing about ministry is the absolute privilege it is to journey alongside people who – if it wasn’t for my role – I probably would’ve had nothing to do with, and the opportunities that arise to be a positive influence in the lives of those people. The hardest thing about ministry this year has been learning to let go of how I’d hoped the year would unfold and to embrace the different reality of what life is actually like.


What are your prayers and hopes for your future ministry?

My hope and prayers for the students, families and staff at Glen Orden are that they can be encouraged by the good work they’re doing, be resourced to overcome some of the difficult issues they’re facing, and hopefully begin their journey toward Jesus Christ on the oval; just as I did 20 years ago.


How have you found the ordination process?

The ordination process has been a wonderful experience to learn more about God more about myself and to explore with the help of others my sense of call. Entering into the process I had no preconceived ideas as to what I would or should get out of it or where I would end up on the other side. I just had a hunch that this was the right thing for me to do. I trusted myself to the process and to the people around me to question me, guide me in my formation and help to shape my future. I’m continually amazed by where I am now and am grateful to all of the people who have helped get me here.


What are your thoughts on some key issues facing Baptist ministry today?

I think one of the main challenges we’re faced with as Baptists is the question of how we fight against an ‘us and them’ mentality in the church while maintaining some of our historic Baptist distinctives. In my experience it’s far too easy for those of us in churches to put up and strengthen the barriers that exist between ourselves, and those who aren’t like us. Whether it’s someone’s ethnicity, economic or employment status, their religious or non-religious preferences, their sexuality, their mental health, whether they have a disability or not, which ‘side of the tracks’ they come from, or even which footy team they may or may not support, there are barriers all around us. It seems to me that Jesus was all about breaking down these barriers in order to see people reconciled to each other, to God and to the rest of creation. The best of our Baptist heritage has been about the distinctive way in which we’ve gone about breaking down these walls and ‘loving our neighbour as ourselves’.


How do we ensure that we’re part of a healthy congregation?

We need to have a good honest understanding of who we are, and of what our strengths and limitations are – both as individuals and as a community. But we also need to be open to new questions, new ideas, new dreams and new ways of being ‘church’. We need to embrace those who are not like us in a way that’s faithful to the message and life of Jesus Christ. We need to be able to laugh and cry together, to celebrate and mourn, to have a depth of relationship and experience that embraces all aspects of life no matter how seemingly trivial or complex. We need to learn, we need to grow, we need to love.


What do you do to relax?

I really enjoy watching a good movie or television program; one that enables me to be caught up in another world or to encounter this one in a deeper way. Sitting around an open fire or walking along the beach help me feel connected to something bigger, which relaxes me. I love to go out for a coffee or hot chocolate with my wife, where we can talk about anything and everything.


What are some of your favourite things?

I love to put on a CD, turn it up loud, and dance when no one’s looking. I love to prepare and cook a meal for family, friends and neighbours (the cleaning up I’m not so rapt about). I love to go to Olympic Park and cheer on the Melbourne Storm at the top of my lungs, especially when they’re winning. I love to learn new things about God. I love spending time with family and friends. I love holidays. I love the idea of gardening – it’s the practical outworking of that idea that I’m having trouble with (my wife told me to say that last part).



David Paterson is being ordained from 2pm on Sunday 26th October at Heathmont Baptist Church.


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