THE Rev Dr Steve Emery-Wright
from Cornwall, England, has joined Trinity Theological College
as a Lecturer in Youth Ministry.
He is both a US and UK citizen. He was born in the US and ordained
in the United Methodist Church. He has served churches as a minister
in the US for eight years, the UK for 12 years, and New Zealand
for five years.
He has a Ph.D in Practical Theology
(Thesis in Youth Worship) from Oxford Brookes and an M.Div from
Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky, the US. His
BA is in Biblical Literature.
He married Lorraine while pastoring a church in Cornwall from
1987 to 1990. They have a 16-year-old daughter.
Dr Emery-Wright has either specialised or held a keen interest
in youth ministry throughout his 25 years in ordained ministry
and as a youth worker before that. He has run large local youth
programmes, community-based youth ministries, assisted with national
youth events, and has been the pastor in charge of churches with
both small and large youth ministries.
Most recently he has worked in the Cornwall District of the British
Methodist Church as a youth ministry trainer and as an adviser
in youth worship for the British Methodist Church youth programme.
He has several goals for the youth ministry development at Trinity
Theological College.
These include raising the awareness of youth ministry issues;
practice and theology among ministers going into general ministry;
training and equipping ministers who choose to be youth ministry
specialists; raising the professional standing and profile of
youth ministry and ministers; and providing lay training for youth
workers in Singapore.
Dr Emery-Wright believes there is no higher calling or more important
calling than to work with young people.
Youth ministry, he feels, is not a stepping stone to "real
ministry" but a specialist ministry within the field of church
work. Therefore, he says, it is vital that those who are called
to work with young people are adequately equipped.
DR STEVE EMERY-WRIGHT:
Holds a keen interest
in youth ministry.