An Implication - Class in the 2020s and beyond | Kirsten Birkett | School of Theology 2026

An Implication - Class in the 2020s and beyond | Kirsten Birkett | School of Theology 2026

This plenary talk was recorded live at Oak Hill College for our School of Theology 2026 that focused on Class and Ministry in the UK Today. Kirsten Birkett Kirsten is a theological writer and author of numerous books and articles. She currently works part time for the Church Society as their Publications Manager alongside her wider ministry. She wrote a book ‘Class and the Evangelical Church in England’ (2024) and a Cambridge Paper entitled ‘Class and Evangelicalism in Britain’ will be published this year. She previously lectured at Oak Hill College in pastoral care, church history, philosophy and ethics having previously attained her PhD in history and philosophy of science.

An Exploration - Class in the Local Church | Jason Roach, Maegan Webb, Kevin Croft | School of Theology 2026

This plenary talk was recorded live at Oak Hill College for our School of Theology 2026 that focused on Class and Ministry in the UK Today. Jason Roach A medical doctor by background, Jason was the founder and senior pastor of The Bridge Battersea (now New Life Church Battersea) in London, as well as serving as an advisor to the Bishop of London. He currently is the Director of Ministries at London City Mission and is a well-known evangelical author and speaker on a range of topics. Jason’s latest book “Healing the Divides” looks at issues of race and God's vision for unity and diversity, helping churches to engage constructively with the wider conversation in our culture around issues of race and diversity. He is currently writing a book about recovering the blessing of hospitality in everyday life. In his role at LCM, Jason sits on the senior leadership team, and oversees teams based across London. Roughly 100 missionaries come alongside churches to encourage and equip them in seeking to make Jesus known to people on the margins. Jason is married to Rachel and they have 4 children. Kevin Croft Kev serves as Field Director for South London with London City Mission, and is an elder of Hope Church Vauxhall - a church that was planted in 2018 on the Vauxhall Gardens estate. Kev is married to Rebecca and they have 2 teenage children. He gave his life to Christ in a nightclub in 1999. Before working for LCM he was a funeral director for 18 years. Kev has a desire to equip churches to reach the 25% of London's population living on council estates: communities that have so often been forgotten and overlooked. He also helps churches grow in their gifts and desire to reach the older generation. Maegan Webb Maegan is a Mission Catalyst at London City Mission. She works as a missionary in Camden and Islington, with a focus on Council Estates and Seniors. She grew up on a council estate in North London in a non-Christian household and didn’t have any Christian influence for over 30 years. She is passionate about sharing the gospel, especially in this context - reaching the least reached communities in London, particularly those who are seeking spiritual fulfilment in all the wrong places. She would love to see Jesus glorified on council estates, and to see more local churches impacting their communities with the gospel, sharing Jesus with those who might not otherwise get to hear.

An Introduction - What is class and how did we get here | Matthew Sleeman | School of Theology 2026

This plenary talk was recorded live at Oak Hill College for our School of Theology 2026 that focused on Class and Ministry in the UK Today. Matthew is the Vice-Principal of Oak Hill College. He has PhDs in human geography and biblical studies. Research about Aboriginal life experiences in contemporary Australia led to looking to the Acts of the Apostles for its insights and guidance for believers on earth following the heavenly Jesus. He continues to develop a Christian understanding of place and placemaking, especially with a module entitled 'Place, Season, Others and Self'. His passion is to help disciples, disciplers and disciplers of disciples make sense of place, and make good places for the kingdom of God. Prior to coming to Oak Hill, Matthew was curate in Eynsham and Cassington, two villages just outside Oxford, and he maintains an active involvement in local church life and ministry.

The Wisdom of Small Things | Proverbs 30:24-28 | Tim Ward

In this chapel talk, Tim Ward explores Proverbs 30:24-28, where the writer Agur highlights four "small but extremely wise" creatures: the ant, the hyrax, the locust, and the lizard. Tim challenges the modern drive toward "superhuman" productivity, arguing that true godly wisdom is not found in seeking extra superpowers, but in "wisely embracing our limitations" as creatures. By looking at how these small animals lean into their God-given design—and how Christ himself embraced the ultimate smallness of the cross—we find a path away from the traps of fraudulence and self-loathing. Tim Ward is the Vice Principal of Teaching and Learning at Oak Hill College in London. He is responsible for overseeing the academic rigour and pedagogical heart of the college, training the next generation of Christian leaders to see the church flourish.

Inoculation for the Long Haul | 1 Corinthians 15:54-58 | James Robson

In this chapel talk at our Commissioning Service, Principal James Robson expounds on the powerful concluding words of 1 Corinthians 15:58. Ministry and Christian leadership bring profound joys, but they also expose our deepest vulnerabilities. Whether you are facing sheer exhaustion, a perceived lack of fruit, isolation, or the pain of watching people wander away, the temptation to ask "was it all worth it?" is incredibly real. Drawing from Paul's letter to the Corinthians, James provides a spiritual "inoculation" for long-term ministry resilience. Because Jesus Christ has been physically raised from the dead, the reality of the resurrection completely alters our reality. Your faith, your preaching, your grace, and your collective labor in the Lord are absolutely never in vain. Be encouraged to sit tight, stand firm, and give yourself fully to the work of the Lord today.