Oak Hill College
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Oak Hill’s annual School of Theology will this year look at the topic of: Class and Ministry in the UK today.

Class continues to shape life in the UK and it shapes our churches too. These issues are not new, and past generations have faced them as well. Many churches are already thinking carefully and theologically about what class is (past, present and future), how Scripture helps us understand it, and how it affects ministry, leadership and church life both now and in the years to come. The Church of England, for example, has recently established a national strategy on class and classism.  

This conference is an invitation to learn, to listen and to reflect together - something we as a theological college want to continue to do ourselves. Our plenary sessions will offer theological analysis grounded in lived experience across diverse contexts. Seminars will provide practitioner-led engagement, helping us examine our own assumptions and practices.

Our aim is not to offer final answers, but to deepen understanding and encourage ministries that are more attentive, more hospitable and more faithful in the varied social realities of the UK today.

The day will begin at 10am and finish by 4pm. The conference will include three plenary addresses with Q&A, a choice of seminar, lunch and opportunities for discussion.

Plenaries

An Introduction: What is class and how we got here

Matthew Sleeman

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.

An Exploration: Class in the local church

Jason Roach, Kevin Croft and Maegen Webb

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 Implication: Class in the 2020s and beyond

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.

Seminars

Tickets

Early bird (before 30th April)

£25 in person (inc lunch)

£10 online

Normal price (after 30th April)

£35 in person (inc lunch)

£15 online

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