Time and again, I’ve found that what I learned during my years in college has helped me pastor more wisely and lead more faithfully.
“
Martin is Lead Pastor at Grace Community Church, Bedford, where he has served since 2010.
Following training at Oak Hill College, he completed a part-time PhD in missional ethics through Highland Theological College. He has published a number of books, speaks regularly at the Keswick Convention (where he serves as Chair of Trustees), and is an Associate Teacher now at Oak Hill.
"Before coming to Oak Hill, I was serving in an apprentice role in a local church. It was actually my church that encouraged me to train at Oak Hill, and I’m very grateful they did. I had the privilege of studying full-time for four years, and that season has shaped me profoundly.
What I valued most wasn’t just the depth of theological training—though that was significant—but the experience of learning in community. Spending four years with the same cohort means you build lifelong friendships. You sharpen one another, challenge one another, and grow together. There’s a real blessing in being face-to-face not only with lecturers, but with fellow students, wrestling with Scripture, theology, and ministry together as you prepare for what lies ahead.
A friend of mine in Nottingham often says, “Deep roots create strong branches.” That phrase has stayed with me, because it captures what my training gave me. Oak Hill helped me put down deep theological roots—foundations that have enabled me to navigate a wide range of complex and challenging situations in real church life. Time and again, I’ve found that what I learned during those years has helped me pastor more wisely and lead more faithfully.
If you’re training for a lifetime of ministry—thirty or forty years—then investing a few years upfront makes immense sense. That early formation pays dividends over decades. It shapes how you lead people, how you train others, how you preach, and how you respond under pressure.
We wouldn’t expect medics or teachers to shortcut their training, and pastors are no different. If anything, the responsibility is greater. Proper theological training isn’t optional—it’s essential for faithful, long-term ministry."