Leadership is hard, and I want to do it well. I wanted space to think theologically again, but particularly to reflect on leadership—making sure I’m leading in Jesus’ ways.
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Matt is the Senior Minister of Christchurch Stockport, an AMiE church.
I first came to Oak Hill over 20 years ago, straight after completing two church apprenticeships. I hadn’t been to university before, so Oak Hill was my first experience of formal theological education. After that, I trained as a curate in an Anglican church, before moving north to work in an FIEC church in Stockport. I spent seven and a half years there before planting Christchurch Stockport, where I now serve as senior minister.
Coming back to study after two decades in ministry was a deliberate decision. Leadership is hard, and I want to do it well. I wanted space to think theologically again, but particularly to reflect on leadership—making sure I’m leading in Jesus’ ways, loving people well, and helping to train and support other leaders as responsibility grows. This time around, I’m studying with a whole new set of questions—questions I didn’t even know to ask 20 years ago. That alone has made this experience deeply worthwhile.
Balancing study alongside senior leadership hasn’t been easy. I’m not naturally academic and left school at 16, so essays and deadlines were daunting. But the reading has been so practical and relevant that it’s felt worth the effort.
One of the biggest surprises has been the cohort. After just one intensive week, deep friendships formed. We’ve stayed connected, supported one another, and shared wisdom across very different ministry contexts. Coming back together felt less like returning to study and more like rejoining a group of trusted friends.