While volunteers are crucial to the continuing work and worship of Bendigo Baptist Church at both the Junortoun and Eaglehawk campuses and through Bendigo Baptist Community Care Inc at both Life Essentials and through the Community Enterprises, there are a number of staff, working a variety of hours, that oversees the work of the 4 locations, 4 services and the huge variety of ministries that occur at, and through, BBC each week.
Senior Pastor - David Lovell
Pastor Dave was raised on a wheat / sheep farm in North Central Victoria, half-way between the towns of Boort and Wycheproof. After finishing Year 12, he completed an Associate Diploma of Applied Science before returning to work on the family farm. In 1992, he packed his bags and moved to Chicago (USA) to study at Moody Bible Institute. He completed a Bachelor of Arts - Bible in 1997. During this time he met and married Julie and alongside of his studies worked full-time as Pastor of Student Ministries at the Camarillo Evangelical Free Church in Southern California. He was a part of this ministry team for four years.
In 1999, Dave accepted a call from Bendigo Baptist Church to join their ministry team as an Associate Pastor: Youth. Dave, Julie and their children arrived at Bendigo Baptist Church in December 1999. Dave has performed various roles within this ministry team during this period of time. In May 2006, Dave was appointed as Senior Pastor at Bendigo Baptist Church.
Dave is married to Julie, and they have 4 children: Jesse, Zak, Chloe and Jacob. In his spare time he loves to play golf, read, spend time with his family and avidly follow the Essendon Football Club. He completed his Master's degree in Christian Ministry in 2011.
Eaglehawk Campus Pastor - Andrew Johnston
Andrew Johnston joined the team at Bendigo Baptist in 2013 as the Connect and Care Pastor. He has a passion to see people connect with God and each other, in real and life changing ways. "I believe strongly that significance and security for all people can be found in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and as Connect and Care Pastor at BBC, will seek to assist in creating an environment where God can fulfill His Great Commandment by connecting all people to Himself and each other". As a church we are committed to seeing this happen.
in 2022 he was appointed to the position of Campus Pastor at Eaglehawk.
Andrew completed his Bachelor of Theology with the Australian College of Ministries in 2001 was the Pastor of the South Bunbury Church of Christ between 2002-2010. Having spent most of his life in Western Australia, Andrew and his wife Jill and Children Sarah, Matthew and Timothy moved to Bendigo in 2011. "This has been a tree change that we as a family are thoroughly enjoying". Andrew enjoys spending time with his family, mountain bike riding, spending time at the beach and camping.
Director of Community Care - Matthew Parkinson
Matt is our Community Care Director for Bendigo Baptist Community Care Inc. and began in this role in March 2010 when BBCCI was formed.
Matt initiates and overseas the many community initiatives that have been established to provide practical, pastoral and spiritual support to the Bendigo community.
He is married to Sue and they have 3 adult children. He has been a Bendigo resident for over 40 years and has a heart for local mission and to provide care and support to the marginalized.
Feel free to come and have a chat with Matt about the amazing opportunities to serve.
Worship Pastor - Andy Denny
Andy joined the Bendigo Baptist team as Worship Pastor mid 2019. He is passionate to see God receive heartfelt, authentic worship and praise, and for people to have deep, transformational encounters with Him in that process. As a musician, worship played a large role in Andy’s development as a disciple after coming to faith in Jesus at age 23. Andy began formal ministry at Crossway Baptist Church as an intern and student pastor, after which he moved with his family to Adelaide to take up the role of Creative Ministries Pastor at Clovercrest Baptist Church. After over 8 years in Adelaide, Andy, his wife Treena, and their young children were excited to move back to Victoria, and to Bendigo, to begin ministry at BBC. Andy loves spending time with family and friends, and has a passion for music, reading and coffee - preferably all at the same time.
.
Discipleship Pastor (National & Global) - David Gascoigne
David joined the team in 2020 as the National and Global Discipleship Pastor.
David and his wife Dawn have been part of the Bendigo Baptist Church family since moving to Bendigo in 1989. David and Dawn have two adult boys who have a love for all things outdoors. Their love of snowboarding has led them to Canada, where they now live.
David completed a year in a Bible Diploma course at Word of Life Bible Institute in 1986. Since then, he has been in the Domestic Construction business for nearly 30 years. During this time, David has been part of the BBC mission partnership team (now Global Impact Team) since early 90’s, also serving on the church council for a term of 6 years. He served as the National Director of the short-term Mission department of New Tribes Mission for three years, some being part-time and sees relational Discipleship as the most effective way to obediently fulfill ‘The Great Commission’.
John 5:19: Follow the example of Jesus, I can do nothing by myself, but I need to be like Jesus and follow the father.
2 Tim 2:2: Take the things I have learnt from God to teach to others, so they can in turn teach others to follow the ways of Jesus.
Living this out in relationships, both here and overseas, David is sold out on Relational Discipleship as being the way to build into the Kingdom.
Discipleship Pastor (Local) - Treena Denny
Treena began her role as the local Discipleship Pastor in 2020 after 10 years as a full-time Mum. Prior to motherhood she was a full-time Pastor at Crossway Baptist Church. From a very young age Treena has loved being involved in church ministry and has been involved in numerous volunteer ministry areas throughout her life. Originally from Victoria, Treena spent eight and a half years in Adelaide where her husband, Andy, was the Worship and Creative Arts Pastor at Clovercrest Baptist Church. Treena has personally experienced the transforming power of being intentionally discipled and has a heart to see intentional, relational discipleship at the core of all that we do at Bendigo Baptist. Treena has a passion to see people grow and thrive in their relationship with Jesus and to see disciples of Jesus prepared, equipped and released into the mission of Jesus. She loves communicating the Word of God and also works as a trainer, assessor and curriculum developer at the Uniting College (a division of the Adelaide College of Divinity). Treena is married to Andy and has two fantastic kids! She enjoys time with family and friends, jigsaw puzzles, bushwalking and chocolate!
Interested in how all this sits within the structure of Bendigo Baptist Church/ Bendigo Baptist Community Care Inc.?
Have a look at both the Ministry and Council Organizational charts.