“Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.” — 1 Peter 5:1-5

CHURCH LEADERSHIP

The Elders of NCC understand that they are under-shepherds of the Chief Shepherd, Jesus Christ. Shepherding involves equipping the saints by proclaiming the word, reproving, rebuking, and exhorting the flock with great patience (2 Timothy 4:2). Shepherding also involves guiding the flock by admonishing the unruly, encouraging the fainthearted, and helping the weak (1 Thessalonians 5:14). The ultimate goal is that Christ would be glorified through the lives of the saints that make up New Community Church (Colossians 1:28). We believe in a plurality of Elders that are equal in status and rank but differ in responsibilities. The Pastor is accountable to the other Elders, and is considered first among equals in his position as the primary preacher and spokesman for the Church. All of the Elders are keenly aware of the great responsibility they have as shepherds and understand that they will face a more severe judgment before Christ (James 3:1). Both Elders and Deacons of NCC must meet the qualifications listed in 1 Timothy 3:1-13 and Titus 1:5-9. They must be men who are willing to serve the Church for the glory of Christ.

Leadership 1

CHAD COLEY, Senior Pastor

With a passion for the local church, Chad believes that the church exists for the glory of God. The church glorifies God through Biblical worship, the edification of believers, and the evangelisation of the world.

He understands that a pastor’s role is as a shepherd of Christ’s flock. This role involves preaching/ teaching of the word of God, pastoral care of the congregation, helping to grow young leaders within the Body, and being a Christlike example to all.

Chad was born and raised in North Carolina, USA. After a call into ministry in 1997, Chad left University and transferred to The College at Southeastern in Wake Forest, NC. There he earned his B.A. in Biblical Studies. Realisving that he needed more training for pastoral ministry, Chad moved to California to pursue his Masters of Divinity at The Masters Seminary.

It was in 2019 that Chad and his family moved to Adelaide to become pastor of New Community Church.

Chad is very thankful for his wife Beth and her gracious love and support throughout their marriage. They met in school in North Carolina, and have been married since 2002. God has blessed them with two children Ardon and Adelaide.

BENJAMIN D’SOUZA, Elder

Benjamin is an experienced and skilled emergency paediatric specialist who serves at the Women’s & Children’s Hospital as well as at a private paediatric practice. He migrated to Adelaide from the Indian city of Pune in 2003 with his wife Lynda and three children: Niya, Anisha and Shefan. Now married for 33 years, Benjamin and Lynda have three grandchildren. Blessed with the gift of hospitality and passionate about the Word of God, Benjamin and Lynda host a Bible study group at their home and have recently started a course on Biblical Parenting for young couples at New Community Church. A gifted singer, Benjamin also leads worship on Sundays.

PETER RUFUS, Elder

Peter and his wife, Brinda, have been worshipping at New Community Church ever since they arrived in South Australia from India early in 2008.

An advertising copywriter by trade, Peter uses his writing skills to create promotional material for the church's various initiatives. Passionate about God and His Word, Peter also serves by leading and preaching during Sunday worship, and assisting one of the home groups in Bible Study.

Leadership 2

ALEX TOWNSEND, Lay Pastor/ Student Ministries

Alex came on board as pastoral intern in 2016 after returning from studies at TMAI Shepherd’s Bible College NZ. Having a thirst for God’s Word, Alex is passionate about the local church and the preaching and teaching of the Word. As well as leading the children’s ministry, the Lord’s Day worship and homegroup studies, Alex tags along with Chad seeking to grow in all areas of pastoral ministry. As a carpenter/builder by trade, he is currently running a maintenance company but Lord willing hopes to continue his studies seeking a path in pastoral ministries. Alex and his wife Niya, met through New Community Church back in 2013 and the Lord has blessed them with three children, Noah, Ivana, and Arthur.

JOSHUA MEDGARD, Deacon

Originally from Chelan in the US state of Washington, Joshua moved to Australia in 2008 to attend Adelaide College of Ministries, from where he graduated with a Bachelor of Ministries in 2012. While in Adelaide, Joshua met Rebecca, and they were married in 2011. Extremely resourceful and with an eye for meticulous detail, Joshua works as a delivery driver and ministers to the saints at NCC by supervising all things tech and sound, while also keeping an eye on building maintenance.

JAMES SRIKARAN, Deacon

James moved to Australia in 2015 with wife Meghana and has been worshipping and serving in NCC since then. They have a 7 year old son, Rian. James works as a Risk Specialist in a major bank and is passionate about serving the body of Christ and encouraging fellow believers. He is always keen to lend a hand and no job is too big or too small. James supports the Home Group leadership by teaching when required and is also part of the NCC Property Committee.

Leadership 3

BRYTON FROESE, Deacon

Bryton came to New Community Church in 2014, where he has been worshipping ever since. Drawn to faith at a young age from hearing the gospel at home, he can attest to the Lord's provision and protection through many seasons of life. He gladly serves the 'forever family' at NCC in ushering, welcoming, and other behind the scenes work, including the website.

RYAN MARKER, Deacon

The Lord led Ryan to New Community Church in late 2015, where he has been attending ever since. Even from a young age, God has been working to develop his understanding of the authority and sufficiency of scripture along with a passion for theology. Especially through Ryan's love of science and technology, leading to a natural interest in the study of young Earth creationism. He appreciates New Community Church's emphasis on the proper application of theology through a godly life in the fellowship of the saints. Working as a software engineer, Ryan currently specialises in real-time 3D rendering for scientific visualisation.