BA Staff

Peter Cooper
Undergraduate Programme Director, Head Office (Birmingham)

Peter has an undergraduate degree in Biblical Studies from University of Wales, Bangor, and a master’s degree in Biblical Studies from King’s College London. He is fascinated by New Testament manuscripts and the transmission of the New Testament. Peter has worked for the Abernethy Trust in Scotland and as a church youth worker in Poole, Dorset. Prior to joining ForMission, he worked at Bournemouth University, then at the University of Birmingham. Peter is married with two young daughters. On the rare occasions that he has free time he likes mountain walking. Peter is an Accredited Member of the Association of University Administrators.

James Yielder
Youth Ministry Pathway Leader

James has an undergraduate degree in Applied Theology: Youth and Community from Moorlands College, and a Master’s degree in Applied Theology: Christian Leadership. He has worked for churches in Birmingham, Banbury and Aylesbury doing a mixture of youth, children’s and families’ work alongside his work with Reign Ministries UK.

James is married with two young children, Elijah and when they are not occupying his time then James can be found in a coffee shop with his nose in a book, or watching Derby County, Chicago Cubs, Chicago Bears, or a number of other sports.

Gustaf du Plessis
Missional Leadership Pathway Leader

Gustaf is an ordained minister and has an undergraduate qualification in Christian Missiology from SA Theological Seminary and a Master’s of Theology from the University of Wales, Bangor. He is currently completing a PhD in Practical Theology through Trinity Bible College and Graduate School, Ellendale, ND, researching Missional Discipleship. Gustaf is also a qualified Performance Coach and an Employment Specialist. Before embarking on a college facilitator route, he taught and managed several secular training programmes. Gustaf came to the UK at the end of 2003 and has been serving in the local church as a youth leader, church planter and associate pastor. He is Senior Pastor of Living Stones Church in Birmingham. Gustaf is married to Ruth and they love to spend time together in nature. He is an avid reader and has been known to have up to six books on the go at one time when he is not supporting the Sharks of Natal in Rugby Union, St Helens in Rugby League and the only true football team which is Liverpool, of course.

Tyler Patty
European Missional Leadership Pathway Leader

Tyler holds an undergraduate degree in Bible and Youth Ministry from Moody Bible Institute, and a master’s degree in Old Testament and Semitic Languages from Trinity International University. Strongly influenced by his childhood as a third culture kid in the Czech Republic, Tyler returned to Central Europe as an adult to train and release emerging leaders to participate in the mission of God. In addition to leading the European Online Campus, Tyler works as the Director of Theological Education Projects with Josiah Venture. Tyler also serves as an elder in ClicKostel Church, an experimental community reaching unchurched youth. Among his research interests are Old Testament Theology, linguistic approaches to the Bible, and the relationship between ritual and spiritual formation. Tyler and his wife Lara live in Ostrava with their three sons, and enjoy hikes that include exploring castle ruins. Watch his podcast here

Jennifer MacKay
Administrator

Jennifer is a graduate of Rhema Bible College in Tulsa, Oklahoma where she studied Youth Ministry and General Extended Studies. She and her husband have been missionaries to the UK since 2010. She helped plant GoChurch Bradford and is still heavily involved in running the church doing everything from administration to leading the weekly children’s programme. Jennifer is married with three young children. She enjoys spending time exploring the outdoors as a family, reading, and watching movies.

Lydia English
Administrator

After completing a degree in music, Lydia worked as a peripatetic music teacher and worship leader. She and her husband served with a BMS World Mission partner organisation on the Thai-Myanmar border where Lydia taught English to Burmese migrants and helped to set up a long-term foster care programme for migrant children. Lydia is also the college librarian. She has one son and enjoys walking, gardening and spending time outdoors with her family

Paul Abell
Kingdom Faith Hub Leader

Paul has been working with ForMission since 2015, he has been the Senior Leader of Kingdom Faith Yorkshire since 2007 and is part of the National Leadership with Kingdom Faith. Previously, Paul was a Pastor in Kingdom Faith Horsham, including pioneering the children’s work, J24/:7 and GO Generation. His passion for education and equipping comes from nearly 30 years in church and educational leadership. In 2019 Paul achieved a distinction for his MA in Mission and Leadership, the title of his dissertation was: ‘Community on a Hill: The Journey of Kingdom Faith Yorkshire Towards Becoming a Missional Community That Cannot be Hidden.’ This focussed on how a local church can re-imagine itself to being vital in the neighbourhood, the journey from being an attractional congregation to being a missional Trinitarian community.

Naomi Brien
Kingdom Faith Administrator

Naomi Brien has been actively part of the Kingdom Faith family for over 25 years, volunteering in various missions and projects. She attended the Kingdom Faith Roffey Bible College and then later completed a BA in Theology and Mission with ForMission College. Currently Naomi is excited for the next steps on her journey with God. Her two new adventures are studying for the master’s degree with ForMission College and taking on these new roles working with students with Kingdom Faith/ForMission.

Carol Clarke

Quality Manager

Carol has a background in Business and Management: her first degree was in Business Administration at Coventry University, followed by a master’s degree in Education at Open University. She is a qualified Chaplain after successfully undertaking a Postgraduate Certificate in Chaplaincy Studies at Newman University and recently a Postgraduate Diploma in Theology and Transformative practice also at Newman University.

Since 2017 her passion for education enabled her to establish a private training centre in Christian Studies, Systematic Theology and Worship accredited by Open College Network West Midlands. She is the author of 100 Powerful Prayers: In the Presence of God. Her passion is in education, and as a Pastor, Carol is currently studying for her PhD in Pentecostal and Charismatic Studies at the University of Birmingham. Carol is married, has three children, and enjoys quality family time.

Tutor

Dave has been teaching Biblical Studies, Theology, and Children’s Ministry for the past thirty years, as well as having worked (at different times) as a church planter, Pastor, Children’s Minister, Itinerant Children’s Evangelist, and City Missionary. He has written several books on Children’s Ministry, and also written Bible study guides, and also for Scripture Union’s Daily Bread. He is currently an itinerant Bible College Lecturer, and Director of ‘Children Worldwide’, a charity encouraging excellence in Children’s Ministry around the world. He is a children’s work volunteer in his local church, a father of three, and a grandad as well.

Nicole McKeever

Tutor

Nicole is a former ForMission student, having received her MA in Missional Spirituality from the college in 2019. She is currently studying for her PhD in Applied Theology at London School of Theology, looking at food poverty in the UK. She has previously worked with and led various ministries at a local church level, including children, youth, student and women’s ministries.

Nicole also holds an MA in Medieval and Early Modern History, with a focus on religious literature and medieval eschatological iconography. Her theological interests include missiology (with a particular interest in food, community and poverty), biblical studies, church history and systematic theology. She lives in London and enjoys making the most of the wide variety of restaurants available as she is a terrible cook.

Andy Hardy
Director of Research

Andy is an ordained minister and completed his doctorate in 2009 on ‘A Theology of Spiritual Formation and Prophetic Ministry.’ He also has master’s degrees in Counselling and Missiology and Evangelism and has completed a second doctorate researching the spiritual formation of students undertaking theology for ministry. Andy has written a number of books including Pictures of God: Shaping Missional Church Life (2016), and co-authored Power and the powers: the use and abuse of power in its missional context (2015), Forming multicultural partnerships: church planting in a divided society (2015), Missional discipleship after Christendom (2018), and Body and blood: the body of Christ in the life of the community (2019), with other members of the ForMission’s faculty. Andy is active in missional work in the life of the church – presently being involved in a leadership training programme in collaboration with the Bonhoeffer Project, which seeks to equip leaders and churches to develop discipleship formation structures. He is the Chair of Trustees of Sawiyan – a local charity that delivers education and community cohesion projects in the Sparkbrook area of Birmingham. Andy is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Get Andy’s latest book here.

Gail Scholes
Tutor

Gail is a graduate of ForMission, completing a BA in Theology and Mission at the Manchester Campus in 2019. and her MA in Theology, Mission and Ministry in 2023. She is an ordained Baptist Minister, serving on the Ministry team of a local church, where she leads on pastoral care. Gail was born in Australia, moving to the UK in her 20’s. She is married with 3 adult children, all of whom live with disabilities. Gail has previously worked in nursing and social care and was a specialist youth worker for 15 years. Gail has a passion for those on the margins and those who experience exclusion both in the church and in wider society. In her spare time, Gail enjoys tracing her family history in her spare time.

Kyle McKinnon
Youth Ministry Tutor

Kyle first felt God’s tug on his heart for the vision of Reign Ministries while ministering to teenagers in Luton in 1994. His vision of bringing discipleship back to the heart of youth ministry was the impetus for the formation of the entire ministry. He has 25 years’ experience working with young people. Kyle directs the daily operations of Reign Ministries and oversees the team to work out the disciple-making vision.

Darin Stevens
Youth Ministry Tutor

Darin is a coach at heart. He loves to develop young leaders to become effective in their local ministries. Darin also serves as Head of Training for Reign Ministries as he oversees Reign’s training programmes and resources. Darin has been discipling young people for 25 years.

Jeremy Thomson
Youth Ministry Tutor

Jeremy’s first career was in electronic engineering in the field of medical x-ray diagnostics. Since his mid-twenties he has been an adult Christian educator, working in diverse formal and informal contexts for over forty years, aiming to build the Church and equip Christians for creative discipleship informed by enquiring Christian minds.

Jeremy has a PhD in Systematic Theology (King’s College, London) and an MA in Biblical Interpretation (London Bible College). His theological interests include biblical studies and hermeneutics, systematic theology and ethics, church history, and practical theology (especially emotional literacy and pastoral care). Since retirement in 2017, he has completed co-supervising two PhDs, and continue to write books. Jeremy is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Get Jeremy’s latest book here.

Dan Yarnell
Staff Chaplain & Tutor

Dan Yarnell has been involved in mission and theological education for over 25 years, teaching in various colleges in the Midlands. He has an MA in New Testament Studies from Lincoln Christian Seminary in Lincoln, Illinois, USA. He is currently the Birmingham Campus leader at ForMission College as well as a visiting lecturer at other theological colleges. He is the co-author of Celebrating the Small Church;, Power and the Powers: the Use and Abuse of Missional Leadership, Forming Multicultural Partnerships; and Missional Discipleship After Christendom. He was previously the National Coordinator of the Fellowship of Churches of Christ in Great Britain and Ireland and is now their National Ecumenical Officer. He has been involved in various church plants, and was for many years the Small Church Officer for the British Church Growth Association, developing resources to help smaller churches engage missionally in their ministry. He is married to Amy and they have two adult children and three grandchildren. They live in Redditch, Worcestershire, leading a mid-week church seeking to re-engage those who have become prodigals. Dan enjoys listening to and playing live music, watching films, supporting Aston Villa, cricket and long walks and good food with friends.

Gabriel Yidana
Tutor

Gabriel has a Master of Theology degree from the University of Wales, Bangor, and completed a doctorate in 2020 on ‘Chaplaincy and Pentecostal Missiology’ from University of Chester, UK. His research focused on how chaplaincy ministry could serve as a missional model to enable Pentecostals to engage with traditional leadership. He is an ordained minister and has worked for the Assemblies of God in Ghana and England since 1993. Gabriel has been involved in church plants and theological education for over 20 years. He is currently the senior minister of Good Shepherd Church – Leeds, and a member of some theological associations in Africa and Europe. Gabriel is married with four children and his interests include football and gardening. Get Gabriel’s latest book here.