Meet The Team
Director
(Editor Emeritus)
Rev Bob Thomas
Email: revbobthomas@gmail.com Phone: 0417 592 646Rev Bob Thomas will retire as senior editor of New Life Australia from Easter 2022. Prior to coming to New Life in July 1988, Bob was editor of the denominational journal Australian Presbyterian Life. He has also served as minister of several parishes in NSW and Victoria, most notably in St Kilda-Balaclava.
Bob has served two terms as Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Victoria and from 2004-2007 served as Moderator General of the Presbyterian Church of Australia. His much-loved and recently written autobiography, ‘All My Hope’, is inspirational. Audiences love Bob for his passion, jovial humour and care for people. New Life Australia celebrates Bob and gives thanks for his commitment to quality journalism, longevity and legacy that will sit as a cherished pearl of great value. Bob will continue to support and occasionally write for New Life Australia amidst a still-busy schedule.
Doug has served in youth and young adult leadership and pastoral ministries over many years, primarily within cross-cultural contexts. Today, he serves as a Chaplain in schools and his local Church community, mentoring young leaders. He has also served on the leadership with a team for an NFP ministry called Benwerren from 2014 through 2021.
In 2004 Doug completed a (B.min) major in Missiology, Comparative Religions, Cross-Cultural Communications and more recently, in Feb 2020, completed a ‘Master of Arts’ in Ministry at the Melbourne School of Theology. Learnings included Mission Leadership, Globalisation, Diaspora Studies and Pastoral Ministry.
Doug is a fully committed follower of Jesus Christ and passionately seeks to win hearts for the Kingdom; he is a creative and consultative leader who enjoys investing in the lives of younger generations and seeing others empowered to serve Jesus and see Him glorified in our world.
He also enjoys teaching God’s Word, Arts, Media, and Cycling, Travelling to far places to share God’s Word.
With a diploma in management and accounting, Michelle has been working in the area of finance for over 10 years.
While on maternity leave, Michelle began volunteering (and now works) at ’The Babes Project’, an organisation working with women facing crisis and challenging pregnancies and has since realised her passion for using her expertise to support non-for-profits and charity-based organisations around Australia.
Alongside her husband and two children, Michelle serves as a member of the Stairway Church community and sits on the ‘For Goodness Sake’ committee, whose goal is to mobilise Stairway Church into seeing justice established in their community by providing grants & funding for local, national and international humanitarian projects.
Michelle and her husband have also partnered with various humanitarian organisations working within Cambodia, supporting already established organisations working in the area of child protection, poverty & sex trafficking prevention.
Al Watson
Managing Director (Chair)
What can I say about myself?
I have been walking with Jesus for 54 years and there are things that I have engaged in that could be seen as “gold, silver and precious stones” and sadly many things that will be revealed as “wood, hay and stubble” But I know that He began a good work in me, will keep it going until it’s time for me to end. I live to create a passion for God through His Word, that’s why I rebirthed Walk Thru the Bible Australia 9 years ago and serve as its CEO. As Chairman of the New Life Board, I have the joy of encouraging the team to nurture that same passion. One wife (Judy) and three children, all married and six grandchildren, and generational faith is so encouraging.
Rev Bob Thomas
Editor (Emeritus) & Director
Rev Bob Thomas will retire as senior editor of New Life Australia from Easter 2022. Prior to coming to New Life in July 1988, Bob was editor of the denominational journal Australian Presbyterian Life. He has also served as minister of several parishes in NSW and Victoria, most notably in St Kilda-Balaclava.
Bob has served two terms as Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Victoria and from 2004-2007 served as Moderator General of the Presbyterian Church of Australia. His much-loved and recently written autobiography, ‘All My Hope’, is inspirational. Audiences love Bob for his passion, jovial humour and care for people. New Life Australia celebrates Bob and gives thanks for his commitment to quality journalism, longevity and legacy that will sit as a cherished pearl of great value. Bob will continue to support and occasionally write for New Life Australia amidst a still-busy schedule.
Ben Williams
Director
Ben serves as the Administration Manager of a suburban Melbourne K-12 Christian school, with responsibility for its Human Resources, community engagement, marketing and enrollments operations. He previously held research and administrative leadership roles in Canberra with a leading national Christian not-for-profit organisation. A trained teacher, Ben holds postgraduate qualifications in educational leadership from NICE and is completing an MBA with CHC. A self-declared “worldview nerd”, he loves long walks with the family dog whilst listening to a selection of Christian podcasts. Ben, his wife, Kate, and their two sons fellowship at their local Presbyterian Church, where he serves on the Board of Management as Secretary.
Elizabeth Kendall
Director
Elizabeth Kendal is a dedicated international religious liberty analyst and advocate. Her ministry gained recognition in mid 1999, when she commenced writing weekly Religious Liberty Prayer bulletins for the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) Religious Liberty Commission (RLC).
Elizabeth Kendal is an Adjunct Research Fellow at the Arthur Jeffery Centre for the Study of Islam at the Melbourne School of Theology (MST).
Elizabeth is the mother of four adult children. Her consuming passions include family, home and local church; gardens, dogs and birds; history, theology and music (for which she has an A.Mus.A (flute) and a B.Ed (Mus). Elizabeth lives in a traditional hills cottage in the foothills of the beautiful Dandenong Ranges east of Melbourne, Australia.
You can read further about Elizabeth’s prayer bulletin here! www.elizabethkendal.com/elizabeth-kendal/
Dr Allan Meyer
