SANDY
Bickerton
Spiritual life pastor
“I feel the weight of Paul’s words that “Christ’s love compels us”: his love poured into our lives, his love for his children and their need to grow to maturity in him, and his love for those in our city that don’t know him yet.”
MINISTRY AREAS
Worship and Prayer
Spiritual Formation and Discipleship
Church Planting and Multiplication
A BIT ABOUT ME
I was born to missionary parents in the field but spent most of my childhood in Brisbane. My earlier life could be summarised in three words: music, football, competitiveness. I’m grateful that young man discovered the power for transformation found in the gospel.
After a long season of full-time study which included Theology and Ancient Greek, I found myself teaching high school English and humanities. My greatest achievement in university was convincing a gorgeous young woman in my Latin class to take my surname and graduating with the love of my life, Bek. I loved teaching and we spent those years devoted to running youth camps most holidays, starting a family and serving our local church in as many ways as possible, especially in worship and preaching. Just as I was feeling settled into my education career, God intervened by literally stopping my heart. It’s a long story, but one that ends with a call to pastoral ministry and an unshakable confidence that God always comes through, and His Way is always better.
Bek and I are locals to the Riverlife area and have three beautiful kids, and a fourth on the way. We love raising them in this area and are convinced God has huge plans for this side of Brisbane.
MOST DEFINING MOMENT
When I was 20 and learning New Testament Greek, God opened my eyes through reading 1 Corinthians 13. A profound realisation of my brokenness and God’s love overwhelmed me for six months, and my life was never the same.
WHY I DO IT
There is nothing greater than the love of God in Jesus Christ. It’s more than any of us can understand, and I feel the weight of Paul’s words that “Christ’s love compels us”: his love poured into our lives, his love for his children and their need to grow to maturity in him, and his love for those in our city that don’t know him yet. The great mystery in this is that he delights in using us – broken and redeemed – to bring his love to the world.
OUR
TEAM
We are a diverse bunch, but unified in our love for God and people.