Adam Price is the lead pastor at Hope Church Harrogate. He studied a Graduate Diploma (part-time) in Theology, Ministry and Mission at St Hild College while he continued to lead at Hope. He finished studying in 2020, right in the midst of leading through the challenges of Covid.
‘Hope was, and still is, a growing church with energy and with a deep value for church as family. These core elements were inevitably placed under significant strain through Covid. What studying at St Hild had formed in me, unrecognised until afterwards, was the ability to slow down, look around, and draw on more of the rich breadth of Christian thought from the last 2000 years.’
‘As a consequence of the opportunity for wider study, coffee break conversations across the diversity of the student body, and the deep prayer life of the college, I was able to live and lead more sustainably through crisis than I expected. Thankfully, I am living and leading more sustainably after the crisis, in more normal times, too!’
One of the exciting things Adam has seen in ministry recently has been the baptism as a believer of the very first child born within the Hope Church family. ‘We’ve had the joy of baptising dozens of new believers over our 13 years as a church, but there is something very special about seeing a child of the church take that public step!’, he added.
Adam also encourages others to invest in study even if they are leading a church. ‘There is plenty of time. What you invest in study gives a high return. I wholeheartedly recommend prioritising theological study to church leaders, especially those in our kind of church (Newfrontiers) where there isn’t a formal requirement or expectation for it.’
