(Please note: this page is only accessible by link provided in Citside bits and will be removed after voting has taken place)
Carey Principal recommendation
The Boards of Carey Baptist College, the National Council of the Baptist Union of New Zealand, and Mission Council (NZBMS/Arotahi) are pleased to recommend the appointment of Dr Paul Jones as the next Principal of Carey Baptist College.
Paul and his family are currently based in Brisbane, Australia, where they have lived for the past nine years. During this time Paul has worked at Trinity College Queensland, initially as a lecturer in Old Testament and Homiletics, and for the last six years as Principal and Director of Education for Ministry.
Paul’s professional profile is included at the end of this email.
Paul brings a rich blend of international and local church experience. He was raised in Africa, where his parents served as missionaries with SIM. After returning to Melbourne as a teenager, he became involved in Murrumbeena Baptist Church, Templestowe Baptist Church, and South Yarra Community Baptist Church. After studying, working, and living in England, Paul and his family moved to Brisbane, where they have been actively involved in the life of Ashgrove Baptist Church.
Paul also has a historical connection to New Zealand Baptists—his grandfather, Rev. A. Neville Horn, regularly travelled to New Zealand between the 1950s and 1970s to lead evangelistic events in his role as Director of Evangelism for the Baptist Union of Victoria
The Principal Recruitment Team undertook a prayerful, thorough, and transparent process of discernment. Alongside all three of our national boards, we believe the Spirit has led us to make this joint recommendation to the member churches of the Baptist Union of New Zealand. We believe Paul has the skills, experience, and character to lead Carey into its next chapter, as the College marks its centenary and prepares to move to a new campus later this year. Paul is a collaborative leader who has already endeared himself to many through this process.
Subject to approval from the churches (which we would normally seek at National Hui, however the timing of this appointment is outside a reasonable timeframe for that process), the Jones family could relocate to Auckland in time to begin the second semester at Carey.
Cityside Baptist Church, we invite your participation in this recommendation by Monday, 9 June 2025.
If you have any questions you are very welcome to contact me, the chair of Carey’s board, Grant Harris, on 021 408 883 or email grant.harris@windsorpark.org.nz.
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Voting process
On Thursday, 22 May 2025, all fully constituted member churches of the Baptist Union will receive an email from the National Support Centre Election Buddy account with instructions on how each church can vote in this process – if you don’t receive this by Friday, please check your spam/junk email folder.
We ask that each church spend some time as they normally would for any vote cast by or on behalf of the local church for the union, eg: share this responsibility with members, meet, pray, discern the mind of Christ as a local church - for the purposes of being part of a union of churches appointing this senior staff member.
Voting is done via secret ballot. The vote of each church is automatically weighted according to size. The initial term of the appointment is four years.
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Profile of Dr Paul Jones
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Trinity College Queensland (2016-2025)
Principal & Director of Education for Ministry (2019-2025)
Lecturer in Old Testament & Homiletics (2016-2019)
Previous Roles:
Curriculum Developer, Christian Schools Australia (2016)
University Chaplain & Director, School of Theology, Kings Church Durham (2013-2016)
Secondary Teacher, St Pauls Catholic School (2006-2011)
EDUCATION & CREDENTIALS
PhD (Hebrew Bible) from Durham University
IECL Organisational Coaching certification (Level 2)
CPE (Clinical Pastoral Education) certification
Active memberships with SBL & SOTS
STRENGTHS AND ALIGNMENT
Paul has communicated a strong resonance with Carey’s core commitments: a biblical theology that leads people to Jesus, interdisciplinary theological education, community-based transformative learning, and cultural engagement alongside scriptural study.
In his words:
‘My theology is thoroughly and deeply biblical, though I also believe that Scripture is not an end in itself; rather, its composition has been superintended by the Holy Spirit over hundreds of years to lead us to Jesus (John 5.39). I am thoroughly convinced of the importance of interdisciplinary theology, because juxtaposing theology with psychology, or history, or medical practices, or the arts, are all important ways of demonstrating that a forensic understanding of the gospel is inadequate. The good news of Jesus permeates and saturates all of life, and integrative learning exposes this truth. Related to this is the importance of exegeting both Scripture and culture together, so that the Word may truly be a light unto our path (Psalm 119.105). Theological education should be transformative (by definition) and this requires community, where human flourishing is celebrated and where new understandings become tangible as the Spirit moves, convicts, and empowers change.
Paul has an extensive and relevant background including:
Substantial ministry and leadership experience.
Baptist heritage and connections.
Third Culture Kid status (born in Nigeria to missionary parents who also served in Benin).
Education at highly regarded academic institutions (MST/ACU, Regent College, Durham University).
Recent service as Principal of Trinity College, Queensland.
‘Over the past thirty years, I have engaged in a wide range of ministry opportunities that have matured my understanding of educational leadership and academic administration. These experiences have included overseas mission, church leadership, University chaplaincy, secondary teaching, higher education (undergraduate and graduate teaching), and academic administration as Principal for a denominational college in Brisbane. Undergirding these roles or jobs—and equally important—have been experiences of spiritual discernment, perseverance through suffering, and creative expressions of Christian hope.’
PERSONAL
Paul is married to Katy and they have two daughters, aged 13 and 11. The family will relocate to Auckland. He has been committed to a local Baptist church during his years at Trinity College and served in various ministry roles.
UPDATE
From Grant Harris, Chair of Carey Baptist College Board:
I’m glad to be in touch with you again today after the great engagement since Monday about our Principal recommendation for Carey. Thank you for the emails, calls and questions.
Today we share a short video made by Dr Paul Jones, as well as a written response to some Q&A I’ve put to him. Please see the Monday email for more information, and at the end of this email for a reminder of the voting process, where we invite your participation in this recommendation by Monday, 9 June 2025 (voting closes at 11.59pm, Sunday 8 June).
If you have any questions you are very welcome to contact me, the chair of Carey’s board, Grant Harris, on 021 408 883 or email grant.harris@windsorpark.org.nz.
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Video of Dr Paul Jones
This week Paul has made a short video (03:45) for the Baptist Churches of New Zealand – this could be played in church services as a way to involve your people in this process:
Password: CareySearch
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Q&A by Dr Paul Jones
As a movement we long for "Gospel renewal in people and places". Can you share a picture of what this dream could look like.
Gospel renewal in people and places begins with a deep, shared understanding of the biblical story that shapes two key things: our identity and our purpose. Across our Baptist churches, this means growing in biblical literacy — not just individually, but collectively — so that our ministries, outreach, and witness are all rooted in a shared theological framework. When we speak the same gospel language, we move with greater clarity and conviction toward God's purposes in Aotearoa.
This vision also calls for strong, resilient relationships — between churches, with Carey Baptist College, Arotahi/NZBMS, and alongside all the other Baptist organisations. Gospel renewal flourishes where trust, humility, and collaboration are actively cultivated. Together, we can pursue shared goals that none of us could achieve alone.
Finally, we envision our churches equipped with excellent, theologically grounded resources for discipleship and evangelism — resources that are accessible, contextual, and usable across the breadth of our Baptist whānau. Whether in urban centres or rural communities, we long to see people formed by the good news of Jesus and empowered to live it out in every part of life. That’s the heartbeat of gospel renewal — transformed people bringing light and hope to every place they are called.
Talk to us about your dream for a college that is effective in shaping and forming Christian leaders.
My dream is for Carey to be a college deeply embedded in the life of our churches — not simply a place that hands down theological resources, but a partner in dialogue, listening carefully and responding to the real, contextual needs of congregations across Aotearoa. Leadership formation must be collaborative, shaped by the voices and realities of the whole church.
I see Carey helping to grow leaders by increasing biblical literacy across our movement and opening new pathways for service. As people engage deeply with Scripture and are invited into real ministry opportunities, I believe new leaders will emerge — people shaped not just by study, but by faithful action.
Carey already offers excellent tools: a new micro-credential in leadership, formation programmes, public theology events, podcasts, and seminars. My hope is to see all of this work continue, of course. But leaders aren’t formed in a vacuum. Research tells us that around 70% of what leaders learn comes through experience. That means churches actively seeking to mentor, trust, and release their people. Carey’s role is to support and resource that process — helping churches shape the next generation of courageous, Christ-centred leaders.
Christians disagree on things that are of significance to how we understand and live out the Gospel. How do you understand the special qualities of the "Baptist way" of walking together in the midst of these discussions?
Disagreement is inevitable in any community, especially one as diverse as our Baptist whānau. With thousands of members across Aotearoa, cultural and theological differences are part of our shared life. However, our strength lies not in uniformity but in our commitment to unity amidst diversity. As Baptists, we prioritise what unites us - the core of our faith in Jesus Christ - over the differences that could divide us.
Walking together means embracing a generous capacity for difference in some matters. In many cases, we need not merely tolerate these differences but celebrate them. They enrich our community and reflect the multifaceted nature of God's kingdom. Our witness to the world depends on demonstrating grace and love as we journey together, rather than splintering over personal preferences.
This approach aligns with the Baptist Union of New Zealand's vision of being a collective of faith communities bringing gospel renewal to people and places. By focusing on our shared mission and values, we can navigate disagreements with humility and mutual respect, embodying the love of Christ in all we do.
What excites you about coming to serve at Carey?
There’s a lot that excites me about potentially stepping into this role, but first and foremost, it’s the people. When I met the Carey staff and teaching team on May 8th, I was struck by their warmth, depth, and dedication. This is a team of talented, thoughtful, and committed individuals, and I know I’ll learn a great deal from each of them as we serve together.
I’m also energised by the opportunity to collaborate - not just within Carey, but across the wider Baptist movement in Aotearoa. There’s a shared hunger for gospel renewal, for growing leaders, and for seeing our churches and community’s flourish. Working together toward that vision, for the glory of God, is a profound privilege.
Responding to God’s call is always exciting! I’ve made several international moves in my life, always in response to God's clear leading. This new chapter is no different, and I’m confident that exciting things lie ahead.
Lastly, I’m joining a community that shares God’s passion for this nation. My learning curve will be steep! But that shared vision gives me great hope for what God is going to do through Carey in the coming years.