‘Coalface ministry’ brings gospel to Welsh valleys

A new theology school for Christian ministers at the ‘coalface’ has been launched in the Welsh valleys.

‘You may be able to exegete Scripture, you might even be a Hebrew Scholar, you could even be the most charismatic preacher on the planet, but if you can’t handle 2.00am phone calls from social services or late-night knocks on the door from the police… you are no good in the Valleys!’ says the Valleys School of Theology website.

The school was established by John Edward-Funnell, pastor at Noddfa Baptist Evangelical Church, who said: ‘We had over a thousand views on our website on the day of launch. Amazing for a Valleys school of theology!’

He added: ‘The course is designed at entry level for coalface ministry. The lectures are immediately put into practice building Christian community in the Welsh Valleys.’ Four in-house Noddfa trainees, Ian, Jose, Saul and Alex, have already started. Saul is a former addict and Alex is a former prisoner who grew up in a home of addiction before coming to faith (he is now building a Christian Community in Trevethin).

The theology school is heavily supported by The Sycher Gospel Fund, which recently made a grant to support the training of the four young men.

'Aimed at those with no formal educational qualifications'

Saul is a top fighter in Kick Boxing, Mixed Martial Arts and Israeli martial art Krav Maga, but is now more focused on the gospel.

Trevor Archer, advisory board chair, said: ‘As part of their training The Valleys School of Theology will aim to deliver a low-cost but rigorous course aimed at those with no formal educational qualifications. The Sychar Fund has enabled the course to be made accessible to the wider Christian community in South Wales and envisages that this kind of robust Biblical training could have enormous benefit for the church in similar areas in the UK.’

The Fund is a new initiative aimed at supporting the training of men and women from disadvantaged socio-economic, ethnic minority and under-represented communities in mainland Britain.

Lecturers include Steve Levy, pastor at Mount Pleasant Baptist Church in Swansea (Biblical theology); Hywel George, pastor at Mount Pleasant, Maesycwmmer (church history); Jonathan Thomas, pastor at Cornerstone Church Abergavenny (Old Testament); and Andy Pitt, Emmanuel Evangelical Church Newport (practical theology).