Grant Harris is the Chair of the Carey Baptist College Board, as well as the Lead Pastor at Windsor Park Baptist Church in Auckland.
This article follows on from our Carey Principal recommendation in May.
We, the Carey Baptist College Board, are pleased to announce the appointment of Dr Paul Jones to the role of Principal of Carey, starting later in June 2025, beginning in time for the second semester at Carey in July.
The election process ended yesterday, with close-to-unanimous support at 97.72% of voting churches affirming the nomination. From our 235 churches and fellowships, 202 are fully constituted member churches of the Baptist Union of New Zealand and are able to vote in elections. Over the 3-week election process, following the endorsement by National Council and Mission Council, 85 churches voted.
The Principal Recruitment Team undertook a prayerful, thorough, and transparent process of discernment. We believe the Spirit has led us to make this appointment which has now been approved by the member churches of the Baptist Union of New Zealand. We believe Dr Paul Jones 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. Dr Jones is a collaborative leader who has already endeared himself to many through the application and discernment process.
Paul and his family have been 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 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.
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 (Melbourne School of Theology and the Australian Catholic University, Regent College, Durham University).
· Recent service as Principal of Trinity College, Queensland – a theological institution of the Uniting Church in Australia.
‘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.’
Paul is married to Katy and they have two daughters, aged 13 and 11 (pictured above). The family will relocate to Auckland.
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 [email protected].
Photo: supplied by Paul Jones.
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