The Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand has appointed a new principal to lead its Knox Centre for Ministry and Leadership in equipping people for ministry and leadership within the Presbyterian Church.

The Rev Dr Geoff New takes up the role having been the Knox Centre’s Dean of Studies since 2015, and its Acting Principal since late December 2020.

Located within Knox College, Dunedin, the Knox Centre continues the Presbyterian Church’s commitment, tradition and practice of training and forming ministers and leaders since 1877.

Rev Dr Geoff New says that in training Presbyterian Church’s leaders there are many qualities he hopes to see formed, with one of the dominant qualities being trustworthiness.

“I hope that the leaders we train and form will be known as leaders who are trustworthy and trusting. That they will be leaders who others can trust, and that they will be leaders who model what a life looks like when someone trusts God. Another word that encapsulates this is integrity. I really hope to train leaders who will be known for their Christian integrity.”

Geoff was ordained in 1997 and served as minister at Papakura East Presbyterian Church for 17 years, and as a Police chaplain in Counties-Manukau.

He was an adjunct preaching lecturer at Laidlaw College for several years; has lectured as a guest lecturer at Otago University and Carey Baptist College; and he has been involved in Langham Preaching since 2011 training preachers in south Asia.

His DMin (2011) through Australian College of Theology is on the use of lectio divina and Ignatian Gospel Contemplation in preaching.

He has published three books on preaching, and a fourth book on preaching the parables is due to be published in 2023 (with contributions from Latin America and New Zealand).

Geoff is married to Ruth, and they have three adult children (Rebekah, Josiah, and Luke) and one grandchild, Nathaniel.

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