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Our people Living Leadership is a collaborative network of staff , Associates , Affiliates , Trustees and Volunteers, united by the vision to see Christ glorified through leaders who abide in him Affiliate Associate Staff Trustee Filter by Location Filter by Ministry Areas Alastair Gledhill Trustee Ministries involved in: Charity Trustee Find out more Alli Clear Associate England Ministries involved in: Refresh One to One, Refreshment Days, Refresh Groups, Refresh Network Online, Refresh Community for Spouses Find out more Claire Cromartie Trustee England Ministries involved in: Charity Trustee Find out more Alison Mark Associate Northern Ireland Ministries involved in: Refresh One to One, Refresh Groups, Refresh Network Online, Refreshment Days, Refresh Community for Spouses Find out more Bettina Collins Associate England Ministries involved in: Refresh Network Online, Refresh One to One, Refresh Groups, Formation School, Refresh Community for Spouses Find out more Claire Reynolds Operations Manager England Ministries involved in: Ministry Support Staff Find out more Alistair Bill Associate Northern Ireland Ministries involved in: Refresh One to One, Refresh Groups, Refresh Network Online Find out more Brian Gooding Associate Scotland Ministries involved in: Refresh One to One, Refresh Groups, Refreshment Days, Refresh Network Online Find out more Claire Wroe Associate England Ministries involved in: Refresh One to One, Refreshment Days, Refresh Groups Find out more Alistair Magowan Associate England Ministries involved in: Refresh One to One, Refresh Network Online Find out more Cassells Morrell Associate Republic of Ireland Ministries involved in: Refresh One to One, Refresh Groups, Refreshment Days, Formation Seminars Find out more Dafydd Job Associate Wales Ministries involved in: Refresh One to One, Refresh Groups, Refresh Network Online, Resources, Formation Seminars Find out more 1 2 3 4 5 1 ... 1 2 3 4 5 ... 5 Related links Associates Scheme Affiliates Scheme How we work

Associate Phil Swinburn View all: Affiliates Associates Staff Trustees Phil Swinburn Associate Country: Northern Ireland Areas Covered: Northern Ireland, Online Phil is married to Laura and they have 2 children. He spent 12 years in ministry in South Birmingham before moving to Northern Ireland 2 years ago where he currently runs a property services business. He has a heart to see Christian leaders enjoying Christ and flourishing in ministry whatever the circumstances. Ministries involved in: Refresh One to One, Refresh Groups, Refresh Network Online, Refreshment Days Get in touch If you are looking for one to one support, our 'What to Expect ' document lays out Our commitment to you and the principles underpinning interpersonal ministry.

Trustee Claire Cromartie View all: Affiliates Associates Staff Trustees Claire Cromartie Trustee Country: England Areas Covered: Nationwide Having worked in qualitative research, Claire spent her early career coordinating projects and travelling around the world. After raising a family, she moved into the world of criminal justice and is now working with witnesses in the court system. She is a member of St Nic's Sevenoaks. Ministries involved in: Charity Trustee Get in touch If you are looking for one to one support, our 'What to Expect ' document lays out Our commitment to you and the principles underpinning interpersonal ministry.

Let’s be honest for a moment. Most cynicism in ministry doesn’t begin with arrogance. It begins with disappointment. You believed people would change. You thought unity would last longer. You imagined faithfulness would be rewarded more quickly. And then . . . it wasn’t. Over time, disappointment hardens into suspicion; suspicion takes on the armour of scepticism; and scepticism, if left unchecked, calcifies into cynicism. We stop expecting much - from people, from institutions, and sometimes even from God. Jesus offers us an important point of reference here. In John 2.24–25, we’re told that 'Jesus would not entrust himself to them . . . for he knew what was in man’. At first glance, this may look like cynicism. He has no illusions about crowds, enthusiasm, or public virtue. However, his realism flows from perfect knowledge, not wounded expectation. He sees clearly, yet without bitterness. His clarity does not corrode compassion. Ours is different. In our fallenness, insight is easily entangled with emotion. When disappointment goes unexamined, wisdom quietly gives way to weariness. Cynicism is a dangerous companion for pastors and church leaders. It slowly erodes joy, compassion, and hope, the very things on which our calling depends. Though the word ‘cynicism’ does not appear in Scripture, its posture certainly does. The Bible describes it as scoffing, mockery, and hard-hearted unbelief. Its key features are familiar: It assumes bad faith. It resists correction. It dismisses rather than listens. It is often rooted in pride or unresolved bitterness. Scripture is blunt about its effects. Scoffers set a city aflame, but the wise turn away wrath. Prov 29.8 In the last days scoffers will come . . . following their own desires. 2 Pet 3.3 Do not scoff, lest your bonds be made strong. Isaiah 28:22 So how do we resist cynicism without becoming naïve? The Bible gives us examples of leaders who stood at precisely these crossroads. NAME THE WEARINESS BUT DON’T LET IT DEFINE YOU Cynicism often masquerades as realism. I’m just being honest. I’ve seen this before. People never really change. Elijah knew that voice well. After his dramatic victory on Mount Carmel, he collapsed into despair and isolation. His words to God are raw and revealing. I have had enough, Lord… I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me. 1 Kings 19.4,10 Elijah wasn’t lying. He was exhausted. But exhaustion distorted his vision. God gently corrected him, reminding Elijah that he was still at work beyond what his servant could see, and assuring Elijah that he was not alone. (See 1 Kings 19.15-18). Weariness needs rest and truth, not resignation. Cynicism begins when fatigue goes unexamined and conclusions are drawn too quickly. REFUSE TO REDUCE PEOPLE TO PATTERNS One of cynicism’s favourite tricks is turning stories into stereotypes. Church members always complain. Leaders can’t be trusted. Young people aren’t committed. Job gives us an honourable - and very human - example of situational cynicism. In Job 12.2 he snaps, 'No doubt you are the people, and wisdom will die with you.’ It’s biting, almost modern in tone, but it is born of suffering, directed at smug moralists who insist that misfortune must equal guilt. Jesus, by contrast, never reduced people to patterns. He encountered the same sins repeatedly - fear, pride, hypocrisy - yet he met each individual with fresh eyes. For example, Peter boldly proclaimed loyalty and then denied his Lord three times. Jesus did not write him off as just another failure. After the Resurrection, he asked Peter the same question three times: ‘Do you love me?’ Not, ‘Why did you fail me?’ He’s asking Peter the question, ‘Will you keep walking with me?’ By contrast, cynicism says, ‘I already know how this ends’. But grace declares, ‘God is not finished yet’.  DON’T CONFUSE DISCERNMENT WITH DISILLUSIONMENT Discernment is biblical. Cynicism is not. Ecclesiastes is perhaps the Bible’s most sustained exploration of disillusionment. It describes what life looks like 'under the sun’ when human systems are taken seriously and ultimate meaning is withheld. Work is exhausting and fleeting. Wisdom does not guarantee justice. Pleasure fails to satisfy. Legacy evaporates. What does a man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun? Ecc 1.3 This is not rebellion against God but a divinely inspired refusal to accept sentimental optimism. Ecclesiastes tells the truth about life when God is pushed to the margins, and it is meant to unsettle us. But it is diagnosis, not destination. The book does not end in futility, but in reverent reorientation: 'Fear God and keep his commandments'. (Ecc 12.13) Biblical discernment is the God-given ability to judge rightly without losing humility, charity, or hope. It . . . Seeks truth, not superiority. Remains open to correction. Protects the community rather than withdrawing from it. Scripture commends this posture. Test everything; hold fast what is good. 1 Thess 5.21 The mature . . . have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice. Heb 5.14 Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits. 1 John 4.1 The apostle Paul warned churches plainly about false teaching and harmful leaders (See Acts 20:29–31). Yet he still wrote with extraordinary hope. Listen to his hopeful demeanour when he writes to the believers in Philippi. Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion. Phil 1.6 Discernment asks, 'Is this true?' Cynicism asks, 'Why bother?' The Bible allows us to test claims, but it warns us against judging hearts. The LORD looks on the heart. 1 Sam 16.7 GUARD YOUR INNER NARRATIVES Cynicism is often less about what happens to us and more about the story we tell ourselves afterwards. In Proverbs, we read, 'Do not be wise in your own eyes’. (Prov 3.7) Experience can deepen us or harden us. The biblical antidote is continual learning. The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge, for the ears of the wise seek it out. Prov 18.15 And then there’s the cautionary tale of Israel in the wilderness. Though they were repeatedly rescued and provided for, many in Israel lost touch with the narrative given by God. Instead, they embraced a darker one. Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? Ex 14.11 God’s actions told one story. Their cynicism told another. If we cloak ourselves in disappointment instead of living in the truth of God’s faithfulness, we quietly rewrite his character in our minds. And tragically, that rewriting distorts the truth and weighs heavily upon us. STAY CLOSE TO HOPE EVEN WHEN IT FEELS NAÏVE Hope is not denial. Hope is defiance. Jeremiah watched his nation collapse, his ministry ignored, and his warnings mocked. Yet in the middle of lament he wrote, 'Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning. Great is your faithfulness’. (Lam 3.22–23) Cynicism says, 'I’ve seen enough to stop believing’. Faith says, 'I’ve seen enough to keep trusting - despite everything’. Cynicism forgets where history is going. By contrast, Scripture insists that history is going somewhere. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed. Rom 8.18 Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain. 1 Cor 15.58 Behold, I am making all things new. Rev 21.5 A FINAL WORD TO FELLOW LEADERS Cynicism is a slow leak in the soul. It distances us from people. It dulls our prayers. It turns our calling into a career and the ministry we’ve been given into maintenance. So, ask yourself, Am I more alert to error than to truth? Do I secretly enjoy being right when others are wrong? Has my discernment made me more patient or more sharp-edged? Do I still expect God to surprise me? If surprise is no longer possible, cynicism has already begun. The antidote is not pretending things are better than they are. It is remembering daily that God is better than our disappointments. Far better. So, stay curious. Stay tender. Stay open to surprise. And when cynicism creeps in, don’t be ashamed. Bring it into the light. God has always done some of his best work through tired leaders who refused to give up hope. As the apostle Paul writes to the Galatians. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Gal 6.9 Remember, you’re not alone. And the story isn’t over yet.

Sometimes, we find light in the darkest of places. In January, I read the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes, and I came to this verse. Again I looked and saw all the oppression that was taking place under the sun: I saw the tears of the oppressed— and they have no comforter; power was on the side of their oppressors— and they have no comforter. Eccles 4.1 You may not believe me but I actually found this verse extremely encouraging. Here’s why. First of all, there’s something wholesome about simply hearing the truth being stated. It’s good to hear the world described as it really is. In truth, this is part of our creation mandate. God gave Adam the job of naming the animals in Genesis 2.19-20. God’s representative, describing the created world, categorising, giving things a name—that’s the start of the scientific project right there. Not just science but art too. This is what good art does well. It helps us to recognise the truth of something that otherwise might be unexpressed. Doesn't it make your spirit soar when you read something in a poem, maybe, or a novel, that makes you think ‘Yes, that’s exactly how it is!’? It is good when art or science describes reality accurately. That’s because truth matters. A lot. However, when we read this verse in Ecclesiastes, something more is happening. It’s not just the writer of Ecclesiastes saying it as it is. The Lord himself is articulating this truth in his word. So, as I came to this section, with my own heart heavy from all the injustice and evil in the world, I sensed God saying, ‘I see. I know.’ God isn’t blind to all the pain and struggle in his world. In Ecclesiastes, he tells us that he sees it all, and he knows about all of it. As I write, there’s a steady drip-drip of further revelations from the released Epstein files. It’s shocking to think of what went on, and who might have known about it. It’s infuriating to think of all that has not yet been released or revealed, some of it possibly held back deliberately or hidden away. We cannot see and may never know. But God sees; God knows. That doesn’t make it any better for the victims, not at all. None of the dreadful things that are still happening in the world stopped happening after I read that verse. I know that such things will continue to happen right up until Jesus returns. Yet none of it goes unseen by our heavenly Father. That thought lifted up my heart. It gave me hope and strengthened me for the journey ahead. HAGAR Remember Sarah’s maidservant Hagar, in Genesis 16? Cruelly used, abused, sexually exploited by Sarah and Abraham, she was then sent away by her jealous mistress. After she’d run off into the desert, the angel of the Lord found her and encouraged her to return. He also promised innumerable descendants. We then read this beautiful verse. She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” Gen 16.13 I see you. Sometimes, it is just so good to hear that God sees and knows. It matters that we’re noticed. Often in life we may feel that we go unseen, yet God never, ever overlooks us. He always sees us. He knows us. BEING SEEN A friend of mine has a daughter, who was abandoned by her partner, after they’d had a son together. Since that time, she has gone through some very dark times. Now, however, she’s married to a man who takes his responsibilities as a step-father very seriously. My friend informed me that he’d told his new son-in-law, ‘I see you’. It was just a simple expression of care, but it communicated his appreciation for the young man’s time and effort in caring for his grandson, even though he isn’t the boy’s biological father. Many of us in pastoral ministry have times when we feel helpless and inadequate in the face of so much pain and suffering. It’s in those moments that we need to remember that by drawing near and coming alongside people, we are giving a meaningful testimony to our God. As we offer ourselves to others, as we draw near, we mirror our God who also draws near, who is with us. Always. When we do this, we show them that we see them. We hear them. They matter. And that offers more encouragement than we can imagine. SEEING THOSE WHO SERVE What is the best way to encourage those who serve in church? Though we may offer words of affirmation, the response is sometimes, ‘I don’t want praise’. However, though they may not want to be thanked during a Sunday service, I believe every person needs encouragement. They need to know that they’re seen. There’s no requirement to do this in a flowery or showy way, but it’s good to communicate to all who serve that their service doesn’t go unnoticed. We see them and we appreciate them. When we do this, we are pointing them to the God who sees them too. And loves them. And though we may feel inadequate at times, let us never forget that we serve the God who sees, who hears, who is never removed and distant. For we serve the One who sees us. And knows us. The One who draws near.

In this weeks’ blog we want to share with you how God has been at work through LL’s ministries is recent weeks and some things that are coming up soon… Praising God for… Streams in the desert Over the last few weeks, we have been delighted to welcome over 150 leaders and spouses to our Pastoral Refreshment Conferences in Hertfordshire and the Lake District. These three conferences, over two weeks, enabled those attending to take time away from the pressures of life and ministry to slow down and meet with the Lord. Our theme this year was “Streams in the desert”, with teaching focused on us resetting and refocusing our hearts on the grace of God; receiving from him and being restored and refreshed in him. It was such a wonderful time but you don’t have to just take our word for it. Here’s some to the feedback we received: “It's just such a welcoming and relaxed environment - lending itself to receiving from the Lord both through his word and through his people.” “Eric's teaching was gentle, rich and encouraging! The music was so refreshing and encouraging too - I loved it!” “PRC is a blessing and tonic - it sets the year on a good path.” “We have become 'old-timers' at Pastoral Refreshment Conferences. It is such a joy to come away together as church leader and spouse and be fed by the word of God being opened, with the purpose of building up and refreshing, not challenging our theological standpoint on X or Y. The pace is deliberately slow, the expectations are low and the genuine care of the leaders is so evident. So we'll keep coming back as long as we can, because it does us good.” The Hidden Generation Back in January, we were delighted to host our largest ever “spouses seminar”. The seminar explored how we parent and support children growing up in ministry families, sometimes referred to as “the hidden generation”. The seminar was led by Gareth and Claire Wroe, two of our Associates, whose honesty and wisdom helped create space for open and meaningful discussion. We hope for many it was an evening that generated lots of ideas, encouragement, and started a discussion that may continue beyond the evening. We are hoping to put on more seminars in the coming year about important topics. Our next spouses seminar is coming up in April , where we’ll be looking at “finding joy in a life of sacrifice”. Looking ahead… How are you, really? Each year, we hold an Annual Spiritual Health Survey for Christian leadrs and their spouses. One of the things we seek to embody in all we do is “listening”, and our Annual Survey is one of the ways we try to do that. We want to hear the current realities for many in ministry so we can plan the best ways to serve you and advocate for leaders and spouse care in churches and Christian organisations. Every year, we pick a special focus to sit alongside the general questions on spiritual health. This year we are researching the impact that finances have on your experience of wellbeing, and your ability to access means of spiritual support/health. If you’re in ministry (paid or voluntary) or married to someone who is, please take 10 minutes to complete the survey — your voice genuinely shapes how we serve leaders across the UK. We’d also love you to share this survey with others! Our Refreshment Days are now booking around the country… find one in your area! Refreshment Days are brilliant opportunities for those in ministry and their spouses to take a day away to receive from the Lord. During a Refreshment Day , we will hear from God's word, spend some time in reflection and have opportunities for people to pray with others, including experienced leaders who are available for one-to-one support. Now booking: 19 Mar - Men in Families, Children and Youth ministry 24 Mar - Women in Families, Children and Youth Ministry 07 May - Midlands: Lutterworth 12 May - Ambleside 21 May - Kingsclere near Newbury 04 Jun - Oxford 10 Jun - Kent 23 Jun - nr. Hexham 23 Jun - Married leaders in Families, Children and Youth ministry & their spouses 30 Jun - South Yorkshire We’re so grateful for all God is doing among leaders and their families. Please continue to pray for this work — and if you need refreshment yourself, we would love to serve you.