Keith Garner
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Keith Vincent Garner (b. 4 January 1955) is Superintendent and Chief Executive Officer of Wesley Mission, Sydney, Australia. He was appointed to this position after a worldwide search and became the ninth Superintendent in the history of Wesley Mission, following the Rev. Dr. Sir Alan Walker and Rev Dr Gordon Moyes. Wesley Mission is part of the Uniting Church in Australia and grew out of the Methodist tradition, tracing its roots back to the early foundations of Methodism in Sydney in 1812 and the later Sydney Methodist Central Mission of 1884. Wesley Mission was probably the first of the Central Missions that were replicated across the world and in the UK in particular through the influence of the Forward Movement. The Uniting Church in Australia [1] was formed in 1977 when the Congregational, Methodist and Presbyterian Churches amalgamated. Wesley Mission is one of Australia's largest and oldest Christian welfare agencies and its history traces the development of the City of Sydney. The work of Wesley Mission has grown in a quite unprecedented way to become one of the largest city church centres in the world and certainly with the largest staff of any church in the world, delivering a full mission and ministry of word and deed.
As Superintendent, Mr Garner leads a diverse organisation of over 3,000 staff, with the support of a similar number of volunteers. Wesley Mission has an operational expenditure of $160 million[1], conducting hundreds of programs for needy and marginalised Australians and drawing some 2300 worshippers[2] to its services each week. Mr Garner hosts the Mission’s Sunday television show 'Rise and Shine'[3] and also is the preacher on 'Praise Prayer & Preaching' from the Wesley Theatre each Sunday evening, which is broadcast weekly on the Australian Christian Channel and on Christian networks across the world, notably in New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Ireland, India and South-East Asia.
Wesley Mission delivers its programs in the City of Sydney and across New South Wales, engaged in job networks, aged care centres and villages, disability services, three hospitals, specialised care of those suffering from Huntingdon's Disease, those with eating disorders, various addictions, the homeless, children and families and people on the margins of the community. LifeLine was founded at Wesley Mission and Wesley still oversees this work in Sydney City and the Sutherland Shire. Today counselling services have expanded to include CreditLine, LifeForce suicide prevention work, Gambling counselling, Legal assistance and a wide range of services. Wesley Mission also sponsors Wesley Institute, College for Creative Arts.[2]
Keith Garner, in his role as CEO of Wesley Mission, is chair of the Wesley Mission Board, Wesley Mission Regional Aged Care Board, the Senior Executive Leadership Team, Finance and Management Committees and is a member of Cottee Orchard Board. The Cottee Orchards in South Australia primarily produce oranges, grapefruit, almonds and avocados and the profits are ploughed back into Wesley Mission to help the work with children and young people.
Keith Garner took up the position of Superintendent in January 2006, arriving in Australia from the UK where he had been Chair of the Bolton & Rochdale Methodist District with responsibility for 150 churches, 11 schools and several homes for the aged[4]. Previously he served as minister of St John’s Llandudno, which has one of Britain’s largest congregations and is the original Church of English Methodism in North Wales. Prior to this ministry, he served at Elm Ridge Methodist Church, Darlington, [3], having begun his ministry at Plymouth Methodist Central Hall [4].
He is a former student of Cliff College [5] in Derbyshire, England, where he trained in evangelism and mission and was then invited to stay for a further year to complete more detailed study in mission. His formal training as a Methodist Minister took place at Wesley College, Bristol, and whilst in ministry he obtained a Post-Graduate Diploma in Theology through Westminster College, Oxford, and was subsequently awarded M.Th. in Applied Theolgy (University of Oxford) in 1995. In March 2008, he was awarded a DD (Honoris Causa) by the Evangelical Bible Seminary, Yangon, Union of Myanmar (Burma). This Doctor of Divinity was in recognition of outstanding ministry for over twenty-five years and particularly his preaching and teaching in relation to supporting Christians in poorer countries.
Keith Garner's ministry has always been focused through his preaching, which has taken him across the world, notably Africa, USA, Bahamas, Iceland, Myanmar/Burma, Philippines, India, Korea, Ireland and throughout Europe. His preaching is in the evangelical style, but with a clear message of compassion and social justice. He is a keen advocate for the poor and is concernered about the causes of poverty. Prior to his current appointment as CEO of Wesley Mission he was an enthusiastic supporter and involved in 'Make Poverty History'. [6] He has always taken a great interest in matters of social inclusion, long before it became a commonly-accepted term to describes the ways in which all people are enabled to make a full and meaningful contribution to society.
In addition to hosting the regular weekly television show, he has featured in a series of programs on Channel 9, which are now commercially available on DVD from Kentigern@Wesley in Sydney. [7] They include 'Flying Through the Gospels', 'Flying Through Revelation' and 'Dynamics of a Living Church'. Additionally a feature-length production entitled 'The Three Fathers of Christmas', first shown at Christmas 2006 is widely available, and 'Santa's Forgotten People', made for Channel 7, explores the message of Christmas in relation to the homeless and those struggling with alcohol addiction.
He has written three books: 'Growing with Christ' and 'A Real Jesus for a Real World' - and his latest book entitled 'Cross Talk - Words for the Crossroads of Life' has recently been published by Kentigern Books in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of Wesley's Easter Mission to the city of Sydney. He regularly broadcasts and contributes to journals and newsprint. Recently, he gave a paper entitled 'Social Justice - An Obligation or an Optional Extra for Christians?' at the Centre for an Ethical Society at St Patrick's Church, Sydney. The paper helps to define Mr Garner's leadership and ministry emphasis. This and many other papers can be obtained from the Wesley Mission website: [8]
Keith Garner is an evangelical leader with a broad outlook on life and seeks to lead a large Christian organisation with a clear social message which embraces the struggle for justice and concern for the marginalised. He is sought for informed comment on a range of public issues in Australian life. He has driven three major research projects, producing papers on the themes: 'Financial Stress and its impact on the individual, family and community'; 'Living with Mental Illness – attitudes, experiences and challenges'; 'Beyond Adversity: giving kids a chance to shine'. The three papers combine serious research and empirical-based comment on matters of wide public concern. Current research on homelessness is to be published in May 2008 and will help Keith Garner, on behalf of Wesley Mission, to articulate concerns regarding this important issue.
Keith Garner has introduced an organising concept - Joined Up Thinking and Practice - to the heart of Wesley Mission. This captures his approach to social issues in that invariably there a complex matrix of issues to be addressed. For example, with regard to Homelessness, his main concern is that a homeless person is not merely someone without accommodation or at risk of losing their accommodation; their difficulties are often linked to family breakdown, mental health, unemployment, addiction, poverty and so on. Keith has become a champion for the homeless and for those who are ignored and have no voice. He is often sought for social comment and has been outspoken on the high levels of personal debt, the issue of financial stress and the causes of poverty. He has spoken strongly against the gambling culture which pervades much Australian life and recently gave unqualified support to the Sydney South Rabbitohs' decision, under the leadership of Hollywood actor, Russell Crowe, [9] and Peter Holmes a Court, to remove pokie machines from their premises.
Keith Garner is an established Christian leader in Australia and plays a full part in the life of the Uniting Church in Australia. [10] His weekly sermons from the Wesley Theatre are available for downloading as podcasts. He was selected to be part of the Prime Ministers 2020 sumitt in Canberra and is regarded as an incisive Christian leader for a new generation.His particular contribution focused upon - The Strengthening Communities, Supporting Families and Social Inclusion working group.[11] and as text. [12]
The Rev Keith Garner, Superintendent of Wesley Mission, is an inspiring and gifted preacher who believes in combining an enthusiasm for the Gospel with a compassion for those who are hurting, endure poverty and suffer injustice.
Mr. Garner and his wife, Carol, have three adult children.
