How God took a quirky kid from Coffs Harbour and made him a catalyst for the gospel of the kingdom of Jesus across two continents and throughout many parts of the world 

David Seccombe, a boy from the NSW North Coast town of Coffs Harbour, who studied at Armidale University, worked at the Port Kembla Steelworks, went from St Michael’sWollongong to train for the Anglican ministry at Moore Theological College, was ordained in the Diocese of Perth, obtained a PhD from Cambridge University in New Testament Studies, pastored St Matthew’s Shenton Park in Perth for 14 years and then became the principal of George Whitefield College at the foot of Africa for 20 years before retiring to a varied itinerant teaching and locum ministry for the most recent 15 years.

While David has packed a lot of living into his 80 years, his story is a very ordinary one. What makes it intriguing is the way that God has used a very quirky, idiosyncratic and free-spirited follower of Jesus to accomplish an astonishing variety of things in living for his Creator/King. 

He is a noted New Testament scholar; was a much-loved Bible college principal; a church planter; author of several highly recommended books (Dust to Destiny on the New Testament Letter to The Romans; the Life of Jesus; The Gospel of the Kingdom; Possessions and the Poor in the writings of St Luke); a builder of two cottages from borrowed library books; a husband and father of four; and a man who loves to live on the cusp of risk and adventure.

Secco, as some of us have come to know him, is one of the most understated but fascinating and significant leaders to have emerged from the Australian Christian church in the last fifty years. His life has not been defined by geography, race or class. The world, in all its diversity, has been the backyard for this theologian, global gospel adventurer and entrepreneur. His ministry trajectory is one that will inspire every young and every old and, perhaps weary, follower of Jesus to venture into the unknown and uncomfortable terrain of gospel service. His life and story is one of heartache and hope, risk and reward and endurance and joy.