User:Rpickles1/sandbox

Robert Gordon David Walton Pickles
Born February 5th 1959 Cardington Shropshire Parents Gordon Pickles (deceased 7th November 1966)  Edith Margaret Beryl Pickles (Deceased 25th April 1973)

Sibblings Ian Herbert Pickles: Anthony Pickles (Deceased 1980)  Alison Pickles

Married to Hazel Scott Pickles nee Gordon 1982 1987 returned to Birmingham Bible Instutute to lecture in Pastoral Studies 1989 London BD (Hons) 1996 Univeristy of Wales Lampeter 2007 Doctor of Theology Trinity School of Theology Illinois

Work Administrator and Youth Pastor Briercliffe Christian Fellowship Barnoldswick 1980-84   Pastor of  Gospel Mission Hall Barnoldswick  1984-87. Director of Pastoral Studies at Birmingham Bible Institute  1987-1994; Pastor Peoples Hall Evangelical Church 1990-1996. Leader of the Independent Theological Academy Wolverhampton 1994-1998 Chaplain and Head of RE at Tettenhall College Wolverhampton 1996-98 Pastor of Avoch Congregational Church Ross shire 1999- 2001. Chaplain and Head of RE Strathallan School Perthshire 2001 -2003 Entered Church of Scotland and became Minister of Orwell and Portmoak Parish Kinross-shire. 2003-2010. Principal of Birmingham Bible Institute  2011 to present

Honours and National Committees Evangelical Fellowship of Congregational Churches Main Committee 1994-98. Chaplain to the Royal Highland Show 2005 Secretary of the Fellowship of St Andrew 2003-10 Represented the Church of Scotland at a Pastor Theologians Conference in Geneva 2006 Member and Convener of Property Committee in Perth Presbytery 2003-10 Represent the Church of Scotland in England on the Enabling Group of Churches Together in England. 2011

Theological Position Robert maintains his call to ministry was present at the age of 7 however he did not become a Christian until 11 years of age but this took six years to really work through my personality. I had experienced many unpleasant things in life which were healed by Christ but took a long time to work through.

His main desire is to fulfill the Scripture on Matthew 13 ‘The good scribe of the kingdom brings forth from his treasure store things old and new.’

This has been constantly developing but there are some elements. Reformed in that I whole-heartedly subscribe to the Westminster Confession of Faith. Charismatic in that he believes that the Gifts of the Spirit are in operation in the church today. Mystic in that he has seen that the core nature of any work for God to be found in prayer and waiting on the Lord. He is Evangelical in my concern for the Preaching of the Gospel in this country and abroad. He also upholds a high view of the authority of Scripture being ready to live and die for it. Revival on an individual and national level remains a main emphasis. A Churchman in that he receives and loves the people of God where ever they are to be found. Peace and Justice is also important for him in because we live in such a rich nation. A theology of the Cross and Glory are consistent themes in his preaching. This is the basis of his views regarding the full incarnation of Christ and in his people. He and Hazel put their faith into practice in their lives by trusting the Lord for all their finances, home, students and the college.

Writings 1993 Unless the Lord build the House  - A History of the People’s Hall Evangelical Church Bridgnorth.

1997 Lecture on the ‘The Shropshire Congregational Union – Birth, Death and  Re-birth?’  http://efccorg.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/studies-conference-1997-mp3s

1996  Application in the Preaching of Five Evangelical Preachers 1960-1996  Thesis –University of Wales Lampeter

2003 Daily Prayer Book for the Culdees of Orwell and Portmoak Parish (Private)

2005 The life of Ebenezer Erskine in play form.

2006 Orthodoxy in Plain Clothing – a description of the Church of Scotland?. Given in Geneva at the John Knox Reformed Centre and at the Fellowship of St Andrew in Edinburgh

2007 What is a Theologian in British Evangelical Christianity? Thesis

2007 The Michael Bruce Memorial Sermon. ‘Empire Theology and the Poetry of Michael Bruce.

2008 Orthodoxy and Iona Community jointly given by Robert and Kathy Galloway to the Readers of the Church of Scotland

2008  ‘Dancing in the Rain – a theology for an emergent church.’

Emphasis in Teaching

He is an all rounder and can fill in most subjects at the Birmingham Bible Institute. He has taught NT Greek for 20 years and recently in the last 10 added Hebrew to his skills. He has taught over a 1000 people to teach from 1980 onwards. He was very involved in teaching Church History but now tends to teach Doctrine and the texts of the OT and NT. Recently he has a great interest in applying the Apocrypha to the teaching of Scripture although he does not accept it as the Divine inspired Word.