Meet Our Lecturers
To be a teacher of the written word of God is a high calling and privilege, as we work together to focus our students on Jesus, the Living Word of God. By doing so, we are participating in what Jesus is doing to build and grow his body, the church, thus advancing the mission of God to the world.
Australasia
John McLean
John McLean (BA, MBA) is the Director and Founder of ACCM. He has served for more than 45 years in pastoral ministry, sixteen years as National Director and Mission Developer of GCI Australia, and two years as Superintendent of Australasia.
He has worked with the National Church Life Survey team and has co-authored the book Lead With Your Strengths with Peter Kaldor. He has delivered numerous sessions at the national conferences of Christian Ministry Advancement (Christian Management Australia). He has been the keynote speaker and conducted workshops and training at many church conferences in Australia, the USA and other countries. He has written several of the foundational ACCM courses and has been teaching for ACCM in intensive formats around the world for seventeen years. He continues to work with cohorts of students from many countries.
John has delivered professional workshops on Personality, Team Building and Communication, and provided Situational Leadership ® training to individuals and teams in universities, schools, community organisations, national corporations, and State Government departments. He has extensive Board experience.
John has a special interest in education and developing people.
Phillip Hopwood
Phillip Hopwood has pastored congregations of Grace Communion International in New South Wales and Tasmania, the southern island state of Australia. He has been a church member since 1972, graduating from Ambassador College BA program, majoring in theology with highest distinction, in 1983. He has undertaken a variety of studies since, including Regent College classes in Biblical Interpretation, and a number of classes at the Tasmanian College of Ministry, including Old Testament Theology, as well as completing Certificate IV in Assessment Vocational and Workplace Training at TAFE in Hobart.
Besides part time pastoring, he assists with ACCM cohorts in Australia as well as giving feedback and grading student assessments for many oversees students. Phil also runs a small computer business and enjoys computers, reading historical novels, trout fishing, photography and travel. Phillip has a passion for preaching God's word to his people. He has been involved in speaking clubs and preaching classes for 35 years. He has been serving as pastor for nearly 25 years in Canada and Australia.
Dennis Richards
Dennis Richards (BA, BE [Civil, Hons], BAppIS, GradDipTheol) is GCI Regional Director for New Zealand and the South Pacific and lives in Palmerston North, NZ. He currently pastors two small groups and two congregations in the lower North Island but has served in many locations across the country over the last 45 years. Always passionate about Christian beliefs and education, Dennis recently joined the ACCM team in 2022 to support especially the Fijian cohort and is currently qualified in Doctrines and Christian Leadership. He is preparing next to teach The Bible also.
Alaric Kurzawa
Alaric Kurzawa (BA, MTS) currently pastors two GCI congregations in Victoria, Australia and works for ACCM. He recently finished his Master in Theological Studies at Grace Communion Seminary. He has served for 19 years in pastoral ministry as well as the National Youth Coordinator for Australia and overseeing the National SEP camp for eight years. Alaric grew up in the United States but migrated to Australia in 2002 so that his Australian wife could be closer to her family.
Along with pastoring, he has been a part of ACCM intensive weekends as a participant as well as helping to teach them in both Australia and the United States. He teaches the Jesus and the Gospels and is working towards being accredited to teach Spiritual Formation, The Bible, and Christian Leadership this year. When not working, Alaric enjoys playing cards with his family of four kids, reading, watching movies, and camping.
Asia
Justine Parcasio
Justine Parcasio is an ordained Elder of Grace Communion International and currently serves as Youth and Associate Pastor, Pastoral Team Member and Full-Time Ministry Worker in his local church, Grace Communion Baguio. He is also commissioned as a Ministry Associate of Odyssey In Christ - Asia and has actively served as facilitator and spiritual director in various spiritual formation retreats/trainings conducted in various places in the Philippines for the past 10 years. He is a co-founder of OVRFLW (overflow) Ministries, an online ministry platform of worship, prayer, word and prophetic ministry. He is a member of GCI Philippines - National Emerging Leader Core Team as well.
Before answering the call into the full-time ministry, he taught as a kindergarten teacher for 3 years at UCCP - Baguio Educational Center Inc. He graduated Cum Laude in his bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education major in Early Childhood Education and passed the Licensure Examination for Teachers in 2015. He holds two masters degree: Master of Arts in Education major in Early Childhood Education at Benguet State University and his MA in Transformative
Spirituality at Asia School Development and Cross Cultural Studies (ASDECS).
He is currently pursuing his Doctor of Ministry in Pastoral Studies at Asian Theological Seminary (ATS) in Quezon City, Philippines. As a youth leader and pastor, he has been volunteering as a counselor, camp director, resource person in different youth camps, conferences and trainings (in-person and online) in the Philippines and in Asia. Most evident in his life is his passion for children, youth and the next generation, sharing the joy found in his spiritual journey with the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
Africa
Kalengule Kaoma
Kalengule Kaoma has been involved with our denomination for over 40 years and is currently serving as the African Superintendent; his region includes 159 congregations over 28 nations. Kalengule often says the three greatest needs in Africa are ‘manpower development, manpower development, and manpower development’ and one of the ways he is achieving this is through ACCM. Kalengule has been teaching ACCM courses in the form of intensives to his many church leaders since 2018.
Clement Bewaji
Clement Bewaji has been a member of the Church since April 1974. He was ordained an Elder in May 2001 and has been serving as a bi-vocational Pastor of the Grace Communion Congregation in Ilorin, Nigeria, while also lecturing at the University of Ilorin, Nigeria.
He attended the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, where he obtained the Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) degree in 1977, Master of Philosophy (MPhil.) degree in 1983 and the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in 1985, all in the scientific discipline of Biochemistry.
Clement has a passion for evangelism through print and electronic media. He is the founding Editor of the International Christian Digest, a magazine he established in 1999 “to proclaim the gospel of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ”. He was recently accredited to teach Jesus and the Gospels course to ACCM students in Nigeria.
Gardner Kunje
Gardner Kunje is the GCI Regional Director for Central Africa comprising Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. He is also the National Ministry Leader of Malawi.
Gardner has served in the Pastoral ministry for 35 years. He was ordained as an Elder on 17th June 1989.
He studied Religious Education at ICI Global, a correspondence Christian university for 2 years before enrolling with ACCM. He obtained a Certificate of Christian Ministry from ACCM in June 2023. He is still studying for a Diploma in Christian Ministry.
Besides his pastoral and administration duties, he assists the ACCM Malawi cohort in teaching and grading their assessments. His passion includes preaching and learning more about God.
South America
Paulina Salinas
Paulina Salinas has been a member of the church since 1980 and has been serving her community with her husband Hector since 1985. Paulina is currently pastoring a GCI congregation in Bogota, and loves serving her church with her husband, two sons and their families. Paulina has studied Theology and Sciences of Religion in Colombia and is currently accredited to teach Jesus and the Gospels, Christian Leadership, Doctrines, and The Bible.
Caribbean
Betty Brunet
Betty Brunet is one of ACCM’s cohort leaders and teachers in the Caribbean. Based in Martinique Betty continues to lead French speaking cohorts through ACCM courses and is accredited to teach Jesus and the Gospels, Christian Leadership, Doctrines, and The Bible. Betty has been instrumental in the ongoing process of translating ACCM courses into French and is an invaluable asset to the ACCM team.
Kernani Cheny
Kernani Cheny is one of ACCM’s cohort leaders and teachers in the Caribbean. He is accredited to teach Jesus and the Gospels, Christian Leadership, Doctrines, and The Bible. Kernani is a school teacher and has taught ACCM courses in the Caribbean and French-speaking African nations in his limited spare time since 2018.
Europe
Barry Robinson
Barry Robinson is serving ACCM as a cohort leader and teacher in the United Kingdom. Barry currently serves GCI on the National Ministry Team for the UK and Ireland and is the area pastor for 15 congregations in the south of England. He started attending our fellowship in 1975 and has been a pastor for over 25 years. While pastoring, Barry also worked as a UK civil servant doing work ranging from managing local benefits to advising government ministers on matters of policy; he also has a degree from the London School of Theology. Barry enjoys watching England play cricket, rugby and football as well as the odd murder mystery thriller.
Student Testimonials
