OUR ELDER LEADERSHIP
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GBCR’s government is led by godly, biblically qualified men called "Elders" (1 Tim. 3; Titus 1; 1 Pet. 5)
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Our Elders share equally in the church’s leadership and decision-making though each Elder seeks to use his particular spiritual and natural gifts in the areas in which he can best help the church.
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GBCR now has three (3) Elders: Tom McConnell, Tim Atkins and Claudio Farinha
Tom McConnell
Elder-Pastor-Teacher
Church Planter
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Tom is a graduate from The Master's Seminary where John MacArthur is the president.
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In 2002, the elders of Grace Community Church in Los Angeles, California recruited Tom and his wife, Kathy, for missionary work in the United Kingdom.
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In Feb 2013, Tom was asked to help start and pastor Grace Bible Church Rugby.
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As an Elder, Tom enjoys studying and preaching God's Word, making disciples through sharing the Gospel, helping believers grow through teaching in GBCR's Bible Training Academy and equipping the saints to apply God's Word to their everyday lives via Biblical Counselling.
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As a GMI Church-Planting Missionary, Tom's burden is to help GBCR become a self-supporting, disciple-making and church-planting church.
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Read Tom's testimony, click here.
Tim Atkins
Elder-Pastor-Teacher
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Tim has been an Elder at Grace Bible Church Rugby since the church was started in Feb 2013.
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As an Elder, Tim enjoys preaching God's Word and shepherding God's people through personal discipleship and biblical counselling.
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Tim is happily married and has two adult children.
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Read Tim's testimony, click here.
Claudio Farinha
Elder-Pastor-Teacher
Church-Planter in Training
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Claudio became an Elder at
Grace Bible Church Rugby at the end of 2019.
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Originally from Madeira, Portugal, Claudio moved to the UK in 2011.
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Ever since Claudio was saved on Feb 2012, he has been burdened to take the powerful Gospel back to his family, friends and neighbors on the island of Madeira.
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He is currently finishing his training as a church planter through
GBCR's Bible Training Academy with the desire to plant a church in Madeira.
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Claudio is married and has three beautiful young children.
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Read Claudio's testimony,
click here.