After four decades of service, Ian Robinson retires

After four decades of service, Ian Robinson retires

After more than forty years in ministry, Rev. Dr Ian Robinson retired on 31 March 2021. Insights spoke to him shortly before his departure in February about what the future holds.

“I started full time ministry October 1980 with some studies to finish and was ordained formally Feb 1982,” he recalled.  

“I recall only that my firstborn was one week old on the day. The role was more significant to me than the event.”

His first ministry was a successful church plant in one of Perth’s housing commission sites, a time that he looks back on fondly. According to Rev. Dr Robinson, the key to success there was not having a set agenda or formula for how to impart the Gospel.

From there, a key ministry was working for the NSW Synod as a Consultant for Evangelism from 1988 to 1995.

A return to congregational ministry took place in Chatswood/Willoughby from 1995 to 2003.

Returning to Perth, Rev. Dr Robinson took up doctoral studies from 2003 to 2007, with a thesis on Desert Spirituality that drew on his own experiences. He was later the Uniting Church Chaplain at the University of Western Australia rom 2008 to 2015. He recalled this as being a challenging ministry, where he was responsible for ministering to students and staff. However, he recalled fondly the relationships he developed.

In 2015, he made another trip across the Nullarbor, moving back to NSW and ACT Synod to serve as the Alan Walker Lecturer in Evangelism Mission and Leadership.

During his career, Rev. Dr Robinson was responsible for a number of books, including Makes You Wonder – Exercises that Grow Capacity in Faith Sharing and Hot Gospel: A Call and a Plan for Eco-Missiology. One of the key courses that he was responsible for developing was known as Gossiping the Gospel. This course was designed to help participants to talk about their faith in different and fresh ways that would make sense to the hearer.

His ministry was by no means confined to Australia’s shores. As well as seeing Gossiping the Gospel taken up abroad, Rev. Dr Robinson’s ministry extended to New Zealand, PNG, Tonga, Fiji, Zambia, South Africa, United Kingdom, Sudan, Israel, Jordan, South Korea, and the Phillipines.

Rev. Dr Robinson was mixed in his impression of the Uniting Church and its legacy. Having worked for the church for four decades, he believes that the church has achieved much but has neglected its mission, as set out in the Great Commission.

“People used to say often ‘we aren’t interested in putting bums on seats’ (as though the denial of the great commission was  a virtue),” he said.

“The Uniting Church’s openness to change is a very great asset. If we asked ourselves to grow a shared confidence in the Gospel, congregations could double in a few years and the denomination it could triple in a decade. This has been my experience.”

Rev. Dr Robinson said that he will continue to speak at conferences, write the odd article, and lead pilgrimage trips to the desert. The town he has moved to does not have a Uniting Church, and he said that he has no plans to plant one.

“I may start a mission team,” he said.

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5 thoughts on “After four decades of service, Ian Robinson retires”

  1. as a close friend of Ian for the last 15 years, I know how much he has given to his ministry and his passion for spreading the love of God. Well done good and faithful servant Ian! I hope to join you on a few more sprit journeys yet. Blessings to you, Marg and family on the next stage of your journey together

    1. Hi Rich, just a question about Ian Robinson. DID HE MINISTER AT Emanuel Uniting Church in Westourt Cairns in 2019? .We know Ian Robinson has retired but are just wanting to make sure this is the same Pastor who ovwrsaw mum’s funeral as Dad asked if he could have the same pastor as mum did and we were wanting to contact him.
      Sue anne Veltjens

      1. I think I spoke to you this morning from Edmonton UC. I wonder if Heritage Brady, Funeral Directors, could help you with this. I found Judith’s obituary and her funeral service was held there at Gordonvale. Even though it was two years ago they may have kept good records as to who conducted the service. Joan K

  2. Thanks for all you have given Ian. You have always caused me to think more deeply and to prepare to see things in different lights. May God bless you Marg and the family on this next exciting chapter, and the deserts continue to inspire you.

  3. Ian is like a lot of pioneering ministers; developing exciting ministry opportunities despite the burden of institutional structures. We have a way to go in the UCA before we are even close to the flexibility & curiosity needed for mission. We need to encourage the gifts of all the people and call them forth for training and development. As long as we persist with dominant clericalism and institutional control we will lag behind. We need to support more Ian Robinsons and others doing things in creative new ways.

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