Graduate Blog: Matthew Campbell
Graduate Blog
By Matthew Campbell
Tell us a little bit about yourself (name, family, interests, church etc.)
My name is Matthew Campbell. I’m 33 years old and live in Comber with my wife, Annie, and our two children, Zachary (2) and Mollie (11 months). I’m a member of Newtownbreda Baptist Church. My main interests are videography and sport, especially football. I’m a big Arsenal fan and hoping they’ll finally win the Premier League this year!
When did you study at IBC and what was the most beneficial thing you gained from your time here?
I studied at IBC from 2014 to 2019. Having just graduated from a Maths degree at Queen’s, I was beginning a year-long internship with my local church, Ballymena Baptist. The internship programme was part-time, so I was looking for some training to complement it. That’s what led me to IBC, where I studied both part-time and full-time over the five years.
Of course, I learnt a lot about theology and the Bible during that time, but the most beneficial aspect of IBC was the community. There are many places where you can study theology, but studying it deeply in the context of a close, Christ-centred community is something unique. That sense of shared learning and fellowship was a defining part of my experience at IBC.
What are you doing now that you’ve left the College, and how did your time at IBC help prepare you for that?
Halfway through my time at college, I took up the role of Baptist Youth Director, which overlapped with my studies for three years. A key part of that role was learning to think theologically about children’s and youth ministry, so my studies at IBC greatly shaped my understanding in this area. In particular, I developed strong convictions about youth ministry, ecclesiology, and the importance of the family.
More recently, I’ve taken up a role with ABCI as Media and Communications Coordinator. My theological training at IBC continues to influence this work, as I seek to support our various departments and promote their ministries in a way that is Christ-honouring and helpful for our ABCI churches. Truth be told, I’m convinced that theological training is beneficial regardless of the career path you ultimately pursue.
What can we pray for you?
"Please pray for my role with ABCI, as I’m involved in a number of fairly large, long term projects. Pray also for my family, I’m quickly learning that balancing work, church, and life with young children can be challenging.
