Graeme Flett is a senior coach for the Centre for Church Leadership and lecturer within the School of Theology at Laidlaw College. He specialises in ministry formation and pastoral/practical theology. Graeme is committed to the advancement of Church leadership coupled with missional innovation. This is embodied in his role as the convenor of the Engage Breakfast groups— a monthly cycle of theological reflective spaces where practitioners gather and discuss “gospel and culture” challenges. 

Graeme serves out of a deep commitment to the Church of Aotearoa. This extends to practitioners and students alike who are either preparing for Christian leadership or are honing their ministry and leadership capacities. Graeme presses the point that the best theology is done when pastors, church leaders and students proactively integrate theological learning with their practice. This conviction comes out of his own experience as a pastor of 17 years and the need for emerging Church leaders to imagine and act out of a robust theological framework. Graeme believes that such an understanding is grounded in Scripture and a life attuned to a lively embodiment of Christian faith. This underpins Graeme’s desire and joy in helping church leaders, pastors and students deepen their calling and vocation.

Graeme’s  PhD focuses on media ecology and the influence of new media on congregational life, specifically looking at Christian identity and embodied practices. He has published on topics relating to embodiment and new media as well as visual technologies and congregational life. 

Graeme is married to Linda who works as a part-time registered Chaplin at Waitakere Hospital. He has three married daughters and four grandchildren. He is also an ordained pastor of the Elim Churches of NZ. Currently, he and Linda lead a monthly interdenominational service at Waitakere Hospital.

His interests are in church leadership, organisational culture,  media ecology and identity formation. Outside of these academic pursuits, Graeme is a keen woodworker, craftsman and an enthusiastic artisan of all things made of wood.

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Publications

PhD

Media Ecology, Congregational Life and Christian Identity, Theology Programme, School of Arts, University of Otago.

2021

Flett, G.V., “Media Ecology, Congregational life and Christian Identity” PhD diss., University of Otago, Dunedin, 2021.

________, “Hearts and Minds: Lockdown, Common-sense and being Sensible” Stimulus Vol. 28/2, December 2021.

2015

The Power of Listening by Lynne Baab, Stimulus Vol 22 issue 1 2015

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Conference Papers and Presentations

2022

September| “Smartphone use and the body life of a congregation” Paper presented at BIAPT (British Irish Association of Practical Theology) Annual Conference 2022 Flesh & Blood: Embodiment & Practical theology.

November| Laidlaw College Postgraduate Seminar “Smartphone use and the body life of a congregation”

2018

PhD post-Graduate Seminar – Media as Ecology in the Practice of Christian Faith – August 2018

2017

“Hidden Curricula of the institution? Media Ecology” ANZATFE conference, Sydney, December 2017

2016

“Creative Practices for Team Leadership”- The Abbey (Anglican Youth NZ) 2016

2015

Integrative Conversations for Team Leadership” co-presentation with Linda Flett), ANZATFE conference, Melbourne, November 2015.

Paper – “Visual Technologies” ANZATFE Conference, Melbourne, Australia (2015)

“Love Your Neighbour – Community Seminar (May 2015)

Brethren North Island Leadership Camp (August 2015)

2014

‘Church Leadership Day’ - Living Hope Family Church (AoG)

“Visual Technologies within a Pentecostal Ecclesia”. Practical and Pastoral Theology Conference. Dunedin, New Zealand, Nov 2014.

2013

“Building collaborative learning communities: Convergence of academy and parish” to the Australia New Zealand Theological Field Educators conference, Auckland, NZ.

“Visual Technologies and the (re)shaping of a Pentecostal Ecclesia” Seminar to the Laidlaw Graduate School.

2012

‘Lift Leadership Conference’ – Salvation Army (The Northern Region)

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Unpublished Thesis

2013

“Visual Technologies and the (re)shaping of a Pentecostal Ecclesia” Unpublished MMin Thesis: Theology and Religion Department of the University of Otago, 2013. Available through Laidlaw Library and Otago University Library.