The Rev Michael Duckett looks out at the firepit, surrounded by gum trees, at Macarthur Indigenous Church’s ministry centre at Wedderburn.

We’re talking about plans for the first-ever training program designed for Indigenous people in the Sydney Diocese – a modified form of The Well Training, based at Mt Druitt, which since 2023 has been preparing men and women from socioeconomically marginalised parts of Sydney to serve among their own community.

For any future Indigenous interns at The Well, their experience will begin around the firepit, with native birds calling in the trees and the still, quiet waters of a dam a short walk away.

“We have the privilege to equip the next generation of Indigenous leaders,” Mr Duckett says, as he looks out at the property. “There have been bits and pieces [of training], but this will be the first genuine commitment to say, ‘We’re going to roll this out’.”

“That thrills me. I’m really excited about it. Because what it says is that our Diocese is coming around to the reality of Indigenous ministry... And I see that as a great testimony to God’s work among us.”

That’s not to say that Indigenous men and women can’t be trained at Moore College (two students are studying there now), Youthworks College and the like. Two Indigenous students have also been through the existing program at The Well. But, Mr Duckett says, for most Indigenous people, a standard learning style simply doesn’t suit them.

“The difficulty in Western training is you just turn up and swallow what you’re given, but for Aboriginal people the learning is secondary to your relationship,” he explains. “In our culture learning is important, but relationships are more important. If you don’t have any connection or any trust or any respect for your teacher, you won’t take in much.

“When I go to Bible colleges, it’s like going to the movies. I’m just sitting there... and people talk and it’s great, but I don’t have a connection to the lecturers. We don’t sit down and say, ‘Mate, where do you live? Who’s your family?’

“The key [for Indigenous people] is having a culturally safe learning environment. You can be in the city... but whoever runs it, their responsibility is to make it a safe space for learning.”

To help prepare The Well program for an Indigenous stream, its team brought on Nathaniel “Jum” Naden part-time at the beginning of the year to help shape the learning plans and find the right men and women to take part.

Dr Coz Crosscombe, The Well’s project director, says: “Often, in education, the system is the focus, not the output. We’ve got this common saying in our team that we’re student-driven and not institution-driven. In other words, we’re looking at how we educate that student the best way for their context. If Michael and Jum say the classroom setting doesn’t work, we can change the environment. We can change the delivery... we can change what’s needed and figure out every possible angle to get to the output.

“The belief is that God is raising up leaders in all cultures around the world, so our job is to remove the barriers that prevent this from happening. I think there are amazing Indigenous leaders out there. Our job is to find them and help to make them the best they can be.”

In terms of changes, a module in The Well’s existing training considers engagement with different communities. For Indigenous interns, it will focus instead on cultural training and issues of Indigenous spirituality. Mr Duckett says it will equip those learning with resources from the Bible that will help them respond to spiritual issues as varied as smoking ceremonies and the Dreamtime.

Some subjects may be taught by himself or Mr Naden – others will be taught by existing lecturers, but Mr Duckett anticipates that an Indigenous leader will always be present to assist with the presentation if needed, provide support to the interns and help explain any elements that are unclear.

The Indigenous stream may also take some intensives on the road to locations such as Dubbo or Tamworth – wherever a good portion of the interns come from. “If there are more people in the bush, we can go there,” Mr Duckett says simply. “We’ve got the capacity to be flexible, and there’s a lot of connecting online after the training so you can be anywhere.”

God willing, his hope is that the Indigenous stream of The Well will begin in 2027 with between six and 10 students. The first of these will be the new assistant pastor at the Macarthur Indigenous Church, Leon Turvey.

Mr Duckett does not expect that all those who undertake the two-year course will go into full-time ministry – “That’s God’s business” – but prays that, trained and strengthened in their own faith, all will be strengtheners of the Indigenous churches around the state.

And, when the training starts, everything will begin with time together around the fire at Wedderburn.

“I’m going to ask all the lecturers to come as well, because when people meet the lecturers around the fire, everyone’s equal,” he says. “There’s no one greater than anyone else around the fire. If the Archbishop comes and sits around the fire, he’s no different to me.

“I think that’s the best place to meet and to engage, naturally, openly. And the lecturers, the next time [the Indigenous students] see them, they will be saying, ‘What are we doing today?’ All of a sudden there’s no fear, no barriers. ‘I remember you – you had a feed with us’, so when the person stands up and lectures, they’ll be more inclined to listen.

“That’s the strategy of having a sit down as well as an engagement of all the Aboriginal people, which then lays the foundation for the next two years learning together and struggling together and lifting each other.”

Those interested in helping provide scholarships for Indigenous interns, to cover the needs of their families while they study, can make a donation at https://thewelltraining.org.au.

Please pray

• that God will raise up the cohort of his choice for the first Indigenous stream of The Well Training, from whatever community they will be most needed and effective for Christ
• that there would be sufficient funds to offer the scholarship for the students to cover the needs of their families while they’re studying
• that God will raise up future leaders of Indigenous ministries throughout Australia