Tutor for Youth and Children’s Ministry
BA in Politics (with European Studies), Durham University
Diploma in Political Studies, L’Institut D’Etudes Politiques, Aix-en-Provence
MA in International Political Economy, Warwich University
BA in Youth and Children’s Ministry, Oak Hill Theological College
PhD in Practical Theology, University of Manchester
FHEA
Prior to joining Emmanuel, Gareth spent six years as Lecturer in Practical theology at Cliff College and before that was a youth, children & families minister for ten years in an Anglican church in Cheshire. He is a member of the Executive Committee of the International Association for the Study of Youth Ministry and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
Gareth’s research interests are in the area of youth, children and families (YCF) mission and ministry, in which he has published at both an academic and popular level.
Gareth is keen to bring both academic and practical elements of YCF thinking together. He is a member of the Core Team for the Hand in Hand training conference for children and families’ ministry and works part-time for Premier as their Commissioning Editor (Young People).
He lives in Buxton with his wife and three sons.
Areas of expertise
- Youth, Children and Families mission and ministry
- Practical Theology
Publications
Books and booklets
- The Symphonic Church, Grove booklet (Youth series, March 2025)
- Together with God – An Introduction to Family Worship. Co-authored with Ed Mackenzie (John-Morse Publishing, 2016)
Journal articles
- ‘Bottom-Up and Top-Down Approaches to Y&C Ministry, Part 1: Outlining a New Way of Analysing Approaches to Youth and Children’s Mission and Ministry’, (Journal of Youth and Theology, Volume 23: Issue 2, 2024)
- ‘Bottom-Up and Top-Down Approaches to Y&C Ministry, Part 2: Finding a Theological Way Forward’, (Journal of Youth and Theology, Volume 23: Issue 2, 2024)
- ‘Family Ministry and Theology: A biblical-theological reflection on three church of England congregations’ (Southwestern D6 Family Ministry Journal, Vol 5, 2023)
- ‘Sociological Drivers of Segmentation Within Youth and Children’s Mission and Ministry in Western Contexts.’ (Christian Education Journal, Vol 19, No.3, 2022)
- ‘A theology of accommodation as a resource for integrating youth and children into intergenerational church.’ (Christian Education Journal Series 3, Vol 14, No.1, Spring 2017)
Book chapters
- ‘Ludicity and Theology: Exploring some theological foundations of intergenerational ministry.’ In Grissom, V. M., (ed). Intergenerate – Becoming: Intergenerational Practice in the Formation of Being God’s People (Abilene, TX: Abilene Christian University Press, 2023)
- ‘A biblical theological approach to the church home relationship.’ In Cory Seibel (Ed.) The Generative Church (Eugene, Wipf & Stock, 2019)
- ‘Intergenerational Communities and a Theology of Accommodation.’ In Holly C. Allen (Ed.), InterGenerate: How Churches Can Become More Intentionally Intergenerational in Outlook and Practice (Abilene, TX: Abilene Christian University Press, 2018)
Book reviews
- Crispin, G. (2025). Wide Awake in God’s World: Bible Engagement for Teenage Spiritual Formation in a Culture of Expressive Individualism, written by Graham Stanton. Journal of Youth and Theology (published online ahead of print 2025). https://doi.org/10.1163/24055093-bja10077
- Crispin, G. (2023). The Five Questions: An Academic Handbook in Youth Ministry, written by Jos de Kock and Bård Norheim. Journal of Youth and Theology, 23(1), 151-153. https://doi.org/10.1163/24055093-bja10060
