From the Tools to Theology

Ryan Niebuur grew up in Launceston and moved to Devonport at the age of 18. Raised in a Christian family, faith was always present in his life, but for many years it sat more in the background than at the centre. As Ryan describes it, he did “the whole Christian school, church, the tick all the God boxes as a kid,” but through his school years, it became a place to just meet his mates and “have a good time.” 

After leaving school, Ryan, with many of his friends, headed down a path of partying, drinking, and reckless behaviour, or “silliness,” as he puts it. While he wasn’t a Christian at that point, he knew that wasn’t the direction he wanted his life to go. As his friends moved further down that road, Ryan reached out and reconnected with an old school friend living in Devonport, someone he knew “wasn’t silly” and who was “a committed Christ follower and active member of the church that I’m now pastoring,” he shares.

Not long after, Ryan joined that friend and a group of others on a camping trip. What he encountered there challenged everything he thought he knew about faith. “I was shown the Gospel in a way that I’ve never been shown before,” he says. Instead of treating Sunday like any other day, the group gathered to pray, read the Bible, and worship together. “It was my first introduction to young people who took their faith seriously, and I was really quite intrigued by that.” That weekend became a turning point in Ryan’s life. “I fully gave my life to Jesus after a weekend of camping with those guys,” he says. “It’s never been the same since.” That was in 2008, and while many of his old friends continued down a different path, Ryan’s life took a new direction shaped by faith and community.

Ryan finished school in Year 10 and immediately began an apprenticeship as a diesel mechanic. “That’s what my dad did, and that’s what I’ve always been interested in,” he says. Knowing exactly where he was headed made school easy to get through, and he worked in the trade for around 15 years. Even now, after years in ministry, Ryan says, “I still find it hard to say I’m not a tradie.”

While working full-time as a mechanic, Ryan was involved in his local church, Pathway to Life, part of the Reformed Churches of Australia. He served in volunteer roles, became an elder at a young age, and gradually took on more responsibility in leading services and church life. Over time, people began encouraging him to consider ministry more intentionally. “People would come up to me and say, ‘Hey, I think you should look into ministry,’” he recalls. At first, he resisted. “I was going to be a mechanic. That’s what I was going to be… and I was good at it.” But after years of conversations with trusted people, church leadership, and his wife, Bianca, it became clear that God was leading him toward ministry.

Stepping into ministry meant study, and that was something Ryan approached with hesitation. “I didn’t like school,” he says. “I didn’t like sitting in a classroom. I’d much rather be active,” he explains. He completed a Certificate IV, which he found straightforward, and then a Diploma of Theology, but the academic nature of that study proved more challenging. “I really found that soul-sucking,” he admits. “I enjoyed learning it, but I hated the mode.” The heavy emphasis on academic language, assessments, and bibliographies made further study feel daunting.

Ryan’s ministry responsibilities continued to increase, and he is now serving as an associate pastor three days per week at his local church. After many discussions with the senior pastor and an external Ministry Development Coach, Clinton, it became clear that further training would be beneficial. “I was really apprehensive about going to a bachelor's level,” Ryan shares, but Clinton recommended VBC, describing it as “much more vocational, apprenticeship-y kind of vibe” and a “more blue-collar college.” That description immediately resonated.

After speaking with Andrew at VBC, Ryan enrolled in the Advanced Diploma. He has just completed his first week, and the difference is already clear. “It’s none of this super academic stuff, it’s just a whole different approach, and I love how it’s like that,” he says. “It’s quite refreshing to be honest.” Already, Ryan values the live, online classes, where “you’re actually having a proper conversation with your peers.” For the first time in formal study, he’s found himself learning alongside other tradies, including electricians and labourers who also juggle work and ministry. “For once I’m with guys who understand a bit of the life that I’ve lived … we speak the same language,” he says. “That was really cool for me.”

For Ryan, VBC represents more than just a qualification; it’s a pathway that makes training accessible and relatable. “There is actually a pathway for you to train in a way that is helpful and not just smashing out copious amounts of assignments,” he says. He describes VBC as “relatable and accessible, and even affordable,” and already sees others in his church beginning to ask whether it could be an option for them too. “People know that I’m not an academic,” Ryan says, “but the fact that I can study with VBC and even say that I’m looking forward to it, that speaks a lot to the people who know me.”

Although he has only just begun his studies, Ryan is confident about the journey ahead. “I’m looking forward to seeing how it all unfolds, and I’ve enjoyed it so far,” he says. He also encourages others in his position, “I've never heard of another tradie or someone in my position doing this because in my experience the pastors and ministry workers have always been more of the ‘book’ people, not the tradies. But we're not alone in this, and VBC exists for people like us.”

Ryan is working toward ordination within the Reformed Churches of Australia denomination, and the Advanced Diploma will help equip him and grow his understanding of God as he prepares for the exams. Please pray for Ryan as he continues his studies, that he will grow deeper in his knowledge and understanding of the Word and continue to reach more people with the hope of Jesus.