A Growing Partnership for Gospel Training in WA: Meet Damon Sokolowski

Damon Sokolowski is married to Becky, and together they have four children aged 11 to 1. He grew up in the eastern suburbs of Perth and is thankful to God for his Christian upbringing. Although faith shaped his early years, it was not until he was 19 that it truly became his own. He shares, “My mum certainly set me in that path, but it wasn't until I was 19 that the lights really turned on in terms of the Gospel and Jesus took hold of me and I've been following him ever since.”

During his second year of university, Damon began to realise that although he called himself a Christian, he was not truly following Christ. Scripture confronted him about discipleship and surrender. He explains, “When I was in my second year of uni, I'd been reading the Scriptures for a couple of years, and the Spirit of God just started convicting me of my way of living and double standards, and you know, saying I'm a Christian like nominally but not actually following Christ.”

Jesus’ words about denying yourself and taking up your cross struck him with fresh clarity. He recalls, “Jesus doesn’t leave room for a nominal Christian - you’re either taking up your cross and losing your life for Jesus and the gospel, or you’re not.”

The turning point came in a powerful vision he had: “He [Jesus] looks up at me from the cross and he says, ‘Damon, I love you.’” He says, “That just totally broke me.” From that moment, his direction in life began to change.

Growing up, Damon had dreamed of playing AFL. “My whole life ambition since about age seven had been to make the AFL.” He was tracking in that direction until illness and injury intervened. What seemed like a setback became a turning point, creating space for the Gospel to fill what football once occupied.

At first, Damon was ready to leave university and head straight to Bible college and the mission field. However, a pastor challenged him to slow down. “Look, I like your plan, but you might want to check your pride. I think you should finish uni and settle down. You need to mature and grow.” Damon reflects, “That was just such good advice.”

He completed a Business degree with an initial view toward politics and entered the workforce as a project manager and business analyst. Yet even while working in business, he sensed it was not where he would remain. “There was a real sense of this not being where God wanted me to stay.”

He enrolled in Bible college and travelled overseas to visit mission works. During that trip, particularly in India, his understanding of mission expanded. He shares, “That's when I saw the value of education as a vehicle for missionary work.” Observing how education opened doors in communities, including places closed to traditional mission work, shaped his long-term thinking. As a result, he undertook a Graduate Diploma of Education alongside his Graduate Diploma of Divinity, convinced that training and mission belonged together.

In 2009, Damon met Becky. “She's a missionary kid, and her mum was involved with cross-cultural church planting in unreached people groups. When I met Becky, we were both on the same page, and both wanted to do missions.” After marrying, they joined a new church plant in Perth, Providence Church, believing they should learn church planting locally before going overseas.

They served for several years, including working with a team to plant Providence Church Midland and exploring mission opportunities in East Timor. At thattime, however, the doors to overseas ministry closed. 

With a young family, Damon stepped back from pastoral ministry and moved into education in Albany as a Learning Support Coordinator. During this season, he also wrote Religion and Life courses while discerning what God might be leading them toward next. Reflecting on that time, he says, “The seed had been planted for training and equipping other people for ministry, whether that's in Australia or overseas.”

In 2018, Damon was invited to oversee the Great Southern Training Hub at Albany Baptist Church. At the same time, he had begun doctoral research in education. After prayer, he and Becky decided to remain in Albany, even though it had not been part of their original plans. He says, “In God's amazing providence, we've found ourselves in this really great church and a very healthy church movement in our region, including across denominations.”

From its regional base, the Great Southern Training Hub began to grow. What started locally extended into Perth and across the wider region through church-based internships. Damon explains, “What we've been able to do from Albany has actually then expanded into Perth and across our region.” Last year, the Hub partnered with 17 churches to help run internship programs across WA. The apprenticeship-style model allowed churches to train leaders within their own context.

As the training expanded, the need for growing accredited vocational pathways became clear. Damon began exploring higher-level certifications and formal structures that would support sustainable growth.

Through connections at Reach Australia, Damon was introduced to Andrew from VBC. “We got connected, and I met Andrew a couple of years ago. We just formed a friendship, and were able to share and hear about what VBC was doing. I found Andrew super generous and kingdom-minded and willing to share…his attitude was ‘Praise God for what he’s doing over there [in WA].”

What began as a friendship and shared learning developed into a formal partnership. As of this year, the Great Southern Training Hub now runs its vocational programs in partnership with VBC, with VBC serving as the Registered Training Organisation. This allows Certificate IV and Diploma qualifications in Christian Ministry and Theology to be nationally accredited while delivered through local churches.

Damon reflects, “For us partnering with VBC, there's a sense that we might actually be better together rather than just doing our own thing.” He adds, “There are some things that we could learn from each other and share some resources to have a larger footprint for the sake of the Gospel.”

Rather than duplicating efforts, the partnership strengthens both ministries. Together, they are expanding access to vocational Bible training across Western Australia. Damon shares that he’s expectant and excited for “training and equipping more of God's people for ministry and raising up labourers for the harvest.”

What began as a redirected personal calling has become a collaborative effort to equip local churches. Through a partnership between the Great Southern Training Hub and VBC, churches across Western Australia are being strengthened to train and raise gospel workers within their own communities.

Looking ahead, Damon asks for prayer for current cohorts, for clarity in calling, and for more trainers and administrative support. He also requests “prayer for the partnership with VBC, as we nut out the relationship and consider what that means in WA.”