Faith that Saves

Joshua Downs was born in Perth but moved to Taree with his mum as a young child. Raised by Christian parents, he attended a Churches of Christ, non-denominational church, and his early life was marked by consistent involvement in church. However, during his teenage years, faith gradually became less personal and more distant. He shares, “I knew the idea of Christianity, but it became less important to me, and I started not caring. That led me on a journey of initially falling away and not caring about my life.”

At 16, Joshua experienced a significant turning point when his girlfriend became pregnant. Rather than drawing him back to God, this pulled him further away from caring about Christianity. He shares, “In reflection, I felt more like a failure to God, and so I didn't want to bother trying to get into his good graces because I felt like I couldn't and that it was too late that I'd already messed up my chance.” Looking back, he recognises that this response came from a misunderstanding of the gospel rather than its truth.

Around the age of 18, a shift began to take place. In the midst of feeling inadequate, Joshua began engaging with the Bible more seriously than ever before: “I was hit with all these verses that were gospel-focused,” he explains. A key passage for him was Galatians 3, which challenged his thinking. It confronted his belief that he could earn his way to God by improving himself, “That is exactly what I was doing, I was trying to  clean myself up and better myself and work my way back into God's grace. That’s when I knew I couldn't.”

This moment marked a turning point, as he began to understand grace as something freely given rather than earned. “That changed my heart, and was one of the first times I really grasped the gospel… I understood it then.”

From there, Joshua’s life began to take a new direction. He finished school, and he and Courtney, his girlfriend at the time, married soon after. What began in difficult circumstances grew into a stable and committed relationship, and they are now approaching their 11th wedding anniversary. Shortly after marrying, they had their second child, a daughter, and today they have four children, with the youngest just nine months old. The responsibilities of family life, which came earlier than expected, became a key influence in shaping his maturity and priorities. “It’s really my story of mucking up on God, but then God blessing me… Instead of cutting me off, God gave me responsibility and a blessing, and taught me early to think about others over myself,” he shares.

For the past five years, Joshua worked as a sales consultant at Telstra in a local store. When the store closed late last year, he saw it as an opportunity to reassess his direction rather than simply finding similar work. Drawing on his experience, he started his own business providing technical support, particularly for elderly people navigating phones and everyday technology. This work has proven both practical and meaningful, allowing him to serve people in tangible ways. “I’m trusting in God. I could have just got another similar job, but I decided that’s not what I wanted to do.”

In July last year, Joshua began studying for a Certificate IV in Christian Ministry and Theology at VBC and has since started studying for the Diploma of Christian Ministry and Theology. Although he had long been interested in theology, this marked a renewed commitment after previously struggling to complete formal study. “I’ve been mucking around with theological study since finishing high school… I’ve always struggled with self-discipline. I’ve done bits of courses, but I've never actually completed a full certificate.” Despite this, his passion for Scripture has remained consistent since he first began engaging deeply with the Bible at 18. “I’ve always had a keen interest in theology and getting into the Bible, and since looking at the Bible closely for the first time, it sort of absorbed me in a real way,” he explains.

Because moving to Sydney wasn’t practical, Joshua spent several years discussing options with his minister at Taree Presbyterian Church. Together, they explored how he could pursue theological training while remaining rooted in his local church and community. “I have a passion for ministry, and because of my keen interest in God's word, it's always been an exciting thing for me to share that with people, and  I wanted proper study.” They also reflected on the nature of ministry training itself. “The route to becoming a Pastor should be grounded, and when you're dealing with people every day, it's not just about how well you can write an essay, it's how you relate to people.” They were drawn to a model that emphasised learning through participation, similar to an apprentice. He explains, “I believe the path to being a pastor should be more seeing and doing… And with a study component to know how to open up God's word and read it correctly, and pass it on correctly and effectively.”

When his pastor discovered VBC, it aligned closely with this vision. Its model allows students to remain in their communities while engaging in practical, ministry-focused training. “This is the idea VBC is going for; it's real people on the ground who are living in their communities and want to serve their church without needing to uproot themselves to study.”

Joshua is enjoying his experience at VBC, particularly its interactive and Bible-centred approach. “I'm loving it. The classes are really interactive and all the teachers are really good and friendly.” He especially values the emphasis on application, where learning connects directly to life and ministry. “We're encouraged to really interact with the material every step of the way, and it's all grounded in the Bible. That's something I've really appreciated about all the subjects…Each lesson is pretty much like a Bible study, and I think that’s how it should be,” he shares.

This combination of depth and practicality has made his studies both meaningful and enjoyable. He explains, “They aren't just ideas on a page, we're actually bringing it down and going, ‘how does this affect how we live and how we minister?’ And it's brilliant. I look forward to my lessons because I know they're going to be instructive but enjoyable. They're very good.”

For those considering VBC, Joshua offers this encouragement: “If you’re trying to build roots in a town and need practical study, then VBC is perfect. If you learn by doing, VBC is very encouraging and it certainly fits the everyday person. I definitely recommend it.”

At church, Joshua serves as music coordinator, preaches occasionally, and is involved in kids’ and youth ministry. These roles provide immediate opportunities to apply what he is learning, reinforcing the practical nature of his studies. His goal is to complete an Advanced Diploma of Christian Ministry and Theology, and he will be exploring further ministry opportunities.