Robert Lingard Snr. (Pastor, Phd.)

Robert is a school Chaplain for the Religious Education Association of Lismore (REAL) and serves both the Richmond River High Campus and the Lismore High Campus of the Rivers Secondary College. Robert came to faith in Christ at a young age while growing up in Lismore and has sought to live out his faith by developing his knowledge and applying his learnings creatively to address needs in the wider community. He was a youth minister in Germany for two years in the early 1990s before returning to Australia. Following ministry training, he served as a congregational minister, along with his wife, Lynette, in various settings since 1997, and shares leadership responsibilities for New Heights Christian Fellowship. Robert is experienced in providing Chaplaincy support and spiritual care in educational settings, having led a team of university chaplains for 15 years, and served on national and international chaplaincy executive committees. Robert holds degrees in Human Genetics, and Divinity, and has a PhD in Sociology. His doctoral thesis investigated how Australians place their values. He continues to apply his skills to understanding how spiritual care can be delivered within the context of secular environments, while maintaining the integrity of Christian distinctives.