Leadership
The church is overseen by a leadership team of three Elders.
James Tydeman (Pastor): James was born and grew up in Woolwich, South East London, moving to Birmingham in 2012 to marry Beth, a primary school teacher with whom he has two young children. Before joining the church in 2014, James worked with London City Mission in a Christian Centre in Peckham, being involved in the various evangelistic activities it ran.
As well as completing three years of theological training, James has also held a number of different jobs, including working alongside statemented pupils as a Learning Mentor at Tudor Grange Academy, Solihull.
He is passionate about seeing the church filled with passionate, disciple-making disciples and longs to see the lives of people in Lapworth – and beyond – transformed by the power and grace of the good news, as they experience the love, joy, peace, forgiveness and new life that come through knowing the real, relevant, risen Jesus.
Arthur Prescott (Elder):
Originally from Bolton in Lancashire, Arthur became a Christian whilst studying Electrical Engineering at Salford University. His career was in IT, working first for ICL and then for Severn Trent as an IT Project Manager. The latter part of his career was with a Christian charity as International Finance and Administration Manager.
Initially he and his wife, Cora, were involved with a small Railway Mission church in Crewe before their move, first to Kenilworth, and then to Lapworth 30 years ago. Ever since then they have been passionate about exercising their faith in Christ at the Lapworth Community Church and seeing the church actively involved in the community through a variety of children’s ministries and events which non-church people can comfortably attend. He has also been keen to see the church engage in mission both locally, through organisations like Birmingham City Mission, and overseas through a variety of different organisations.
Ben Sterry (Elder): Ben and his wife Anne have been members at the Lees since they moved to Lapworth in 1989. During that time they’ve brought up 2 children who have now left home. Outside of church, Ben has spent his entire career in the world of IT and is currently a Business Intelligence consultant.
He leads a Growth Group, has overall responsibility for the children’s work at the Lapworth Community Church and is also responsible for anything ‘technical’ in the church.
He is happiest up a mountain, whether that’s skiing, walking, or just admiring God’s creation.
The church is also supported by three deacons who each have responsibility for a different area of church life.