National Team

Our National Team are all practitioners from all parts of Australia,

United with a heart to network and encourage the ways of ‘being church’ that God is rebirthing in Australia today. It is not new, but rather a going back to the way church was in the book of Acts. We welcome new friends and connections, our structures are simple and grass roots, our connections are through relationship, rather than membership. We are passionate about keeping our focus on Jesus and His Kingdom, seeing multiplying disciple makers & simple churches in every neighbourhood across Australia.

Phil Brown

Victoria (Oikos Director)

Phil has been involved in ministry for over 30 years in Australia in pastoring, planting churches, community development organisations, training pastors and lay members in spirituality and outreach. Since 2013 Phil took up the challenge as National Director of Oikos and along with his wife Kate & four children has enjoyed pursuing what God is doing across the nation in simple churches and missional networks. He believes that fresh expressions of Church and Faith Communities are needed to reach average people in Australia and other countries. Kate is passionate about reaching lost people & loves street ministry & loves disciple making and planting new churches. She has worked extensively in community development contexts both in Australia & internationally. She currently works in international development as a program manager for Anti Human Trafficking & micro business, oversees their family business & loves serving Oikos tribe alongside Phil.

Ailsa Matesic

New South Wales (Chair National Team)

Ailsa lives in Albion Park - situated on the beautiful South Coast of NSW - with husband Cris and their three teenagers Aaron, Jaad and Destiny (and some bonus sons and daughters who live with us full time and casually!) They manage and operate their own Catering Business called Glaze Catering.

Her passion is to simply walk with the Holy Spirit and in healthy devoted relationships that express the Father’s Heart, just like Jesus did!

Ailsa serves on the National Team as the Chair of our meetings.

Phillip Walters

Queensland (National Team, Magazine Editor & Subscriptions)

Phil is married to Esther and lives in the Central Qld coastal town of Yeppoon, where, after returning from a number of years in the UK, they planted a new church.

In 2005 the church transitioned into simple church. For 10 years Phil was a prison chaplain with Prison Fellowship and he and Esther ran their home as a half-way house for ex-prisoners. Phil enjoys being involved in local Community Radio and running the local Salvos Family Store.

Phil edits the Oikos Magazine

Edwin Bishop

Victoria (National Team, Treasurer)

Ed grew up in a traditional church but found that it was not meeting the mark especially as he and his wife had young children.

They joined the group they are with now because of the emphases on the priesthood of all believers, the importance of the Communion and the centrality of Jesus Christ as Lord.

Ed is the OIKOS Treasurer

Karl Musch

North Queensland (National Team)

Carl and Gail Musch founded Indigenous Ministry Links Australia (IMLA), a non-denominational networking of aboriginal ministries that is supported by a multi-cultural core team. Carl since 1987 has been committed to evangelism, discipleship, ministry development, and church planting, among Australian Aboriginal people, with proven fruit in what is recognised as a difficult field.

With their two children, Hope, and Joy — they have partnered with local Indigenous believers across both remote and more urban Aboriginal communities — though primarily in the Cape York and Arnhem Land regions of Northern Australia.

REGIONAL TEAMS

OIKOS Australia also has contacts in most States who are involved in Simple Church Communities and who are happy to be contacted.

Go to REGIONS page for contacts in each state