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Nigel Pegram

Rev Dr Nigel Pegram

Senior Lecturer in Practical Theology

  • Biography

    Nigel has been an ordained minister of Churches of Christ in Australia since 1990. He has had roles in local church ministry and at state and national levels. He has been married for over thirty years and has two adult children. He is passionate about long-term sustainable ministry whereby Christians are able to develop their gifts and skills to the full for the benefit of the Kingdom of God and the wider community.

    Nigel is a member of the Holistic Human Health and Pastoral Theology and Ministry research clusters.

    Qualifications

    DMin (Tabor Adelaide)
    Dissertation Title Emotional Intelligence and the Prevention of Ministry Burnout 2015

    MTh (Melbourne College of Divinity)
    Dissertation Title Exegetical Issues in Hosea 1-3 1999

    BTh (Hons) (Murdoch University)
    Dissertation Title The Translation of אַף כִּי־ Using Functional Grammar 1989

    DipMin (Hons) (Churches of Christ Theological College, Mulgrave, Vic) 2000

  • Research Interests


    Research Interests

    Mission Australia Community Chaplaincy Research Partnership

    At the start of 2022, Mission Australia and AC entered in to a five-year research partnership to develop models and measures for Mission Australia's new Community Chaplaincy project. Nigel is lead researcher for the team which involves staff from across various schools within AC.

  • Research Publications

    Books

    • 2010
      • Pegram, N.D. & Tan R. (2010). Ministry Life Skills Foundations. Minstry Life Skills Centre.

    Book Chapters

    • 2024
      • Pegram, N. (2024). Professionals in Hospital Chaplaincy Provision In Cronshaw, D., Taylor, S., Kappelhoff, M., Transforming Work: Missiological Perspectives for the Church in the World (pp. ). Leiden: Brill. | External link
    • 2023
      • Denise A. Austin, Nigel D. Pegram, Robert Pope, and Muqowim (2023). Spiritual Formation in Muslim and Pentecostal Higher Education: A Comparative Case Study Between Australia and Indonesia (Part One) In Adis Duderija, Denise A. Austin, Johannes M. Luetz, Interfaith Engagement Beyond the Divide: Approaches, Experiences, and Practices (pp. 203-224). Springer Singapore.
      • Nigel D. Pegram, Denise A. Austin, Muqowim, Adis Duderija, and Johannes M. Luetz (2023). Character Formation in Muslim and Christian Higher Education: A Comparative Case Study Between Australia and Indonesia (Part Two) In Adis Duderija, Denise A. Austin, Johannes M. Luetz, Interfaith Engagement Beyond the Divide: Approaches, Experiences, and Practices (pp. 225-248). Springer Singapore.
    • 2012
      • Pegram, N.D.(2012). Emotional Intelligence and Ministry Burnout In Jon Newton, New Frontiers: Redefining Christian Ministry in 21st Century Contexts (pp. 154-188). Mosaic.

    Journal Articles

    • 2025
      • Pegram, N.; Loundar, R. (2025). Measuring Spiritual Wellbeing—Seeking a Valid, Reliable, and Usable Measure.. Religions, 16 (6), 685 1–17.
    • 2021
      • Austin, D.A., Pegram, N.D., Hodson, C., Hepplewhite, G., Nelson, B. (2021). Australian Higher Education Third Party Arrangements: An Independent Provider Case Study. Tertiary Education and Management, .
    • 2018
      • Pegram, N. (2018). Emotion and Ministry, a Study in Research Methodology. Journal of Contemporary Ministry, 4 47-60. | External link
    • 2017
      • Pegram, N.D.(2017). Passion and Sustainable Ministry. Pointers: Bulletin of the Christian Research Association, 27(2) 7-10.
      • Pegram, Nigel (2017). Appreciative Inquiry — A Strategy for Being a Healthy Church. Journal of Contemporary Ministry, 3 67-81. | External link

  • Scholarship

    Internal and External Grants

    • 2022
      • Academic Conference Funding, $400, Alphacrucis
    • 2021
      • Community Chaplaincy Program, $250000, Mission Australia

    Presentations

    • 2022
      • A model of faith community engagement for community chaplains in a project among disadvantaged communities (2022), International Association for Mission Studies, Sydney, Australia, 07 Jul 2022
    • 2021
      • Measuring Distress in Christian Ministry (2021), BIAPT Annual Conference 2021, Online/UK, 13 Jul 2021
      • Formal response to Keynote Speaker Brian Brock (2021), ANZATS Annual Conference 2021, Online, 05 Jul 2021
      • Assessing a Measure of Ministry Burnout​ (2021), HDR Research Seminars, Online, 29 Apr 2021
    • 2019
      • Moving forward in empirical ministry research: case studies in measuring emotional intelligence and passion in Christian ministry (2019), British and Irish Association for Practical Theology, Liverpool, UK, 09 Jul 2019
    • 2018
      • (with Glamorgan, A.) Addressing Workplace Injustice: The Contribution of Nonviolent Communication and Emotional Intelligence (2018), Ministry Research Conference, Knox, Vic, 06 Sep 2018
    • 2017
      • (with Buchanan, G.) Navigating Ministry Life Transitions (2017), Harvest Research Conference, Scoresby, Vic, 25 Aug 2017
    • 2015
      • Emotion and ministry: in search of intelligence (2015), Harvest Ministry Research Conference, Scoresby, Vic, 28 Aug 2015
    • 2014
      • Appreciative inquiry—a strategy for being a healthy church (2014), BIAPT Annual Conference, Edinburgh, UK, 15 Jul 2014
      • Appreciative inquiry—a strategy for being a healthy church (2014), ANZATS Annual Conference, Fremantle, WA, 01 Jul 2014
    • 2013
      • Appreciative inquiry—a strategy for being a healthy church (2013), Harvest Research Conference, Scoresby, Vic, 28 Aug 2013
    • 2012
      • Emotional Intelligence and Ministry Burnout (2012), New Frontiers: Redefining Christian Ministry in 21st Century Contexts, Dandenong, Vic, 23 Aug 2012

    Engagement Publications


    Book Reviews
    • 2020
      • Pegram, ND (2020). Review of Writing a Watertight Thesis. Practical Theology, 13.4. | External link
    • 2016
      • Pegram, N. (2016). Review of "The willpower instinct: how self-control works, why it matters, and what you can do to get more of it" by K. McGonigal. Journal of Contemporary Ministry, 2 109-110. | External link
    • 1989
      • Pegram, N.D.(1989). Book Review: Schiffrin, D., "Discourse Markers". Australian Journal of Linguistics, 9(2) 356-357. | External link
    Popular Articles
    • 2021

    Professional Memberships


    International Association for Mission Studies (since 2020)

    Religious Research Association (since 2021)

    Society for Pastoral Theology (since 2017)

    The British & Irish Association for Practical Theology (BIAPT) (since 2013)


  • Teaching

    THE320 Theology and Psychology
    THE530 Theology and Psychology
    MIN305 Relationships
    MIN505 Relationships

  • Supervision


    • Current
      • Chisholm, N., Looking for the Holy Grail: Exploring what constitutes a renewing encounter with God, with perspectives from 4 theological case studies and the stories of 4 Millennial leaders, in religious settings. (Doctoral Thesis)
      • Webb, M, Pastors’ Perceptions About Leadership in Ministry and their impact on Burnout. A Phenomenological Study (PhD thesis)
      • Law, M, What leadership theories are exhibited in the thoughts and practices of ACC pastors and what are the potential implications for the next generation of pastors? (DMin thesis)
      • Moore, L, Staying the Course: Preventing Early Exit in the Ministry of Pentecostal Pastors (DMin thesis)