Rev. Dr Ian Birch BD MTh MPhil

Principal

Born on the Wirral, Cheshire, Ian Birch has been in Baptist Pastoral Ministry for twenty five years. Before he joined SBC as a full-time member of staff in 2008 he had pastorates in Gillingham, Southsea, St Helens and Kirkintilloch.

In addition to leading the College, Ian’s specialist area is primarily in the area of biblical studies, but he also teaches in the areas of ethics, church history, Christian leadership and Baptist History and Identity. He has postgraduate degrees in theology (University of Wales/Spurgeon’s College), biblical studies (Open University/ICC), and a PhD in historical theology (University of St Andrews).

He is married to Elizabeth and they have two children.

Rev. Dr Lina Toth (Andronoviene)

Assistant Principal and Lecturer in Practical Theology

Rev. Dr Lina Toth joined the College in June 2014, having relocated from the International Baptist Theological Seminary in Prague where she had served as a Course Leader, Lecturer and later as Pro-Rector and Academic Dean. She is also Senior Research Fellow at the International Baptist Theological Study Centre, The Netherlands. Lina is the editor of Theology in Scotland journal and Chair of the Worship and Spirituality Commission of the Baptist World Alliance. A musician and artist as well as a theologian, she is particularly interested in ethics, spirituality, and theology of culture. Her second love is history—not so much dates but people and stories which have shaped the world we have today.

Her most recent book is Singleness and Marriage after Christendom: Being and Doing Family (Eugene, OR: Cascade Books, 2021).  

Dr. Graham Meiklejohn

Lecturer in Theology and Communications Coordinator

Born in Glasgow, Scotland, Graham joined the College in September 2015. Prior to joining the College, Graham was located in Manchester, firstly working with the youth mission charity, ‘The Message Trust’, before studying a MA in Theology (Nazarene Theological College – Manchester). He was Associate Pastor for a church plant (Didsbury Community Church) for 2 years and was a licensed District Pastor in the Church of the Nazarene for 4 years. Most recently Graham worked as PR & Recruitment Strategist at Nazarene Theological College.

Graham completed his PhD studies in the area of Ecclesiology and Trinitarian Theology with a thesis title “Participation as a Paradigm for Free Church Ecclesiology” (University of Manchester). Graham also holds a LLB (Hons) with Philosophy (University of Glasgow) and a MSc in Marketing (University of Strathclyde). Most recently he has completed his Fellowship of the Higher Education Authority and a Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice through the University of the West of Scotland.

In his spare time Graham enjoys playing and watching a variety of sports and listening to a wide collection of (mainly) Indie Folk music.

Rev. Dr. Paulus de Jong

Paulus teaches the Encountering the New Testament and Encountering the Old Testament modules.

Born in Urk, the Netherlands, Paulus joined the College in September 2020. He moved to Scotland in 2016 to pursue postgraduate studies (MLitt and PhD) at the University of St Andrews. Here, he tutored in Old- and New Testament courses and taught Greek. 

Previous to St Andrews, he studied at the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam (BA) and the Dutch Baptist College (Ministry degree). 

Paulus and his wife, Tiny, both work for the St Andrews Baptist Church. He as a pastor in their team ministry, and she as a children’s worker. They have two beautiful, Scottish born, children. 

In his spare time, Paulus enjoys music (songwriting, church music, anything that allows him to pick up an instrument), and football. 

Rev. Dr Paul Beautyman

Paul Beautyman has been a Christian youth worker and trainer for over 25 years.  He has developed young people into leaders, trained interns, taught students, equipped volunteers and mentored Christian youth workers. Working across Scotland he has served churches, set up successful youth projects and worked in partnership with a range of Christian youth work agencies. He completed and passed his PhD on supporting Christian youth workers in Autumn 2023.

Rev. Dr. Steve Younger

Rev. Dr. Steve Younger teaches on the Time for Reflection and Pastoral Care modules as well as being the College’s Pastoral Support Tutor.

Though born in Ashford (Middlesex), Steve was brought up in Fife. His first degree was gained at the University of St. Andrews where he majored in Social Anthropology. He became a Christian while at St. Andrews and studied there for for five years. This was followed by four years at the Scottish Baptist College. Since 1986 he has been Pastor of High Blantyre Baptist Church, a role that he continues to serve in on a part-time basis. As well as his commitment to lecturing he is the School Chaplaincy Project Worker for ‘Christian Values in Education (Scotland)’ and a member of the International Association of Children’s Spirituality. His doctorate is on spiritual development within Scotland’s ‘Curriculum for Excellence.’

Rev Dr Alasdair Black

Lecturer in Church History and Baptist Identity

Born in Glasgow, Alasdair Black has been the senior pastor of Stirling Baptist Church for almost twenty years. Before taking up his pastorate in Stirling he served as the pastor of Cuffley Free Church in Hertfordshire and worked in Los Angeles and Amsterdam in urban mission.

Alasdair’s interests include biblical archaeology, New Testament background and Scottish Church history.  He also has a keen interest in the socio-political affairs of the Near East. His doctorate is in Christian Ethics and Practical Theology with particular reference to Soren Kirkegaard’s  ‘Attack Upon Christendom’ (University of Edinburgh) and has done postgraduate studies in Applied Theology (University of Oxford).

He is married to Susan and they have two children (Joy and Craig).

He has just written a book on the birth of Jesus, ‘History, Myth and the Birth of Jesus’, that is due for publication.

Ellie Bell

Ellie Bell is our College Administrator.

She studied at St Andrews University before qualifying as a secondary school teacher, teaching Biology & Chemistry. Having worked in education for 30 years Ellie joins the SBC team to keep us all in order!

She is married to Alasdair and they have 4 children. 

In her spare time she loves baking and pottering in the garden as well as dabbling in furniture upcycling.