The Free Church (Continuing) is pleased to announce that Rev. Gavin Beers, Mebane, USA, is the Moderator-Designate of the 2023 General Assembly. Mr. Beers is a native of Co. Down, Northern Ireland where he was brought up in the Irish Presbyterian Church. The congregation he grew up in was not evangelical or Reformed in its emphasis and as a result he grew up ignorant of the true nature of the Gospel of Christ. By the age of fifteen he was a convinced atheist and showed no interest in the things of God but five years later, through the witness of a friend’s father he started to attend a congregation of the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster. In the mercy of God he was converted to Christ in 1997 and continued as a member of Ballygowan Free Presbyterian Church for the next six years.

He sensed God’s call to the Christian ministry as a young Christian and was patiently helped, encouraged, and tested by his minister Rev. Derek Erwin and the elders of his congregation. Mr. Erwin set him on a course of studying the Shorter Catechism, A. A. Hodge on the Confession of Faith and purchased for him his first systematic theology volume by Louis Berkhof. In time, he applied and was accepted to train for the ministry of the Free Presbyterian Church in 2000 and began a course of study in the Whitefield College of the Bible. Throughout his studies God led him to increasingly Reformed convictions, in particular he was convinced of the doctrine of Infant Baptism and then a study of the Regulative Principle of worship led him to embrace the practice of Exclusive Psalm-singing. The late Rev. David Silversides was a particularly significant influence and help to him with his developing theological understanding.

In the summer of 2003 he was led by the Lord to follow his convictions and move to Scotland to join the Free Church (Continuing). Mr. Beers enrolled in the first class of students to enter the Free Church Seminary and continued his studies for another two years. At this time he moved with his family to Skye and engaged in resident supply of the Waternish congregation, he has fond memories of those days and the fellowship of the saints in Skye. Though separated by many decades in age, he struck up a close and lasting bond with the late John Bain (elder, Snizort) and his wife Nora who did much to help and shape him in these formative years. Mr. Beers accepted a call to the Ayr congregation and was ordained in March 2006. He spent twelve happy years ministering there and during his time in Ayr he was also appointed to teach Hebrew and Old Testament in the Free Church seminary.

In 2016 a call came to Rev. Beers from a church plant in North Carolina in our North American Presbytery. God led him to accept this call and after a prolonged visa process, he began ministry in Cornerstone Presbyterian Church in May 2018 where he continues to serve. The congregation has grown under the blessing of God and are currently in the process of purchasing their first permanent place of worship.

Rev. Beers has been happily married to Alison for twenty two years, who is a quiet and constant source of encouragement and strength. They have six children ranging from twenty-one to twelve years old. Five boys – Isaac, Caleb, Nathanael, Benaiah and Micah; and one daughter – Aletheia.

Mr. Beers craves the prayers of the Lord’s people as he prepares for the duties of his Moderatorial year.

Rev. Murdo A. N. Macleod (Media Officer)