OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM
The New Testament recognises leadership in the local church as being carried out by Elders (pastors) and
Deacons (servants). Melbourne Lights Church leadership is modelled according to this Biblical pattern.
Our lead couple, along with the other elders and deacons work together as a team to lead and shepherd the church.
Matt and Elodie
Doty
Lead Elders
Matt and Elodie lead the eldership team at Melbourne Lights Church. Before taking over the leadership of the church in 2008, they were part of the eldership team for several years. They have been married for 18 years and are blessed to have two sons Hugo and Henry.
They have been serving on the NCMI team for 14 years and have ministered in many countries around the world including the USA, Canada, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and South Africa. Matt and Elodie are a blessing to other churches and church leaders in the way that they strengthen, support and equip them to do the work of the ministry.
Matt is a confident and secure leader and has a strong preaching gift. He ministers with an apostolic anointing, laying strong Biblical foundations and bringing wise insight. He is a worship leader and he equips and trains others to lead worship in a way that ushers in the presence of God. He has a big vision to see the gospel preached and people discipled locally, nationally and in the nations.
Elodie is highly creative and has a gift of hospitality and generosity. She is a skilled administrator and she serves and hosts with excellence. She has an amazing ability to bring the life, hope and joy of Jesus into every situation by the way she authentically and practically loves people. She passionately leads the team of volunteers who run our children’s ministry program “City Lights”, inspiring both adults and kids alike to follow her example in encountering Jesus for themselves.
Olaf and Liana
Rutgrink
Eldership Couple
Olaf and Liana have been married, and on eldership, for 14 years and have two boys Riley and Lewis. Both Liana and Olaf are passionate about the nations. They have ministered in places like Cambodia, Indonesia, Mongolia and Thailand to share the love of Christ through the message of the gospel.
In their oversight of “Connect groups” they model what genuine faith in Jesus, healthy family, fellowship and fun look like. They love reaching out to families and individuals who are yet to experience the joy of belonging to a healing community of people.
Olaf carries a strong pastoral gift and leads with prophetic insight and integrity. He is a faithful and compassionate leader who loves to walk alongside others and encourage them as they do life together, whether that be sharing meals together, helping them move house or games nights.
Liana has an incredible teaching gift which she uses to preach with clarity and anointing, and she has an ability to unpack the truth of Gods word in a practical way. She ministers prophetically and has a desire to see the healing power of Jesus released both inside and outside church.
David and Gabby
Conlon
Eldership Couple
Dave and Gabby have been married for 27 years and have four amazing children. Jess and Bethany are both working full-time, Jordan is doing a carpentry apprenticeship and Amy is in high school.
Both Dave and Gabby love to facilitate times of waiting on the Holy Spirit in worship so that people can encounter God for themselves. They love to bring the good news of the gospel locally and to the nations. Over the years they have lead many teams and currently have ongoing relational partnerships in Cambodia and the Philippines.
Dave is a worshipper and carries a shepherds heart of gentleness and authority to take others with him into a place of worship. He pursues intimacy with Jesus honestly and authentically and has a passion to see people restored into their true identities in God.
For many years Gabby has consistently pursued knowing more of who God is and has a strong passion to enable others to do the same. Gabby is a prophetic Seer and loves to train believers in the prophetic, words of knowledge and the gifts of healing. She enjoys providing opportunities for people to put into practice what they are learning through creative activations, and is part of a fantastic team who undergird many things behind the scenes.
Mark and Louise
Shepstone
Eldership Couple
Mark and Louise have been married for 33 years. They have 3 adult children Liana, Jess and Jonathan and a teenage son Josh. Since immigrating to Australia in 1995 they have supported and helped facilitate church plants in Sydney and have been part of the eldership team at Melbourne Lights since 2005.
They have travelled and ministered into Australia, Canada, Cambodia and the Philippines sharing and ministering the love of Jesus to people they meet. Mark and Louise are passionate about seeing people set free from unhealthy lifestyles and have a gift to help restore relationships and marriages through the power of Jesus.
Mark carries a tender father’s heart and has a strong encouragement gift. Combined with prophetic clarity he strengthens people in their knowledge of God and their identity. He teaches and models how to be a faith-filled example in life, business and family.
Louise is passionate about sharing the message of hope and the love of Jesus every time she is with people. She confidently ministers with a prophetic gifting whenever she evangelises and loves inviting people to step into a personal encounter with Jesus. She carries a strong heart for justice and is passionate about seeing individuals set free from oppression, both spiritual and physical, so that they can experience salvation, healing and deliverance.
Paul and Monika have been married for 30 years and have two incredible adult sons Samuel and Josiah. Paul was the associate pastor at Randwick Baptist before planting and pastoring “The Lighthouse Church” in Sydney for 18 years. In 2019 the Zanardo family relocated to Melbourne.
Paul and Monika have served on the NCMI trans-local team since 2010 and travel extensively to churches around Australia and overseas ministering to and encouraging the Church. They love seeing people’s lives radically transformed by the powerful message of Jesus.
Paul is a genuine encourager and a passionate evangelist with a strong prophetic anointing. He brings the reality of God’s kingdom to people’s lives through the gifts of prophecy and healing as he boldly proclaims the gospel.
Monika is a natural teacher and exercises the gift of discernment and wisdom. Her warmth and attentive ear is an incredible pastoral blessing that she uses to love and support everyone she meets.
Paul and Monika
Zanardo
Eldership Couple & NCMI Team