About Us
We provide holistic training that includes personal development and mentoring, solid academic input and practical hands-on learning. We believe it is important for leaders to understand the times and their leadership contexts and then to develop a biblical expression of leadership that can change the world.
Our History
Hatfield Leadership Academy was birthed out of Hatfield Training Centre, which was established in 1980. Our training programmes make more than 35 years of expertise available to our students. Through the years new courses have been added under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, ensuring that the call to ‘equip the saints’ is fulfilled in each generation. All training takes place in a multi-cultural environment which creates the diversity that is essential to understanding God, people and the world we live in. Learning from one another promotes healthier perspectives, justice and reconciliation.
Our Distinctives
In our experience personal formation and leadership skill development go hand in hand. A differentiating factor in what we offer is that we believe that leaders who have integrity, character and skill can lead people and organisations to real hope. We acknowledge that leaders function on various levels of expertise, and so we endeavour to offer training that is context specific and meets the individual where they are on their growth curve.
We aim to develop highly skilled servant leaders who focus on adding value to both followers and organisations.
Meet the Team
Director
Neil Bester
Neil's early years were spent in a small mining town in the North West Province of South Africa and High School took him to Grey College in Bloemfontein. After completing mandatory military service, Neil's pursued God's clear call to ministry by preparing at Hatfield Training Centre, which has since become the Hatfield Leadership Academy.
Neil has been serving in full-time ministry at Hatfield Christian Church (HCC) since 1994. His passion is the church and preparing people for what God has called them to do. He has held various leadership positions covering all aspects of church life, including young people's ministry; sound & media; conference logistics; management teams; as well as serving on the strategic body of HCC. He helped launch a national training & development strategy for churches across South Africa and has been consulted on training and discipleship internationally.
Neil is a grateful and proud husband and father of a beautiful daughter.
Team Leader
Carin Mascini
Carin has been involved in training at Hatfield Christian Church since 2000.
She was part of the Year of Your Life program for 9 years - first as student, then as a volunteer leader and finally as the assistant program coordinator with her husband, Creston.
After spending some years at home raising 2 beautiful children, Carin joined the administration of HLA in 2017. She loves combining her strong administrative ability with her passion to see people live out their full potential and be equipped for the lives God has for them to live.
As the Administrator of HLA, Carin strives to offer excellent administrative support and to make people feel welcome and cared for - creating an ideal learning environment in which they can be equipped for ministry.