Never too late: Larry’s lifelong learning journey

After dedicating more than 30 years of his life to missionary work overseas, Larry Podmore could have easily embraced the quiet pace of retirement. Yet instead of slowing down, he’s found a new way to invest his time—studying at Trinity.

A life transformed

Born and raised in Western Australia, Larry’s journey with Christ began at the end of high school. While attending a youth group in the local Presbyterian church, Larry’s minister and his wife noticed he had so many questions each week that they started intentionally setting aside time to answer them. God graciously opened Larry’s eyes to the truth of the gospel, so his first year out of school working in a secular job turned out to also be his first year as a Christian.

Serving around the world

Larry’s professional background is as a communications engineer, and after working in various locations including Mount Isa Mines and Curtin University, Larry and his wife were convicted to head overseas with a mission organisation called Far East Broadcasting Company (FEBC). Because he was going to use his engineering qualifications while in the field, FEBC only required one year of theological training prior to serving, so Larry and his wife completed a certificate course.

“And in a sense, we found that disappointing,” Larry admits. While he didn’t feel particularly unequipped on the field, given that the people they were serving had little to no Bible knowledge whatsoever, Larry still didn’t think the theological training he had completed was anywhere near enough.

After more than three decades in the field, working in the Philippines, Mongolia, and Cambodia, Larry and his wife returned to Australia to care for ageing parents. After his parents passed away, Larry found himself with additional time on his hands—and he has chosen to spend that time returning to study theology.

Deeper study

Larry made the decision to study at Trinity partially because he “didn’t get deep enough” the first time he studied theology. But the other reason is because he wants to be equipped to share the gospel with people in a culture that has changed significantly while he was overseas. Coming back to Australia after an extended period of time away has been rather disorienting. As Larry has worked through the reverse culture shock, he’s realised that there have been significant changes in Australian culture while he was offshore. 

“I feel the need to dig a bit more deeply into God’s Word, in order to equip myself to be thinking rightly as I share the gospel with people,” Larry explains. 

While he has found essay writing a steep learning curve, Larry couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunity he’s been given. In his words, “The best part about studying at Trinity is studying at Trinity!” For Larry, doing just one subject at a time gives him space to really delve in as deep as possible into the subject matter—and he loves it.

Theology for today

As he continues with his study, Larry has become increasingly convicted about low levels of biblical literacy within the Church. This has motivated him to seek deeper theological education and to encourage others, particularly those in his church, to engage more with Bible education, whether through formal qualifications like those offered at Trinity College or other opportunities. He also emphasises the importance of active dialogue over passive listening in lectures.

As for what he’ll do once he graduates, Larry isn’t completely sure yet, but he has a few ideas.

“I’m very much interested in faith in the workplace, and engaging people who have retired from the workplace in ministry,” Larry explains. “Whether or not I get the opportunity or not, the Lord only knows. I’m aiming to be engaged in the current cultural context.”

Larry’s journey is a testament to the fact that it’s never too late to deepen your understanding of God’s Word and to seek new ways to serve, regardless of age or stage in life. His passion for equipping others and engaging with the changing cultural landscape of Australia reflects a heart eager to continue sharing the gospel in relevant and meaningful ways. As Larry presses forward in his studies, he embodies the truth that a life dedicated to Christ is always a life of learning, growing, and being ready to respond to God’s call—wherever that may be.