Preparing for a Lifetime of Ministry: Cooper Lee’s Story

Cooper Lee is married to Elise, and together they are navigating a new season of life with their eight month old son. After studying engineering and teaching, and gaining years of work experience he has returned to study to complete a Master of Divinity at Trinity. He has completed his first year and is looking forward to going deeper, building a solid theological foundation for a future in full time ministry.

Raised in a Christian home in Perth, Cooper has always gone to church and as long as he can remember, he’s always had a faith and trusted God. His father served as a pastor before becoming a chaplain, and church was never simply an obligation. “I’ve always grown up in the faith,” Cooper reflects. “It was just always a thing we did, go to church and we were all involved, which was awesome. I was blessed with wonderful parents.”

When Cooper was 13, his family moved from Perth to a country town, Bridgetown, in the South West of Western Australia. He finished high school in Bridgetown, and looks back at that season very fondly. Although they were involved in the local church, it was small and there were few young people his age who shared his faith, yet this season proved pivotal. Cooper remained closely connected to his home church in Perth, attending camps and staying in touch with leaders who continued to invest in him. He shares, “Those camps were really instrumental for me. We journeyed through the whole Bible story in a week and that was significant for me and my faith.”

By the time Cooper reached university, he had developed a deep trust in God and a fascination with the Word. A sense of calling to pastoral ministry began to emerge, even as he enrolled in an engineering degree. Before long, Cooper recognised that teaching could provide valuable life experience and skills before stepping into ministry. He completed a teaching qualification and spent seven years teaching high school maths, science, and Christian living. He shares, “I always knew I wanted to go to Bible college. I felt God’s call to ministry during university. I saw teaching as a stepping stone, and a way of gaining some experience in the outside world first. Teaching has given me so many valuable skills for ministry and life.”

Alongside teaching, Cooper and Elise pursued mission and discipleship training with Youth With A Mission (YWAM). In 2017, Cooper completed discipleship training in New Zealand, followed by outreach in Vanuatu. Several years later, the couple returned to YWAM in Northern Ireland, with outreach in Bosnia. These experiences gave them valuable opportunities to learn and partner with other ministries that further shaped their passion and heart for ministry. 

In 2020, Cooper completed a Graduate Diploma of Theology and undertook an internship at the International House of Prayer in the United States. The community had sustained 24-hour prayer and worship for decades, and Cooper spent extended hours each day in the prayer room. While the experience was spiritually rich, it also raised theological questions that would later deepen his appreciation for careful biblical study. Reflecting on these years and his experiences in churches, Cooper describes that “Part of our story has always been having passion for involving both the head and the heart in church and in worship,” he says. “I have learnt a lot from my brief experiences and exposure to more charismatic circles”.

By 2025, the time felt right to pursue formal theological training, “After all those years, I was so excited to finally get into a full masters degree,” he says. After experiencing online study previously, Trinity’s commitment to in-person learning was a decisive factor. Having seen how growth often happens through shared meals, conversation, and community life, Cooper was passionate about studying in an environment shaped by face-to-face engagement. Even more compelling was Trinity’s emphasis on theological foundations. “I think that foundation is primary and most important, and Trinity does that core work so well, I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else for my training,” he shares.

After experiencing some other models of training, Cooper chose to study at Trinity for its solid reformed teaching and focus on the Bible and gospel centrality. He values the College’s clear commitment to the authority of scripture and its careful, disciplined approach to theology. He explains, “Trinity is really  solid biblically and places a big emphasis on the Bible and its ultimate authority, which was very important for me.”

Looking ahead, Cooper senses a clear call to church ministry in Perth, particularly in the southern suburbs where he and Elise live. He sees both need and opportunity in an area where gospel-centred churches are fewer, and he hopes to serve faithfully in that context over the long term. He also plans to remain connected to Trinity through the Perth Gospel Partnership, valuing the ongoing support and shared vision it offers.

As Cooper continues his studies, please pray for him as he also serves his family and continues to adjust to being a dad. Please also pray for wisdom as he discerns future ministry placements and for God to open the right doors for him and his family when he completes his Masters degree.