The college, a leading evangelical Bible college based in Victoria, made the announcement today and said one of Dickson’s first projects would be producing a subject on “Jesus” for its online video Bible course and a new online unit on apologetics, to be available from next year.

Dickson stepped away from church ministry at the end of 2018 to focus full-time on “reaching the doubting public outside the church” with the gospel of Christ. He told Eternity in December that he felt he was “wired to reach the sceptical world” and had been convicted of a “growing sense that the need is very, very great” for commending Christ in the public square.

Dickson told his followers on social media that his Ridley appointment would allow him to not only be an advocate for the faith but to help others to be advocates also.

“I’ll be helping students and ministers around the country … to engage with the public for the gospel of Christ. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for ages,” he said.

Dickson will begin working with Ridley College part-time from July.