Our Team
Rev Pete Herbert-James
Pete joined the Balham
Baptist Church family in February 2024 and serves as our full-time minister.
Before his time with the church Pete worked with London Baptists
and King's Cross Baptist Church. He is married to Jo who works with
Christian conservation charity A Rocha UK. Originally from Pembrokeshire,
West Wales, he's perhaps happiest when he's at a beach enjoying the ocean,
and is always ready to talk about all things rugby!
Rev Steve Rouse – Pastor
Steve works as a pastor part-time within our church as well as working for LICC (The London Institute for Contemporary Christianity) as their Church Team Director. He’s married to Leisa and they have two young adult children, Brianna & Jackson. Outside of work, you’ll find him playing squash, riding his motorbike or eating out in an Italian restaurant somewhere with his wife Leisa.
Leisa Rouse – Church Manager
Leisa has been part of the church f
or over 25 years but has only recently developed the role of church manager. She is responsible for overseeing all the groups that operate within the building during the week and is committed to building community. You will find her floating around the buildings most weekday mornings, never too far from the coffee hub. Leisa loves music and is involved with a community choir, teaches music in the nursery school here, and most Sundays you will find her at the piano.
Lawren Radford – Caretaker
Lawren can be found almost anywhere in the buildings, more often than not with his earbuds in, a Karcher window cleaner or screwdriver in hand (or on his break a kindle or book), attending to various jobs around the church.
He is married to Rachel and has a daughter.
Helen Valuks – Acorn Toddler Group
Helen has the good fortune to have been running Acorn Toddler Group for the past 27 years. She trained as a nanny in Kent before coming to London to work and get married. Helen is mother to four grown up children and Grammy to 1 granddaughter who keeps her on her toes.