Collection: Michael Penny

Michael Penny was born in Ebbw Vale, Gwent, Wales in 1943. He read Mathematics at the University of Reading, before teaching for twelve years and becoming the Director of Mathematics and Business Studies at Queen Mary’s College Basingstoke in Hampshire, England, where he ran the Christian Union. During this time, he did much work with the Inter-School Christian Fellowship and the Association of Christian Teachers, and became chairman of the Working Maths Group for which he wrote two Mathematical books.

In 1978 he did a year’s project with the Dutch government, being the adviser in Mathematics as they sought to reorganise their secondary education system. Following this he entered Christian publishing for six years, and then, in 1984, became the administrator/editor of the Open Bible Trust. In the late 1980s he compiled the Maths Faculty Packs for the University and Colleges Christian Fellowship. 

He worked for The Open Bible Trust for seven years, undertaking various international speaking tours to such places as Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, the Philippines and Holland, as well as the USA and Canada. 

In 1991 he and his family moved to the USA to be pastor of Grace Church in New Berlin, Wisconsin. While there he was awarded an honorary doctorate in theology for his work on analysing the significance of the miracles performed by the apostles (now published as the book "The Miracles of the Apostles"), and was in demand to speak at a number of conferences in different states. He returned to Britain in 1999, and is at present the Administrator and Editor of The Open Bible Trust. 

In 2010 he was elected Chair of Churches Together in Reading, where he speaks in a number of churches of different denominations in and around Berkshire. In 2011 he became a member of the Advisory Committee to Reading University Christian Union. In 2019 he became Chair of Churches Together in Berkshire. All three positions he still holds (2021). In 2019 he was elected Chait of Churches Together in Berkshire.

He has been chaplain to the mayor of reading and had a spell as chaplain at a Salvation Army hostel. In 2012 he set up a team of chaplains at Reading College and is now Head Chaplain for Activate Learning Colleges including Reading College, the City of Oxford College, Banbury College, Blackbird Leys College, Bracknell and Wokingham College, and those in Surrey. 

In 2013 the University of Wingate in North Carolina, USA, invited him to write a chapter for "Global Perspectives on the Bible", a book for first year university theological students.

In 2019 the Bishop of Reading nominated him to receive the Maundy Money from the Queen for his services to Christianity, the Church and the Community. He was one of the 93 men selected by Buckingham Palace from across the United Kingdom, along with 93 women.  

He lives near Reading with his wife and has appeared on BBC Radio Berkshire and Premier Radio a number of times. He is a prolific author and some of his books have received good reviews, and some have been translated into German and Russian.