The Hales
Who is Bruce Hales?
A deep dive in to the family tree and business network of Plymouth Brethren leader Bruce D Hales
Bruce Hales
Sydney based Bruce David Hales has been the leader of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church since 2002. In that time the Brethren have steadily changed from a highly conservative evangelical unorthodox Christian church into a tightly controlled commercial focused corporation.
Brethren Exposed investigates his background, family and business network.
Brethren Exposed investigates his background, family and business network.
Background
Bruce David Hales (BDH) was born in Sydney, Australia on the 12th March 1953. His parents were John Stephen Hales (JSH) and Helen Hales (nee) Dietrich. Bruce has two older brothers, Daniel and Stephen. He had one sister Jessie (deceased).
He grew up in the Sydney suburb of Croydon. He attended Croydon Park Public School and Canterbury Boys High School. In his childhood and early twenties his father JSH was withdrawn from various times between 1965 and 1982. On at least one of these occasions (1965) JSH and his family were ex-communicated from the brethren. The ex-communication was for trying to introduce 'the system' a form of commercialisation.
We have seen evidence of Bruce Hales ministering in 2009, that is evidence that the ex-communication of his father had an impact on a young impressionable Bruce Hales. In 1965 his father's business interests were heavily linked to the Brethren and thus this had a real impact on his income. It was not a mistake that he made again and in 1972 when setting up his accountancy practice his father kept his brethren clients to a minimum. Bruce Hales goes on to say that he himself wasn't expecting to get out of fellowship, though came close a couple of times but it wouldn't have made any difference to his business. In another one of Bruce Hales ministering he talks about the decision to get a computer for his business but how his father was being withdrawn from and couldn't help him make a decision, so Bruce got the computer anyway and said he was unable to speak to his father for over 3 years. We believe this to be around 1979.
It could be interpreted that Bruce Hales, didn't always play by the rules and that he always had a contingency escape plan if things didn't work out in the Brethren. Those looking in from the outside at the brethren and even some inside see a 'Games of Thrones' or some kind of 'Political Chess' being played on an almost constant loop. This is backed up by the return of Bruce's father to the brethren and by 1987 becoming the leader or 'Man of God'. Interestingly, there would appear no desire by his father in the reintroduction of "the system". Something which was to change on Bruce Hales reaching the throne following the death of his father in 2002.
Bruce Hales as the Minister of the Lord in Recovery, the Man of God for short, has the overriding control of a congregation born, raised and separated from the world. There is an irony to the fact the Bruce spent time outside this organisation, he is simply another man, no different from any other. One could argue that as a church, that the Plymouth Brethren lack conviction in their beliefs. The lack of conviction is seen by the constant changes and the use of scripture to justify the latest switch in direction. An example would be the use of computers, seen as a tool of the devil, but now used in business and in the home following a change of direction through the word of one man. The same man who ignored the then leader's belief in the late 70's and bought a computer for his business.
He grew up in the Sydney suburb of Croydon. He attended Croydon Park Public School and Canterbury Boys High School. In his childhood and early twenties his father JSH was withdrawn from various times between 1965 and 1982. On at least one of these occasions (1965) JSH and his family were ex-communicated from the brethren. The ex-communication was for trying to introduce 'the system' a form of commercialisation.
We have seen evidence of Bruce Hales ministering in 2009, that is evidence that the ex-communication of his father had an impact on a young impressionable Bruce Hales. In 1965 his father's business interests were heavily linked to the Brethren and thus this had a real impact on his income. It was not a mistake that he made again and in 1972 when setting up his accountancy practice his father kept his brethren clients to a minimum. Bruce Hales goes on to say that he himself wasn't expecting to get out of fellowship, though came close a couple of times but it wouldn't have made any difference to his business. In another one of Bruce Hales ministering he talks about the decision to get a computer for his business but how his father was being withdrawn from and couldn't help him make a decision, so Bruce got the computer anyway and said he was unable to speak to his father for over 3 years. We believe this to be around 1979.
It could be interpreted that Bruce Hales, didn't always play by the rules and that he always had a contingency escape plan if things didn't work out in the Brethren. Those looking in from the outside at the brethren and even some inside see a 'Games of Thrones' or some kind of 'Political Chess' being played on an almost constant loop. This is backed up by the return of Bruce's father to the brethren and by 1987 becoming the leader or 'Man of God'. Interestingly, there would appear no desire by his father in the reintroduction of "the system". Something which was to change on Bruce Hales reaching the throne following the death of his father in 2002.
Bruce Hales as the Minister of the Lord in Recovery, the Man of God for short, has the overriding control of a congregation born, raised and separated from the world. There is an irony to the fact the Bruce spent time outside this organisation, he is simply another man, no different from any other. One could argue that as a church, that the Plymouth Brethren lack conviction in their beliefs. The lack of conviction is seen by the constant changes and the use of scripture to justify the latest switch in direction. An example would be the use of computers, seen as a tool of the devil, but now used in business and in the home following a change of direction through the word of one man. The same man who ignored the then leader's belief in the late 70's and bought a computer for his business.
Family
Bruce Hales married Jenny Greene in 1974. Jenny was the daughter of influential brethren member Athol Greene. They have 6 children, four boys Gareth, Dean, Greg & Charles and two girls, Karen & Jane and 14 grandchildren, Justin, Tara, Regan, Trent, Duane, Dion, Sharianna, Hamish, Kaylee, Zara, Jasmine, Erica, Henry, Alice, Angus, Zoe
Business
The Hales family have built a substantial business empire, one that has seen them amass hundreds of million dollars. Assisted by the support of the wider Plymouth Brethren members.
The question of whether the Hales would have been able to build their empire without Plymouth Brethren will
The question of whether the Hales would have been able to build their empire without Plymouth Brethren will
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