CHURCH
PLANTING
 The
inner city is a culturally and socially diverse place, a diversity
that the Christian gospels embraces enthusiastically. Our
aim is to create Christian communities, which are well linked to
their locality: to local needs through our community projects, and
to local culture through developing community and worship which
is relevant and accessible to the people of the inner city.
Our commitment to Church
Planting arises from two convictions. The first is that the gospel
is best presented by a local church ministering in the local area.
The second comes from a broad recognition that inner city, which
now have burgeoning populations, is often forgotten by the mainstream
church and therefore needs to be put on the church planting agenda.
At present our Christian community projects are:
Woolloomooloo
Baptist Fellowship - located in the public housing
estate in Woolloomooloo, the Sunday service is preceded by breakfast
with the local homeless population. The service involves a
diverse group of people in interactive worship and learning.
Glebe
Community Church - located in the public housing estate
in Glebe, this church cares for many elderly and disabled people.
A focus on peace-making, discipleship and outreach across the estate
are developing.
Darlinghurst/Surry
Hills - a new project which is innovative
and responsive to this diverse and growing area.
Pyrmont/Ultimo
- Preliminary research has been carried out for developing
a Christian community in this area. We are looking for people
to move into the area to begin - let us know if you want to be part
of it!
Our objectives and strategies
for church planting are:
Objective:
To establish and sustain
viable ministering churches in the inner city.
Strategies:
- Identify inner city suburbs where there is little or no Christian presence and through a process of research, listening and understanding, establish a credible presence through relevant and connected ministry, programs and projects.
- Encourage, develop and empower local leaders.
- Foster mutually beneficial partnerships with churches emerging amongst BICM for ongoing cooperation in local ministry.
- Develop mutually supportive partnerships for the ongoing sustainability of churches emerging amongst HopeStreet, especially amongst communities of the poor.
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