Our Vision
To catalyse the church to develop empowered faith communities for those doing life tough.
We want to build interdependent faith based communities with a strong discipling culture for people on the margins who may not feel they can fit into mainstream church environments.
Our Communities
Being part of a caring, like-minded community is essential for human flourishing. Empowered Faith Community participants are encouraged to share their strengths to benefit one another in a supportive, empowering and gospel-centred environment. These communities promote personal development and strong spiritual growth.
Empowerment and Community Development is central to our model underpinned by proven practices for sustainable long-term flourishing. EFC’s move away from a benevolence and charitable model to an empowered and ownership model.
Empowerment is central to the model, underpinned by proven principles for sustainable,
long term flourishing:
• Empowerment as a culture
• Understanding the methods of empowerment
• Acceptance before change model
• Developing community through strengths
• Moving from dependant to empowered faith communities
• Seeing participants learn to “be and bring the good news” into their own social setting
“My empowered faith community have enabled me to find purpose and meaning in my life, and most importantly introduced me to Jesus.”
Creating self-sustaining faith based communities with people on the margins who may feel uncomfortable in mainstream church environments, teaching them how to “be and bring the good news” to others in their social space.
Our Values
Accepting and embracing ‘the stranger’.
Recognising and encouraging the best in one another.
Sharing strengths and resources to support each other in spiritual, practical, material and emotional ways.
Building genuine connections for long term community transformation.
Honouring God and growing in relationship with Him.
Carol
“I was struggling to find stable and safe housing… I found myself renting in a Caravan Park as permanent housing, feeling quite isolated and anxious about moving into a new area with no contacts or social support and no real purpose…
The New Peninsula Baptist Church gave me a food parcel and told me about the Wednesday Night Community Meal… During my journey with the group, I have come to faith in Christ and was baptised. I have developed a sense of belonging and purpose in my life. After we have our meal, we meet around some couches and discuss life and spirituality. We have learned that despite our challenging life circumstances, God has given all of us strengths and passions to share with others that can make a difference in our local community.”
Distinctives
Structured around a regular, informal, community meal and worship service.
Encouraging the use of each other’s strengths to benefit one another in a supportive, empowering and gospel-centred environment.
Promoting personal development and strong spiritual growth.
David
David had engaged with churches in the past but had difficulty forming a sense of belonging. He felt frozen out of mainstream church…
Next Steps
We are committed to helping faith-based groups establish Empowered Faith Communities in their context. We are ready to equip you with training, resources and ongoing support.
To find out more about starting up an Empowered Faith Community please contact Mark Matthews.
Partnering with
