The church around the world is growing faster than it has ever grown before. Christianity is the largest faith in the world, numbering more than 2.4 billion adherents. From China to Chile, Brazil to Botswana, Singapore to Sierra Leone, churches of many kinds are spreading the Christian message and helping with the development of nations.
There is one notable exception to this amazing pattern. Churches in the western world have struggled over the last 50 years to express their life and witness. There are signs that a new church is now emerging.
It consists of many nations, languages, worship styles and ways of witnessing. FCC is an historic group of churches that is being renewed for witness as part of this new emerging church.
Origins
We began life in the early 19th century as a result of a series of revival movements led by ordinary people in Scotland. The same movement gave rise to the Scottish Baptists, the Scottish Congregationalists and a number of other small movements.
More generally, our congregations were part of a wider movement amongst many Christians who were trying to return to a simpler form of New Testament Christianity. From that small beginning congregations similar to FCC have spread to more than 180 nations on earth.
National Office
Dr. Hirpo Kumbi
Pastor Mont Mitchell
Dr. Martin Robinson
Revd. Dan Yarnell
Lawrence Kizito
Tim Herbert
Mark Isgrove
Regional Leaders
Revd. Lydia Palmer
Revd. Dave Price
Pastor Stephen Walton
Revd. Mark Michael
Dr. Stanley Bandawa
Revd. Tony Sands
National Council
Revd. Tony Sands
Denise Mapfumo
Revd. Philip Seadon
Dr. Stanley Bandawa
Revd. Mark Michael
Revd. Zinaw Tessema
Values
Welcome
We welcome people of all cultures and backgrounds with a generous spirit of inclusion.
Empowerment
We seek to empower every member of the Body of Christ through developing the gifts of the Spirit and to enhance their natural God given abilities and skills.
Sacrament
We believe that this is God’s world and that the Holy Spirit is at work leading us towards proclamation and mission. We claim the world as sacred because it belongs to the Creator and we celebrate the sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion as a regular declaration of the sovereignty of God.
Transformation
We are convinced the purpose of the church is not to be occupied solely by it’s own life but rather to work for the transformation of the world to better reflect God’s intention for His world. Justice and goodness need to be embedded in the structures of our society.
We are a movement of the people of God. We shape missional churches, we cross frontiers and we impact cultures.
Practices
Working with others
An openness to work with all Christians for the good of the Kingdom of God.
Mission
A priority toward the communication of the Christian message and its practical application in the world.
The Centrality of the Cross
We see the action of Christ on the cross – his death and resurrection – as central to understanding the person and purpose of Jesus.
Baptism
Affirming our personal faith in the public act of believer’s baptism.
Communion
Celebrating regular communion as part of the normal worship of the church.
Self-governance
Local churches are self-governing using a team ministry approach consisting of minister, elders and deacons.
Diversity
We recognise that there are a range of views amongst Christians on important matters and we desire to honestly debate issues without dividing the Body of Christ.
We plant churches - often intercultural expressions of the church - to enable the Kingdom of God to transform the world.
Structure
FCC is governed by the Annual Delegates Conference, that appoint the First National Council.
The National Council appoints additional members, who are welcomed at the Annual Delegates Conference.
The National Council appoints the National Moderator for overall leadership and implementation of the FCC Mission and Vision with oversight and direction of all operations.
The National Moderator appoints Regional Leaders to represent the FCC and to assist in the development of regional churches.
