Abundant Life Church
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The Abundant Life Church is a large church based in Bradford, England. It is led by Senior Pastor Paul Scanlon, who has written a number of books on the Christian lifestyle. Services each Sunday regularly draw 2,500 attendees.
The church has also opened a second location in Belfast, under the title of "one church, two locations". Abundant Life Church Belfast is led by Pastors Christian and Jelena Allsworth, and has been operating since September 2005.
The four-part mission statement of the church is to "reach the lost, establish the church, equip the saints, and disciple the nations".
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[edit] History
The church was formerly a part of Covenant Ministries, but it withdrew from the organisation in 1997. They perceived the church to be of a comfortable and "safe" form of Christianity, and started "crossing over" to a more radical, 21st-century-style church. Although the church greatly grew in numbers following the move, the period in which the change happened was a struggle for those in leadership, as many former core members withdrew their support. In January 2000, the church opened a new 2,500-seater auditorium, now used every Sunday.
[edit] Ministries
The church has an active social outreach programme. Its Community Action Teams (known for short as C.A.T.), headed up by Pastor Matt Stockdale, work with under-privileged families in Bradford. Another outreach division of the church, Mercy Ministries UK, works with women from the red light districts of Bradford.
The church also runs a leadership academy. The academy is led by Associate Pastor Steve Matthew, and students choose from one of two electives - worship, music and creative arts or pastoral leadership. Students take either the one year certificate programme or the two year diploma programme. There are currently around 70 students in the academy. Many of these want to train as pastors, although other Christians take the course for leadership skills.
Rocknations is the youth ministry of the church. It was founded in 1999 by youth pastor Steve Gambill under the name Rock the Nations, later shortened to Rocknations. The ministry has a band named RPM, who play at all youth events as well as some special church events. In early 2005 they released their first album, RPM: Live, which made it to number one in the UK Christian Music Charts in October of that year. A second album, I Surrender All, was recorded in late 2005 and was released in the church shop and on the church website in March 2006, although the general release was not until July 2006.
Wildfire is a the youth group of Bradford's Abundant Life Church led by Wildfire Pastor Tim Staples. Wildfire is the ministry to teens (yrs 7 -9) enjoying great activities like Sk8city, Cheerleading, Street Dancing, Football, Basketball and more followed by Live Bands, Loud Music, and Life empowering messages.
[edit] Music
The Abundant Life Church has produced several worship albums. The music of worship leaders Lara Martin and Mark Stevens, the latter originally from Hillsong Church in Australia, is well-known in the Christian music industry. Pop Idol runner-up Gareth Gates also formerly attended the church and sang on the album Divine Exchange.
[edit] Conferences
Every year the church runs a number of conferences: Build The House (for leaders), Devoted (worship and creative arts), Cherish (for women), Rocknations (for young people), Stronger (for the whole church) and Xcel (for men). The conferences are attended by delegates from around the world. Speakers that have appeared at conferences in the past include Brian Houston, Bobbie Houston, Tommy Barnett, Kevin Gerald, Matthew Barnett, Donna Crouch, Leon Fontaine and Casey Treat. Visiting bands and artists have included Hillsong United, Delirious?, Natalie Grant, YFriday, Titus, Tree 63 and Electralyte. Switchfoot - the current best-selling Christian band in the world - are due to perform in February 2007. Joyce Meyer preached at the church in November 2006.
[edit] External links
| Abundant Life Church |
|---|
| Ministries |
| Abundant Life Ministries - RPM - Abundant Life Belfast |
| Discography |
| Abundant Life Ministries: Higher - Divine Exchange - God Is Here - How Loved - Sing - Let The World See Jesus |
| RPM: RPM: Live - I Surrender All |
| Leadership |
| Paul Scanlon - Lara Martin - Mark Stevens - Jock James |
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