Riverview Church

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Riverview Church is a charismatic evangelical Christian church situated in Burswood, an inner suburb of Perth, Western Australia. The church is the largest in Western Australia with 5,000 partners (or members), led by Senior Minister Haydn Nelson.

Values

1. Biblical Foundation We believe that God has spoken and continues to speak through scripture. Therefore, scripture holds a central place in our life and worship and guides what we believe and what we do.

Are our lives being guided by scripture?

2. Deep Spirituality We believe that growth is a sign of health. Therefore, we strive to progress in intimacy with God and obedience to God through engagement in worship, prayer and the reading of scripture.

Are we growing in our relationship with God?

3. Engaging Environments We believe that only God can change a human heart. Therefore, we create environments that intentionally engage people and create space for God’s Spirit to do his transforming work in our hearts and lives.

Are our environments engaging and transforming?

4. Authentic Community We believe that authentic and healthy relationships are crucial to positive life-change. Therefore, we seek the accountability, belonging and care that can be found between relationally connected people.

Are we connected to others?

5. Transforming Conversations We believe that everyone needs to know about Jesus. Therefore, we all take seriously and embrace passionately the responsibility of sharing the Good News with those we know and love.

Are our lives and language pointing people to Jesus?

6. Inspiring Creativity We believe creativity ought to mark people made in the image of our Creator God. Therefore, we encourage and celebrate any innovation that helps people know God and make him known.

Are we encouraging and celebrating God-honouring creativity?

7. Wholehearted Generosity We believe that contributing is better than consuming – that giving is better than getting. Therefore, we use our time, talents and treasure in ways that will bring blessing and benefit to others.

Are our attitudes and actions marked with generosity?

Services

Riverview hosts five weekend church services with an attendance of more than 5,000 people per week.

The church runs a kids service for children aged from 0-12. These services are called KidzChurch, and are provided during Saturday night and Sunday morning church. The church also broadcasts its services on television, via a program called RiverviewLIVE that currently airs across 54 countries, over various networks.

History

The church was founded by the former pastor, Phil Baker's father, Brian J. Baker, who was born in England and with his wife, Valerie, migrated to New Zealand in 1972 and ran various ministries there.[1] They subsequently trained at Rhema Bible Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma under Pastor Kenneth E. Hagin, and started the Inner City Faith Fellowship at Holmes Hall in Belmont, a suburb of Perth, on 9 December 1979. The church moved five months later to Brisbane Street, five blocks north of Perth's central business district.[2] Baker was ordained by Hagin in 1980. At this time, the Bakers were assisted by Pastors Mike and Randa Moorhead from Kansas City, who returned overseas after helping to establish Faith Christian Academy, which in February 1982 commenced teaching 70 school students from years 1 to 10 within the church's building.[3]

The church changed name to Rhema Faith Fellowship in 1982 and again to Rhema Family Church in June 1985, also moving to its current premises at Thorogood Street, Burswood (then called Victoria Park), which previously operated as a warehouse.[4] The school, renamed Rhema Christian Academy in 1985, had grown to 200 students by the following year and had moved to premises in Colombo Street, across Albany Highway from the church.[3] A bible school (Rhema Bible Training Centre or RBTC) was opened, and in the spirit of its evangelical traditions, started churches around Western Australia and Australia, as well as over 100 home groups operating in Perth's suburbs.[4] At its peak in the late 1980s, Rhema claimed to have over 3,200 members at its church in Victoria Park and was the biggest single church in Western Australia.[5] By 1989, the church also offered a children's ministry during its main service for those up to the age of 15, divided into four age groups.

On 30 April 1989, Brian J. Baker retired from the ministry, handing over to his son Phil and his wife Heather, who had been running a children's ministry in New Zealand.[6] Phil instituted a financial management plan for the church to handle mounting debts and liabilities arising from the late 1980s recession,[7] including disbanding the nationwide Rhema branding for churches started by RBTC graduates and loosening the relationship with the school, now renamed Regent College.[8] Under Phil Baker's guidance in 1991-1992, the church started periodic "Guest Sundays", a mix of dramatic arts and multimedia presentation designed to reach those outside the church, made plans for a television presentation called "Rhema Live" and introduced the slogan "the church for people who don't like church", which they maintain to the present day.[9]

In 1997, Phil and Heather Baker established Riverview Church in the same building as the old Rhema fellowship, with a more ecumenical focus than its past incarnation, with a membership base that has grown consistently during the 2000s. Phil is president of the Australian Christian Churches network[10] and regularly writes to newspapers and makes media appearances representing the charismatic movement's point of view on what it feels are key issues.

In June 2009, Phil Baker suffered a benign brain tumour, which had to be removed. The subsequent operation resulted in complications which meant his recovery time was increased greatly. As of the beginning of 2010, Pastor Haydn Nelson was named Senior Minister of Riverview Church.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Brian and Valerie Baker". Rhema Life (Perth). July 1986 (Vol. 1, No. 2). p. 3.  Accessed at Battye Library, Perth.
  2. ↑ "Back to Belmont!". Rhema Life (Perth). July 1986 (Vol. 1, No. 2). p. 1. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Rhema Christian Academy History". Rhema Life. September 1986 (Vol. 1, No. 4). p. 12. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Our 7 Year Celebration". Rhema Life. December 1986 (Vol. 1, No. 6). pp. 1, 17. 
  5. ↑ "Down Long Routes Along The Road To Heaven". The Sunday Times. 12 April 1987. 
  6. ↑ "Vessels change, anointing remains". Rhema Life. June 1989. p. 7. 
  7. ↑ "Church's Foundation Strong". Rhema Life. June 1989. p. 7. 
  8. ↑ Telecom Australia (1989; 1990). White Pages - Perth 09. 
  9. ↑ Rhema Life Magazine, Summer 1991
  10. ↑ "Episode 78 - Riverview Church - Pastor Phil Baker". George Negus Tonight (ABC). 22 June 2004. Retrieved 2007-03-03. 

External links

Coordinates: 31°57′59″S 115°53′36″E / 31.966458°S 115.893354°E / -31.966458; 115.893354

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