God's vision
To glorify God by seeing lives transformed by the Holy Spirit through the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Our Mission
To bring 10% of Pinetown to Christ, growing them in knowing Christ and making Him known to others, thereby establishing them as active partners of Christ Church Pinetown.
We firmly believe that the Bible is God’s final Word to mankind, Scripture is free from error and we do not adhere to extra Biblical revelation. We contend that God has spoken and continues to speak through His Word alone. God’s Spirit communicates to God’s people through His Word, the Bible.
We believe that salvation is found in Jesus Christ, alone, and that He is the one and only Mediator between human beings and a Holy God.
We believe that entry to God’s Kingdom, also referred to as God’s Family, is achieved through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. Good works will not, in and of themselves, achieve an eternal relationship between God and people, whether individual or collective. Rather, acts of charity are evidence of being born again in Christ.
Each person needs to recognize their own personal rejection of God and His demands on the individual, the need of a Saviour to restore the broken relationship between themselves and God, the Giver of all life, with Jesus Christ being the only One to restore that broken bond.
Our Pastoral Team
Rev. Goodenough Mthembu
Rector
Garret Cunningham
Sunday School
Rev. Reg Courtney
Membership
Sphe Sangweni
Student Ministry
Rev. Stuart Turton
Assistant Rector
Kholeka Sibiya
Student Ministry
Eric van Lelyveld
Pastoral Care
MAGNIFICATION OF GOD
(Isaiah 48:9; Ezekiel 36:22; John 12:28; Ephesians 1:12; Psalms 19:1; 1 Corinthians 10:31).
God desires His glory above all else. This is an enormous claim, but the one that the Bible strongly supports. God says through His prophet Isaiah:
9 “For my own name’s sake I delay my wrath; for the sake of my praise I hold it back from you, so as not to cut you off. 10 See, I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction. 11 For my own sake, for my own sake, I do this. How can I let myself be defamed? I will not yield my glory to another.” (Isaiah 48:9-
The simple explanation of God’s Glory is His Excellence, His Radiance, His Brilliance, Power, and Majesty. Everything is to be for His acclaim.
The very purpose of us being chosen in Him was that “we might be be for the praise of His Glory” (Ephesians 1:12)
We are to live for the Glory of God. –
We will center our gatherings on the preaching of God’s Gospel and help people to gladly adore God with their affections as they build each other up.
With This In Mind, Our Determined Outputs In Magnifying God Are:
To Glorify God by Enjoying Him forever.
For hearts, soul and minds to be captured by God.
To develop deep honest affections of joy, gratitude, awe and love for God.
For Christ Church Pinetown members to relentlessly pursue the Glory of God.
God centeredness rather than self-
MEMBERSHIP
(Romans 12:5).
In the Bible, two of the most common images of the church are the family and body. Together, these images show us a great deal about how we are to live together. As a family, we are related because we have the same Heavenly Father. Like any family, we are to look out for each other, share each other’s burdens and care for one another.
Like a body, we all the body parts are connected for the greater good, we are to serve one another with various God given gifts and resources. Paul says in Romans 12:5 as members of Christ’s church we belong to one another. When one part hurts, we all hurt and when one part is honored, we are all honored.
Whilst recognizing that church is for believers, we seek to provide a channel for non-
We will strive to build a community where believers give and receive practical care to one another and where new people are connected to our local church.
Our determined outputs in membership are:
1. That Christians within our church will enjoy a sense of real community, expressed in genuine love and care for one another.
2. That all newcomers are warmly welcomed into our church and encouraged to connect with Jesus and His people.
MATURITY
(Colossians 1:9-
God’s amazing work of transforming people doesn’t end with moving people from death to life. It continues by the power of the Holy Spirit, as they live lives worthy of the Lord, pleasing Him in every way.
Our labor and longing is the same as Paul – to present everyone perfect in Christ.
Ephesians 4:15 – Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ.”
Colossians 1:28 – “Him we proclaim, warning everyone & teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.”
We will disciple Christians to grow in their faith, hope and love and make gospel-
Our determined outputs in maturity are therefore:
o To obedient to Jesus’ command to be disciple-
o That every believer be regularly engaging with God’s Word individually and corporately, desiring to live in obedience to it.
o That the believer’s relationship with God be expressed in a commitment to personal, private prayer.
o That believers will be loving and accountable to one another.
MINISTRY / SERVING
(Mark 10:45; 1 Peter 4:10; Ephesians 4:16; Matthew 16:27; 25:3-
At the heart of who Jesus is, lies a man who came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45). The depth of Jesus’ sacrifice was to give his very own life so that all of humanity’s sins might be paid for which is something only He could do. Because of what Jesus has done for us, we deem it an absolute honor, privilege & joy to serve Him with our time, talents and treasure. We have been saved to serve, and equipped with the Holy Spirit to glorify God through serving.
As those who are a part of Christ’s body, every Christian has been given a gift (I Peter 4:10). With that comes a specific job to do as we each function as different parts of the body (cf. Ephesians 4:16). Each contribution is vital in building up the body of Christ. Our Lord will reward individuals on the last day based on how faithfully they have exercised those gifts for the body (Matt.16:27; I Cor.3:10-
Therefore, in Christian ministry we will encourage & equip all God’s people to embrace a lifestyle of sacrificially serving one another in both formal & informal church ministries.
Our determined Outputs in Ministry are:
o That every believer be aware of the needs and opportunities that exist within the CCP body.
o That every believer identify the gifts God has given them and unleased for works of service for the good of the body, whilst being supported and equipped along the way.
o That every believer who calls CCP their spiritual home actively volunteers in at least one area within the body.
MISSION / REACHING OUT TO PINETOWN
Christians were made for mission. God is at work in the world & wants us to join Him. God invites us to participate in the greatest, largest, most diverse and most significant cause in history – the Kingdom of God. As those who enjoy salvation, Christians are to go out and spread the Good News of Jesus Christ. Our greatest responsibility is first and foremost to proclaim the gospel of our Lord Jesus in Pinetown.
However, we are also committed to bring the gospel of grace to all nations. These goals will be achieved by training Christians at Christ Church Pinetown in personal evangelism so that everyone is able to share the gospel simply with non-
Our determined outputs in mission are therefore:
o That every believer knows what the gospel is, and is not.
o That every believer be able to articulate their own testimony
o That every believer can present the gospel simply.
o That every believer has a deep sense of urgency in the light of heaven and hell.
Therefore, we will actively look for every opportunity to evangelize everyone we come into contact with and help Christians to engage our community and world for this purpose.
Our Early History
From 1940 onwards a group of people travelled from Pinetown to Durban every Sunday to attend services at Christ Church Addington, which was at that time part of the Church of England in South Africa. By 1942 it was clear that there was a nucleus of a new congregation at Pinetown, and so the Rector, the Rev. Stephen Bradley, commenced services on Sunday afternoons, in the Supper Room of the old Town Hall. Later, the services were moved to the home of Mr and Mrs Howell.
Soon after World War II ended the Rev. Norman and Mrs Bennet came from Christ Church Hillbrow to minister at Pinetown. They were followed by Canon and Mrs Pearce, who came from India and in 1949, the original church building in Meller Road was built.
Christ Church Pinetown maintained its close fellowship with Addington Church up to 1956, when the latter withdrew from the Church of England in South Africa. When that occurred, the Church Council at Pinetown decided not to follow into the Church of the Province of South Africa, and it has remained a constituent church of the Church of England ever since.
Christ Church Pinetown was greatly strengthened at that time by the arrival into membership of people who felt they could no longer continue to worship at Addington.
In 1959, Bishop and Mrs Bradley came to fill in the gap –
Later, the Rev. Frank Retief came to Pinetown to serve his curacy and he was followed by the Rev. Gunnar Keen in the same capacity. When Bishop Bradley was recalled to Cape Town, the Rev. Ernie Jump came to Pinetown as the Rector.
In 1972, the Rev. Joe Bell became Rector of Christ Church Pinetown, and a few years later, he was joined by the Rev. Des Inglesby as curate.
In 1972, the original church building required a large extension to accommodate the growing congregation.
(Historical information taken from the “New Life Natal News” Magazine 1978)
In 1982 a considerably larger church was built on the same site, which is capable of accommodating close to 500 persons.
Christ Church, Pinetown, is a member of the denomination, Reformed Evangelical Anglican Church of South Africa (REACH-