Our History
‘ To be a Transformed People who Transform the World’
GodFirst - The story so far
| Year | History |
|---|---|
| 1985 | New Covenant Church is formed out of Christchurch Baptist Church, and starts meeting at Pontins Holiday Camp – now Captains Club. Mike Frisby is lead elder. |
| 1986 | Church meets in various locations around the town including Druitt Hall, Bournemouth Water Social Club, 2Riversmeet, Kings Arms Hotel and lastly Christchurch Infants School. |
| 1988 | Offices leased in Christchurch High Street above Matthews Shoe Shop. |
| 1994 | New Covenant Church Bournemouth (Now CityGate) is planted out from this church. The Kingdom is advancing. |
| 1999 | Church moves its Sunday services to Twynham School |
| 2000 | Church is re-named The Family Church and Hope House is purchased. Great Faith is demonstrated. |
| 2003 | Kingdom initiatives are launched as Hope Debt advice is launched and continues to present day under Faithworks Wessex. The Kingdom keeps going wider as The Family Church helps another new church start this time in Verwood |
| 2006 | Kingdom expansion is in view as the Church moves its Sunday services to The Regent Centre, Christchurch High Street. |
| 2008 | Duncan Lee takes on the leadership of The Family Church. |
| 2011 | A new intentional search for a larger building is started and the Dreams building starts to comes into sight. |
| 2012 | The name is changed to ‘GodFirst’ and the church run their first Father heart Conference. Lives are dramatically changed and God’s Kingdom breaks in. |
| 2013 | Dreams building falls through but the church learns lots and raises a lot of money! The culture of generosity is on display BIG time. |
| 2016 | GodFirst goes multi-site and Airfield Road building comes on the radar to buy, alongside prophetic words about clearing runways to reach into Europe |
| 2016/17 | GodFirst runs two more Father Heart Conferences. Lives are radically impacted, blind eyes and deaf ears opened , there is great joy and the Kingdom comes! |
| 2018 | GodFirst complete on the purchase of Airfield Road 24,000sq.ft building after much prayer and battling for planning change of use land and lease assignment from the council. It marks the end of a 30 year search. |
| 2019 | GodFirst comes back to being one site in The Runway building and the adventure of fund-raising for refurbishing the centre continues, so it can be used for the community. |
| 2025-25 | GodFirst moves on from NewFrontiers and takes the next steps toward its calling to be an apostolic resource church. |
Where are we at on the journey?
We have journeyed part way up the mountain and have already seen some amazing things which we can be so thankful for:
- Father Heart message - Displayed and released.
- Identity - helping believers know who they are in Christ.
- Kingdom Culture - Equipping and releasing people to express Heaven on earth.
- Building a church on the foundation of The Kingdom Culture of faith, freedom, authenticity, honour and generosity.
- Miraculous breakthroughs.
- Equipping the wider body of Christ (Academy of Supernatural. Transformation and the Father Heart Conferences etc).