Futures Church, formerly Influencers Church,[1] is a Pentecostal church affiliated to the Assemblies of God, with congregations in the state of South Australia, Australia, and in the southern United States. It was founded in Adelaide in 1922. On Easter Sunday of 2023, Influencers Church officially changed their name to Futures Church.[2]
| Futures Church (Formerly Influencers Church) | |
|---|---|
| FUTURES CHURCH SOUTH AUSTRALIA INCORPORATED | |
 | |
| Location | Paradise, Adelaide city, Adelaide South Campus, Clare Valley, Salisbury, Mount Barker, Victor Harbor Gwinnett, Kennesaw, Alpharetta (US) |
| Country | Australia and United States |
| Denomination | Australian Christian Churches |
| Website | influencers |
| History | |
| Former names | Influencers Church
Adelaide Assembly of God Klemzig Assembly of God Paradise Assembly of God Paradise Community Church |
| Founded | 1922 |
| Founder(s) | Smith Wigglesworth crusade |
| Clergy | |
| Senior pastor(s) | Ashley and Jane Evans |
History
editThe church was founded in 1922 by British evangelist Smith Wigglesworth.[citation needed], becoming known as Adelaide Assembly of God (AOG) when a property on Franklin Street, Adelaide was purchased in 1944.[3] In 1951 Tom Evans, a British missionary from India, became senior pastor.[4] Pastors John and Beryl Jobe commenced as senior pastors in 1959. Their vision was to move into the suburbs where the people lived, so the Franklin Street property was sold, and the church relocated to Payneham, before it shifted to Main North East Road Klemzig.[3]
In 1970, Andrew Evans, the oldest son of Tom Evans, became the first non-founding senior pastor of what was by then called Klemzig Assembly of God.[3] Under his ministry the church grew from weekly church attendance of 150 to over 2,000 people.[5]
In 1982, the church moved to its current location in Paradise, becoming known as Paradise Assembly of God, and later changing its name to Paradise Community Church. At this time, Paradise AOG also set up Paradise (later Adelaide) College of Ministries, as an accredited bible college in South Australia. In 1994, members from the Paradise church formed a sister church, originally called Southside Christian Church, but later renamed Edge Church. The church also fostered the formation of Youth Alive Australia.[citation needed]
In 1997 the contemporary worship music band Planetshakers was created out of the first Planetshakers Conference.[6] In 2000, Andrew Evans's youngest son Ashley and his wife Jane took over as senior pastors at Paradise, and the Planetshakers youth movement grew.[7] In 2004, his eldest son[8] Russell and wife Sam Evans moved to Melbourne to form Planetshakers Church.[6]
In the 2000s, Paradise's church attendance grew to over 6,000 people, and it expanded to three other locations (Elizabeth, West, and City), introduced a Friday night service, and had become the fifth-largest church in Australia.[9]
In 2012, Paradise Community Church changed its name to Influencers Church (Global) to reflect that the church is expanding internationally. As part of the change in leadership structure, Ashley and Jane Evans appointed Josh and Sjhana Greenwood[10][who?] as the Australian lead pastors since the Evans family were relocating to Atlanta, Georgia.[citation needed][11]
In November 2022, Influencers Church celebrated their 100th year anniversary, and announced that as of February 2023, the church will be renamed Futures Church.[12][13]
Influence
editSome political figures have connections with the church, including Andrew Evans who is father of current pastor Ashley Evans, a pastor at the prior Paradise Church for 30 years and was leader of the conservative Family First political party. Liberal Party of Australia foreign affairs minister Alexander Downer commented positively on the church's focus on God, the Bible and the message of Christ.[14] Famous persons who have attended Paradise include Channel 9 journalist Kate Collins and actress Debra Byrne.[15] The church was also featured on A Current Affair, Compass, The Australian, and The Age. Peter Goers has commonly cited the church in rhetoric light.[16] Apart from media interest, the church also has a television program which screens in different countries and recently started airing each Sunday on Channel 9. Paradise also utilises regular television and radio advertisement for marketing communications, particularly during the Christmas[17] and Easter[18] seasons.
Ashley Evans has held the office of State President of Australian Christian Churches of South Australia and a previous member of the National Executive of the Australian Christian Churches. His wife Jane Evans has been influential as the national board member of charity Compassion Australia.[19]
Music
editThe profile of Futures Church was boosted after the inaugural Australian Idol, singer Guy Sebastian[20][21][22][23] publicly announced his connection with the church as a singer. As a result of market perception of the church, the church launched its Paradise School of Music.[24]
Futures Church produces original music under the artist 'Futures'. Their first single "Imaginations", released on 8 September 2017, hit first place on the iTunes "Inspirational" charts on date of release.[25] They subsequently released an EP called Imagine on in 2017 and their first album, Just the Cross in 2019.[26] Since then they've released a studio album 'Hills & Horizons' and another live worship record 'Together With Heaven' in August 2023.[27]
In 2021, Dreamers Youth, the youth ministry of the church, went on to form a musical group called Dreamers, with the first EP "Land of the Living" being released on 13 August 2021, and first album self-titled Dreamers on 21 October 2022.[28]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Futures new name for Adelaide megachurch Influencers in 2023, with ongoing overseas ambition after land sale". Adelaide AZ.
- ^ "Influencers Church". Influencers Church. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
- ^ a b c "Fred and Betty Evans' Website » Klemzig Assembly of God (South Australia) 1976 – 1982 (Part 1)". www.fredandbettyevans.com.
- ^ "Fred and Betty Evans' Website » My Father – Thomas Lever Evans 1901 – 1996". www.fredandbettyevans.com.
- ^ "Building of Paradise Assembly of God - Part 1" – via www.youtube.com.
- ^ a b "About Planetshakers". Daystar Television. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
- ^ "Planetshakers Music". Planetshakers. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
- ^ Whole Leaders For The Whole World, retrieved 13 December 2023
- ^ "Million-dollar church at Paradise – Adelaide's largest – from 1983 becomes Pentecostal force spreading to USA". Adelaide AZ. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
- ^ "Futures Church Australia". radiopublic.com. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
- ^ "South Australian Pentecostal preachers Ashley Evans and Jane Evans expand their religious enterprise into the United States". 10 April 2015.
- ^ "Adelaide now article". www.google.com. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
- ^ 100 Year Celebration Re-Broadcast, Influencers Church, retrieved 17 November 2022 – via YouTube
- ^ Alexander Downer (27 July 2008). "Pope's visit had a deep impact on Australia". The Advertiser.
- ^ "The last temptation of Debra". The Advertiser. 3 April 2009.
- ^ Peter Goers (11 November 2006). "Just a phone's throw away". Sunday Mail.
- ^ Ashley Evans (24 December 2010). "A life of great joy within reach of all". The Advertiser.
- ^ Shepherd, T (8 April 2007). "Many more flock to church". The Advertiser.
- ^ Jane Evans intro for Paradise Community Church Influencers Conference 15–17 January 2008 Archived 21 January 2008 at the Wayback Machine (accessed 23 January 2008)
- ^ "Paradise Community Church". New Release Today. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
- ^ "Paradise Community Church Online. Paradise Live: Adore. Retrieved 4 March 2009". Archived from the original on 3 September 2009. Retrieved 5 May 2009.
- ^ Gold Records USA. Featured Release. Retrieved 4 March 2009 Archived 8 April 2009 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Anne Johnson (21 October 2006). "What's Guy done to deserve this?". Sunday Mail.
- ^ Genevieve Meegan (6 January 2007). "James' toast to fitness". Sunday Mail.
- ^ "Futures". DREAMLABELGROUP.COM. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
- ^ Cluver, Ross (22 February 2019). "Influencers Worship Releases New Song '† (just the cross)'". CCM Magazine. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
- ^ Clarks, Jessie (25 August 2023). "Futures Release 'Together With Heaven'". TCB. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
- ^ Clarks, Jessie (21 October 2022). "Dreamers Releases Self-Titled Project". TCB. Retrieved 17 November 2022.