The Natural Church Development (NCD) survey measures the health and vitality of local churches. How healthy is your church? Would you like to grow a vitally healthy church?
What’s the healthiest local church in Australia based on the NCDs 8 key indicators for church growth and vitality?
It could be C3 Church Jervis Bay, in NSW! This local church was rated as the number one church in the C3 movement, which historically has been the highest rating church movement in the NCD church life survey. At the very least, C3 Jervis Bay is in the top one percentile on church health and evangelism metrics for all Australian Churches in the NCD survey and in the top 2.5% of 68 nations!
What does a healthy local church look like?
C3 Church Jervis Bay, pastored by Steve Ahern, had 30% church growth in 2017. This local church actively shares the gospel through word & deed in the local community and they are seeing people come to Christ and be baptised on a regular basis. They are seeing miracles – and have fully paid for their 5 acre property and buildings.
What’s their secret?
Ps Steve Ahern would argue that this is all a result of a sustained corporate prayer strategy within his local church community. For the last two years the pastor has led pray three times a day – 5.30-7.00 am, 12.00-1.00 and 6.30-7.30 pm. It worked for Daniel too! Sustained prayer is the secret to healthy local churches and community transformation.
Steve Ahern has been in full time ministry for 25 years and has been pastoring the Jervis Bay church for the last 19 years. He has been married to Susie for 36 years and they have two adult children. Steve was the keynote speaker at the National Day of Prayer & Fasting Leader’s Meeting for 2018. He introduces his church in this way,
“I have always believed that the answer to changing communities is vibrant Spirit filled Churches which are active and connected to the communities they belong to.
Many years ago, I felt the Lord say to me; “Do you want to pastor a church, or shepherd a community?”
It was a concept I had never thought of before. To sow your church and its people into the community, and let Christ in the believers, reach those in the community.
I believe that Jesus is very contagious, and He wants to become, in a sense, “viral” as He is spread from heart to heart.
At our core we have this belief that Jesus is very cool, and He has never been interested in religion. He is however, interested in relationship. That is relationship with every person on the face of the earth.
Because of that fact we are a church with relevant teaching, heartfelt worship, honest friendships, and compassionate care for those in need.
We value new people to our church and it is our desire that every person attending C3 Church Jervis Bay truly connects with the heart of the church and discovers the presence of God through our people and through the
services.”
-Adapted from National Day of Prayer & Fasting Illawarra 2018 Leaders Launch
See: Local Church Prayer Relay Leads to Community Transformation
See how your local church can facilitate nation changing prayer on our other website Pray for the Nations. Unite with Christians across Australia and the nations to pray in agreement and proclaim the gospel to unreached people locally & globally before Jesus comes! Join the national online morning and evening Prayer Call & ongoing 24/7 Prayer Relay (40 Day Prayer Relay 14 Feb-25 March 2018).
