New Community.....Becoming the church we are meant to be

What is New Community?

Westlife Church is a little different to what you might have seen in church before.

Pastor Andrew Staggs outlined the Wednesday “New Community” strategy in May 2006 during the “New Beginnings, New Community” series.

He stated that “New Community” is a key part of starting to build the church we all want to see -

Together, we are striving to become the kind of church described in the Bible - church with relevant messages, heartfelt celebration, honest friendships, constant prayer and compassionate need for those in need. In short, we would like to have the kind of contagious Christian faith that can influence and encourage the entire community, one life at a time.

“New Community” is a response to the new church that was described in Acts 2:41-47

41 That day about three thousand took him at his word, were baptized and were signed up.
42 They committed themselves to the teaching of the apostles, the life together, the common meal, and the prayers.
43 Everyone around was in awe—all those wonders and signs done through the apostles!
44 And all the believers lived in a wonderful harmony, holding everything in common.
45 They sold whatever they owned and pooled their resources so that each person's need was met.
46 They followed a daily discipline of worship in the Temple followed by meals at home, every meal a celebration, exuberant and joyful,
47 as they praised God. People in general liked what they saw. Every day their number grew as God added those who were saved. (Msg)

Pastor Andrew preached about a group of people in Acts who were positioned with a promise, aware of their purpose, lived with passion, were fueled by prayer, and were empowered with a pentecostal experience. They also met “…together in the temple courts. … (and) in their homes…” These biblical principles became the foundation of New Community Celebration and New Community Life Groups.

In part 2 of the series titled “The True New” Pastor Andrew outlined the hallmarks of the New Community – those things which make us “the real deal.” These included being redeemed, devoted, reverential, relational, unified and unselfish. Pastor Andrew declared that this biblical model of “new community” was God’s desire for Westlife Church.



In summary our Wednesday Night New Community on a Westlife Wednesday is for those people who want to become the church we are meant to be. It is for those regularly attend the Sunday Morning Celebration and who are looking for more - more connection, more teaching, more details about the life you are meant to be living, more info about where we are being effective and what God is saying to us as the Westlife Church Family.

“….enjoying the favour of all the people” (Acts 2:47 – NIV)

“….people in general liked what they saw.” (Acts 2:47 – Msg)