FAQs
WHAT KIND OF CHURCH IS FREEDOM CHURCH?
People would typically consider Freedom to be a charismatic, evangelical church, if these sorts of groupings are helpful to you. If they’re not, we’re a lively, passionate, contemporary church, where we try to make church fun, engaging and accessible to people of all backgrounds, especially those who wouldn’t usually come along to church. You’re unlikely to see some of the things you might be familiar with in more traditional churches in Freedom Church (eg, formal dress code, pews, the altar, incense etc.). This is because churches vary greatly according to their denomination, traditions, leadership, and the way worship and content is delivered. We celebrate this diversity as Christians, as we’re not all looking for the same thing from church and variety helps ensure that church is able to reach as many people as possible. Although churches differ, there is much that unites us, especially in terms of our shared theology, the fundamental things we believe about God. You can find out more about our beliefs on the About pages of this website.
IS FREEDOM CHURCH PART OF A DENOMINATION OR LARGER ‘MOVEMENT’ OR ‘STREAM’ OF CHURCHES?
Like many churches around the world, Freedom is a non-denominational ‘free’ church, which means we’re not part of a church denomination, and we’re not currently a branch of another church ‘movement’ or ‘stream’. At Freedom Church, we believe that Christians are called, wherever possible, to be part of a local church, a relationship that is, realistically, likely to change as people journey through life, live in different places etc. The Bible teaches that Christians are also part of the global or ‘universal’ church, which is much bigger than denominational distinctions and other divides, uniting all who follow Jesus as a single family or ‘body’ - a relationship that never changes. Reflecting this belief, and in response to God’s call to uphold unity, Freedom Church is a member of the UK’s Evangelical Alliance (EA), a network of 4000 churches. See the Evangelical Alliance website for more information about the EA and how it works. Wherever we operate, we seek to connect with and maintain good relationships with other churches and church leaders, recognising that we are all working together to build God’s Kingdom.
WHAT IS THE BACKGROUND OF PEOPLE WHO ATTEND FREEDOM CHURCH?
Lots of people in the Freedom Church family (or congregation) made a decision to follow Jesus after attending Freedom. The majority however didn’t, having been part of other churches before. We come from a huge variety of Christian backgrounds, from more traditional expressions, to churches elsewhere that are very similar to Freedom Church. The background of our Directional Leadership Team, Trustees and Campus Pastors reflects the variety of backgrounds in Freedom Church.
WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO START FREEDOM CHURCH LOCATIONS IN OTHER COUNTRIES?
In the Bible (see The Bible, Matthew 28:16-20), the last thing Jesus says to his disciples was that they should ‘Go and make disciples of all nations’. This ‘Great Commission’ as it’s known amongst Christians, has motivated Christian mission ever since, including our vision in Freedom Church to help carry the ‘good news’ about Jesus around the world.
MY CHILD WANTS TO COME TO FREEDOM CHURCH. WHO CAN I SPEAK TO TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE CHURCH?
Freedom Church is growing in every location, and from time to time, we see children or young adults come along with friends. It is very important to us that they do so with the consent of their parents, and (as many of us are parents ourselves at Freedom Church) we understand that parents who are not part of the church may have questions. We encourage you to come along to a Freedom Church location to see for yourself what happens in the church, and to ask the location leaders and team questions. On visiting, please connect with our ‘VIP’ team as they will show you around, answer questions and connect you with someone who can help, including the leaders working with children or young people.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY?
We have set up an organisation called OnexOne (www.onexonefunds.org) - that helps us give to needs all over the world, from education to emergencies that arise. Some of our churches have specific parternships with local organisations where they have serving opportunities in their area. We also encourage people who come along to Freedom to recognise a personal call to serve and support the community however possible, from volunteering with community projects, to raising money for causes, to serving on the local council or as governors in school.
HOW IS FREEDOM CHURCH FUNDED?
Freedom Church has a number of sources of income, although like almost all churches, the majority of our income is given by people who are part of the church. We also gain income from the rental of our church venues, residential accommodation or from leasing buildings we own that are not currently used for church ministry.
DO YOU EXPECT EVERYONE WHO ATTENDS FREEDOM CHURCH TO GIVE?
People who regurlarly attend Freedom Church are encouraged to give, as well as being a Biblical principal it is also how we pay our costs. Although we teach people to live generous lives and to give, believing both to be principles taught in the Bible, it is very important to us that people give because they freely choose to do so, not under compulsion. (see the Bible, 2 Corinthians 9:6-8)
DO YOU EXPECT EVERYONE WHO ATTENDS FREEDOM CHURCH TO GIVE?
People who regurlarly attend Freedom Church are encouraged to give, as well as being a Biblical principal it is also how we pay our costs. Although we teach people to live generous lives and to give, believing both to be principles taught in the Bible, it is very important to us that people give because they freely choose to do so, not under compulsion. (see the Bible, 2 Corinthians 9:6-8)