We are excited to share the name and location of the church that is being planted. This post unveils a little about the reasoning behind the name and our heart for London.
The name of the church is: Redeemer of Queen’s Park
Why: Redeemer
Why Redeemer of Queen’s Park? The name is chosen with sensitivity to the history of the gospel in London.
London has a rich and varied history. Originally settled by the Romans, ruled by many tribes and kings, and now a place of global influence - London is a city unlike any other. London possesses many titles: the birthplace of literature, the banking capital of the world, and an innovative leader in the arts.
At the heart of what makes London’s history so unique is the Christian heritage. Much of the architecture in the city, the names of streets, and the rhythms of life do not make sense without a clear understanding of the gospel. London was once a reformational hub of gospel activity and now it is a place where the church is struggling and in great need. London Christians have changed the world many times before and God is capable of working among London Christians again to change the world today.
Many of the beautiful Christian churches that mark the landscape of London now lie empty. Classism and racism are barriers to gospel community. Secularism presents an unchecked challenge to Christian engagement in the public square. The British missionary and theologian Lesslie Newbigin evaluated the condition of the church in Europe and concluded that Western culture needed to be confronted theologically. We agree. We are prepared to confront the complexities of Western culture by bringing the gospel to bear on every sphere of life through planting a new church.
An inescapable reason we are naming our church “Redeemer” is because we believe that Jesus is making all things new. We want to join Jesus in his ministry of reconciliation and renewal. We want to be where Jesus is and we want to join Him in shaping things on earth to look more like things in heaven. We are joining Jesus in his mission of bringing heaven and earth together and this is all possible because of the redemption that he made possible through his death, burial, and resurrection on the cross.
Why: Queen’s Park
Queen’s Park is a lovely area located in Northwest London (postal code: NW6). We are excited about this diverse neighborhood that is home to loads of families, young working professionals, and an exciting mixture of nationalities.
Queen’s Park is located in the Borough of Brent. Brent was recently ranked as the number two most ethnically diverse Borough in London. While the Borough was officially founded in 1965, the history of the place goes back thousands of years (we will peel back the layers in future posts). Traveling on some roads that were original to the Romans, Brent has seen intense immigrations of Jewish, West Indian / Caribbean, Asian / Gujarat and Indian, and African / Somali immigrants - just to name a few. It is a place the world has moved to when the world moves to London.
Queen’s Park is a diverse neighborhood that functions as an intersection of three “wards.” The three wards are distinct neighborhood-clusters that are home to various people and customs. Queen’s Park itself is where they all come together. This means that Queen’s Park is layered and diverse - a snapshot of London on the whole. From the early settlers of the area to its diverse and modern population today Queen’s Park is a neighborhood that the world calls home.
Queen’s Park really is a snapshot of the city of London. Less than 2% of London’s population has a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. To put this in perspective, consider the fact that London is home to more than 11,000,000 people who speak more than 300 different languages. The world is literally living in the city of London and it is possible to reach the ends of the earth from this strategic global city.
We hope to share the gospel with the many families and professionals in Queen’s Park and see the life of London renewed socially and spiritually through their living. Along with this, we anticipate families eventually leaving Queen’s Park with the gospel and taking it further out of the city of London and eventually to the ends of the earth, back to their homelands, and share the life-transforming love of Jesus with people there.
Redeemer of Queen’s Park
We are planting a church in this context of London, the Borough of Brent, and the specific neighborhood of Queen’s Park.
We desire to live life with Jesus as we seek the renewal of the city. These are rich and complex themes that we will unpack in the days ahead. For now, will you join us in praying for the city of London, the neighborhood of Queen’s Park, and the progress that is being made in this church that is being planted.
Giving Tuesday is one week away. Would you consider making a financial investment into this church plant? God has already provided so much and there is still more work to do. We are ready and willing to make the sacrifices and embrace the risks related to planting but we can’t do this alone - we need your help. Would you help us go to reach the unreached with the gospel?
"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
Revelation 21:1-5