The Australian Christian Churches (ACC), formerly the Assemblies of God in Australia, is a network of Finished Work Pentecostal churches in Australia affiliated with the World Assemblies of God Fellowship. The movement was formed in 1937 and, according to the denomination, comprises over 1,100 churches, more than 3,300 pastors and over 400,000 constituents; independent surveys also list the ACC among Australia's largest denominations by number of local churches. Beliefs The Doctrinal Basis of Australian Christian Churches contains the central beliefs of the denomination. Its 20 articles are summarized below:
There is only one true God who exists as a Trinity. Jesus Christ is the Son of God and, as the second person of the Trinity, is God. The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity. He convicts and regenerates the sinner and guides the believer into all truth. The Bible is inspired by God and is "the supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct". The devil is a real being who "seeks to destroy the faith of every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ". Man was created good by God but, because of voluntary transgression, fell. As a result, men are "separated from original righteousness" (see original sin). Christ's death on the cross has made full atonement for the world's sins. Salvation "is received through repentance toward God and faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ". In this "new birth", the believer is regenerated, justified, and adopted into the family of God. The Church is the Body of Christ and consists of all people who accept Christ, regardless of Christian denomination. It is to work to fulfill the Great Commission. Believer's baptism by single immersion as a declaration to the world of the believer's identification with Christ in his death, burial and resurrection. Observance of the Lord's Supper as a symbolic remembrance of Christ's suffering and death. Sanctification, "an act of separation from that which is evil, and of dedication unto God". Baptism in the Holy Spirit is a separate and subsequent experience following conversion which brings empowerment to be an effective witness for Christ. Speaking in tongues is the initial evidence of this experience. The nine supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit, as recorded in 1 Corinthians 12:8–10, continue to operate in the present day. The Assemblies of God also believes in the ministry gifts (apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers), as recorded in Epistle to the Ephesians 4:11–13. Divine healing of the sick is provided for in the atonement. The Second Coming of Christ will be a premillennial, imminent and personal return. Christ will return to establish his millennial reign on the earth. The wicked "who wilfully reject and despise the love of God" will face "everlasting punishment". There will be new heavens and a new earth "in which righteousness dwells". The heavens and earth and all original life forms "were made by the specific immediate creative acts of God as described in the account of origins presented in Genesis".
At the end of the 20th century, there was a decrease in emphasis on speaking in tongues as the initial evidence as well as the Second Coming of Christ as traditionally understood by Pentecostals.Clifton 2005, p. 227–228. At the same time, the church growth movement and the prosperity gospel became important parts of the denomination's identity.Clifton 2005, pp. 214, 224-227.
Worship ACC churches follow Pentecostal style services which involve contemporary praise and worship, speaking in tongues, lifting of hands in worship and preaching. While the ACC use a wide range of worship styles, generally churches use contemporary praise and worship music for services. From using hymns in the 1930s to 1950s, music from the Jesus movement in the 1960s and 1970s and the contemporary praise and worship of the 1980s to today, ACC churches have continually adapted to new styles of praise and worship.
In recent decades, churches affiliated with the ACC have revolutionised church praise and worship. The largest driving force for this change was the popularity of the Hillsong Music label, featuring the bands Hillsong United, Hillsong Worship and Hillsong Young & Free, of Hillsong Church (since 2018 no longer a member of ACC). Other influences have been bands such as Planetshakers and Planetboom, and Influencers Church in Adelaide.
Structure
Churches
The polity of the Assemblies of God is based on the principle of voluntary and cooperative fellowship. "Registered" churches (mature and self-supporting) are autonomous but agree to abide by the United Constitution, state by-laws, and policies of the National Conference, the highest governing body of the Assemblies of God. "Provisional" churches are churches which have not met the requirements to become registered churches and are under the direct supervision of state executives.
State conferences The Assemblies of God is led in each state by a conference and executive. These bodies are empowered to manage all affairs that do not concern the national denomination. The roles of the state executive are similar to those of the national executive but specialised to the state with a closer relationship to local churches. The state executives recommend to the national executive eligible candidates for ordination. They provide assistance to churches requesting advice or intervention and also have the authority to discipline ministers. At the request of the state executive or at its own discretion, the national executive can intervene in a state's governance.United Constitution 2009, Article 9, pp. 11–12.
National conference
The biennial national conference is a representative body of all ordained ministers and all registered churches.United Constitution 2009, Article 5.2, p. 7. Every church is entitled to send one delegate for every 250 adults in regular attendance.United Constitution 2009, Article 5.5, p. 8.
The national conference elects the nine-member national executive, which includes the national officers. The officers are national president, vice-president, and secretary. National executives are always ordained ministers, except for the national secretary who can be a layperson.United Constitution 2009, Article 6 – 7.1, p. 9. National officers serve terms of four years; all other executives serve two-year terms. The national executive issues ministerial credentials and, in between sessions of the national conference, is the chief policy making body of the denomination.United Constitution 2009, Articles 7.7 and 11.7.1, pp. 10, 15.
National presidents Until 1997, the national leader of ACC was titled superintendent. The incumbent national president, as from 2025, is Joel Chelliah.
# Name Appointment Secession Time in 1 Charles Greenwood 1937 1941 4 years 2 Henry Wiggins 1941 1943 2 years – Charles Greenwood 1943 1945 2 years 3 Philip Duncan 1945 1950 5 years 4 Edward Irish 1950 1951 1 year 5 Alec Davidson 1951 1955 4 years 6 James Walace 1955 1959 4 years – Alec Davidson 1959 1969 10 years 7 Ralph Read 1969 1977 8 years 8 Andrew Evans 1977 1997 20 years 9 Brian Houston 1997 2009 12 years 10 Wayne Alcorn 2009 2025 16 years 10 Joel Chelliah 2025 - -
Missions, ministries and educational institutions
Missions ACCI Missions and Relief is a department of the Australian Christian Churches and currently headed up by Pastor Alun Davies, with ACCI Missions being the missionary sending and support agency and ACCI Relief the aid and development agency.
Ministries Australian Christian Churches has many ministries in place to serve the church. These include: ACCI Missions and Relief Australian Christian Services Chaplaincy Australia Youth Alive Australia
Australian Christian Churches supports many organisations including Mercy Ministries, Teen Challenge and Compassion Australia. Education
In order to train future pastors and leaders in the denomination, Commonwealth Bible College (also known as Southern Cross Bible College, and now known as Alphacrucis) was established in 1948 as the official ministry training school of Australian Christian Churches. Since the emergence of megachurches, large churches have begun establishing their own bible colleges. At the beginning of the 21st century, it was estimated that there are over 3,000 full-time students being trained at bible colleges affiliated with Australian Christian Churches.
Statistics The denomination claims more than 1,100 churches and over 225,000 adherents across Australia. In 2007, affiliated churches had an average congregation of 179 people and 26 churches had over 1,000 members.
History
Predecessors Pentecostalism in Australia emerged as a loose movement of churches and evangelists around 1909. The first steps towards a denominational structure were made in 1927 when the founder of the Good News Hall in Melbourne, Sarah Jane Lancaster, and her network of churches, collaborated with colorful and controversial itinerant evangelist Frederick Van Eyk (sometimes spelled Eyck) of the South African Apostolic Faith Mission (AFM) to form the Australasian AFM. The AFM name was taken from the Azusa Street Revival in Los Angeles, United States. The AFM had also affiliated congregations in New Zealand.
The AFM was short lived, however. Doctrinal controversy, disputes over female authority, the volatile character of its leaders and accusations of immorality against Van Eyk led to the movement splitting. In 1928, the AFM's northern churches formed the Assemblies of God, Queensland, and a year later many other AFM affiliates joined the newly established Pentecostal Church in Australia.Shane Jack Clifton, p. 125. What remained of the AFM dissolved after Lancaster's death in 1934.
Assemblies of God Queensland At a 4 July 1929 conference of the AFM's Queensland pastors, the decision was made to separate from the AFM and form the Assemblies of God Queensland.Shane Jack Clifton, p. 139. Besides the controversy over Van Eyk, many Queensland pastors had long been concerned over Lancaster's non-Trinitarian and annihilationist beliefs. They adopted the Assemblies of God name to gain the recognition of the global Pentecostal movement, as Australian Pentecostal churches were dependent upon visiting clergy.
The AGQ would be challenged by the Brisbane revival of American evangelist William Booth-Clibborn, grandson of Salvation Army founder William Booth. He came to Australia in 1930 and stayed two years, beginning an evangelistic work in Brisbane which grew to fill a two thousand seat tent, the Canvas Cathedral. It has been described as "the greatest religious revival Brisbane has seen".Stan Hunt, Assemblies of God Queensland Conference: A Story of its Formation and Mission, p. 9, as quoted in Shane Jack Clifton, p. 142. While the AGQ initially welcomed the revival, they became competitors when Booth-Clibborn organised the revival campaign into Covenant Christian Church and many of the AGQ's leaders, including its president George Burns, joined Covenant Christian. After 1932, unity talks began between the two groups and Covenant Christian Church joined the AGQ as Glad Tidings Tabernacle (now Brisbane City Church) in 1940.History of Brisbane City Church , includes video clip. Retrieved 20 May 2010.
Pentecostal Church of Australia In 1925, the American evangelist A. C. Valdez visited Australia and was invited by Charles Greenwood to preach at his church in the Melbourne suburb of Sunshine, beginning what would become the year-long Sunshine Revival. The growing congregation converted a movie theatre into a 1,000 seat church known as Richmond Temple. The Pentecostal Church of Australia grew out of this revival, and many of Australia's early Pentecostal churches trace their origins to Richmond Temple.Shane Jack Clifton, p. 144. Together, Richmond Temple and the Pentecostal Church, Sydney formed the centre of the expanding PCA.