Our Church was founded in 1926 by Sister Annie Dennis in the home of Alfie and Esther Henaway as a pentecostal missions outreach to South Sea Islanders.
The Church became the cultural and community centre for the Islanders as well as their spiritual home. The Church members had their Church meetings in a number of locations, including where the Caledonian Hall is now situated in Edwards Street. The Church members built the Church building on the corner of Brisbane and Edwards Street in the 1950’s, which is now a private residence. In the 1970’s they built another Church in Darwin Street, where there is now a child care centre.
In the 1970’s the Church had an amazing outpouring of the Holy Spirit under the leadership of Ralph and Eileen Morely, which resulted in many different types of people being established into the Church. However, this exposed tensions and led to a terrible split in March 1980 followed by 8 years of court cases.
In 1982 the Church founded a Christian College for the education and training of children.
The Church declined during these difficult times and by 1991 found itself without a Pastor and only a small group of dispirited members.
A new era began under the leadership of Pastor Glenn and Terri-Ann Rogers in December 1991. At Easter 1992 a widely advertised funeral for the Church was held on Good Friday. People came and put a written record of their hurts and frustrations into the coffin. The Pastor put in all court documents and disputed constitutions. The Church Board members were the pallbearers of the coffin which was interred on the Church grounds. On Resurrection Sunday, a resurrection service for the Church was held with a new name, look and style.
The Church proceeded to grow through the 1990’s until 3% of the total reachable population regarded this Church as their spiritual home. The Church was known for passionate worship, manifestations of the Holy Spirit, signs and wonders and evangelism. It was also known for strong discipleship and training of Church members. It became a strong missions focused Church.
The Church increased and developed its asset holdings with two campuses, one for Church meetings on International Drive and the other primarily for the Christian College in Melbourne Street.
2008 saw the opening of the Early Learning Child Care Centre equipped to look after 31 children.
In 2005 the leadership of the Burdekin Community Church was passed onto Pastor Les and Denese Henaway who faithfully served as senior ministers until 2011 when the Church was passed onto Pastor Peter and Helene Holmes.
Today Burdekin Community Church continues to grow in its place on International Drive where a message of faith, hope and love undergird what the Church stands for and it continues to be an influential Church within the Burdekin community and around the world!