Well, nationally, the FIEC lists Wolverhampton as one of the top 10 strategic places where there is a need for more gospel churches. Locally, the Birmingham Collective has seen 20 churches planted in the last 10 years and prayerfully hopes to facilitate the planting of a further 30 in the Birmingham Metropolitan Area, including Wolverhampton, by 2030.

The reality is that for a city of more than 250,000 people like Wolverhampton, there are simply not enough gospel churches. In fact, the whole region to the north and west of Birmingham is extremely underserved by healthy gospel churches. Our prayer and desire, therefore, is to see not just one church planted, but to contribute to a whole movement of local and regional church planting.

“But”, you say, “shouldn’t you focus on planting one church first?“

Maybe, but a radical vision has a way of keeping us on our knees, seeking the Lord, and relying on the Holy Spirit’s leading and power.

And since this model of planting and reproduction seems to flow right out of Jesus’ own model, we figure we’re on the right track if we start there (Matt. 28v18-20; Acts 1v9; Eph. 4v11-16 – disciples who make disciples who plant churches that plant churches, and so on).

In June 2020 – in the midst of lockdown – four couples began meeting online to pray about a potential church plant in Wolverhampton. This group continued to meet online throughout the pandemic with several others joining as well by the end of lockdown.

At the end of July 2021, as the country began easing out of lockdown, the opportunity to meet in-person at St. Peter’s Collegiate School in Compton arose. We continued to meet at the school until the end of 2023. In 2024, by God’s grace and faithfulness, we began to meet in Graiseley Family Hub, closer to Wolverhampton city centre.

Ah, great question. In this season, we’re beginning to lean into the idea that every Jesus-follower, being filled with the Holy Spirit, has the capacity and responsibility to minister to God, to other Jesus-followers, and to those who don’t yet know Jesus. The key for all of it is that each of us must draw strength not from ourselves, but from a deep enjoyment of Jesus through the Holy Spirit. So, we’re on a journey together to know and enjoy Jesus more deeply and to discover and pursue his calling on each of our lives.

Well, you’ll have to come visit us to find out for yourself!