Our Vision

We see a church full of the love of Jesus, equipped with his purpose, transforming our world.

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Our Purpose

 

BELONG

 

We are a community of connection, acceptance, and honour. Thrive Church is a place with room for everybody

BE LOVED

 

We are passionate about seeing people encounter the radical love and freedom of God

BECOME

 

We desire to live as disciples of Jesus and continue to grow, empowered by the Holy Spirit in every area of our lives

BE THE LIGHT

 

We are created to shine his light and bring transformation to the world around us.

 

Glen & Deb

 
 

Our Lead Pastors

Our pastors have an authentic love for God and people. Their heart is that everyone would know that they are not only seen by God but are deeply loved by him. 

Glen and Deb have been married for over 20 years. They have a vibrant household with 5 children and have been faithfully serving and leading in the local church their whole adult lives. Glen has also worked in the visual communication industry for 25 years, owned a business, and can play a few tunes on the bagpipes. Deb has a degree in nursing, is passionate about mental and emotional well-being, and makes the best hot cross buns you’ll ever taste. For 14 years they were youth pastors and ministered to hundreds of teenagers in our community. On top of this Glen spent 3 years as the National Youth Director for New Life Churches. 

Since stepping into their roles as Lead Pastors in 2014, Glen and Deb have stewarded a dream to grow a vibrant and relational church that inspires everyone, young and old, to step into their God-given purpose. For them, Thrive Church is an extension of their home; a place where everyone is a cherished part of the family. 

As leaders, they love the power and presence of God and have always valued the power of teamwork. Both Glen and Deb have a pastoral grace to raise and empower sons and daughters. They are creative, prophetic, big-picture thinkers and understand that behind every promise is a process. They have a deep love for Aotearoa and carry a pioneering spirit to see the Gospel come alive in our country. 

Most importantly, they keep it real. They are people who have said yes to being a part of God’s extraordinary plan for humanity.

Our Movement

New Life Churches is a movement of over 70 contemporary churches across New Zealand. We are proud to be a part of a family that is passionate about working together to see the message of Jesus impact our nation.

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Our History

Thrive Church began in 1988 as Upper Room New Life. The founding pastors, Trevor and Clarice Bartle carried an anointing of grace, love and freedom. Lynne and Peter Frew, who became the pastors in 1995, served in leadership from the beginning of the church. They carried a passion for reaching younger generations in the community. Today, we continue to be known as a church that reaches and empowers young people to live for Jesus. The change in name to Life Christian Centre reflected Pastor Lynne’s desire for people to experience the fullness of life that Jesus gives: wholeness in spirit, heart and mind. In 2006 Chris and Ruth De’Ath became the pastors. They pursued the presence and power of God, encouraging all ages to find fresh intimacy with God and to thrive in life. That is where we got our name Thrive Church. Chris passed the church leadership on to Glen and Debbie Fraser in 2014.

Our Beliefs

  • We believe the Father, our Creator, loves us so much that He sent His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him would not perish but have abundant and eternal life.

  • We believe in Jesus, who left the glory of heaven, came to earth as man, died on the cross to pay the price for our sins, and was resurrected, so that we could be reconciled to the Father and be restored to our royal identity. Jesus is Saviour, Lord and Returning King, full of grace and truth.

  • We believe in the power of the Holy Spirit as Healer, Comforter, Teacher, and Revealer of Jesus.

  • We believe the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are the Godhead, three in one.

  • We believe in the Bible as the revealed and living Word of God and therefore our guide in all things.

  • We believe in the Father’s desire and intent revealed in Jesus’ prayer: “Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” The kingdom is progressing on earth now, with the fullness experienced in Jesus’ return.

For a full Statement of Faith click here