History

In 1965 Stan Hyde woke up in his home in Kent having dreamed about the town name, “Brixham”. As he’d never heard of Brixham he went to an atlas to find out where it was! He sensed that God was calling him to start a church there.

Before moving Doreen and the children down to Torbay in October 1965, Stan came ahead and stayed in a local guest house. He became aware of three old ladies who had been praying for 30 years that a Pentecostal church would open in Brixham. These ladies, Bessie Bastard, Carey Percy & Marge Scobel became the founding members of the new church along with Stan, Doreen and their children.

Around that time, the “Home Missions Secretary” of Assemblies of God contacted Stan and described a vision he’d had of Stan’s next house. This detailed description even included interior decor! Miraculously, Stan found that house in Paignton, bought it and moved in!

Stan subsequently pioneered churches in various places, including Dartmouth and Paignton. The Paignton church (now called Living Waters) later planted a church in Torquay (now called Riviera Life Church). Stan also supported one of his Brixham members in starting a new church in Totnes. Living Waters Church in Paignton and Riviera Life Church are still thriving today and enjoy great links
with Brixham.

Stan negotiated the purchase of a building in Castor Road which was owned by the Exclusive Brethren. In September 1988, the congregation outgrew this building and moved its Sunday services to the Main Hall of Brixham College in Higher Ranscombe Road.

In 1983 Stan handed the leadership of the church over to Rob Callaghan in order to free himself up to plant churches and preach where he was needed. In September 1987, Stan’s son Bob took on a full-time leadership role in the church until May 2010. Under Bob’s leadership the church purchased the land on Rae Barn Road with a view to building a new facility for the church and community. Watch this space!

From 2014 to 2023 the Church was lead by Jonathan Petts which included the Covid pandemic. Following the pandemic the Church started to meet again at the Spark Studios, Unit 1, Metherell Avenue, Brixham, TQ5 9QB.

For many years now the church has been led by a team of elders, sometimes with a team leader and sometimes without.

The Church is currently praying and seeking God’s way forward for its future leadership and wider minsitry in the community of Brixham.