Gold Coast industrial estates home to churches as congregations rapidly expand

GOLD Coast churches are rapidly expanding as faithful flock to join congregations. But this religious revival has forced churches to find new homes. And it’s not where you’d expect.

CASHED-up mega churches are expanding rapidly on the Gold Coast as congregations of the faithful grow.

The city’s industrial estates are being reborn as the city’s religious strongholds as the churches, backed by booming congregations and seven-figure coffers, are relocating to house their communities.

At least 10 churches have made the move in the past two years and more are expected.

The latest is the Liberti Church, which wants to revamp part of a Carrara industrial estate to create its newest campus.

New churches are moving into industrial areas rather than the traditional churches previously known.

Its move comes on the back of Metro Church selling its longtime home in Southport’s Ridgeway Ave and temporarily relocating to Varsity Lakes while it searches for a permanent place.

Metro founder Garry McDonald said a growing interest in Christian faiths, especially from younger people, was behind the growth.

“This hasn’t happened overnight but some churches have flourished in the past five years. What we are finding is that this has been part of a wider and steadier growth,” he said.

“There is a lot of forward momentum and it is reaching the point of critical mass.

Founder of Metro Christian Church, Garry McDonald.

“There is a new and more relatable expression of the stylings of Christian worship and it is attracting the younger demographic, so you are seeing a lot of young adults and families.”

On top of a strong growth in congregations, Coast churches are also reporting strong financial positions.

Robina’s Glow Church, which boasts a congregation of more than 2000, is the fastest-growing in the country and has an annual gross income of more than $2 million, while Metro has a total income of more than $1 million.

Glow’s income has quadrupled in five years, along with its membership which has increased from just 25 when it first started.

Glow Church is the fastest growing congregation in Australia and late last year moved into a bigger space in Robina.

Growth and financial strength come on the back of data released last year that showed a significant boost in support for Pentecostal churches, with more than 80 now established on the Gold Coast.

This compares to the 67 traditional mainstream churches that operate in the city. These include Baptist, Church of Christ, Anglican, Catholic, Anglo Catholic, Presbyterian, Uniting, Salvation Army, Lutheran, Nazarene and Wesleyan churches.

Many of the newer churches have operated out of rented premises but are now looking for permanent homes.

Glow Church has rapidly expanded.

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Some churches are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars fitting out their complexes.

Liberti Church wants to shift to Indy Court, Carrara, after outgrowing its Warrener St home near the Nerang train station. It has shared the Nerang site with another church.

Liberti, which also holds services at Coomera and Mermaid Beach, has lodged plans with the Gold Coast City Council.

For the past 15 years new churches have been primarily housed in industrial areas where there is greater parking and weekend services will not disrupt residential areas.

“We are seeing them pop up more and more in the industrial areas in recent years but it is not something I have any problem with,” said Carrara councillor Bob La Castra.

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Artist impressions of a proposed Hillsong church at Highland Park, Nerang on the Gold Coast.

“It won’t have as much impact on residential areas from a parking and noise point of view, so this location makes a lot of sense.”

Last month, the Bulletin revealed Hillsong had unveiled plans for a place of worship at the former Masters hardware complex at Highland Park, with room for more than 700 people, making it one of the city’s largest churches.

The old Masters building at Highland Park, Nerang which is set to be redeveloped as a new megachuch for Hillsong. Picture Glenn Hampson

Under plans filed with the council, the building’s interior would be dramatically altered to create a 700-seat auditorium, a mezzanine level, meeting rooms, Sunday school teaching centres and administrative offices.

Hillsong regularly attracts upward of 1500 people to its weekend services at Burleigh, Coomera and Surfers Paradise.