Geelong Revival Centre founder Noel Hollins remembered as ‘a chosen vessel onto God’ in leaked video of his memorial service

A 93-minute video of Noel Hollins’ memorial service has revealed an array of previously unknown information about the secretive sect that has had its new leader confirmed.

An image from a slide show that was shown at the memorial service for Geelong Revival Centre leader Noel Hollins.

A leaked video has laid bare the life of secretive Geelong Revival Centre founder Noel Hollins, revealing his family’s political connections and his early work in forming the controversial cult-like church.

The 93-minute video of Mr Hollins’ April 30 memorial service also confirmed his successor as Brian Griggs, who was most recently pastor at the GRC-affiliated Bible Truth Fellowship church in Toowoomba.

“When the news filtered through on the 22nd of this month (April) that Pastor Hollins had gone to sleep in Christ, it didn’t matter how much I was prepared for that,” Mr Griggs said.

“I’ll be the first one to say, I was a little shocked to get that phone call early that morning.”

The GRC’s Norlane headquarters on Thompson Rd were packed for the tightly guarded service that followed Mr Hollins’ ultra-private burial earlier that day at Barrabool Hills Cemetery alongside his wife, Eunice.

There were no spare seats at the April 30 memorial service.

Mr Hollins, who had been receiving treatment at Bupa’s Bellarine Lakes aged care facility contrary to his own preachings, was described as a “shepherd” and a “chosen vessel onto god”.

“He truly was a shepherd that only loved sheep, and cared and nurtured every one of us,” Mr Griggs said.

Attendees were told that Mr Hollins grew up in a strict Methodist household.

Pastor Brian Griggs fronted the April 30 memorial service for Geelong Revival Centre leader Noel Hollins.

His father, Leslie Hollins, was an independent MP in the Victorian parliament who briefly served as Minister of Labour and Minister of Public Instruction in the aftermath of World War II.

His grandfather, Herbert Payne, was a long-time Tasmanian MP who later became a senator in the federal parliament.

After wondering “whether the Lord could be a reality” in his late teens, Mr Hollins quit his mathematics and science studies at Melbourne University after he was “saved”.

“Once he felt salvation and faith, and the effect of it upon his heart, did it matter?”

Mr Griggs said.

After teaching mathematics at Geelong Technical School – one of his students would later become a GRC pastor – Mr Hollins moved to Ballarat “where he started to look after a few folk”.

An image from a slides how shown at the memorial service for Geelong Revival Centre leader Noel Hollins (left). The woman is understood be his late wife Eunice, who died in 1985 at just 49 years of age.

He then moved to Geelong in 1952 at the age of 21 and began preaching his Pentecostal beliefs from an Aberdeen St guesthouse where he “saved 300 souls” before opening a hall on Belmont’s High St.

“The word was preached fervently, it faced strong opposition from traditional religion, all the time new souls being saved,” Mr Griggs said.

“There were many people being saved in those days, a great moving of the spirit was occurring.

“(There were) many, many noted miracles at these meetings.”

No detail of those miracles was disclosed.

Geelong Revival Centre leader Noel Hollins marrying a couple at an unknown location.

Mr Griggs revealed that “three-day fasts” were used by Mr Hollins as a catalyst for young men – “brothers” – to launch their own assembly, thus expanding the GRC’s reach.

The GRC consists of two entities: Geelong Revival Centre Pty Ltd and the Revival Trust.

The trust was founded in December 1951, according to the national charity register.

It lists its activities as “training of young people to be law-abiding citizens, free of drugs and riotous behaviour” and “training toward being successful and responsible marriage partners”.

The GRC has long courted controversy because of its secrecy and strict teachings, including that members shun medical treatment in favour of prayer.

A key belief of the church – labelled a “cult” by some former members – is that the world will soon end, with only members saved.

Members often talk in tongues and are forbidden to speak to people who have left the church.

The memorial service for Noel Hollins was a tightly guarded affair. Picture: Alison Wynd.

“He (Mr Hollins) left behind a lasting legacy, an impact upon the church – that impact does not finish as he now sleeps,” Mr Griggs said.

“That impact, according to the word of God, is going to continue.

“He will yet speak to the church and in the times ahead, however long we’ve got in a world that is rapidly unravelling, violence is filling the earth, according to the word which we have heard will drive us on.

“We have not at all fallen for some cunningly devised fable, we have followed faith within the hearts of sound ministry.”

Mr Griggs read statements of condolence from GRC’s international network, including those from pastors based in Singapore, Sri Lanka, South America, India and Ukraine.

Originally published as Geelong Revival Centre founder Noel Hollins remembered as ‘a chosen vessel onto God’ in leaked video of his memorial service