History of Bishopbriggs Community Church
(Formerly Christian Centre )

Early 1970's

The story of Christian Centre begins in the early seventies with a group of teenagers who gathered at a home group each week to worship, pray and study the Bible.

It was a time of spiritual renewal in the church and these young people had found in baptism in the Holy Spirit a new and exciting dimension to their Christian experience.

The leadership of the group joined the Rev David Black, then Minister at Dennistoun Baptist Church in Glasgow, in forming Bishopbriggs Baptist Fellowship which held Sunday afternoon services in Kenmure Church Hall, which stood on the site now known as the Triangle Centre.

By November 1974 we had 13 adults, the minimum needed to become a church in our own right. David Black resigned his charge at Dennistoun and became the founding pastor of Bishopbriggs Baptist Church.

Even in those early days with no resources beyond a handful of people, we felt God wanted us to have our own premises - a place where we could gather for worship as often and for as long as we wanted, and a lounge where our young people could share their faith with their friends. We found the answer to our prayers a stone's throw from Kenmure Hall. Burnside Villa, since demolished, was vacant and its owners, Caledonian Estates, were delighted when we asked to move in. They had been worried that the house would be vandalised if left empty. So we moved in, redecorated the place and put up a huge sign which said "Baptist Church Centre". Over the next two or three years the church continued to expand. We soon outgrew the living room at Burnside Villa and Sunday services had to resume at Kenmure Hall. The villa was still well used during the week - David Black, who also ran the organisation Scottish Churches Renewal, had its office there. There were regular prayer gatherings, outreach cafes, youth meetings and other events - even the odd wedding.

Our church has always identified itself with the charismatic movement, believing that the Holy Spirit wants to give today’s Christians the supernatural gifts that we read about in the New Testament.

Late 1970's

By 1977 God began leading us into something much bigger and a lot more ambitious. We would not be just a church but a Christian community, God’s family living, working together. We didn't have a clue how this would happen. We prayed, we fasted - and we heard from God.

No-one really knew what kind of community God had in mind. Would we all live together in one building? There was talk of one big block of flats inhabited by Christians. In the end the idea that began to take shape was of a Christian neighbourhood but with people enjoying the privacy of their own homes. It would be a place dedicated to praise and family life. But where?

Our attention was drawn to a disused whisky warehouse on what is now Asda in Kirkintilloch Road. An architect from the Baptist Union of Scotland came to inspect the premises but was less than impressed, but he noticed behind it a redundant brickworks with a chimney that dominated the local sky-line ... and asked if we had thought about that site.

The church knew immediately that God had shown us the ground He had in mind for our community. As we met for prayer shortly after, someone brought a scripture from Ezekial 36 which revealed how God wanted to transform this rubble-strewn eyesore.

"The desolate land will be cultivated instead of lying desolate in the sight of all who pass through it. They will say ‘This land that was laid waste has become like the Garden of Eden’ ... so will the ruined cities be filled with flocks of people. Then they will know that I am the Lord."

We formed our own limited company and negotiated loan finance from the Baptist Union and a Merchant bank. The Scottish Brick Company accepted our conditional offer and we applied for planning permission for houses, a church hall and a sanctuary.

The planning convener for the local council was none too keen on the idea at first. The land was zoned for industrial use and he felt it should be used to provide factories and jobs. But David Black sold him the idea at site visit. At the polls two years later his party took the credit in their election literature for transforming a local eyesore into an attractive church and housing development, using it as an example of how Bishopbriggs was flourishing under their administration. The voters put them all out of office.

Around this time we stopped calling ourselves Bishopbriggs Baptist Church and became Christian Centre, Bishopbriggs. But the church continued to be affiliated to the Baptist Union until 1986. By that time David Black and his wife Jean had left the fellowship along with several families who joined them in developing another Christian community project in Lanark.

By the summer of 1979 we had demolished the brickworks and started building the first houses. By 1981 there were 20 houses and eight flats in Park Avenue, all owned by Christians. Most were members of our own fellowship, but others worshipped elsewhere. We were from different denominations but united by a common faith in Jesus.

We hoped non-Christians would see us as a living picture of what God intended His church to be. As far as we knew nothing like this had ever been attempted before. Christians from all over the country - and from abroad - came to see what we were up to. We got a lot of media coverage. After paying for the site, roads, sewers and other development costs, we had 50% of the costs required for phase one of the church building. We had overcome many obstacles to see our vision for a Christian community become a reality. Our faith had been stretched in the process.

1980's

It was put to the test again on the day the church centre was officially opened. God had told us the building was to be opened debt free. The balance of the building costs was collected during the offering at that opening service. It was just one of a long line of financial miracles. God had given us the means to do what He asked of us.

Having cleared the debt on the church centre we were soon building again - and in debt, having mortgaged the church centre to finance the next group of 20 flats. This was the origin of Park Court. These properties were sold on the open market with a number being reserved for people who would have qualified for sheltered or amenity housing.

It was never envisaged that Christian Centre should be a 'holy huddle.’ We want to reach out to the community in a practical as well as a spiritual sense. We opened a Day Care centre for the elderly and infirm, a playgroup and cafe. This work goes on to the present day. We also tried to help the unemployed by acting for a while as agents for the Manpower services Commission, running job creation projects.

A commercial printing business was based at Christian Centre and we even attempted to produce Christian newspapers for our own, and other churches, to use in communicating the Good News.

We also had performing groups which were invited to lead worship and ministry through music and other venues all over Scotland.

Christian Centre has been involved since the early eighties in setting up new churches in other areas and we have welcomed many Christian organisations making use of our office and conference facilities.

Today we are linked at a national level with Ichthus in London. Closer to home we belong to a Network of churches in the Glasgow area. These are mostly independent fellowships but also include three Baptist Churches. We also support churches in Shetland, Ayr and Edinburgh.

1984 saw a further stage of our building project completed - the annexe in which our Playgroup meets. One key part of the vision remains to be completed - the 400 seater sanctuary, though we are now in talks with architects.

1990's

Continued church growth meant that by 1992, the year Keith Short was appointed Minister, our building in Park Avenue was too small to accommodate our congregation. Sunday morning services relocated first to the assembly hall at Bishopbriggs High School then to Meadowburn Primary School, then to Thomas Muir High. We felt God was calling us back to Christian Centre where you will find us each week at 10:30am on Sundays. 2005 sees another part of the vision completed with the new building.