For our current story please see Our Vision.
Toongabbie Baptist Church was founded on God’s vision to reach the people of this community.
Our purpose statement seeks to more directly align our values with God’s Word and the example of Jesus for all that we do and say.
TBC seeks to “Glorify God, as a loving people, working together,
to become more like Jesus and
to share God’s love and the good news about Jesus with the community and the world.”
This encompasses some core values.
Firstly, to be a family characterised by our love for one another (John 13:35).
Secondly, to be a body which ministers and serves together regardless of age and race (1 Cor 12).
Thirdly, to acknowledge our desire to change to be more like Jesus in character and lifestyle (Eph 4:13).
Fourthly, we strive to be a people of passionate prayer (Eph 6:18).
Lastly, to recognise our mission to share the great love and good news about Jesus with both our immediate community and with people in the world at large (Matt 28:19).
Growth, however, is often difficult because it requires change. We are committed to continued growth, both in size and in character.
God desires people everywhere to trust in Jesus (2 Pet 3:9).
The history of Toongabbie Baptist church is evidence of a loving God working to grow his people.
In the 1940s God planted a seed in a young man, Gresham Eldridge, to have a vision and passion for reaching people in the local district of Toongabbie.
With others, he commenced an Open Air Sunday School which met under the gum trees.
In 1945 Blacktown Baptist purchased some land [£38] in Lucretia St which enabled the construction of a small meeting hall.
The Toongabbie Baptist church was officially formed on the 10th December, 1950 with thirteen members and soon after a new property was purchased on the corner of Octavia St and Metella Rd [bought for £330].
In 1952, a couple of years later plans were needed for a larger building to house the growing church. The members worked together to build the new structure on weekends which eventually opened in 1954.
When it opened John Thornley wondered at the large size (seating had expanded from 30 to 100 seats) and pondered “How are we going to fill this?”
However God knew!
Extensions soon followed with the rear hall and vestry in 1955. Once again volunteers supplied the labour.
In less than ten years the membership had tripled with people attending a variety of activities.
A further extension turned the building into an “L” shape and comprised a larger hall.
The downstairs rooms were well used for children’s and youth activities.
Sunday School, Christian Endeavour, Girls Brigade, Boys Brigade and Youth Groups all thrived. Ladies groups and Men’s Breakfasts were well attended. People accepted the love of Jesus and were baptised.
Various outreach crusades, interdenominational and local, were held, giving opportunities to bring friends to hear about Jesus and come into the church.
Toongabbie Baptist Church became known as “The Church with a Friendly Welcome.”
By 1975 the church tripled its membership again which led to further building works with the worship area holding a maximum of 150 people.
Additions included a new office, kitchen, crèche, toilets and another ministry room (downstairs).
New ministries were started during this period including Playtime, Kids’ Club and Toongabbie Baptist Christian Community School which all made use of the church building.
At the dawn of the new millennium, God continued to draw people to himself so that it became obvious that more building change was necessary.
In 2005 the church believed God had BIG plans in store.
The aging buildings were renovated to increase seating capacity [from 150 to 280 seats] but also started to dream of a new, bigger site for the church building.
Within five years the building was full and the time had come for us to step out in faith.
