Honouring our past.
Pioneering the future.
The Pioneer Spirit
This year marks 101 years since the founding of Calvary Christian Church.
Calvary began in 1924 when two brothers, Charles & William Enticknap, boarded a train to Townsville to establish a new work in North Queensland (Australia). The first convert, Mrs Howell, gave the equivalent of $5,000 so a tent could be purchased for church meetings. In large part, Calvary is what it is today because a small handful of people embraced a pioneer spirit.
This same pioneer spirit has been the hallmark of each significant juncture in Calvary’s 100-year history.
- In 1977, Calvary people stepped out in faith to purchase 92 acres of land in Townsville, carving out a future of strength and stability for the generations that followed.
- In 1986 in Yeppoon, people of vision purchased land in the heart of the town, putting a stake in the ground for years to come.
- In 1990 in Emerald, 4.5 acres were purchased and in the years that followed, a significant ministry centre was built onsite.
- In the early 2000s in Buderim, our church family stretched and sacrificed to purchase 16 acres in the heart of the Sunshine Coast.
- In 2023, our church laid hold of an opportunity to purchase a former cinema complex, providing Calvary Cairns with a permanent presence in the heart of the city. The campus has doubled in size and capacity since that point.
The reality is that nothing ever just ‘happens’. Calvary Church didn’t just ‘happen’. We are here today because of men and women of faith, foresight, and sacrifice who chose to live with a pioneer spirit.
People with a pioneer spirit are not content to just enjoy the fruit of other’s labour, nor do they simply maintain the status quo. Pioneers look ahead, break ground, and carve out new paths. They are spearheads, front runners, and instigators.
Calvary Church, in this first year of a new century, we must decide what type of people we will be. Will we be people who settle? Or will we be those who pioneer a larger and better future for those who are to come?
We’re persuaded that this moment in Calvary’s history demands that we look ahead, step out in faith, and claim new territory for the Kingdom of God. Now is not the time for Calvary to rest on its laurels. This is an hour for new frontiers, new ground, and new stories.
We pray the same pioneer spirit that has marked Calvary for so many years would be the spirit that continues to mark us today. Through faith, vision, and sacrificial generosity, we can make a lasting impact in Jesus’ name.
Dustan & Sarah Bell
Senior Pastors
LOOKING
BACK
Over the past eight years, Calvary has taken significant steps forward in the development of ministry facilities across our campuses.
2017
Expansion and redevelopment of Calvary Townsville cafes, hospitality spaces, and offices ($6.2 million project)
2019
Expansion and redevelopment of Calvary Sunshine Coast auditorium, foyer, and hospitality spaces ($2.8 million project).
2021
Fit out of the leased facility for Calvary Rockhampton, located in the heart of the city
($200,000 project).
Building of indoor Playcentre and cafe at Calvary Emerald
($1.2 million project).
2022
Purchase and renovation of a five-screen cinema complex, providing a permanent home for Calvary Cairns ($4 million project).
2023
Fit out of the leased facility for a new Calvary Brisbane campus, located in proximity to key universities in the city ($250,000 project).
2024
Opening of a 2,000 square metre purpose-built children’s ministry facility for Calvary Townsville, with capacity for 400 children per service
($6.5 million project – inclusive of
all fit-out costs).
Extension and renovation of the
ministry hub for Calvary Yeppoon’s Sunday services and midweek ministry
($80,000 project).
LOOKING
FORWARD
In the coming twelve months, we have the opportunity to break new ground and take significant steps forward.
Future Opportunities
Looking ahead, there is no shortage of opportunity for ongoing facility development in Calvary.
In 2019, Calvary completed a significant upgrade to our Sunshine Coast facility; however, the final stage is yet to be completed. Our desire is to complete this fit-out, creating a workspace for our growing Communications and church-wide ministry team who work from Calvary Sunshine Coast to serve our network of campuses.
Additionally, the rapid growth of Calvary Sunshine Coast’s congregation demands that our children’s ministry spaces be enlarged and upgraded. Architects have been engaged to develop plans for the redevelopment and expansion of our Calvary Kids facilities in this campus.
Having launched Port Moresby in April 2024, we now have a growing campus gathering in a rented hotel function room. Our desire is to identify and fit out a long-term facility to provide permanence, strength, and a hub for our growth into Papua New Guinea.
In Yeppoon, we own land in the heart of the city which is earmarked for a future Calvary ministry centre to help empower our team to reach the Capricorn region.
And in Brisbane, while our current leased facility is helpful, our goal is to own property and develop facilities that will serve our growing church family in Queensland’s capital city.
Together, it’s our generosity that sets the pace at which we can accomplish these projects.
East London
Working together as one church, we’ve purchased a 42-acre parcel of land in the growth corridor or East London. The property includes a newly constructed 2,400 sq metre enclosed warehouse, three on–site dwellings, plus on-site water and power.
God willing, by mid-2026, Calvary East London will move into a new purpose-built ministry centre on this site, complete with a 1,100-seat auditorium, children’s ministry facilities, cafe and fellowship space, and mezzanine-level offices.
This project will have an immediate positive impact on church life and serve as a foundational asset for Calvary’s future expansion in South Africa.