A problematic Pentecostal congregation is leaving Darlinghurst for good

BY ROBBIE MASON

A C3 Pentecostal Church congregation are vacating their premises in Darlinghurst, sparking relief among local residents who have accused the church group of threatening the neighbourhood’s vibrant identity. The church group is said to be leaving their home, named God in the City, due to a substantial rent increase.

Locals have become accustomed to noise on a Sunday morning from the Hillsong offshoot. The church’s services regularly feature a full band with electric guitars, a keyboard and a drum kit.

One resident, who lives opposite the church, complained to City Hub of the noise.

“They leave the door open during services,” he said. “I assume it’s part of their marketing strategy”.

“Them starting [their service] early on Sundays is frustrating since I work very late at night in the music industry. It feels frustrating that the church can be so loud in a residential area despite the fact that many of my beloved venues have shut down or lost business due to noise,” he continued.

“It definitely feels like a double standard.”

A queer Darlinghurst resident, meanwhile, requesting anonymity, accused the church of queerphobia.

He told City Hub, “the C3 Church has been the most negative part about living in this beautiful LGBTQIA+ historic neighbourhood.”

“I have never experienced a church needing that many speakers.”

The resident said he is forced to listen to the church’s frequent homophobic sermons. Even in his own home, he is unable to escape the “loud” racket. It has taken a toll on his mental health.

“To give you an idea of the staff there, the groundskeeper liked to chase after dog owners and try to stop their dogs peeing in the City of Sydney plants around the church.”

“On three occasions he raised his fist to my face and on one of those actually threw a slow punch I was able to side step. All very Christian behaviour,” he continued.

“They never cared about residents, used to always block our cars in with their vehicles or access to our properties with their vehicles and then when we asked nicely if they could move [their vehicles] there was always the ‘you gays are so entitled’, ‘go stick your pride’ etc, the same as when they chased after dog owners.”

“No resident in the area will miss them.”

The C3 Church movement began as a single contemporary church in Sydney’s northern beaches in the early 1980s. It has since expanded internationally. There are now over 500 C3 churches across the globe.

Despite giving the outward appearance of a modern progressive rock-and-roll church, numerous media reports have exposed the denomination’s conservative politics, deeply-ingrained, financial ideology – the church promotes the idea that personal wealth is a Christian responsibility – and ties to fraud cases. The documentary #BLESSED shows the regressive stance of C3’s Toronto sect on queer rights.

In 2019, a months-long investigation by A Current Affair illuminated the C3 Church’s sordid history of sex scandals, infidelity and child grooming. According to that exposé, the cult-like C3 Church has a practice requesting large donations from members of its congregation in return for “miracles”.

Concerns about the church’s run-down state

Another local resident, who lives near the church, expressed concern over the dilapidated state of the historic 515 square metre church and the future of the site now that the for-lease sign has gone up out the front of the building.

The local, who has taken a personal interest in the building’s architectural heritage, said the building has “serious street cred” because it was built in the 1850s by respected colonial architect Edmund Blacket.

But he emphasised the building’s “terrible condition”. He explained that this risks becoming a fire and safety hazard for the local community.

He said, “if you walk around the outside, the windows need replacing. The wood is basically rotting in place. Down at the footpath level, the sandstone blocks are actually starting to disintegrate.”

He told City Hub that the building’s owner and the City of Sydney Council ought to ensure the integrity of this rare and significant piece of colonial architecture is preserved. He stated it was outrageous that the church be allowed to fall into such disrepair.

The future of the site remains murky.

The author of this article was unable to reach the God in the City congregation for comment due both their email and phone line being disconnected.