Our Vision

Shine for Christ

As we covenant ourselves to shine for Christ, He will greatly increase our understanding of Him, and this will definitely increase our effectiveness to shine for Him. There are seven major arenas of influence in every society. We want to shine for Christ in each of these areas:

  • Arts & Entertainment
  • Business & Commerce
  • Spiritual Life
  • Education
  • Family
  • Government
  • Media

Light attracts those who seek it. As such, our church cannot be of one shade or colour but an Antioch Church of Acts 13 with a variant combination of believers that truly reflects the cosmopolitan flavour of Perth. Having moved from a migrant church into a missional community, we are affirming our call in Matthew 28: 18-20. We are to make disciples of all nations, baptising and teaching them to observe Christ's entire commandment. Imagine the day when Firstlight Community becomes a movement of raising up righteous men and women everywhere.

Our History

Firstlight has its beginning as the English-speaking congregation of Perth Chinese Christian Church (PCCC) located at Doubleview, Western Australia. We began as a church for Chinese migrants some thirty years ago. As God added to His church, we undertook a new vision and a fresh impetus to meet the challenges of our time. We shifted from an image of a migrant church to that of a mission-centred community, to become a church without walls.

In step with its vision to reach out to the larger community of Perth, the English congregation adopted a new name, Firstlight on 12 February 2006. This new name came from Proverbs 4:18, "The path of the righteous is like the first light of dawn, shining ever brighter unto the perfect day."

As we entered into a time of revitalising growth, strategic planning for future extension in terms of space and structure became natural and inevitable. An opportunity arose in November 2007 for Firstlight to establish a new worship site at ECU, Mt Lawley. By faith, the first Firstlight Sunday Worship Service on 3 February, 2008 was held at Building 3, ECU Mt. Lawley Campus.

On 15 March 2008, the PCCC Board of Elders approved the proposal for Firstlight to become a fully autonomous entity by 1 July 2008. The approval was followed by a Memorandum of Understanding between Firstlight and PCCC, outlining details on administrative matters and future cooperation. Firstlight sees itself sharing a common spiritual heritage with PCCC, and in His grace, we hope to grow an amicable relationship with each other.

The Inaugural Dedication Service held on the 6 July 2008 marked a new beginning for Firstlight Church. As an independent contemporary church, we believe God will multiply Firstlight and transform the city of Perth and nations beyond.

Our Beliefs

  1. We believe that the Holy Bible is the divinely inspired and accurate Word of God and the highest authority in all matters of Christian faith and conduct.
  2. We believe in the One True and Living God who eternally exists as three Persons — God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
  3. We believe in Jesus Christ as both fully God and fully Human, both Son of God and Saviour of the world, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.
  4. We believe sin separated us from God, and we are reconciled to God only through the vicarious and atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross and upon repentance, we have forgiveness of our sins and every spiritual benefit provided for in the finished work of the cross.
  5. We believe our salvation in Jesus Christ is all of grace and not of works; it is the gift of God to us by faith only.
  6. We believe Jesus Christ rose from the dead and He physically ascended into heaven and now seated at the right hand of the Father as our Great High Priest, Mediator and Advocate, and Jesus Christ will physically return in power and glory for His Church, and He will judge the world and thence He shall reign forever and ever.
  7. We believe the Church is the Body of Christ and our calling is to proclaim the gospel of grace to all peoples and make disciples of all nations.
  8. We believe that tithing and offerings are ordained of God to sustain the ministry of the Church and faithful giving releases blessings according to the Holy Bible.
  9. We believe baptism by water is a symbol of new life in Christ and a sign of God's love and forgiveness of our sins and through it, persons of any age enter into the community of God’s new covenant people. Baptism by immersion in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
  10. We believe the Lord’s Supper is our remembrance of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and every Christian believer is welcome to partake in this thanksgiving meal of bread and wine that symbolises the Body and Blood of Christ.
  11. We believe that we are to live in the life of the indwelling Holy Spirit, and the evidence of the Spirit-filled life is bearing good fruit.
  12. We believe the Holy Spirit bestows enabling ministry gifts upon all believers to build up the Body of Christ and the baptism of the Holy Spirit upon or subsequent to salvation is a valid and empowering experience for every Christian believer.

Our People

The basic units of Firstlight are our people. The life-blocks of our community of faith are our Covenant Partners who would take ownership and responsibility of the vision and mission for the extension of God’s Kingdom through Firstlight.

Our Leaders

We see our church as a community of a network of ministries and cell groups set up for empowering and releasing a new breed of leaders to do the work of the ministry according to Ephesians 4:11-15.

Leaders are called into offices of Elders and Deacons according to the Biblical qualifications of the members of the Firstlight Board of Management.