TOGETHER WE PLANT CHURCHES, TRAIN LEADERS, SEND MISSIONARIES AND SUPPORT THE LOCAL CHURCH.
PLANT CHURCHES: We plant churches in order to provide the accessibility and diversity needed to reach more people and transform communities.
TRAIN LEADERS: We promote effective leadership development through training, coaching and mentoring, in order to grow healthy church ministers.
SEND MISSIONARIES: In partnership with ACCI we identify, resource, equip and send the next generation of missionaries into the mission field.
SUPPORT THE LOCAL CHURCH: We support local pastors and leaders to grow strong, healthy and vibrant churches.
ACC Victoria is the state arm of the Australian Christian Churches – a movement of Pentecostal Churches in Australia. Each individual church is self-governing, but commits itself to work together with other churches in the movement for the purpose of mutual support and reaching the community with the power of the gospel.
The Assemblies of God in Australia was formed in 1937 and has experienced consistent growth, particularly in the last twenty years. It adopted the new name of Australian Christian Churches in 2007 and currently consists of more than 1000 churches with over 375,000 constituents, making it the largest Pentecostal movement in Australia. Of the 1000 churches nationwide close to 300 of these churches are in our great state of Victoria.
In our churches you’ll find vibrant, contemporary Christians who love the Lord Jesus Christ and express that love in lively praise and worship and healthy community.
Australian Christian Churches are Bible-loving, evangelical and Pentecostal and are about connecting people to Jesus Christ.
FIND A CHURCH
ACC STATE PRESIDENT
Pastor Matt Heins
Ps Matt has served on the ACC State Executive for four years and the ACC National Executive for the past two years. In 2020 he was elected State President for ACC Victoria.
Ps Matt and his wife Ps Franca are the Senior Pastors of Faith Christian Church, a thriving multi-site church in Melbourne. Ps Matt has close to 30 years of ministry experience having been in senior leadership for many years at Influencers Church SA, before moving to Melbourne in 2010.
Ps Matt is known for his prophetic ministry and his passion for global missions and served on the board of ACCI for 7 years. He and Ps Franca have continued to build a multi-cultural and multi-generational church that is significantly impacting the global community.
STATE EXECUTIVE
PS JOHN SPINELLA
State Vice President
Ps John has been in full-time ministry for over 30 years. He currently serves as Senior Pastor at Encompass Church with his wife Lois. He is experienced in church life in both country and city communities.
Encompass Church
(03) 9467 6777
Ps Mark has served with ACC Vic for the last 20 years. He has a long history in ministry and is passionate about encountering the presence of God and assisting Churches with correct governance and structures to promote health and growth.
0409 941 463
PS PHIL SHAND
Church Growth Director
Ps Phil is the full-time church growth director with ACC VIC, coordinating church planting and church health in Victoria. He has been a pastor in the ACC for 37 years, including planting two thriving churches.
0425 722 868
PS KATRINA YASSI
Ps Katrina serves as one of pastoral executives at Faith Christian Church. She leads multiple portfolios within the church and has a background in law. Katrina also sits on the board of ACCI
Faith Christian Church
1300 762 128
PS MARK BATES
State Secretary & Treasurer
PS PHIL LINDEN
Ps Phil is the senior pastor of Vantage Point Church in Melbourne. He is an experienced local church leader. His background is in corporate leadership and the not-for-profit sector in aid and development. He has a passion for entrepreneurial church leadership and strategic planning.
Vantage Point Church plinden@vantagepoint.church
(03) 9844 4465
PS GRAHAM SHAND
Ps Graham pastors Casey Life Church alongside his wife Julie. He has a passion to raise up and support new pastors and leaders.
Casey Life Church
(03) 9799 9911
PS KERRIN WALLIS
Ps Kerrin and Tegan have pastored Connect Church in Bendigo for the last 5 years. Kerrin has an extensive background in ministry and is passionate about building strong, healthy country churches.
Connect Church Bendigo
(03) 5441 3133
WHAT WE BELIEVE
We believe that the Bible is God’s Word. It is accurate, authoritative and applicable to our every day lives.
We believe in one eternal God who is the Creator of all things. He exists in three Persons: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. He is totally loving and completely holy.
We believe that sin has separated each of us from God and His purpose for our lives.
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ as both God and man, is the only one who can reconcile us to God. He lived a sinless and exemplary life, died on the cross in our place and rose again to prove His victory and empower us for life.
We believe that in order to receive forgiveness and the ‘new birth’ we must repent of our sins, believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and submit to His will for our lives.
We believe that in order to live the holy and fruitful lives that God intends for us, we need to be baptised in water and be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit enables us to use spiritual gifts, including speaking in tongues, which is the initial evidence of baptism in the Holy Spirit. We believe that God has individually equipped us so that we can successfully achieve His purpose for our lives which is to worship God, fulfil our role in the church and serve the community in which we live.
We believe that God wants to heal and transform us so that we can live healthy and prosperous lives in order to help others more effectively. We believe that our eternal destination of either heaven or hell is determined by our response to the Lord Jesus Christ.
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is coming back again as He promised.