Our History

CHATTING over a coffee among the hundreds of people in the busy foyer of the Newcastle campus, it's hard to imagine that just a few years ago NCLC began as just a handful of people in Starbucks.

With pastors Jon and Dee Cook sharing their heart and vision to pioneer a large, Christ-centred church that would reach and influence the North-east of England, the journey began - and six years on - NCLC is now an established church with campuses in three locations.

The time line...

In September 2005 Jon and Dee, left Hillsong Church in London, to say 'welcome home' to the nine people attending the church's first coffee shop service.
By May 2006 - after several venue changes - NCLC made the Centre For Life its home for the next five years before moving on to our current venue in Northumbria University's student union.

NCLC's influence and connections continued to grow, and through this, a congregation in Middlesbrough came under Jon and Dee's leadership.
So in November 2009, NCLC Teesside campus was born.

But healthy community and spiritual growth remain at the heart of NCLC's journey.

In August 2011, already connected to Africa through the hundreds of Compassion children being sponsored by our NCLC community, a team was sent out to pioneer a campus in Mwanza. NCLC Tanzania began Sunday services in October - and already stories of weekly salvations and growth are being reported.

In 2012, Christ remains the centre of all we do as we seek God for a venue to call 'home' for the city campus in Newcastle, and for continued opportunities to serve in the un-loved areas of our region.
The vision of Jon and Dee, supported by those who serve alongside them, continues to see an incredible church grow, lives impacted and Christ's name made famous in the North-east - and far beyond.
We are confident that Pastor Brian Houston of Hillsong Church is right when he says, ‘The best is yet to come’.