Open Heaven
is a church in Loughborough.
We meet on campus, in town, in homes and online. We are a growing community of people passionate about Jesus and showing His love to the world. We join together every Sunday both online and in-person, and our communities meet midweek to journey together.
︎︎︎Gather with us
︎︎︎Watch online
︎︎︎Join a Small Group
Making disciples who establish Heaven on Earth
Since Open Heaven started in 1993 on Loughborough University campus, we have had a distinct call to make disciples and communities that are focused on following Jesus. We have seen over two thousand people experience a church culture which is active in discipling others through 1-to-1 discipleship and a commitment to personal transformation.
︎︎︎Our story and values
︎︎︎Our story and values
Our team
We believe leadership is a servant role, given to both women and men. We make space for others to contribute and play their part. Find out more about leadership and staff team below.
︎︎︎Meet our team
︎︎︎Meet our team
Our network
We belong to a network of churches called Pioneer which has around 50 churches in the UK and a growing number of churches internationally. Pioneer exists to take the gospel into new places and spaces. Pioneer's four core values are missional, relational, charismatic and Kingdom orientated. In September 2019, our very own Ness Wilson took on the role of Pioneer UK Leader. The Pioneer Network provides us with apostolic oversight and we have been overseen by Steve Clifford from the very start. Open Heaven is recognised as a resource church which means we strengthen and serve other churches and ministries, particularly in the Midlands. We do that by connecting, inspiring and equipping churches to make spirit filled disciples and see Kingdom transformation in creative and innovative ways across geography and generations.
︎︎︎Find out more
︎︎︎Find out more
Governance
The Open Heaven Trustees Team are accountable to the Charities Commission to provide legal and financial oversight of Open Heaven Church. The current Trustees are: Sarah Ford (Chair), Dean Howard, Rebecca Halse, Gehan Rasaiah, Sheryl Williams and Richard Cranefield.The friendship, trust and collaboration with other leaders across the Church of Loughborough also provides much mutual support, shared wisdom and resources. Open Heaven is part of the Pioneer Network of Churches. Steve Clifford (Former General Director of the Evangelical Alliance) provides oversight, care, wisdom and support for Open Heaven’s Leadership Team. Pioneer also advises Leadership Teams on good practice and offers specific input from Pioneer’s Safeguarding Advisor on how to refine and embed safeguarding policies.
Church planting
A sign of a healthy church is that it reproduces itself. We believe that church planting remains the most effective way to impact a community and see people come to know Jesus. We continue to be committed to sending and supporting church planting teams to other parts of the UK and Europe.
︎︎︎Lighthouse Church
Rachel and Alan Radbourne were sent out from Open Heaven in Loughborough to plant a new community on the beautiful island of Anglesey in North Wales. Having being brought up on the North Wales Coast, Rachel had always felt God stirring in her a passion for the area. After studying and working in Loughborough for seven years, they felt the time was right to step out and pursue the adventure of planting a modern, relevant expression of church on Anglesey. In December 2017 Lighthouse Church/Capel Goleudy began at Rachel and Alan's kitchen table.
Rachel and Alan Radbourne were sent out from Open Heaven in Loughborough to plant a new community on the beautiful island of Anglesey in North Wales. Having being brought up on the North Wales Coast, Rachel had always felt God stirring in her a passion for the area. After studying and working in Loughborough for seven years, they felt the time was right to step out and pursue the adventure of planting a modern, relevant expression of church on Anglesey. In December 2017 Lighthouse Church/Capel Goleudy began at Rachel and Alan's kitchen table.
︎︎︎Connect Annency
In 2011, we sent our first church planting team to Annecy in France, a town similar in size to Loughborough. The team learnt the language, gained jobs, embraced the culture and planted a thriving church called Connect Annecy which now meets in the Imperial Hotel. A goal from the very start was to be a church that would connect with young french leaders and eventually release the full leadership of the church to those French leaders. In 2018 this leadership transition happened and a fantastic couple called Francois and Gigi took on the full leadership of the church.
In 2011, we sent our first church planting team to Annecy in France, a town similar in size to Loughborough. The team learnt the language, gained jobs, embraced the culture and planted a thriving church called Connect Annecy which now meets in the Imperial Hotel. A goal from the very start was to be a church that would connect with young french leaders and eventually release the full leadership of the church to those French leaders. In 2018 this leadership transition happened and a fantastic couple called Francois and Gigi took on the full leadership of the church.
Our beliefs
We subscribe to the Evangelical Alliance Basis of Faith:
We believe in the one true God who lives eternally in three persons – the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. We believe in the love, grace and sovereignty of God in creating, sustaining, ruling, redeeming and judging the world. We believe in the divine inspiration and supreme authority of the Old and New Testament Scriptures, which are the written Word of God – fully trustworthy for faith and conduct. We believe in the dignity of all people, made male and female in God’s image to love, be holy and care for creation, yet corrupted by sin, which incurs divine wrath and judgement. We believe in the incarnation of God’s eternal Son, the Lord Jesus Christ – born of the virgin Mary; truly divine and truly human, yet without sin. We believe in the atoning sacrifice of Christ on the cross: dying in our place, paying the price of sin and defeating evil, so reconciling us with God.
We believe in the bodily resurrection of Christ, the first fruits of our resurrection; his ascension to the Father, and his reign and mediation as the only Saviour of the world. We believe in the justification of sinners solely by the grace of God through faith in Christ. We believe in the ministry of God the Holy Spirit, who leads us to repentance, unites us with Christ through new birth, empowers our discipleship and enables our witness. We believe in the church, the body of Christ both local and universal, the priesthood of all believers — given life by the Spirit and endowed with the Spirit’s gifts to worship God and proclaim the gospel, promoting justice and love. We believe in the personal and visible return of Jesus Christ to fulfil the purposes of God, who will raise all people to judgement, bring eternal life to the redeemed and eternal condemnation to the lost, and establish a new heaven and new earth.
︎︎︎Teaching
We believe in the one true God who lives eternally in three persons – the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. We believe in the love, grace and sovereignty of God in creating, sustaining, ruling, redeeming and judging the world. We believe in the divine inspiration and supreme authority of the Old and New Testament Scriptures, which are the written Word of God – fully trustworthy for faith and conduct. We believe in the dignity of all people, made male and female in God’s image to love, be holy and care for creation, yet corrupted by sin, which incurs divine wrath and judgement. We believe in the incarnation of God’s eternal Son, the Lord Jesus Christ – born of the virgin Mary; truly divine and truly human, yet without sin. We believe in the atoning sacrifice of Christ on the cross: dying in our place, paying the price of sin and defeating evil, so reconciling us with God.
We believe in the bodily resurrection of Christ, the first fruits of our resurrection; his ascension to the Father, and his reign and mediation as the only Saviour of the world. We believe in the justification of sinners solely by the grace of God through faith in Christ. We believe in the ministry of God the Holy Spirit, who leads us to repentance, unites us with Christ through new birth, empowers our discipleship and enables our witness. We believe in the church, the body of Christ both local and universal, the priesthood of all believers — given life by the Spirit and endowed with the Spirit’s gifts to worship God and proclaim the gospel, promoting justice and love. We believe in the personal and visible return of Jesus Christ to fulfil the purposes of God, who will raise all people to judgement, bring eternal life to the redeemed and eternal condemnation to the lost, and establish a new heaven and new earth.
︎︎︎Teaching
Our Partners
Loughborough Churches Partnership
There is one Church of Loughborough, with multiple expressions, centred on Christ to transform our community. There is a high level of unity and partnership across Loughborough and as a church we are highly committed to Loughborough Churches Partnership. The Church leaders in the town work closely together, supporting one another, resourcing one another and praying for one another.
︎︎︎Find out more
︎︎︎Find out more
Evangelical Alliance
Open Heaven Church is a member of the Evangelical Alliance. The Evangelical Alliance is made up of hundreds of organisations, thousands of churches and tens of thousands of individuals, joined together for the sake of the gospel. Representing their members since 1846, the Evangelical Alliance is the oldest and largest evangelical unity movement in the UK. United in mission and voice, they exist to serve and strengthen the work of the church in communities and throughout society.
︎︎︎Find out more
︎︎︎Find out more
The St. Peter’s Centre
The St. Peter's Centre is a 100-year-old building that has been renovated and brought back to life, in order to have a building fit for purpose with activities and events that serve the community of Loughborough the whole week through. St. Peter's was built in 1911 and was once a hub of community activity. In recent years it was made redundant as a parish church and lay unused for a number of years. However, as a result of many prayers and a great partnership between Elim Church and Open Heaven Church, enough money was raised for a massive refurbishment project and the building reopened in 2013.
Wildfires Festival
Wildfires is a festival at the Wiston Estate, West Sussex, UK. It was launched in 2018 as a joint adventure between 24-7 Prayer, Worship Central, Pioneer, Fusion, Big Church Day Out, Tearfund and many other churches. Over the festival, thousands of all ages gather from different church expressions and communities, hungry to see revival in our time; gathering around Camp Fires that deepen friendships and community; pursuing together Holy Fire through worship, prayer and teaching; and encountering the Wild Fire of the Holy Spirit to take back to our homes, communities and our nations.
︎︎︎Find out more
︎︎︎Find out more
Fusion Movement
The Fusion Movement helps students find hope in Jesus and home in the local church. We actively support Fusion, a charity that helps students to find hope in Jesus and home in the local church. Fusion exists to serve students and local churches as they crack on with their mission to their campuses and universities. Like us, they believe the local church should be at the heart of student mission, and the prayer is to see a generation of students respond to Jesus.
︎︎︎Find out more
︎︎︎Find out more
The Baca Charity
Baca supports young forced migrants who arrive as unaccompanied asylum seekers including those that have been trafficked, to rebuild their lives, integrate into a community and use their experience positively. They achieve this by providing a safe and empowering environment and through the use of a holistic and personalised approach. The issues surrounding forced migration are the heartbeat of Baca, a Registered Charity operating in Loughborough since their foundation in 2006.
︎︎︎Find out more
︎︎︎Find out more
© Open Heaven Church 2023 — Open Heaven Church is a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales no. 7244128 and a registered charity no. 1138763.