Our story

RIVERLANDS Christian Church began life in 1990, when the Senior Pastor of Penrith Christian Fellowship Centre (later Penrith Christian Life Centre), Pastor Rob Thornton, asked Eric and Lyn Roggeveen to start church in the Penrith area. A small group of people began meeting (mostly praying) in the Emu Heights Community Centre. The church was named Riverlands Christian Fellowship Centre (RCFC).

By 1993, the church had grown to 80 people. The same year, Pastor Roggeveen approached Pastor Brian Houston, Senior Pastor of Hills Christian Life Centre (now Hillsong Church) and asked permission to use the name “Christian Life Centre”. In March 1993, the church was launched and moved to Melrose Hall, Emu Plains, as Riverlands Christian Life Centre. Pastor Roggeveen said, “Church should represent the 'life' of Jesus.”

In its earliest years, the church initially concentrated on building a group of people who really understood what it meant to be ‘Christian’. Personal revival and authentic Christianity was emphasised, together with a genuine relationship with our living Saviour. Outreach was always a priority and, as the church grew, larger outreaches to non-Christians were conducted, resulting in rapid growth.

By 1995, the church numbered around 130 people. In 1995-1996, Riverlands Christian Life Centre acquired a factory building near Emu Plains railway station. The church continued to grow and held three services, at 8.30am, 10.30am and 6pm on Sundays. The church, now numbering about 200 people, acquired a second factory building adjacent to its overcrowded facility.

It was during this time that a building fund was started and attempts were made to find suitable land on which to build a new church building. Two sites close to the Nepean River were considered but were not purchased. Church members then learned of a broken-down snooker hall in the centre of Penrith. The church had had a presence in Penrith since 1993 and had always wanted to serve the city area.

The church moved to the Penrith building, in High Street, Penrith, in November-December 2001, with a congregation of 200 people. After three months of hard work to improve the site, the church, now named Riverlands Christian Church, officially opened in Penrith City in May 2002.

Riverlands Christian Church is now one of Penrith City’s leading contemporary Christian churches, with a congregation of more than 300 people. It has an outreach congregation in Kingswood, has planted a church in Rouse Hill, and more outreach churches are planned in the near future.

The church has equipped many people for Christian ministry, some of whom are now pastoring their own churches and church networks. Pastor Eric sees his ministry as one of reaching, training, equipping and releasing people to be all God has called them to be.