{{short description|Australian Church}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}} {{Infobox church | name = Inspire Church | full_name = | image = Inspire church worship.jpg | caption = Service in 2011 | founded = 1982 | country = Australia | website = {{URL|inspirechurch.com}} | logo = Inspire Church logo.JPG }}
'''Inspire Church''', founded as '''Liverpool Christian Life Centre''', is a [[Pentecostalism|Pentecostal]] Christian church affiliated with [[Australian Christian Churches]], the [[Assemblies of God]] in Australia. It is located in [[Hoxton Park]], in the [[City of Liverpool (New South Wales)|City of Liverpool]], in the [[Greater Western Sydney]] region, Australia.
==History== [[File:Inspire Church Liverpool.jpg|thumb|250x250px|Inspire Church Liverpool.]] The church was founded in 1982, with Pastors John and Carol McMartin as Liverpool Christian Life Centre (one of several [[Christian Life Centre]]s).<ref>{{cite web | author=Morris, Linda| title=Pentecostal revolution in the suburbs | website=The Sydney Morning Herald | date=28 June 2007 | url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/pentecostal-revolution-in-the-suburbs-20070628-gdqhs0.html | access-date=2 February 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Preachers celebrate 30 years - Liverpool, NSW | website=Liverpool City Champion | url=https://www.liverpoolchampion.com.au/story/357458/preachers-celebrate-30-years/ | access-date=2 February 2022 | archive-date=2 February 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220202070452/https://www.liverpoolchampion.com.au/story/357458/preachers-celebrate-30-years/ | url-status=dead }}</ref>
In 2007, the attendance was 4,500 people.<ref>Linda Morris, [https://www.smh.com.au/national/pentecostal-revolution-in-the-suburbs-20070628-gdqhs0.html Pentecostal revolution in the suburbs], smh.com.au, Australia, 28 June 2007</ref>
On 31 August 2008 Liverpool Christian Life Centre changed its name to Inspire Church.{{citation needed|date=January 2021}} The church was registered as Inspire Church in January 2010.<ref>{{cite web | title=Historical details for ABN 30 140 073 178 | website=ABN Lookup | date=November 2014 | url=https://abr.business.gov.au/AbnHistory/View?id=30140073178 | access-date=2 February 2022}}</ref>
In 2012, the attendance was 5,000 people, making Inspire Church one of the largest ACC Churches in Australia at the time.<ref>Liverpoolchampion.com.au, [https://www.liverpoolchampion.com.au/story/357458/preachers-celebrate-30-years/ Preachers celebrate 30 years] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220202070452/https://www.liverpoolchampion.com.au/story/357458/preachers-celebrate-30-years/ |date=2 February 2022 }}, liverpoolchampion.com.au, Australia, September 25, 2012</ref>
In late 2020, John McMartin stepped aside from his role after being charged with sexual assault. The senior pastors, chairperson and joint [[CEO]]s are Brendan and Melissa McMartin,<ref>{{cite web |last1=McMartin |first1=Brendan |title=New Election |url=https://www.acnc.gov.au/charity/0c7ab1d1fed1e6c0e163a05b0b964b83#people |website=ACNC |publisher=Australian Government |access-date=9 January 2021 |ref=16}}</ref> who were appointed after the [[NSW Police]] charged Senior Pastor John McMartin with Assault with an Act of Indecency in November 2020.<ref name="board">{{cite web |last1=ACNC |first1=Board |title=Inspire Board |url=https://www.acnc.gov.au/charity/0c7ab1d1fed1e6c0e163a05b0b964b83#people |website=ACNC |publisher=Australian Government |access-date=9 January 2021 |ref=1}}</ref><ref name="prima facie">{{cite web |last1=Police |first1=NSW |title=Charge |url=https://www.judcom.nsw.gov.au/publications/benchbks/criminal/indecent_assault.html#:~:text=Any%20person%20who%20assaults%20another,the%20offence%20under%20s%2061L. |website=Judcom |publisher=NSW Government |access-date=10 January 2021 |ref=89}}</ref>
The main building consists of an auditorium which can seat approximately 1,000 people.
It is linked to other churches of the same name in [[Ingleburn, New South Wales|Ingleburn]], and [[Wollongong]],<ref>{{cite web | title=Home | website=Inspire Church | url=https://inspirechurch.com/ | access-date=2 February 2022}}</ref>
==Beliefs== Inspire Church is a [[Pentecostal]] church affiliated with [[Australian Christian Churches]] (the Australian branch of the [[Assemblies of God]]).<ref name="Inspire Church">{{cite web | title=OUR VISION | website=Inspire Church | url=https://inspirechurch.com/our-vision | access-date=2 February 2022}}</ref>
== Inspire College == Inspire College, ''(formerly Sydney Training Institute)'' is an initiative of Inspire Church, located 40 minutes from Sydney CBD.<ref>Liverpoolchampion.com.au, [https://www.liverpoolchampion.com.au/story/357458/preachers-celebrate-30-years/ Preachers celebrate 30 years] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220202070452/https://www.liverpoolchampion.com.au/story/357458/preachers-celebrate-30-years/ |date=2 February 2022 }}, liverpoolchampion.com.au, Australia, September 25, 2012</ref> The aim of the institute is to equip leaders for service in the church through an intern program.<ref name="Interns">{{cite news |last1=Asoka |first1=Kaavya |title=Interns |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/may/07/unpaid-internships-unfair-cheap-labor-abuse |newspaper=The Guardian |date=7 May 2014 |publisher=Guardian |access-date=9 January 2021 |ref=14}}</ref><ref name="On job training">{{cite news |last1=12 -24 months |first1=Internship |title=Serve |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-06-26/unpaid-internships-millennials-share-their-stories/8651020 |newspaper=ABC News |date=26 June 2017 |publisher=ABC |access-date=9 January 2021 |ref=14}}</ref> The college is registered with VETAB and its courses are nationally accredited. The colleges longstanding principal is Adam Boyse.<ref name="college">{{cite web |last1=Boyse |first1=Adam |title=Principal |url=https://www.inspirecollege.com/about-us |website=Inspire College |access-date=9 January 2021 |ref=6}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Nationally Recognised Training |first1=Australian Skills Quality Authority |title=RTO's training and assessment |url=https://www.asqa.gov.au/resources/fact-sheets/meeting-trainer-and-assessor-requirements |website=asqa.gov.au |publisher=Australian Government |access-date=9 January 2021 |ref=7}}</ref>
==Indecent assault allegations== On 26 November 2020, [[police]] from the Liverpool Area Command of the [[NSW Police]] arrested former pastor John McMartin, and charged him with indecent assault.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title= Inspire Church head John McMartin in indecent assault case|url=https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=DTWEB_WRE170_a&dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailytelegraph.com.au%2Fnews%2Fnsw%2Finspire-church-head-john-mcmartin-in-indecent-assault-case%2Fnews-story%2Fd624f80614b15aec6233f6adf5bbaa74&memtype=anonymous&mode=premium&nk=c18815c3e0fe6ac31a528d11123aa9a7-1609721674|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2021-01-04|website=www.dailytelegraph.com.au |url-access=subscription}}</ref> It was alleged that McMartin sexually assaulted a then 19-year old parishioner at his Pleasure Point home in January 2013. McMartin appeared before Liverpool Local Court on 16 December.<ref>{{Cite web|title= Local Court List for December 16th, 2020 |url=https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=DTWEB_WRE170_a&dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailytelegraph.com.au%2Fnewslocal%2Fliverpool-leader%2Fhyperlocal%2Feverybody-appearing-at-liverpool-local-court-wednesday-december-16%2Fnews-story%2F95933aa13a64f854027047929921b1ad&memtype=anonymous&mode=premium&nk=47009010f3faf8bb324cb9b30bdd9c7b-1609723192|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2021-01-04|website=www.dailytelegraph.com.au|url-access=subscription}}</ref> McMartin faced court again on 27 January 2021 and the case was rescheduled for October 2021. He has pleaded "Not Guilty".<ref>{{cite web | last=Reddie | first=Mark | title=TV Pentecostal pastor John McMartin pleads not guilty to indecent assault of teenager | website=ABC News(Australian Broadcasting Corporation) | date=27 January 2021|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-01-27/pastor-john-mcmartin-pleads-not-guilty-sexual-assault-teenager/13095234 | access-date=2 February 2022}}</ref> In 2014, McMartin had given a deposition<ref>{{cite web|title=Statement of John McMartin|publisher=Child Abuse Royal Commission|url=https://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/sites/default/files/STAT.0362.001.0001_R.pdf}}</ref> and testimony to the [[Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse|Royal Commission into Institutional Responses into Child Sexual Abuse]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Institutions |url=https://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/ |website=RCIICSB |publisher=Australian Government |access-date=10 January 2021 |ref=98}}</ref> in his role as the NSW State President of the [[Australian Christian Churches]], in relation to the denomination's responses to the [[paedophilia]] of ministers.<ref>[https://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/sites/default/files/file-list/Case%20Study%2018%20-%20Witness%20list%20-%20Australian%20Christian%20Churches%20-%20Sydney.pdf Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse - document]</ref>
==See also== *[[Youth Alive]]
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{official website|https://www.inspirechurch.com/}}
[[Category:Pentecostal churches in Sydney]] [[Category:Pentecostal churches in Australia]] [[Category:Australian Christian Churches]] [[Category:Christian organizations established in 1952]] [[Category:Evangelical megachurches in Australia]] [[Category:1952 establishments in Australia]]