The Plymouth Brethren Christian Church

What may seem like a simple burger meal can make a real difference to someone who has spent the day wondering where their next meal will come from.
This is what motivates Elspeth Devine to give her time to the Rapid Relief Team, the charitable arm of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church. On Thursday evenings, she joins fellow volunteers to pack food boxes and prepare meals for people experiencing difficult circumstances.
For Elspeth, volunteering reflects her belief that Christianity is about what we give to others. It leaves her feeling humbled by the challenges people face, but also energised by working with a dedicated team towards a shared purpose.
Hear Elspeth explain why she finds volunteering so meaningful in the video below.

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Set against the backdrop of a tranquil forest, “The Boat” is a captivating performance that brings together melody, creativity and a love of music. Through the Voices of Brethren series, we celebrate the musicians of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church and the role music plays in bringing together our global fellowship of more than 55,000 members.

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A beautiful duet performance of “The Last Date”, showcasing the harmony and musical talent of our Brethren musicians. The Voices of Brethren series highlights the musical talent and creativity found throughout the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church. The Voices of Brethren series celebrates the faith, creativity and musical talent of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church's global community of more than 55,000 members.

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Ben Doouss' family was rocked when his eldest son suffered an aneurysm six years after his youngest son went through cancer. The father of four and grandfather of five describes the shock and uncertainty of those years on this episode of Behind the Plymouth Brethren – a not-so Exclusive podcast, and how ultimately, it was love, support and faith in God's ruling hand that guided them through the challenges.

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“We are not a cult. We are Christians.”

Mr Bruce Hales, senior elder of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church, has responded to claims that our fellowship is a “cult” while speaking at the Australian Parliament.

As Mr Hales explains, our church’s history dates back to the 1820s, and shares no resemblance to a cult.

Some critics have chosen to label our Church as a cult or sect, but this is often from a misunderstanding of our practices and principles.

To find out more about our Church and the misconceptions of being a cult, click here: https://www.plymouthbrethrenchristianchurch.org/resource/the-plymouth-brethren-christian-church-not-a-cult/

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Erin Fulcher began volunteering with the Rapid Relief Team (RRT), the charitable arm of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church, two years ago and now supports the charity at both proactive and reactive operations.
Her inspiration to get involved reaches back much further. Following the 2013 Clutha tragedy in Glasgow, Erin’s parents volunteered with the RRT to support police officers and other emergency service personnel responding throughout the night.
Erin remembers them returning home and speaking about the difficult work the emergency services had undertaken, as well as the profound impact the loss of colleagues had on police officers.
Their experience stayed with Erin and later inspired her to volunteer herself, helping RRT provide practical support to those who serve their communities.
Watch Erin explain what inspired her volunteering journey.

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Set against the backdrop of a tranquil forest, “The Boat” is a captivating performance that brings together melody, creativity and a love of music. Through the Voices of Brethren series, we celebrate the musicians of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church and the role music plays in bringing together our global fellowship of more than 55,000 members.

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Fontaine Moffitt began volunteering with the Rapid Relief Team two years ago, driven by a desire to use her free time in a valuable and productive way. She now works alongside the Rapid Relief Team Local Team Leader in her region and supports the charity in many ways, from event planning to compliance.
One experience that particularly stands out involved arriving at 4am to prepare hot breakfasts for 300 police officers before they began a long day supporting a major operation.
Through volunteering, Fontaine has also become more aware of the challenges people can face through illness, natural disasters and other difficult circumstances, and has seen how even a small act of kindness or support can go a long way.
Hear more about Fontaine’s volunteering journey in the video.

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Mr Bruce Hales, senior elder of our Church, has appeared at the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters to set out the fact that he was not involved in the 2025 election.

Our Church has deep concerns about the precedent of faith leaders being called to answer for the political choices of private individuals who share their faith.

We would not expect senior members of any other faith to be required to appear at a parliamentary inquiry to answer such questions.

We share the fears of other faith groups that while this has started with our Church, left unchecked it won’t end with our church.

Watch Mr Hales' opening statement in full.

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