After my previous experience of visiting Riverview the other week, I dropped in on my friend Steve's work in Lockeridge.

Steve is the real deal.
Living amongst the people, sacrificial, incarnational.

No falseness about him, sincere, authentic.

Sure he's not the Messiah, but he is trying to follow Him.

Steve works for Tear Fund but also leads a community of people who meet in Lockeridge most Sunday nights. The night kicks off with a community meal, and ends up with what might loosely be termed a church service. It is eccletic in who comes, what they contribute, what they need and also in what Steve presents. There is real love and spirituality in that place, amongst a gathering of about 12-15 people. Very different people, and it works. Just a genuine desire to be together, to welcome people in, to be a part of something.
It is refreshing to find someone who is intelligent, purposeful, yet also casual and humble. He writes this about his work, "Steve is planting a new church, which he hopes will "create a model of church that includes mission and community development"". He also writes this, "Lockridge Outreach Group started as small group from a church near-by began praying about what we could do in our lower socio-economic area. We managed to get a bread-run happening, letterboxed the area and some contacts were made, but people didn't hang around much. We prayed, banged heads (brainstormed) and dreamed about seeing God's Kingdom a reality in Lockridge. Two guys in the group didn't have a place to stay, and we didn't have a "base" in Lockridge. With God's help we found a cheap house, and they bought it. We opened it up as a community meal and support/discussion group centre, with free bread. Since then, two years have gone by. We've moved into an Anglican Church building, and are now recognised as a Baptist Church "plant". We are trying to be ecumenical in approach, and connect with other churches as well."