Edge Church
Encyclopedia
Edge Church is a Pentecostal
Christian
church affiliated with Australian Christian Churches
, the Assemblies of God
in Australia. The church is pastored by Danny Guglielmucci and his wife.
.
During the next 18 months the church prospered and grew at an incredible rate. Filled to capacity, new premises were desperately needed. The church relocated to what had previously been the Old Reynella Markets in Old Reynella
. In 2001, over A$640,000 was given by the congregation in one offering enabling the purchase of the property.
, the City congregation was forced to move seven times in two years as it experienced rapid growth. Finally, in 2003 the church took up residence in the former Investigator Science & Technology Centre building at the Adelaide Showgrounds
.
Westside Assembly of God at Findon
became Edge Church West in 2006. Edge Church has an association with Tabor College Adelaide, as Gugliemucci was involved in its foundation. The Church also established a congregation in the United Kingdom
in January 2008, led by Jason Gowland. Edge Church Bristol UK has already seen growth.
.
Attendees to the church contribute a Tithe
(one tenth) of their income to support the church. Church members contributed $3.12 million in tithes in the 2007 financial year, up from $2.64 million the previous year.
location has a congregation of more than 250.
, son of Edge Church founder Danny Guglielmucci, had fraudulently claimed he was dying of cancer. During this time Guglielmucci received money from supporters who believed his illness was real. Guglielmucci also released the hit song Healer, an anthem of faith for believers who were suffering from cancer. Guglielmucci explained his actions as being a result of a long term addiction to pornography
.
Pentecostalism
Pentecostalism is a diverse and complex movement within Christianity that places special emphasis on a direct personal experience of God through the baptism in the Holy Spirit, has an eschatological focus, and is an experiential religion. The term Pentecostal is derived from Pentecost, the Greek...
Christian
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
church affiliated with Australian Christian Churches
Australian Christian Churches
Australian Christian Churches , also known as Assemblies of God in Australia , is a Pentecostal Christian denomination and the Australian branch of the Assemblies of God, the largest Pentecostal denomination in the world...
, the Assemblies of God
Assemblies of God
The Assemblies of God , officially the World Assemblies of God Fellowship, is a group of over 140 autonomous but loosely-associated national groupings of churches which together form the world's largest Pentecostal denomination...
in Australia. The church is pastored by Danny Guglielmucci and his wife.
Establishment
Edge Church International was originally called Southside Christian Church when it was established in 1994. Danny Guglielmucci established Edge Church South in May of that year, with just 80 people in a small building at O'Halloran HillO'Halloran Hill, South Australia
O'Halloran Hill is a suburb in the south of Adelaide, South Australia, situated on the hills south of the O'Halloran Hill Escarpment, which rises from the Adelaide Plains and located 18 km from the city centre via the Main South Road...
.
During the next 18 months the church prospered and grew at an incredible rate. Filled to capacity, new premises were desperately needed. The church relocated to what had previously been the Old Reynella Markets in Old Reynella
Old Reynella, South Australia
Old Reynella is a metropolitan suburb of Adelaide, South Australia. It is located 20 km south of the Central Business District of Adelaide in the north of the City of Onkaparinga....
. In 2001, over A$640,000 was given by the congregation in one offering enabling the purchase of the property.
Church growth
In 2001 a second congregation called Edge Church City was established. Initially meeting at the Wonderland Ballroom in HawthornHawthorn, South Australia
Hawthorn is a suburb of Adelaide in the City of Mitcham. It is bounded to the north by Cross Road, to the south by Grange Road, to the west by Sussex Terrace and to the east by Belair Road.The Belair train line runs through the suburb....
, the City congregation was forced to move seven times in two years as it experienced rapid growth. Finally, in 2003 the church took up residence in the former Investigator Science & Technology Centre building at the Adelaide Showgrounds
Royal Adelaide Showgrounds
The Adelaide Showgrounds, formerly the Royal Adelaide Showgrounds and most commonly known as the Wayville Showgrounds holds many of Adelaide's most popular events, including the Royal Adelaide Show....
.
Westside Assembly of God at Findon
Findon, South Australia
Findon is a western suburb of Adelaide, South Australia. It is located in the City of Charles Sturt.-History:In 1839, George Cortis was granted the land now constituting Findon, which he subdivided in 1848...
became Edge Church West in 2006. Edge Church has an association with Tabor College Adelaide, as Gugliemucci was involved in its foundation. The Church also established a congregation in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in January 2008, led by Jason Gowland. Edge Church Bristol UK has already seen growth.
Community involvement
Danny Guglielmucci has grown a strong large Pentecostal church that operates through partnership on several projects with many other churches across Adelaide. For example, the church has worked with over 30 other churches to renovate Adelaide Women's and Children's Hospital and the Adelaide Women's PrisonAdelaide Women's Prison
The Adelaide Women's Prison is a maximum security Australian prison facility located in Northfield, South Australia, Australia.In 2006, the visits faculty was renovated by a community project of Edge Church....
.
Finances
In its 2007 annual report the church recorded a 12 per cent rise in revenue to $5.53 million. In addition, the 2007 annual report showed a net asset base of $11.56 million, up from $4.01 million the previous year, in part helped by the $4.5 million donation of the land and property of Findon-based Westside Christian Church.Attendees to the church contribute a Tithe
Tithe
A tithe is a one-tenth part of something, paid as a contribution to a religious organization or compulsory tax to government. Today, tithes are normally voluntary and paid in cash, cheques, or stocks, whereas historically tithes were required and paid in kind, such as agricultural products...
(one tenth) of their income to support the church. Church members contributed $3.12 million in tithes in the 2007 financial year, up from $2.64 million the previous year.
Membership
The Reynella church has a database of 3400 people and the Findon, South AustraliaFindon, South Australia
Findon is a western suburb of Adelaide, South Australia. It is located in the City of Charles Sturt.-History:In 1839, George Cortis was granted the land now constituting Findon, which he subdivided in 1848...
location has a congregation of more than 250.
Controversy
It was reported in 2008 that Michael GuglielmucciMichael Guglielmucci
Michael Guglielmucci, born 1978, is a Christian pastor and Christian Rock songwriter and musician, former bass player of the Planetshakers band. His co-compositions appeared the Planetshakers album "This Is Our God", and he was the sole songwriter of the hit song "Healer".-Controversy:In September...
, son of Edge Church founder Danny Guglielmucci, had fraudulently claimed he was dying of cancer. During this time Guglielmucci received money from supporters who believed his illness was real. Guglielmucci also released the hit song Healer, an anthem of faith for believers who were suffering from cancer. Guglielmucci explained his actions as being a result of a long term addiction to pornography
Pornography
Pornography or porn is the explicit portrayal of sexual subject matter for the purposes of sexual arousal and erotic satisfaction.Pornography may use any of a variety of media, ranging from books, magazines, postcards, photos, sculpture, drawing, painting, animation, sound recording, film, video,...
.
See also
- Youth AliveYouth AliveYouth Alive is a not-for-profit multi-denominational Christian organisation dedicated to reaching the youth of Australia with the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is run on a state-based structure with offices in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania, Western Australia and South Australia...
- Australian Christian ChurchesAustralian Christian ChurchesAustralian Christian Churches , also known as Assemblies of God in Australia , is a Pentecostal Christian denomination and the Australian branch of the Assemblies of God, the largest Pentecostal denomination in the world...
- List of the largest churches in Australia
- Churches affiliated with Australian Christian ChurchesChurches affiliated with Australian Christian ChurchesChurches affiliated with Australian Christian Churches refers to churches that are a part of Australian Christian Churches, the Australian organisation of the Assemblies of God , a Pentecostal denomination originating in the United States of America. There are over 1,100 churches in Australian...