BCCC History and Profile

We are extremely excited to be celebrating our 50th Anniversary as a Fellowship and our 20th Anniversary as Bristol Chinese Christian Church in the year 2020. How can 50 years of history be condensed into a few paragraphs and who would have thought that from very humble beginnings as a student Bible study group on a Friday at Bristol University in 1970, we would grow, under God’s unfailing love into a thriving, vibrant church based at Tyndale Baptist Church on Whiteladies Road.

During the early years in the 1970’s and well beyond, the involvement of three people stand out. Isaac Lloyd Johnstone, a retired China Inland Mission/Overseas Missionary Fellowship (OMF) missionary, Miss Marion Parsons, also retired missionary from OMF and Miss Esme Wilson. All provided much needed mentoring and guidance for young students far from home.

The Friday Bible study moved from the University to be held in various people’s homes around the centre of Bristol. Apart from praise, prayer, sharing and scripture, a hot meal was provided and therefore both physical and spiritual needs were met. In the mid 1970’s, Bristol Chinese Christian Fellowship starting meeting jointly with Bath Chinese Christian Fellowship for Sunday Fellowship, alternating between Bristol and Bath. Still meeting in people’s homes, growing numbers would be led by God’s provision to worship at Buckingham Baptist Church, Cairns Road Baptist Church and Redland Parish Church on a Sunday.

A significant turning point in BCCC’s history was the placement of Pastor Irene Chan by Chinese Overseas Christian Mission (COCM) in 1996. BCCF had already been meeting for some 25 years. Hence, one of her missions was to take BCCF from a fellowship to a church. Together with a church constitution, this was accomplished in the year 2000.

After her departure in 2007, by God’s extraordinary grace, BCCC benefited greatly from the employment of a number of pastors and the ministry of short term missions from USA and Canada. Year by year, as the congregation grew, and we overcome different challenges, all their input was invaluable to us. In 2014, the Lord led Pastor Irene, now Reverend, back to shepherd BCCC for four years until her retirement in 2018. BCCC currently employs two full time pastors, Martin Choi and Chee Kiat Wai.

BCCC is made up of people who come from Bristol and the surrounding areas. We are from many different backgrounds and parts of the world who share a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Many of us have experienced the transforming power of God’s hand in our lives and the wonders of his marvelous works. We are all a new creation in Jesus Christ. We have around 80 members and about 150 people, including children, at our weekly services.

Newcomers are made especially welcome at our Sunday Services which are held at 2pm, Tyndale Baptist Church. We have three separate services conducted in English, Mandarin and Cantonese. On the first Sunday of the month, all three congregations come together (translation provided) to worship and receive the Holy Communion. Children make up a significant part of the body of Christ and we have a group for preteens/teenagers called Rooted and a Sunday School for children under the age of eleven. Once a month, the Soup Run takes its turn to work with other churches and charities to provide food and hot drinks to the homeless in the city of Bristol.

As church is not just for Sundays, there are various cell groups that take place at different times and different locations during the week. So whether you are a student, a working professional, a catering worker or retired, there is bound to be one that suits you.

Last but not least, we are an outward looking church, constantly on the lookout for ways to spread the good news and bring more people into God’s kingdom. We actively support and encourage people to go on short term missions. Indeed, we support two of our own missionaries, Josh Shek and Grace Li and have a long standing relationship with Reverend Sterling Lee of Canada who first came on a short term mission 20 years or so ago.

Our vision is ‘Rooted in Christ, Established in Faith’, which is taken from Colossians 2:7. We are to encourage one and other to live a transformed life that is rooted in Christ and share this faith with our neighbours.