RAISING OVERCOMERS
SETTING THE CAPTIVES FREE
What We Stand For - continuation
If a building is going to stand, it will depend on its foundation and structure. As such we believe that foundation is core to the stability and very existence of our ‘everyday lives. Marriages, schools and church and life itself succeed or fall apart depending on its foundation.
As Christians many of us do not set the climate for the world we live in, we simply adjust to it. We conform to the standards of the world - lifestyles, attitudes, moral convictions and the like - rather than setting standards that will set us apart. Our foundation, which is our standard, must be the word of God as we read in the Bible and as taught to us by true and proven ministers of God.
Our mission statement is ‘Raising Overcomers, Setting the Captives Free’. Overcomers take life to the next level; they are climbers and not campers. They change the environment in which they are placed; they are pace setters; influence rather than being influenced.
Be an original. Go according to God’s blueprint for your life; don’t copy someone else’s. Everyone is unique. Be an overcomer!
Our History
Our History
Freedom Centre International (FCI), formerly known as South London Temple, is a church-based charity registered in the United Kingdom under the Universal Prayer Group Ministry (UPGM). UPGM was founded by Dr Sampson Kwaku Boafo, a barrister and an ordained minister of religion and was registered in the UK as a church-based charity in 1988. Prior to its formal registration the ministry had been operating since 1965 as a prayer ministry from Dr Boafo’s home, primarily attended by African students studying in the UK. As the ministry grew, worship services were held at a Church of England Parish based in Chalk Farm, North London.
In 1972 the Founder, Dr Boafo, relocated from the UK back to his home country Ghana where he felt the Lord had called him into politics as well as to establish churches. He briefly returned to the UK in 1985 to revive Edmonton Temple/UPGM, still meeting in Chalk Farm, North London. In 1990 UPGM moved to a former Anglican church based in the Edmonton area of London. The church then became popularly known as Edmonton Temple. Over time the church experienced tremendous growth, establishing itself as the leading black majority led church in London in the early 1990’s. Due to the evident impact of the ministry the Founder embarked on an expansion drive to set up branches called City Temple based in Birmingham, UK and extended beyond the shores of UK into Kenya and Ghana. UPGM’s network also provided a platform for many international evangelists and ministries to bring the gospel of Christ into the UK.
In 1997 as a response to the increased number of members based in South London, a branch in the South was started in the Brixton area of London. South London Temple was headed by Dr Shadrach Ofosuware, Associate Pastor from Edmonton Temple. In December 1997 the church acquired its first property in Peckham, South East London. In 2007 following a prophetic direction for South London Temple to extend its activities beyond the South of London, the church changed its name to Freedom Centre International (FCI).
Edmonton Temple and FCI ministries continued to experience phenomenal growth in their congregation numbers causing them to rapidly outgrow their facilities. Consequently, UPGM purchased a 3000 seated auditorium, the former Palace Cinema in Wood Green, for Edmonton Temple and changed its name to Dominion Centre. Dominion Centre became the headquarters for UPGM. In 2010 UPGM purchased a former 1930’s cinema in Welling, Kent as the headquarters for FCI. Currently FCI runs one church from two locations, operating from Peckham and Welling. It also has thriving branches in Luton, Telford and Edinburgh, UK; a branch in Dallas Texas, USA and a branch in Accra, Ghana.
UPGM is a member of Evangelical Alliance and Churches Together in Great Britain and Ireland. The church has affiliations with many international ministries in the USA, Europe, Australia, Asia and Africa.
Our Beliefs
We stand under the authority of the Word of God as our rule of faith and practice, thus adhering to the following:
THE GODHEAD – We believe in Triune Godhead; Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. The Three in One God are co-equal, co-eternal and co-existent.
SIN AND REDEMPTION – God created man in His own image, but through disobedience man ‘fell’ and got separated from God. Jesus Christ the only begotten Son of God came to die by shedding his precious blood on the cross at Calvary in order that we may be reunited (reconciled) with God. He is the mediator between God and man.
SALVATION – Jesus Christ is the only means of man’s salvation. The Bible declares that He is ‘the Way, the Truth and the Life’ to eternal life. No one can go to the Father except through Him.
BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT – When one receives Jesus Christ as their Lord and personal Saviour, they are filled with the Holy Spirit, an evidence of which is speaking in new tongues.
WATER BAPTISM- Baptism is full immersion in water. Christ Himself was baptised to fulfil scripture. Just as cloth takes on the nature (colour) of dye, in the same way we must take on the nature of Christ when we are baptised
SANCTIFICATION – It is God who freed us from our sin (which binds us) and makes us holy. This is a work of grace, and as Christians we must continually yield to the Holy Spirit so we can walk in holiness
DIVINE HEALING- We believe in healing through prayers, laying on of hands and divine intervention thorough the Holy Spirit
FREEDOM IN WORSHIP- The Bible admonishes us to come to God with shout, clapping of hands, dancing and with string instruments. Hence we are not legalistic and formal at worship times but encourage members to fully express in their own way a heartfelt appreciation to God in an orderly manner in reverence.
RESURRECTION OF THEBODY-The Bible talks about the rapture of all believers, the unavoidable coming of Christ to quicken the dead to life, and those alive shall be caught up with Him in the air
Vision & Mission Statement
We aim to minister and bring support and stability to communities across the United Kingdom, and then internationally. We particularly believe in practical Christian living i.e. doing the will of God in reaching out to the communities and the nation at large.
Our desire and endeavour is to make “disciplined disciples” of Jesus Christ where our lifestyles exemplify Christ in all areas of thought, conversation and conduct. We desire that each member would grow in Christ, His grace and His word, resulting in moral fibre, conviction, wisdom and character that is necessary for living soberly, righteously and godly in this present world.
Our mission is “to declare the uncompromising gospel of the Kingdom of God to the poor, to bind the broken-hearted, proclaim freedom to the captives, to comfort those who mourn and to make out of people oaks of righteousness. To this end we are working at planting churches in each of the nationalities represented in FCI.
