Who We Are
Calvary Chapel Newcastle (CCN) is an independent evangelical Christian church in Newcastle, Australia. We are a Bible-teaching church with a simple desire: to be disciples of Jesus through worship, word, and witness.
Our vision is to see a healthy church in Newcastle – maturing in Christ, serving our city, and sharing the good news of Jesus locally and beyond. We gather because the gospel is not merely an idea to believe, but a life to be formed by: in worship, through Scripture, within community, and for the sake of the world.
CCN began in 2002 as a small home church, shaped by the wider Calvary Chapel movement and its commitment to simple worship, biblical teaching, and local church ministry. Since then, God has grown us into a local church family made up of people from many walks of life.
In 2024, we joined Christian Community Churches of Australia (CCCAust), a network of like-minded churches that provides fellowship, support, and accountability, while allowing each local church to remain self-governing.
Pastors
CCN is led by a team of pastor-elders who shepherd, teach, and care for the church together. We believe in plural leadership, shared spiritual oversight, mutual accountability, and collective responsibility under Christ, the true Head of the church.
Tony Verlaan
Pastoral Care, Outreach
James Hopwood
Mens & Womens Groups
Dave Deane
Teaching, Worship
Dan Verlaan
Kids Groups, Small Groups
Ministry Leaders
Jon Coe
Worship, Childrens Ministry
Mel Hopwood
Hospitality
Alisha Verlaan
Administration
Our Beliefs & Values
At CCN, our beliefs are not abstract ideas or private opinions. They are the theological foundation for our worship, teaching, fellowship, leadership, and mission. We are an evangelical Christian church committed to the authority of Scripture, the centrality of Jesus Christ, the grace of the gospel, and the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the church.
Our values describe how these convictions take shape in our shared life. They guide the way we gather, teach, serve, disciple, and bear witness to Jesus in Newcastle and beyond.
The statement below summarises the core beliefs and values that unite and guide us as a church. It is not an exhaustive account of everything Scripture teaches, nor does it capture every conviction held by our pastoral team. Rather, it sets out the shared foundation by which we seek to remain faithful to Christ, grounded in Scripture, and united in gospel purpose.
Select each heading below to read more.
Beliefs
We believe the bible is the inspired, infallible, authoritative Word of God and inerrant in the original writings.
We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons as Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father and in His personal return in power and glory.
We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a Godly life.
We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the unsaved; they that are saved unto the resurrection of life and they that are unsaved unto the resurrection of damnation.
We believe in regularly observing the two New Testament ordinances of water baptism and the Lord’s Supper. We consider these ordinances as acts of obedience, love and devotion to our Lord Jesus Christ, while not regarding them as necessary for personal salvation.
Values
… because Jesus shapes our identity as His people and informs everything we do:
We centre everything on the good news of Jesus—who He is, what He has done, and what He is doing now. The gospel isn’t just the message we believe, it shapes our whole life. It gives us our identity and helps us see what matters most. Because God has shown us grace in Christ, we extend grace to one another. Because Jesus is Lord, everything we do as a church—our teaching, our worship, our relationships, and our witness—flows from Him and returns to Him.
… because the whole of Scripture bears witness to Jesus:
We are a people shaped by the Word of God. We teach the whole counsel of Scripture carefully and clearly, with depth and plain language. We go deep to know Christ, to be formed by truth, and to be steady when life and culture pull. Scripture shapes our thinking, fuels our worship, and directs our life together.
… because the gospel creates a people marked by humility, honesty, and grace:
We are a church family. In Christ, we belong to God and to one another, and we want to be a community where people can come as they are and be genuinely welcomed and known. We pursue a culture of confession and forgiveness, encouragement and hospitality, bearing burdens and speaking the truth in love. The gospel makes us authentic, and it makes our fellowship sweet.
… because God’s generosity in Jesus moves us to share His love with the world:
The grace we have received doesn’t stop with us—it moves us outward. We desire every member to live as a witness to Jesus in ordinary life: at home, at work, among neighbours, and in our city, according to the gifts and callings God has given. We gladly give our time, prayer, service, and resources so others might come to know the good news of Jesus.
… because the gospel frees us from performance and draws us into wholehearted love for Jesus:
We seek to keep the main thing the main thing. We intentionally make space to worship, pray, listen to the Word, and love one another without unnecessary complexity. Simplicity draws us near to Jesus, teaches us contentment, and helps us to follow Him with an undivided heart.
Our Safe Church Commitment
As a church family made up of people of all ages and backgrounds, we are committed to creating and maintaining safe environments across every part of our life together.
Safety is not merely an administrative requirement. It is part of how we love our neighbours, honour the vulnerable, and care for those God has entrusted to us. We want every person who participates in the life of CCN — children, young people, families, volunteers, visitors, and members — to be treated with dignity, respect, and care.
To support this commitment, CCN has developed a Safe Church Framework in accordance with Safe Ministry Resources Pty Ltd and the National Council of Churches in Australia. This framework guides our approach to safe ministry and is implemented through our policies and procedures across programs, events, ministries, and church activities.
The figure below outlines the key arrangements that help us pursue our safety objectives and maintain a culture of care, accountability, and responsibility.
Safe Church Framework
Disclaimer: This framework remains the property of Calvary Chapel Newcastle and may not be reproduced, distributed, or stored electronically without prior written permission.
A full exposition of the Framework can be found in the following policies:
All incident, near misses and safety concerns as well as personal complaints or conflicts will be immediately reported to, and handled by, CCN’s Safe Church Officers: Julie D and Esther C. To contact either Safe Church Officer, please email: