The church also has a second location in Belfast, as well as an extension service in Leeds city centre. The church describes itself as "one church, three locations". In 2003 it had an attendance of over 2,000 people; by 2006, the figure had climbed to 2,800.
- History -
Abundant Life Church has its roots in the Charismatic Restoration movement of Arthur Wallis. It was founded in 1976 by Bryn Jones, one of the early Restoration/British New Church leaders, by an amalgamation of three small Bradford churches - a charismatic Brethren Assembly based at the Bolton Woods Gospel Hall, an independent charismatic church made up mostly of former Baptists who had been unable to continue in their church because of their charismatic beliefs, and the New Covenant Church, a fellowship originally under the apostolic leadership of G. W. North. In its early days it met in the Anglican Church House and so has often been known locally as Church House. In 1988, the church spent almost £1 million to buy a former textile mill on Wapping Road and build a main building with a car park at the rear. In 2000, the church extended the campus, constructing an auditorium capable of seating 2,000. In 2008, the auditorium itself was extended, creating space for a day care centre, a coffee shop, and additional offices and meeting rooms.
Paul Scanlon is the Senior Pastor of Abundant Life Church. He and his wife, Glenda, have served on the pastoral staff for more than 27 years.
"Since becoming the Senior Pastor, Paul has successfully led the church through a period of reinvention – which has become known as our ‘Crossing Over’ – the fruit of which is seen in the thriving & strong Church we are today. His leadership has also seen the launch of the Abundant Life Leadership Academy, the Abundant Life Network of churches."
- Music -
The church has its own record label, Abundant Life Music, which currently has a publishing and distribution deal with Integrity Music. Through the church's label, the worship band and youth band have produced several praise and worship albums. On May 31, 2010, the church released its first project on record label Integrity Music, "Name Above All Names", under the name ALM:uk. The church formerly partnered with Authentic Media, now a part of Kingsway Communications.
- Discography -
Higher (2000)
Divine Exchange (2002)
God Is Here (2003)
Sing (2004)
How Loved (2004)
Let the World See Jesus (2005)
Send Me (2007)
Name Above All Names (2010)
- Youth -
RPM: Live (2005)
I Surrender All (2006)
Give My All (2007)
Sound of Praise EP (2010)
- Sources -
> The Times, 28 March 1988, "Spectrum: The feeding of the five thousand"
> The Times, 9 February 2002, "Christians urged to worship pop idol"
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abundant_Life_Ministries
- References -
1. Abundant Life Church website
2. Church criticised over gun video
3. Peter Brierley, Ed. UK Christian Handbook, Religious Trends 7 (Swindon: Christian Research, 2008)
4. William K Kay, Apostolic Networks in Britain (Milton Keynes, Paternoster, 2007) 48-49
You Are
ALM Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I depend on You
Faithful Father peace forever
I will rest in You
Unshakable my hope remains
Lord I believe in You
You are defender of the weak
You are everything we need
You are our God You are our God
God of mercy I will live in praise of all You've done
God eternal by Your power I will overcome
None greater none higher
All praise to God our Savior
Unchanging unfailing
All praise to You our Savior
The lyrics to ALM's song "You Are" speak about the unwavering nature of God's love and the trust, faith, and hope that one can find in Him. The opening lines set the tone by recognizing God's "love unfailing" and "truth unchanging", which the writer acknowledges are essential for their own well-being. They declare their dependence on God and their confidence in His faithfulness as a father and source of peace. The writer describes their hope as "unshakable" because of their belief in God, and acknowledges Him as the strength for those in need and the defender of the weak. The refrain repeats the proclamation that God is everything they need and the one true God. The song ends with a vow to live in praise of Him and to overcome obstacles with His power.
The message of this song is one of unwavering faith in God and a recognition of His power in one's life. The lyrics are both personal and universal, as they describe the writer's individual reliance on God, while also acknowledging His role as a protector and provider for all. The repetition of the phrase "You are our God" serves as a reminder of God's power and position as the source of salvation and support.
Line by Line Meaning
Love unfailing truth unchanging
Your love never fails and your truth never changes.
I depend on You
I rely on you completely.
Faithful Father peace forever
You are a faithful Father and your peace lasts forever.
I will rest in You
I will find peace and rest in you.
Unshakable my hope remains
My hope in you cannot be shaken.
Lord I believe in You
I have faith in you, Lord.
You are strength for those in need
You give strength to those who need it.
You are defender of the weak
You protect and defend the weak.
You are everything we need
You are everything we could ever need.
You are our God You are our God
You are our God and we worship you.
God of mercy I will live in praise of all You've done
I will live my life praising you for all the mercy you have shown me.
God eternal by Your power I will overcome
By your power, I will overcome all things, God of eternity.
None greater none higher
No one is greater or higher than you.
All praise to God our Savior
We praise you, our Savior, God.
Unchanging unfailing
You never change and your love never fails.
All praise to You our Savior
We praise you, our Savior.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Capitol CMG Publishing, Integrity Music, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: JERMAINE DUPRI, JOHNATA M AUSTIN, MANUEL LONNIE SEAL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind