Our story so far

Meet the family

We are a family of 5 who have been called to the North East to start a new church in Middlesbrough. We believe that God has Middlesbrough and Teesside firmly on His heart - He loves the people here and wants to see each of us restored to true fellowship with Him. 

Along with our 3 children, Sammy, Faith and Isabella, we now live in Middlesbrough and meet weekly for church at Grove Hill Community Hub. This is a chance for the kids to say hello!   

More about Pastors Samuel and Sarah

We trained at Rhema Bible College (which is a Word of Faith bible training centre) and have been involved in church planting and ministry for over 15 years.  

This video is a chance for you to hear a little more about our heartbeat and our journey to faith. 

About me

Samuel and Sarah have a deep desire for people to meet with the real Jesus and to know God as their Father. Read on to find out how Jesus has touched their life with faith.

  • Samuel grew up in a vicar’s home and became a Christian from a young age. He struggled with painful experiences growing up and needed to be firmly established in the faith for himself. He needed to know who God the Father truly was and how to call God his Daddy.

    Taking God at His Word, Samuel experienced the truth in the scripture “You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the LORD,” and He was.

    As a result, Samuel went through a period where he experienced numerous expressions of the liquid love of God being poured out into his heart by the Holy Spirit. Through deep and personal revelations of the Father’s heart for him, Samuel experienced healing and restoration, and continues to enjoy deep encounters with God as His Father today. He longs for others to experience the same and for all mankind to know the true Jesus as their Shepherd; Saviour; Friend; and so much more.

    Samuel has served in church the majority of his life. As an adult, he spent 10 years as a Church Administrator and PA to the Pastor in a Word of Faith church in Liverpool, before a season as a Youth Pastor and community worker in Widnes. Whilst studying at Rhema Bible College, the family moved to the Reading area to support a church plant and discern the call for planting a church themselves.

    As well as the call to Pastor a church plant, Samuel also has been called to support the ministry of Compassion UK and has been working in different roles with them since 2019.


  • At 16 years old, Sarah was sitting by a window and thinking of jumping. Instead she prayed, “God, if you’re real, show me”. You would never have known it outwardly, but she was a complete mess. Inwardly, she didn’t feel like she had anything to live for.

    When she prayed, she could remember sensing a presence behind her; turning around she just felt a rush of peace come over her. She moved away from the window and just lay down and slept.

    A few days later she met Samuel and he invited her to church. It’s not something she had ever been interested in, but she could see something different about Samuel and his family, and she wanted it.

    She was given a book with a salvation prayer in the back, and she prayed that prayer numerous times, expecting something spectacular to happen. But nothing did. In fact, she thought it hadn’t worked, but God started to become real to her. Slowly, she started to understand the bible and as she did, her life completely transformed.

    God lifted her out of a dark pit and set her free; He healed her heart and restored her soul. She wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for God meeting her that day and for the boldness of Samuel inviting her to church.

    Her passion now is to see children know how valuable and precious they are to God; to know that He loves them so much He sent His Son to die for them. Sarah is honoured and privileged to play a small part in their journey; both as an assistant head teacher and by leading the children’s ministry, helping children to find the heart of the Father for them.