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What we believe

Our only guide for Faith, Teaching & Life is God’s Word – the Bible. It teaches the necessity of accepting Jesus Christ as our Saviour and Lord on the basis of true Repentance and Faith. Believers’ are baptised by immersion in water and added to the local Assembly. It is important that the life of the Christian is consistent with their confession of faith.  The Breaking of Bread or (The Lord’s Supper) is another testimony and privilege of baptised believers.

We believe :

1. The Bible is the inspired Word of God and is our only authority for doctrine and practice.
2. The Trinity of the Godhead.
3. The Deity and true sinless humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ.
4. The personality and Deity of the Holy Spirit.
5. The Creation of man and woman by God. Their subsequent Fall through sin and disobedience.
6. The sacrificial death of our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross at Calvary for the sin of the whole world. His bodily resurrection and ascension.
7. The absolute necessity of the new birth for salvation.
8. Those who have accepted Jesus Christ as Saviour be baptised and added to the local church fellowship living holy lives.
9. The resurrection of the body.
10. The judgment of the living and the dead by the Lord Jesus Christ.
11. Everlasting life of believers and eternal punishment of unbelievers.
12. The reality & personality of Satan.
13. The personal return of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Assembly History – looking back over fifty years

The Early Days

We believe the assembly commenced in 1954 when certain brethren including Harry Solomons, Sam McCandless, Tom McLeay, Edwin Spurr and Mr Schuller all got together with their wives and families and began to meet in a school room.  Harry & Sam had discussed one day as they travelled on the train from Bonbeach the need to establish an assembly in what was then a growing township and soon after that they met to break bread in Dandenong for the first time.

Building the Hall

In 1955/56 two blocks of land were purchased on our present site – Lots 216 & 217 for the combined cost of £2,000 – lot 216 being slightly larger and a little more expensive and the blocks were bought as one title.  With the help of a brother from the Ringwood assembly, plans were drawn up to build a hall on this site and construction commenced sometime around 1957/58.  The total cost of building the main hall was £6,085 and the hall was built under Mr Bob Reid’s supervision (as were several others in Melbourne.)  Mr Reid remained in active fellowship in the assembly till his home call in 2010. So the total cost was £8,065 – a lot of money for believers who all worked in normal jobs and none of them were wealthy yet all of them were rich toward God.

By 1961 the hall was finished and now some 50 years later we still enjoy the blessing from what was done back then and appreciate the spiritual interest and vision of these earlier saints.  Since then, we have added the kitchen, toilets, side hall and garage to give us the facilities we have today.  On 29th June 1966 (the same year as decimalisation took place), the roads around the hall were constructed and the Town Clerk of Dandenong issued a notice to Dandenong Gospel Hall to pay its share of the costs.  These amounted to $84.42 for Lot 216 and $66 for Lot 217.  Many years later when we tarmacked the car park it cost us over $10,000 and a new roof was as much again.  How times change!

On 18th February 1961, the assembly in Dandenong received a letter from the joint executors of the will of the late Miss Elizabeth E Young advising them of a gift left to the assembly.  This money, together with an earlier gift from her sister Miss Mary Young left the assembly here completely debt free with the building etc. fully owned.

God is Faithful

Many souls have been saved since those early days, and many have been baptised and received into fellowship.  Over 2500 times the believers have met week by week to break bread together.  During all of these years the Gospel has been preached every Sunday and as far as we can tell there has always been a Sunday school, as well as boys and girls rallies and youth groups in various forms.  Also, the principles of God’s word held dear back in those early days are still believed and practiced today for which we give God thanks.

So, looking back, we can indeed say that this has been an assembly that has known God’s presence and blessing in so many ways.

The words in 1 Samuel 7:12 are indeed true of us also – “Hitherto has the Lord helped us.”  Let us rejoice in God’s faithfulness over these many years and be thankful for His leading and guidance in so many ways.

The Assembly today

Over 80 believers from 30 families continue in happy fellowship today – Acts 2:42 – “And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.”  The believers come from many parts of the globe – Australia, India, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mauritius, Philippines, Singapore, South Africa and the United Kingdom.

The current weekly program includes Breaking of Bread, Prayer & Bible Study, Gospel Meeting, Sunday School & Bible Class and Youth Groups.  The Assembly is also involved with a monthly inter assembly fellowship evening, annual Bible Study camp as well as childrens’ outreach ministries.