By Salt 106.5 TeamThursday 12 Sep 2024The Long Lunch with SteveFaithReading Time: 2 minutes

Known for his innovative approach to community and church life, Pastor Phil Smith from BELLS Caloundra is a vocal advocate for non-traditional church settings that emphasize belonging, eating, listening, learning, and serving.

Key points

• As an acronym for BELLS, belonging, eating, listening, learning and serving form the backbone of the church’s culture.
• “If you’d like to pop in, the kettle’s on,” Pastor Phil said.
• Hear the full conversation in the player above.

Recently, BELLS has undertaken various community-driven initiatives and events, making significant strides in connecting with the local community.

“BELLS, if you like, is a way of being as people and as a community,” Phil said.

“So belonging, eating, listening, learning and for us, serving.”

As an acronym for BELLS, belonging, eating, listening, learning and serving form the backbone of the church’s culture.

As an acronym for BELLS, belonging, eating, listening, learning and serving form the backbone of the church’s culture.

BELLS on Main is a community space that opens every Sunday morning, during the markets.

Offering a variety of community activities including a jam session, a homework hub, and a women’s shed and creatively integrating into the vibrant life of Caloundra’s main street, the space caters to the 84% of Australians who might not attend traditional church services.

Another initiative of BELLS is Speed Church, a 15-minute, engaging way of sharing biblical concepts.

Built around singular Biblical concepts, Speed Church is created for people who may be wandering through the markets.

“If you’d like to pop in, the kettle’s on.”

Best of all? Everyone is welcome!

As Phil said, “If you’d like to pop in, the kettle’s on.”

Hear the full conversation in the player above.

Feature image: Photo by CanvaPro