Futures Church#Music

{{Infobox church

| denomination = Australian Christian Churches

| name = Futures Church

| fullname = Futures Church South Australia Incorporated

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| country = Australia and United States

| location =Australia: Paradise, Adelaide city, Reynella, Clare Valley, Salisbury, Mount Barker, Victor Harbor

United States: Alpharetta, Georgia

| website = {{URL|https://influencers.church/|Futures Church }}

| former names =

Influencers Church
Adelaide Assembly of God
Klemzig Assembly of God
Paradise Assembly of God
Paradise Community Church

| founded date = 1922

| founder = Smith Wigglesworth crusade

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| seniorpastor = Ashley and Jane Evans

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Futures Church, formerly Influencers Church, is a Pentecostal church affiliated to the Assemblies of God, with congregations in the state of South Australia, Australia, and in the southern United States. It was founded in Adelaide in 1922. In 2023, Influencers Church officially changed their name to Futures Church. The church teaches a prosperity gospel.

History

The church was founded in 1922 by British evangelist Smith Wigglesworth.{{citation needed|date=March 2011}}, becoming known as Adelaide Assembly of God (AOG) when a property on Franklin Street, Adelaide was purchased in 1944.{{Cite web|url=http://www.fredandbettyevans.com/about-our-ministry-in-australia/klemzig-and-paradise-days/|title=Fred and Betty Evans' Website » Klemzig Assembly of God (South Australia) 1976 – 1982 (Part 1)|website= Fred and Betty Evans}} In 1951 Tom Evans, a British missionary from India, became senior pastor.{{Cite web|url=https://www.fredandbettyevans.com/my-years-of-training-in-bible-college-1958-1960/the-church-i-attended-as-a-youth/thomas-lever-evans-1901-1996/|title=Fred and Betty Evans' Website » My Father – Thomas Lever Evans 1901 – 1996|website= Fred and BEtty Evans}} Pastors John and Beryl Jobe commenced as senior pastors in 1959. Their vision was to move into the suburbs where the people lived, so the Franklin Street property was sold, and the church relocated to Payneham, before it shifted to Main North East Road Klemzig.

In 1970, Andrew Evans, the oldest son of Tom Evans, became the first non-founding senior pastor of what was by then called Klemzig Assembly of God. Under his ministry the church grew from weekly church attendance of 150 to over 2,000 people.{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTDIg6Ltj0E|title=Building of Paradise Assembly of God - Part 1|via=www.youtube.com}}

In 1982, the church moved to its current location in Paradise, becoming known as Paradise Assembly of God, and later changing its name to Paradise Community Church. At this time, Paradise AOG also set up Paradise (later Adelaide) College of Ministries, as an accredited bible college in South Australia. In 1994, members from the Paradise church formed a sister church, originally called Southside Christian Church, but later renamed Edge Church. The church also fostered the formation of Youth Alive Australia.{{citation needed|date=February 2011}}

In 1997 the contemporary worship music band Planetshakers was created out of the first Planetshakers Conference.{{cite web|url=https://www.daystar.com/events/planetshakers-live/about-planetshakers/|title=About Planetshakers |website= Daystar Television|publisher=| access-date=2 February 2022}} In 2000, Andrew Evans's youngest son Ashley and his wife Jane took over as senior pastors at Paradise, and the Planetshakers youth movement grew.{{cite web | title=Planetshakers Music | website=Planetshakers | url=https://www.planetshakers.com/music/planetshakers/ | access-date=3 February 2022}} In 2004, his eldest son{{Citation |title=Whole Leaders For The Whole World |url=https://oru.edu/about-oru/governance/board-of-trustees/russell-evans.php |access-date=2023-12-13 |language=en}} Russell and wife Sam Evans moved to Melbourne to form Planetshakers Church.

In the 2000s, Paradise's church attendance grew to over 6,000 people, and it expanded to three other locations (Elizabeth, West, and City), introduced a Friday night service, and had become the fifth-largest church in Australia.{{Cite web |title=Million-dollar church at Paradise – Adelaide's largest – from 1983 becomes Pentecostal force spreading to USA |url=https://adelaideaz.com/articles/adelaide-evangelical-church-at-paradise-becomes-nation-force--spreading-to-us |access-date=2023-12-13 |website=Adelaide AZ |language=English}}

In 2012, Paradise Community Church changed its name to Influencers Church (Global) to reflect that the church is expanding internationally.{{cn|date=March 2025}} In 2015, it was one of the biggest churches in Australia.

The Evans family moved to Atlanta, Georgia, US, and launched the church there, earning $631,728 in its first year there, as in Australia, all tax free. Ashley and Jane Evans with their youngest son moved into a three-storey five-bedroom, five-bathroom mansion, with a wine cellar and theatre, in Atlanta.{{Cite web |date=April 10, 2015|first=Matthew |last=Benns |title=South Australian Pentecostal preachers Ashley Evans and Jane Evans expand their religious enterprise into the United States |url=https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/south-australian-pentecostal-preachers-ashley-evans-and-jane-evans-expand-their-religious-enterprise-into-the-united-states/news-story/05945daba7220691a74776797c1f4525}}

In November 2022, Influencers Church celebrated their 100th year anniversary.{{Citation |title=100 Year Celebration Re-Broadcast |publisher =Influencers Church| via =YouTube |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1myTACliad8 |language=en |access-date=2022-11-17}} In 2023, the church was renamed Futures Church.{{Cite web |title= Influencers Church to change name |url=https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/business/influencers-church-to-change-name-over-connotations-and-context/news-story/592d8c0985697aa9176930f1d734befe&usg=AOvVaw0cEUeVAgGujSXwy54zSmlM&opi=89978449 |access-date=2023-12-13 |website=Adelaide Now |url-access =subscription }}{{Cite web|url=https://adelaideaz.com/articles/futures-new-name-in-2023-for-adelaide-megachurch-influencers-with-ongoing-overseas-ambitions|title=Futures new name for Adelaide megachurch Influencers in 2023, with ongoing overseas ambition after land sale|website=Adelaide AZ}}

In March 2025, a staff member who had previously been a youth pastor at the Salisbury branch was arrested in Atlanta, charged with allegedly sending several videos depicting child sexual abuse.{{cite web | last=Bermingham | first=Kathryn | title=Former Salisbury Futures Church pastor arrested in US for alleged possession of child abuse images | website=ABC News | date=17 March 2025 | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-17/former-futures-church-pastor-daniel-menelaou-arrested-in-us/105060940 | access-date=18 March 2025}}

Teachings and influence

The church teaches a "prosperity gospel", saying that people can have wealth on earth as well as in heaven. They suggest that adherents donate a tenth of their income to the church each month. The Paradise church had a total tax-free income of A$6.2 million in 2014, and assets of almost $20 million.

Some political figures have connections with the church, including Andrew Evans who is father of current pastor Ashley Evans, a pastor at the prior Paradise Church for 30 years and was leader of the conservative Family First political party. Liberal Party of Australia foreign affairs minister Alexander Downer commented positively on the church's focus on God, the Bible and the message of Christ.{{cite web|url=http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/opinion/papal-visits-deep-impact/story-e6freai3-1111117030018|title= Pope's visit had a deep impact on Australia|date=27 July 2008|publisher=The Advertiser|author=Alexander Downer|author-link=Alexander Downer| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120612050313/http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/opinion/papal-visits-deep-impact/story-e6freai3-1111117030018| archive-date= 12 June 2012}} Famous people who have attended Paradise include Channel 9 journalist Kate Collins and actress Debra Byrne.{{cite web|url=http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/the-last-temptation-of-debra/story-e6frebsu-1225698223415|title=The last temptation of Debra|publisher=The Advertiser|date=3 April 2009| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120612050645/http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/the-last-temptation-of-debra/story-e6frebsu-1225698223415| archive-date= 12 June 2012| first= Penelope| last=Debelle}} The church was also featured on A Current Affair, Compass, The Australian, and The Age. Peter Goers has commonly cited the church in rhetoric light.{{cite web|url=http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/opinion/just-a-phones-throw-away/story-e6freafu-1111112507067|title=Just a phone's throw away|author=Peter Goers|date=11 November 2006|work=Sunday Mail}} Apart from media interest, the church also has a television program which screens in different countries and recently started airing each Sunday on Channel 9. Paradise also utilises regular television and radio advertisement for marketing communications, particularly during the Christmas{{cite web|url=http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/ipad/a-life-of-great-joy-within-reach-of-all/story-fn6bqphm-1225975636647|title= A life of great joy within reach of all|publisher=The Advertiser|date=24 December 2010|author=Ashley Evans}} and Easter{{cite web|url=http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/many-more-flock-to-church/story-e6frea83-1111113306705|title=Many more flock to church|author=Shepherd, T|date=8 April 2007|publisher=The Advertiser}} seasons.

Ashley Evans has held the office of State President of Australian Christian Churches of South Australia and a previous member of the National Executive of the Australian Christian Churches. His wife Jane Evans has been influential as the national board member of charity Compassion Australia.[http://www.influencersconference.com/speakers/janeevans.php Jane Evans intro for Paradise Community Church Influencers Conference 15–17 January 2008] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080121130055/http://www.influencersconference.com/speakers/janeevans.php |date=21 January 2008 }} (accessed 23 January 2008)

Music

The profile of Futures Church was boosted after the inaugural Australian Idol, singer Guy Sebastian{{cite web |title=Paradise Community Church |url=https://www.newreleasetoday.com/artistdetail.php?artist_id=2609 |access-date=22 August 2021 |publisher=New Release Today}}{{Cite web |title=Paradise Community Church Online. Paradise Live: Adore. Retrieved 4 March 2009 |url=http://shop.paradise.asn.au/product.asp?pID=26 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090903085937/http://shop.paradise.asn.au/product.asp?pID=26 |archive-date=3 September 2009 |access-date=5 May 2009}}[http://www.goldusa.com/FCD/F394/f394.html Gold Records USA. Featured Release. Retrieved 4 March 2009] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090408061539/http://www.goldusa.com/FCD/F394/f394.html|date=8 April 2009}}{{cite web |author=Anne Johnson |date=21 October 2006 |title=What's Guy done to deserve this? |url=http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/entertainment/whats-guy-done-to-deserve-this/story-e6fredpu-1111112397061 |publisher=Sunday Mail}} publicly announced his connection with the church as a singer. Before his success in Australian Idol, Sebastian had taught at the church music school.{{cite web |author=Genevieve Meegan |date=6 January 2007 |title=James' toast to fitness |url=http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/james-toast-to-fitness/story-e6freafc-1111112791143 |work=Sunday Mail| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120612050510/http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/james-toast-to-fitness/story-e6freafc-1111112791143| archive-date= 12 June 2012}}

Futures Church produces original music under the artist "Futures". Their first single "Imaginations", released on 8 September 2017, hit first place on the iTunes "Inspirational" charts on date of release.{{Cite web |title=Futures |url=https://www.dreamlabelgroup.com/artists/futures |access-date=2022-11-17 |website=DREAMLABELGROUP.COM |language=en-US}} They subsequently released an EP called Imagine on in 2017 and their first album, Just the Cross in 2019.{{Cite web |last=Cluver |first=Ross |date=2019-02-22 |title=Influencers Worship Releases New Song '† (just the cross)' |url=https://www.ccmmagazine.com/news/influencers-worship-releases-new-song-%E2%80%A0-just-the-cross/ |access-date=2023-12-13 |website=CCM Magazine |language=en-US}} The church released a studio album, Hills & Horizons, and another live worship record, Together With Heaven, in August 2023.{{Cite web |last=Clarks |first=Jessie |date=2023-08-25 |title=Futures Release 'Together With Heaven' |url=https://www.thechristianbeat.org/futures-release-together-with-heaven/ |access-date=2023-12-13 |website=TCB |language=en-US}}

In 2021, Dreamers Youth, the youth ministry of the church, went on to form a musical group called Dreamers, with the first EP "Land of the Living" being released on 13 August 2021, and first album self-titled Dreamers on 21 October 2022.{{Cite web |last=Clarks |first=Jessie |date=2022-10-21 |title=Dreamers Releases Self-Titled Project |url=https://www.thechristianbeat.org/dreamers-release-self-titled-project/ |access-date=2022-11-17 |website=TCB |language=en-US}}