Our Vision

‘The Whole Gospel, for the Whole Person, with the Whole Church in the Whole World.’

The Whole Gospel

Fisherwick is evangelical and believes within the core of every person is the need to enter into a deep relationship with Jesus Christ through his work on the Cross. Fisherwick’s second minister Rev. Dr. Henry Williamson was renowned as an evangelist and was in the heart of the work of the 1859 revival as it touched Belfast. The whole Gospel is not just about a narrow ‘salvation’ which ignores the need for society, politics, economics, culture, and social relationships to redeemed. The ministry or Dr. David Lapsley, in particular, emphasised the ‘Kingdom’ aspect of the Gospel - though it was and is intrinsic to the other ministries before and since. The whole Gospel includes doing ‘all the things that I commanded you to do’. Thus healing the sick, the bringing of Christ’s peace and joy to individuals and societies, the preaching of good news to the poor - all these things are much a part of the Gospel as preaching salvation through faith alone in Jesus Christ. This ‘whole’ Gospel is central to the work of prayer ministry and to methods of ‘servant’ evangelism, which the congregation holds precious.

The Whole Person

Fisherwick holds that it is the person Jesus came to save not simply the soul. We are created Whole beings, Body, Mind and Spirit. This is practically demonstrated in how Fisherwick welcomes, accepts, and listens and in how we provide a wide range of recreational and social programmes as well as ministry to all. There has been a celebration of the varied gifting and creative passions within the church. Prayer ministry, healing ministry, small groups, and pastoral care have grown and are an integral part of Fisherwick even extending beyond the boundaries of the Church itself into the wider community.

The Whole Church

Fisherwick has sought for over fifty years to build strong links with all other local fellowships, this ministry being pioneered at great personal cost by Dr. Jack Withers. For most of that time, this has been developed through ecumenical cooperation, joint worship, joint Alpha, multi-church engagement and more recently with Queen’s Chaplaincy, Friends International and CUI. Fisherwick is committed to developing meaningful relationships and active cooperation in sharing the Gospel. Our congregation is made up of a wide range of people from many different denominational backgrounds which along with a ‘moving’ congregation (student who worship at Fisherwick while at University) create a varied community. Part of the vision of Fisherwick is to disciple, equip, nurture and train the whole congregation, which will include people who may never serve in Fisherwick but are released to the wider church.

The Whole World

Dr. Morgan the first minister was also the first convener of foreign mission. The first missionaries from the recently formed General Assembly in 1840 went from Fisherwick and the roll of serving missionaries down the years is a lengthy one. Fisherwick is committed to mission at home through local practical expressions of a world faith, overseas mission and mission through new media technologies. Our overseas commitment has been recently expressed through mission trips to India, Romania and South Africa and is presently seen in our active involvement in the World Development Appeal and the work of ‘Presbyterian Women’. In addition we are a partner church with Open Doors and South Belfast Food Bank. We also support a member of our congregation who is now a missionary in Peru.