Kensington Temple facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kensington Temple
Kensington Temple
Location	Notting Hill, London, England
Country	United Kingdom
Denomination	Elim Pentecostal Church, Evangelical Pentecostal
Website	[1]
History
Founded	1930
Founder(s)	George Jeffreys

Kensington Temple is a large Pentecostal church located in the Notting Hill area of London, England. It is the biggest church within its group, the Elim Pentecostal Church.

The Story of Kensington Temple

How the Church Began

The building where Kensington Temple stands today was first built in 1849. It was known as Horbury Chapel and was used by a church called the Hornton Street Congregational church.

In 1930, a person named George Jeffreys bought the building. By 1935, he renamed it Kensington Temple. It became a very important church for the Elim Pentecostal Church group.

Growing the Church Community

The church as we know it today really started to grow in 1965. This was under the leadership of Rev. Eldin Corsie. In the late 1960s and 1970s, the number of people attending grew to 600.

Later, in the 1980s, Rev. Wynne Lewis helped the church grow even more. The number of people attending services increased to several thousand. Many church members started calling Kensington Temple "KT" for short.

Spreading Out Across London

Since the 1980s, Kensington Temple has helped start many new churches. They have planted about 150 churches all over London. Today, the larger Kensington Temple London City Church Network includes 26 churches across Greater London. Over time, some of these churches have become independent or official Elim churches on their own.

In 2000, Kensington Temple began to change how it worked. It started to become a "cell church". This means it has hundreds of small groups, called cell groups, that meet every week across London. In the same year, KT moved its main offices. Over the years, Kensington Temple has held some of its big yearly events at famous places in London. These include the Royal Albert Hall and Wembley Arena.

What Happens at Kensington Temple Today

Every week, thousands of people come to Kensington Temple for services. The church still holds services in Notting Hill. It also runs a Bible School, offers online learning, and has a bookshop.

What Kensington Temple Believes

Focus on the Holy Spirit

Kensington Temple follows Pentecostal beliefs. This means they believe strongly in the work of the Holy Spirit. They believe the Holy Spirit helps both the church as a whole and individual people.

Helping Christians Grow

A main goal of Kensington Temple is to help all Christians follow Jesus Christ. They want people to grow and become more like him. A lot of this learning happens through the cell groups. These small groups meet during the week. They offer care, support, and training for church members.

Mission for London and the World

The main mission of Kensington Temple is "London and the World for Christ." This means they aim to share their beliefs with people in London and around the world.