Pastor Diane David (a pastor at Presence Church, Gold Coast; and founder/pastor of Presence Filipino Church) founded Presence Church's Prayer Tower - a dedicated room for 24/7 prayer where church-members could come at any time of the day or night to pray and worship.
During times of prayer there, and intimacy with her Lord whom she loves, pastor Diane began to feel stirred by the Lord that a multiplication of Presence Church's ministry was to take place beyond the Gold Coast, and abroad.
Presence Church Senior Pastor Justin Stephney also shared a vision to see Presence Church grow to five churches in five nations - actually, five churches in five nations each, he said.
Pastor Diane suggested Toowoomba, to the other leaders - but Pastor Kent Green said he felt there were already enough churches in Toowoomba, so he wasn't keen on planting a new church there.
Around that time, a church in Toowoomba named The Breakthrough Centre, who were without a full-time pastor, and whose interim-minister was desiring to see someone take on the church, approached Presence Church at the Gold Coast, expressing interest in Presence Church taking the Breakthrough Centre in as part of Presence Church. Pastor Justin visited the Toowoomba church; and elders of the Toowoomba church also visited Presence Church at the Gold Coast.
The Toowoomba church had also thought of starting a Transformation Ministries-type residential rehab/discipleship house in Toowoomba; and had already nearly filled a squash-court size area with donated furniture and wares, getting ready to start. So when the elders visited Presence Church, they also met Transformations' Director at the time, Pastor Michael Barrett.
For whatever reason however, the idea didn't progress. Some of the elders at the Breakthrough Centre preferred not to go ahead with it. And perhaps Presence Church's leaders weren't all totally keen on it either.
Eventually Matthew Laylor became the pastor of the Breakthrough Centre. Pastor Laylor didn't feel that it was his ministry to open a rehab house, but he seemed a perfect fit to pastor and lead the church. The church is experiencing the blessing and favour of the Lord!
Meanwhile Pastor Diane still felt something in her spirit for Toowoomba and Presence Church. So eventually Diane booked herself accommodation in Toowoomba, and went to spend time in prayer. Diane invited sister Carol Muza, of Presence Church Gold Coast, to accompany her. (Carol ran an international Connect Group for Presence Church; and also participated with the team of Freedom Prayer at Presence Church.)
(Pastor Diane, and sister Carol, incidentally were both professionals also - Diane, an engineer - a construction estimator; and Carol, an accountant - besides being involved in the ministry and the work of the ministry.)
Diane and Carol spent time together over a couple of days, praying - praying about Presence Church having a church in Toowoomba.
After a short time, pastor Justin of Presence Church Gold Coast was contacted by the pastors of another independent church in Toowoomba - pastors Steve and Danii, of Faith Life Church. Steve and Danii were planning to relocate to Ireland, for ministry. They immediately offered to hand the church to Justin, and invited Presence Church to take it on!
Pastors Justin and Kent visited Faith Life's Church at 178 James Street, South Toowoomba, and both of them immediately felt excited about it. There was no hesitancy about it, either on the side of the Toowoomba pastors nor the Gold Coast pastors.
A short time later, Faith Life Church became Presence Church Toowoomba, in 2025. The legal paperwork was completed.
Pastor Justin, and pastor Kent frequented the church in Toowoomba. Pastor Diane also visited, bringing a group with her from the Gold Coast church, and brought a refreshing move of the Holy Spirit such as the church said they hadn't experienced for a while.
In the church's Tuesday night prayer meeting one week, quite early on, Pastor Justin appointed Bob and Lesley Best as the church's pastors. Bob and Lesley had been faithfully attending Faith Life Church for some 14 years. Beck was also appointed as a leader in the church.
In a little time Presence Church signage was put in place on the building's street-front facade. Pastor Justin also began constructing a children's creche area in the auditorium, which a number of the men of the Toowoomba congregation completed.
Two Sunday school rooms were also created, in the church's adjacent function building. Sons of Pastor Bob and Lesley donated and laid the brand new carpet.
Bob and Lesley were encouraged to become ACC (AoG in Australia) pastors, since Presence Church is an ACC church.
Steve and Danii are now in Ireland, as they'd planned. With their leadership at Faith Life Church, the church flowed easily in the gift of prophecy - and that gift continues prolifically in the church today.
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