Who We Are
Our Story
Favor Church is a vibrant and exciting church for imperfect people of all ages, from different backgrounds. Our Brisbane location is part of a global family, which is based in Metro Manila, Philippines.
Our church started in Metro Manila in 2015, when Senior Pastors James and Kate Aiton, out of a great love for the Filipino people, moved from Australia to the Philippines and started a Connect Group in their condominium unit. This small group eventually grew into a community gathering and then Sunday services. It was very raw, but we felt something special, and more people started coming, meeting Jesus, and finding family. From then until now, God has been very kind to our church, and we’ve loved seeing people find community, family, and a place to encounter God.
From the beginning of our church, we’ve had a vision to plant churches in major cities across the Philippines and across the world. In June 2022, we took the next big step in the life of our church—we went GLOBAL! A great church in Brisbane, Gateway Church, became part of the Favor Church global family, and the story of Favor Church Brisbane began!
Our Lead Pastors, Ben and Amy Dolling, served faithfully on the Gateway Church team for many years, and are now leading Favor Church Brisbane in our new season! They have a great passion for the city of Brisbane and the local region.
We’re excited for the future of our church, and for the cities and church plants of the future. No matter where we find ourselves, our heart and our vision stays the same: to know God and make him famous.
Where We're Going
Our vision statement is simple: to know God and make him famous. Knowing God doesn’t just mean knowing about God—it means having a real, intimate relationship with him. We desire to reach people across the world with the good news of Jesus, helping them to encounter him in a real, authentic way. We’re passionate about making God famous, and we believe we’re called to plant churches in major cities across the world—churches marked by passionate worship, inspired creativity, a hunger for God’s presence, and the power of the Holy Spirit.
What We Value
PRESENCE – God’s presence is our ultimate pursuit. In everything, we’re hungry for God to pour out his presence. We know that a moment in God’s presence can change a person’s life, and we’re all about creating space for those moments. Our understanding of his presence and power is rooted in the bible—which we believe is relevant and true for today and the generations to come.
PEOPLE – We’re authentic, and accepting of all people. We want to be a genuinely welcoming church, and we value people over process. We call our people our ‘Favor Fam’ because that’s what we are—a family. It’s not perfect, but it’s special!
PRAYER – We believe in the power of prayer. Everything we do is infused with passionate prayer and believing for God to do what he says in his word and move in power. We don’t pray for victory, we pray from victory! And we pray according to the truths found in his Word.
GENEROSITY – We’re generous in everything. God has been so generous with us, so we live generous lives. It’s not just about money, but every other aspect—our time, our words, our service. We live life with an open hand. Generosity isn’t something we do, it’s who we are.
CREATIVITY – In the beginning, God created. The message stays the same, but the method is always changing. We’re passionate about being creative in everything we do, and we believe God has anointed us to reach people through our excellence and creativity.
Our Lead Pastors
Ben and Amy Dolling are the Lead Pastors of Favor Church Brisbane. Together, they served faithfully for 14 years as part of the Gateway Church team, before joining the Favor Church global family. They have a great passion for the city of Brisbane and the local region. They are the proud parents of Grace, Lucie, and Esther.
