If you’ve been searching for a church in Melbourne where you can truly belong, without having to hide who you are, pretend to have all the answers, or leave your values at the door – you might have just found it.
Box Hill Baptist Church is an openly affirming, LGBTQ+ inclusive Christian community in the heart of Box Hill. We welcome people of all sexualities, genders, cultures, and backgrounds. Not as a footnote, but as a core part of who we are.
What “affirming” actually means here
A lot of churches say they’re welcoming. We want to be specific about what that means for us.
At Box Hill Baptist, LGBTQ+ people are not merely tolerated. They are celebrated as full members of our community, welcome to participate at every level of church life. We recognise and celebrate the diversity of genders and sexualities as part of God’s creation. There are no conditions on belonging here.
We also don’t have a formal doctrinal statement that members must agree to. Instead, we have our Covenant – a shared commitment to love, justice, compassion, and respect for one another. If you’ve been hurt by rigid theology before, you may find that refreshing.
Who comes to Box Hill Baptist
Our community includes people who grew up in faith and never left, people who walked away from church and found their way back, people who are exploring faith for the first time, and people who aren’t sure what they believe but are drawn to this kind of community anyway. We also have a number of members who are LGBTQ+, and for many of them, finding a genuinely affirming church has been a long journey.
You don’t need to have it figured out to belong here.
Ways to connect
If a full Sunday service feels like a big first step, we understand. Here are a couple of ways to ease in:
The Last Breakfast is our monthly gathering on the last Sunday of every month – no sermon, no singing, just food, conversation, and good company. It’s relaxed, low-pressure, and, like all our services, open to absolutely everyone regardless of faith background. Many people come to Last Breakfast for months before ever attending a Sunday service, and that’s completely fine.
Sunday worship happens every week at 10am at the corner of Station Street and Ellingworth Parade, Box Hill. Services run for about an hour and are followed by morning tea in The Barn. Our worship style is thoughtful and creative. Grounded in tradition but never rigid, and always asking questions rather than just providing answers.
You’re also welcome to watch past services on our YouTube channel to get a feel for things before you visit.
Getting here
We’re located at 1–5 Ellingworth Parade, Box Hill – a short walk from Box Hill Station (train and tram). Street parking is available on Ellingworth Parade and surrounding streets. The building is fully accessible for wheelchair users and mobility aids.
Come and say hello
We’d love to hear from you. Whether you have questions, want to know more before visiting, or just want to say hi – reach out at office@boxhillbaptist.org.au or call us on 0481 350 251.
Or simply turn up on Sunday at 10am. You’ll be warmly welcomed.
Box Hill Baptist Church – an inclusive, affirming community at the heart of Box Hill, Melbourne.
Box Hill Baptist Church 