ABOUT US
The Anthem Church Dream
An anthem is a common song that unites multiple people under a greater purpose. The Anthem Dream is of one church across multiple communities, made up of one people undivided by race, culture, age, class or gender; people united by one vision–that Christ would reign as King where they live and carry influence.
We dream of a people who invent ways to build bridges over dividing waters, who walk into undiscovered territory through their personal adventures of faith, who discover the gold in society, no matter how deeply it may be embedded under the mire.
The Anthem dream is of a people of wide open spaces who don’t bottleneck growth but open up opportunities for it. It is of a people who collaborate creatively for the benefit of those around them; who live in authentic community, investing their resources into a common goal, and who unlock the treasure inside of one another.
This dream is of a people whose treasure is not for the sake of personal wealth but rather for the inheritance of others; who are not seeking fame but influence, not driven by ambition but rather significance, people convinced of the love they have received and, therefore, compelled to give it.
The Anthem Dream is that it would be in Durban as it is in heaven, and that all of us would be a part of making it so.
Our Story
It was 1901 when Reverend Robbins and his household set off from south of the Umgeni River to establish a community north of it. North of the Umgeni, in those days, was wild, undeveloped, and little known. Yet, with great courage, this family risked everything as they crossed a wooden bridge, their hopes and dreams carried in horse-drawn wagons. Reverend Robbins had a dream to go where no one had gone before in order to see the kingdom of God reach the people and the area north of the river. Now it has become our privilege to keep building upon that same dream.
Fast forward to 2017 and the continuing mission of God amongst us needed a new name. The community that had previously been known as Durban North Presbyterian, and then Church of the Good Shepherd, was renamed Anthem Church! Old, but new. A remarkable history, but an even more exciting future. Reconciliation has always been in the heart of Anthem, before, during and after apartheid, and continues to be a compelling part of our vision.
In 2025, Anthem Church grew by one more community. Riverside Church in Westville, having been planted in 1995 and lovingly shepherded by Cedric and Louise Olivier for the previous twenty years, was joined into Anthem Church.
Today, Anthem is one church with multiple communities, serving from both Durban North and Westville, carrying the same heartbeat across every location: To love God, love people, and see our city, nation, and world transformed by the gospel.