About Us

We are a Bible believing, Christ preaching, soul saving, community creating church for the glory of God and the joy of all peoples from the Vale to the ends of the earth.

Elders

Ricky Don Wilhelm

At the age of fourteen, on October 10, 1996, a schoolmate shared the gospel with me. At that moment, I had an overwhelming sense of my guilt before a holy God and a joy that Jesus Christ had atoned for my sins and graciously gave me new life through faith. My wife, Brandy, and I grew up in the same village in Oklahoma. We got married when we were 19 years old and began serving Christ together. After several years of youth ministry in Oklahoma, we decided to leverage a season of our life in Russia where God began to grow our family, giving us two children. After thirteen years of evangelism, church planting and pastoral ministry there, our family unexpectedly found itself at a crossroads. Due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the logistical complications which ensued, we could not stay. So, we prayerfully considered other ministry paths which has led me to the Vale as a church planter sent by Highfields Church. It is a great joy to preach the Word, care for the flock and witness what God is doing at Penarth Evangelical Church.

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Jonathan Popham

I became a Christian on 25th April 1975, age 9, when I realised my need of a saviour and wept as I considered the pain that the Lord Jesus suffered on the cross of Calvary as He died for my sins. I am married to Joanna, a nurse and have three sons, Ben, Jacob and Thomas, who grew up in Highfields Church, Cardiff that we attended since 2002. I worked for NatWest Bank for 37 years and now run my own mortgage advice firm which provides the flexibility for me to serve the Lord more. I was involved in children’s work for over 30 years and was a deacon in my late 20’s. I’m currently a trustee for a charity that takes the Christian gospel message into our Welsh medium schools. I became an elder in Highfields Church in April 2022, and am now pleased to serve the Lord as an elder in Penarth Evangelical Church.

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Nigel Graham
I was brought up in a Christian home, but came to personal faith in Jesus as a teenager. Wanting to know more of the solid foundation of faith in the Lord, I studied the Bible and theology from A level through to post-graduate research. This led me into teaching religious studies as a career. I am truly blessed in having married Esther, a fellow believer. Our family became four, with a son and daughter who both, by God’s grace, became Christians and now have believing spouses. Over the years, I have served in several roles in different church contexts. What led Esther and I to Highfields was the consistent, faithful preaching and teaching of the whole counsel of God as found in his Word. God has revealed his glory in Christ who died for me. With his help, now, I seek to serve him faithfully as an elder of Penarth Evangelical Church.
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Who are we?

The most important thing about Penarth Evangelical Church is not what makes us distinct— it’s what we share in common with every other true church.

We teach that there is one, and only one, living and true God. He is the eternal, infinite Creator and supreme Ruler of heaven and earth. He is just, merciful, and loving, and he governs all things according to his sovereign will. He is inexpressibly glorious in holiness and is worthy of all possible honour, confidence, and love. In the unity of the Godhead there are three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. They are equal in every divine perfection, and they carry out distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption

We teach that the Holy Bible, both Old and New Testaments, was written by persons who were divinely inspired, and that it is a perfect treasure of heavenly instruction. God is its author, salvation is its purpose, and truth, without any mixture of error, is its content. Scripture reveals the principles by which God will judge us and the way of salvation through Jesus Christ. Therefore, it is now, and will be to the end of the world, the true centre of Christian fellowship and the supreme standard for evaluating all human conduct, creeds, and opinions.

We teach that the salvation of sinners is only by the grace of God through the work of Jesus Christ, apart from any human work. Jesus is the promised Messiah and Saviour of the world and is the mediator of a new covenant between God and humanity. By the appointment of the Father, he freely took on our nature but not our sin. He honoured the divine law by his personal obedience and made a full atonement for our sins by his substitutionary death, satisfying God’s justice. He rose from the dead and is now enthroned in heaven. On the last day, he will descend from heaven and raise the dead to final judgement. Jesus Christ unites in his person the tenderest sympathies with divine perfections and, as such, is qualified in every way to be a suitable, compassionate, and all-sufficient Saviour.

We teach that the local church is governed by the Word of God, which teaches that Jesus alone is its king and head; that elders are qualified men given to shepherd the church; that deacons are to serve the church; and that the congregation, comprised of all members, has the responsibility to affirm members, defend doctrine, hold its leaders accountable, and carry out discipline when Scripture requires. Church members are commanded to assemble regularly, love one another, promote gospel unity, seek the good of their neighbours, make disciples of the nations, and live for the glory of God.

Want to hear more?

Although the description above is not comprehensive, it is a brief guide to who we are and what we cherish most as a local church. Our church is made up of people from a variety of backgrounds and experiences, yet we gladly unite in one set of biblical doctrines. Whilst we rejoice in the salvation of our brothers and sisters in Christ worldwide, it’s inevitable that each congregation will have its own convictions and culture. To learn more about us please visit one of our services, contact us, or listen to our recent sermons.