Our Story
A church built for people who don't do church.
We exist for the person who's never tried church — and for the one who tried it and walked away. Both are welcome here. Both belong.
How We Started
The founding question.
House of Rest International began with a single conviction: the church should be a place of genuine rest for everyone — especially those who've never felt at home in one.
Our founding pastor saw two groups of people who had something in common. The first had never experienced church — not because they weren't spiritual, but because what they'd seen from the outside didn't feel worth the effort. The second had tried church, been shaped by it, and eventually been hurt by it. They left quietly. No announcement, no confrontation. They just stopped.
Both groups needed the same thing: a place where they could show up honestly, ask real questions, and belong without performing.
That's what we're building — in Lagos, and wherever God takes this community next.
What We Believe
Six things we hold.
We believe in a lot of things. Here are the six that shape everything we do.
God loves you as you are
Not as you should be, not after you've cleaned yourself up — as you are, right now. Grace doesn't begin with your performance.
Honesty is more important than appearance
We'd rather have a room full of honest doubters than polished pretenders. Doubt brought to the table is the beginning of real faith.
The Bible is for real life
Not a rulebook. Not a list of things you're failing at. A library of human experience in honest conversation with a God who doesn't flinch at complexity.
Rest is not laziness — it's wholeness
Shalom — the Hebrew concept at the heart of our name — means peace, completeness, everything as it should be. That's what we're building toward.
Community is the point
Being human in the way Jesus described is not a solo project. We were made for each other — the belonging isn't incidental, it's the whole thing.
The church exists for the city
We're not here to fill seats. We're here to serve Lagos — in generosity, in justice, and in genuine love for our neighbours.
The Team
People you'll meet.
Our team leads from the front and serves from behind — making sure this community has what it needs to thrive.
Pastor [Name]
Senior Pastor & Founder
Our founding pastor carries a deep conviction that the church should be a place of genuine rest and belonging for everyone — especially those who've never felt at home in one.
Ready to see it for yourself?
Show up on a Sunday. No appointment needed. Come as you are.