A Church without Walls

Available for over a year

Pastor Jane Codrington grew up in a conservative faith environment before leaving the institutional church to found We Are Church - a community for those excluded by traditional structures. Set within a quiet, gated Johannesburg neighbourhood reflecting the city’s wealth and social divides, the church brings people together to connect, belong, and celebrate community. Jane emphasises this is not a ‘queer church’-though LGBTQ members are welcome-but a space for anyone pushed to society’s edges. Some consider what she’s doing blasphemous. She has faced accusations of “harbouring sin” or “leading people to hell,” alongside hostility for her radical inclusivity. Through candid interviews, we meet members who have found belonging-trans individuals and LGBTQ asylum seekers from neighbouring African countries, disowned by their families, seeking safety and acceptance in South Africa. Jane reflects on the personal cost of leaving the institutional church and the heartbreak she has experienced in her family. She speaks candidly about grief, doubt, and how her faith has been reshaped by both loss and radical inclusivity. The episode captures striking contrasts: the stillness of the gated streets against the warmth of Jane’s congregation coming together at her home; conversations about faith and belonging alongside music, singing, and shared meals. Listeners are drawn into a world where questions of doctrine, scripture, and inclusion are confronted with courage and compassion. Their story explores what it means to challenge traditional interpretations of faith, build community on the margins, and navigate grief and belief in a society that often misunderstands radical acceptance. Producer/presenter: John Offord Series producer: Rajeev Gupta Editor: Chloe Walker Production co-ordinator: Mica Nepomuceno (Photo Description: John Offord visits Pastor Jane Codrington at her Johannesburg home, a space reflecting her life as a pastor leading a non-traditional church, balancing loss, inclusion, and faith. Photo Credit: John Offord)