Christ Church started in 2010 when Jonty Rhodes, the Assistant minister at the Anglican Parish church of St Alkmund’s, Duffield was sent to plant a church in the city centre of Derby. We began meeting at the Jury’s Inn (now Leonardo Hotel) in the Cathedral Quarter and then we moved to the Joseph Wright centre in 2012. In 2014 an opportunity came up to purchase our own building - an old scaffolding warehouse. Through God's remarkable provision we were able to raise the money to buy and renovate the building for use as our church. It’s served us very well in the years since.

As the church grew, so did the leadership. In 2011, we appointed two additional elders (Matt and Tim) and in 2013 we appointed a deaconate to help with the main practical needs of the church. At this point the church was still operating independently, but the leadership was united in Presbyterian convictions, and in June 2015 Christ Church was received as a congregation of the International Presbyterian Church.

In 2017, Christ Church sent out a team to plant again, this time a bit further afield in Leeds to start what is now Christ Church Central. That team was led by our Minister, Jonty Rhodes; in preparation for his departure, Joel Kendall arrived as our Minister in September 2016.

In 2022 we also grew out diaconate so that we could provide more structured, practical help to the church and local community.

In 2021, Peter Leach came to be our Assistant Minister with a view to planting a church at the end of his three year contract with us and in September 2024, Peter and his family left Christ Church to begin Grace Church Coventry. We also appointed John to the eldership of Christ Church in 2024.