Help your church fight UK poverty.

How do you create unity between churches that may be different?

I know that my church isn’t an island, nor will it bring the kingdom of God by itself. Most of the churches I work with are nothing like my church! I look for what we both value and focus on that, rather than looking at how we differ and whether that can be reconciled. There will certainly be challenges, but we all want to support people in our area through our common faith.

I believe the Church is the hope of the world because it holds the hope of the Gospel at its centre. Engaging in social action is important because these initiatives help the church become more effective. Jesus said ‘I will build my church, not ‘I will build my ministry or charity’. When you take social action out of the church, social action becomes the focus, it becomes the ‘thing’. But the ‘thing’ is the Gospel, the ‘thing’ is encountering the love of God through meeting Jesus in communities where he dwells - everything else is secondary to this.

living crisis is pushing millions of people, in the UK, into poverty.

How did Beacon Church first get involved with Christians Against Poverty?

About ten years ago, we were seeing lots of local people experiencing debt through payday lenders, so we began exploring how our church could respond. We did this as part of a group of churches from across Brixton, and in the end we chose to start delivering debt help in partnership with CAP.

How has working with CAP impacted your church?

CAP develops the courses, the resources and employs the financial experts - but it’s local churches who provide the loving care and support for those drowning in debt and poverty, and can offer community and friendship to those living in deep isolation and crippling anxiety.

The service we provide is face-to-face, meaning our Debt Coaches – who are members of the church congregation – visit people at home and provide a level of support that goes beyond debt help. This has been a great opportunity to connect with people in our community that would have otherwise never walked through our church doors.

Our experience is that plenty of these people want to explore faith. A number have joined the church and been baptised, with some even finding jobs within the church. In turn, they have contributed to shaping and defining the make-up of our church.

I would always say to start with prayer. We’ve been meeting with a number of churches in Brixton for a number of years now, and have learned so much from each other – we’ve even begun to practically support each other’s initiatives through these meet-ups.

The way I see it, CAP services are bridges we can use to take the Gospel over the chasms that separate us from people in our community. That’s where CAP’s strength lies and where it’s helped our church. Instead of focusing on becoming a standalone social action service, it focuses on equipping the Church to be the Church.

than ever, God is calling on churches to put Jesus’ compassion into action. CAP can and your church with free video, sermon and prayer resources, empowering you to reality of UK poverty through a biblical lens, and then respond.

In what ways has God answered your prayers?

Since meeting to pray together, we’ve collectively launched a food bank, youth group, debt help service, money coaching course and job club. We’ve gotten involved with the chaplaincy at Brixton prison, a charity helping

More about Christians Against Poverty

CAP is offering free resources to enable your church and congregation to explore what the Bible says about poverty and how you can join the fight against it. Discover more at capuk.org/keepthefaith

How confident are you that your church is meeting its legal requirements?

As part of a society that is desirous of embracing people from various cultural backgrounds, ages and belief systems, churches strive to create inclusive spaces. In order to do so safely, there are legal considerations and potential liabilities that church leaders and administrators should be aware of.

Finance and Tax-Exempt Status

The foundation on which any church is established is important regarding its legal identity and tax status so that money is managed effectively. Churches can obtain tax-exempt status from the relevant authorities, such as the HMCS. Registration with the Charity Commission is compulsory once a voluntary organisation reaches the threshold of £5,000 turnover a year. Compliance with local regulations regarding religious organisations is essential to enjoy tax benefits and other privileges. A church can increase its donations by 20% in some cases (via Gift Aid) if its legal identity is set up correctly.

Discrimination and Equal Opportunity

Promoting inclusivity and non-discrimination is at the heart of Christianity, and in practice it is essential to comply with local and national laws that prohibit discrimination based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and disability. Churches should establish policies and practices that ensure equality and fair treatment for members and employees in line with the doctrines they follow.

Property and Licences

Acquiring and managing property is a significant consideration for any church. Freehold obligations, lease clauses, and terms of licences must all be given due diligence. How a church owns property, who signs documents, who sits as trustees in a church,