Honiton Family Church 
 

• Transformational change

• Acts 17 approach to mission

• Now planning major conference for 2018

This church has undergone a transformational change. Their minister Luke arrived in 2013 and the church said they knew they were dying and needed to change. There were 27 people in the church, most of them over 70. That was a shock to Luke and the family as they were used to a larger, younger church, but the call was there.
 
Acts 17:23
For as I went through the city and looked carefully at the objects of your worship, I found among them an altar with the inscription, ‘To an unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.
 
Paul’s approach in Acts 17 is what Luke has used. They listened and looked at their local community. They started a kids club and this grew over time. Luke’s own children were small so they started a toddler group.  Luke’s wife is a natural evangelist and they have avoided the normal difficulties churches have with toddler groups. Key to this each year is the graduation service for all the children moving on to school. This a special service in church.

As the church began to grow, Luke asked the church ‘are we prepared for the disruption that these new relationships will bring?’  The answer was yes.

This wasn’t about doing things that church 'do' but praying and reflecting carefully and looking for opportunities.

One of these is Pub church on a Sunday once a month. A local Pub didn’t open on Sunday and they could use it for free.
 
Luke is passionate about sport and men’s ministry and they have football team. Sport is a great way to spread the Gospel. These conversations have happened for Luke in the pub after the game. They also have a ‘Nerf night’ for younger people.