Lifeline in the United Kingdom

In 2023, a sister ministry introduced us to the city of Birmingham, England, and to a young couple from Kentucky who had a heart to move there and serve as missionaries. The more we explored, the more it seemed God was giving us a time and a place to attempt something new.  

Why Birmingham?
Birmingham is a city of major influence, as the second largest city in the UK. Fewer than 10% living there are evangelical Christians, and 75% of school children in Birmingham are Muslim. One in four residents were not born in the UK. The nations have truly come to Birmingham, making it a highly strategic location to stage an effort to reach the nations.

What will Lifeline-UK look like?
Lifeline has long felt a calling to work alongside churches to mobilize Christ followers to live on mission with God. We have expertise working with churches to create catalyst experiences that lead to significant life transformation. Coming alongside churches in the UK to do the same seems to be a natural next step for us.

We will work in 2024 to establish ourselves as a legal not-for-profit registered in the UK.  We have been, and will continue, asking questions and learning from church leaders in the UK as to how Lifeline’s ministry can fit in an appropriate way in the culture there. We are investigating whether things like meal packing, mission trips, community partnership projects, etc. fit well culturally in the UK. If they do, we will come alongside churches to offer them. If they don't, we will learn other ways to spark lives on mission with God that do fit in their context.



What about reaching the nations?
As mentioned, Birmingham is home to 187 ethnicities. In 2023 alone, over 80,000 people sought asylum in the UK, and thousands of them have been placed temporarily by the UK government in Birmingham while they wait for their asylum petitions to be processed. They are not allowed to work, have very limited financial resources, and are placed in housing situations where they lose a lot of their sense of family, community, and cultural identity.

We see this large population as a huge opportunity to both proclaim and demonstrate the gospel. We have a vision to launch a community center that focuses on the uniqueness of these asylum seekers, helping them acquire practical skills needed to thrive in their new host country as well as giving them a platform to develop and share the gifts they already possess with their new host country. We are currently building relationships with asylum seekers in Birmingham and other organizations that serve them as well. We envision a day where those we serve through this community center will be gospel messengers to their own families and nations in their own heart languages. As the pathway of how to launch this community center becomes clearer, we will invite others like you to join us.

Who serves with Lifeline-UK?
Shane and McKenzie Robison are Lifeline's pioneering leaders in Birmingham. Shane previously served as a student minister and has some additional not-for-profit experience; McKenzie has a background in healthcare and small business management. They have hit the ground running and have proven themselves very skillful at relationship-building. We are excited to have them on our team as they build out this new opportunity that God has called Lifeline to in the UK.

How can you join what is happening in Birmingham?
Please join us in praying for the Robisons and this new work of Lifeline in the UK.

If you would like to financially support the ministry Lifeline is launching in the UK, you can donate HERE.

If you would be interested in joining a vision trip to learn more personally about what Lifeline is doing in Birmingham, please contact me at joel.augustus@lifeline.org.