7 ways the Church can help tackle homelessness

In 2010, Ed Walker returned to the UK after working in Africa for many years with Tearfund. He was in his local park with his daughter when he met a man who was homeless. He had recently been discharged from prison and had nowhere to go because he had no one to go to.

From that park bench, Ed could see the spires and towers of many local churches, and this prompted him to ask: “What could the Church do about homelessness?” He was inspired by Isaiah 58:5: “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen? To loose the chains of injustice, provide food for the hungry and the poor wanderer with shelter?”

When he received an inheritance shortly afterwards, Ed and his wife Rach used the money to buy a house for people who were homeless. Hope into Action was born. 14 years on, the charity has 117 homes across the country.

Social and spiritual capital

Every Hope into Action house is partnered with a local church. This social and spiritual investment is what turns our houses into homes. Our staff provide professional support, and churches provide friendship and connection to the local community.

Based on what we’ve learnt over the last 14 years, these are our seven tips on how Christians should respond to homelessness.

1. Recognise the UK’s severe homelessness crisis. Rough sleeping has risen by 27 and 28 per cent in the last two years but this is just the visible tip of the homelessness iceberg. There are more people in emergency temporary accommodation than ever before. Housing is increasingly unaffordable and there is a chronic lack of social housing. Adding our voice to campaigns run by organisations such as Shelter and Crisis is a vital way to advocate for more investment in housing.

2. Grasp God’s heart for people affected by homelessness. The early Church in Acts showed a deep commitment to the poor, sharing what they had for mutual benefit. If your church does not know people who are affected by poverty and homelessness, then you are missing a fundamental aspect of Christ’s calling. As Paul writes: “All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I had been eager to do all along” (Galatians 2:10).

3. Work collaboratively. Addressing homelessness requires collaboration. Its far better to channel our faith and vision into work that dovetails with existing services and charities than duplicating. Talk to your local council’s housing team, go to homelessness forums and speak with other charities to find out what is most needed in your area.

4. Take Action! There are many different models for how your church can get involved, such as drop-in centres, community meals, night shelters or even opening a house with Hope into Action. Housing Justice run a befriending scheme called Citadel and a project called Faith in Affordable Housing.

5. Create community. Addressing homelessness is more than providing accommodation. We are relational beings and people need positive relationships with others around them. The best thing about the Church is that it is a community of mutual relationships all based on a message that can transform someone’s identity. The Church has something very distinctive and special to offer.

6. Remember the importance of grace and truth. Showing love to people affected by homelessness is not always easy. We need to remember that Jesus was full of both grace and truth (John 1:14). If we just focus on grace through being accepting and kind, this can be naïve and cause many complications. We need to balance this with an emphasis on also being truthful and honest with those we are seeking to help. This combination can be transformative.

7. Stay distinctive. There are too many charities that ‘used to be Christian’ in the homelessness sector. This is tragic, as the gospel of Jesus is so relevant to the issues that affect homeless people. We should never impose our faith on vulnerable people, but we should be confident that helping people know God’s love is the best thing we can offer. Last year 69 per cent of Hope into Action tenants wanted prayer and 16 were baptised or made a similar formal commitment of faith in Christ.

Christians have made huge contributions to addressing homelessness in the UK. Let’s go deeper to put our faith into action to “provide…the poor wanderer with shelter” (Isaiah 58:5) and make a difference to those who are suffering in our wealthy but deeply needy nation.

Hope into Action’s annual conference will take place on 12 March 2025