(Photo: YouTube)
In an unusual move, a property investor is offering a lifeline to an endangered church building in England. Samuel Leeds, a businessman from Wolverhampton, has put forward a cash offer of £225,000 ($302,105) for the Darlaston Methodist Church, aiming to keep it in service as a place of worship and community support.
Leeds, known for his outspoken views on wealth creation, announced in a social media update: “I’m buying a church.” The church, located in Wednesbury near Leeds’ hometown, is at risk of being sold and converted into apartments by developers.
The investor, who describes himself as a self-made millionaire on LinkedIn, is not new to ambitious projects; he previously purchased the historic Ribbesford House with his brother. His current mission is to offer the church building free of charge to a Christian community willing to use it for worship and outreach activities.
“I’m fed up with driving past all these churches in the UK that used to thrive, support the community, and feed the homeless,” Leeds expressed. “Now, just look at these beautiful church buildings. So many are boarded up and closed down, with developers queueing up to profit from converting them into flats. I simply can’t accept that a building built to glorify Jesus for generations can be turned into something solely for profit.”
Leeds plans to provide the church entirely rent-free to a congregation that will utilize it for its intended purpose. Notably, in a Facebook video, he mentioned that 16 developers had shown interest in the site before his offer, highlighting the competitive interest in the property.
“I am so angry and tired and sad at seeing churches closed down when we need them in the communities to be alive,” he stated. “I believe revival is coming and we need churches to be open.”
Currently listed as a “redevelopment opportunity,” the church on Slater Street is one of the few remaining Methodist properties in Darlaston Green. The building includes various facilities such as a main hall and meeting rooms, indicating its potential for continued community use.
The site listing from Creative Retail describes the property as offering “versatile open-plan accommodation that can be reconfigured for many alternative uses,” but Leeds hopes his purchase will ensure it remains dedicated to Christian worship.
According to the 2021 United Kingdom census, 50.1% of Wednesbury residents identify as Christian, a figure slightly higher than the 46.2% across England and Wales, underscoring the potential community impact of keeping the church operational.
© Christian Daily International
This article was originally written by www.christiantoday.com
