The Kidz Klub format was pioneered by Bill Wilson (Metro Ministries) in New York, as a way of reaching unchurched kids with the good news of Jesus. The first church in Britain to catch Bill Wilson’s vision and implement it was Frontline Church in Liverpool.
In 1998 God spoke to the leadership of Heartbeat Church in Stoke, Coventry about reaching out to the children in their local area and sharing God’s love. In 1998 Heartbeat Church started a Saturday morning children’s club called “Lifetribe”. Over the next four years it grew from a handful of children to regularly over 100 children, with well over 200 children receiving a weekly home visit. Towards the end of 2002 it became obvious that there were too many children for the building to contain. After prayer and listening to God, the decision was taken to move “Lifetribe” into the city of Coventry. Over the period of a year Kidz Klub Coventry was born and partners with several contributing Coventry churches and “Global Care” a Coventry based children’s charity supporting children in Third World Countries. In November 2003 it moved to a City Centre location at Elim Church Coventry a much bigger church able to seat up to 200.
In November 2007 Kidz Klub Coventry in partnership with Westwood Church launched its first satellite in Canley. Many of the Canley Kidz Klub team members live in the local area which means that Canley Kidz Klub has become a real part of the community. A local deputy head teacher has commented that Kidz Klub has made a real difference to the kids lives in their school! Working closely with Westwood Church has meant that the impact of Kidz Klub has been wider than the children attending the Kidz Klub sessions and we’re seeing children going deeper with God in discipleship groups and their parents coming to faith.
November 2012 saw the launch of our second satellite klub in Wood End, working in partnership with Saint Aidan’s and St. Chad’s. We’ve seen God do amazing things through the team there already and are really excited about what’s to come.
March 2013 was the start of a satellite klub in Cheylesmore. This was moving into unknown territory as we already had families coming to Kidz Klub from Canley and Wood End before we started the satellites. In Cheylesmore we started from scratch and it’s been a great adventure. Partnership churches include Kings Church, St. James’ Styvechale, Christ Chuch Coventry, and a local house church. Sadly, this club had to stop in 2018 due to a lack of volunteers.
A year and a bit later, in June 2014 we saw our fifth Kidz Klub base established in Tile Hill. We had an exciting start here and are looking forward to getting to knowing more children and families in the area, in partnership with St James’ Fletchamstead, St Andrew’s Eastern Green, St Oswald’s and Limbrick Wood Baptist Church.
In 2015, having planted so many local clubs out of the Central club, we took the step to move out of the city centre location to Stoke Aldermoor. So KK1 was born, serving the children of Stoke Aldermoor whilst still providing a bus service for the children in the north east of the city yet to have a local Kidz Klub near them.