Court rules operation of Ted and Kylie Evans’ Pentecostal farm church, Redemption House at Lewiston, is illegal
A prominent Pentecostal husband and wife ran a church at their farm, drawing on lessons from the Garden of Eden – now they’ve been handed a lesson in court.
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A farm church inspired by the Garden of Eden – run by members of South Australia’s most high-profile Pentecostal family – is not allowed to operate because it was built in a farm zone, a court has ruled.
Pastor Ted Evans and his wife Kylie Evans began operating the church, Redemption House, inside a barn at their Lewiston home after Mr Evans in 2020 left the popular Influencers Church at Salisbury Plains, where he was campus pastor.
The Environment, Resources and Development Court last month upheld the 2024 decision of an Adelaide Plains Council panel to deny a retrospective application by Mr Evans to use the land for a place of worship, after Mr Evans appealed the decision.
In his judgment, Commissioner Damian Dawson concluded while the “social and spiritual benefits to the congregation are obvious, the proposal is left wanting in terms of finding support within the (planning) code for its location within a primary production zone”.
Ted Evans is the nephew of the late Andrew Evans, who started the Family First political party and was a key figure in growing Futures Church, which has previously gone by names including Influencers Church, Paradise Assembly of God and Klemzig Assembly of God.
Mr Evans gave evidence that Redemption House “sought to create a village atmosphere for their congregation based around community and their beliefs in the life lessons that can be learnt from the Garden of Eden”.
Summarising the evidence, Commissioner Dawson said the pastor believed “the rural nature of the land attracts people to the church, particularly those who are not comfortable with, or unable to attend a regular church service”.
“Pastor Evans concluded that the worship he offers upon the land is unable to replicated anywhere else,” he said.
The property has also been used to host several weddings and functions.
The application said services with live music for up to 120 people would be held weekly on Sundays.
Fourteen people made submissions to Adelaide Plains Council opposing the application, with many complaining about noise disturbance.
“I can clearly hear the music, singing, and preaching,” one nearby resident said. “Sound travels in rural areas and sound levels can increase depending on the wind conditions and the temperature.”
Commissioner Dawson said noise did not factor into his decision to refuse planning consent, instead concluding the proposal did “not support the use of the zone for intensive agriculture” despite the congregation deriving “a degree of spiritual benefit from the rural setting”.
Ted Evans and Kylie Evans – who is the Family First candidate for Grey – did not respond to requests for comment by deadline.
Mr Evans’ cousin Russell Evans started the Planetshakers Ministry, which is known for leaked footage of Scott Morrison praying at its Melbourne church.
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Originally published as Court rules operation of Ted and Kylie Evans’ Pentecostal farm church, Redemption House at Lewiston, is illegal
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