Study: Revival in the UK: Church Attendance Up 50%—Gen Z Leading the Way · Caldron Pool

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“The report reveals that over two million more people are now attending church than six years ago—a 50% increase in attendance that challenges longstanding narratives of Christian decline.”

Church attendance in the United Kingdom is seeing a dramatic resurgence, particularly among young adults, according to new findings published by Bible Society UK. The report, The Quiet Revival, reveals that over two million more people are now attending church than six years ago—a 50% increase in attendance that challenges longstanding narratives of Christian decline.

The research, conducted by Bible Society and YouGov, highlights the most significant growth among 18–24-year-olds. In 2018, only 4% of this age group reported attending church at least monthly. That figure has since quadrupled to 16%. Among young men, attendance jumped from 4% to 21%, while young women saw an increase from 3% to 12%.

The also study found the Church is becoming more ethnically diverse, especially among younger groups. Around one-third (32%) of churchgoers under 55 are from non-White backgrounds, compared to just 6% among those over 55. This younger demographic is more ethnically diverse than the general population, where 18% identified as non-White in the 2021 census. Notably, nearly half (47%) of young Black people aged 18–34 attend church monthly, and one-third (33%) of 18–34-year-olds from mixed ethnic backgrounds are also regular churchgoers.

The rise in church attendance is not only due to increased participation from minority ethnic groups; White attendance is also on the rise. For example, 18% of 18–34-year-old White men now attend church monthly, a figure that has quadrupled from just 3% in 2018. A similar, though less pronounced, trend is observed among young White women. This demonstrates an overall increase in churchgoing among young adults, with notable growth from the White population.

“These are striking findings that completely reverse the widely held assumption that the Church in England and Wales is in terminal decline,” said Dr. Rhiannon McAleer, co-author of the report.

Young adults today are not just attending church—they are becoming the most religiously engaged generation alive. The data shows a rise in Bible reading and belief in God among 18–24-year-olds, marking a shift from passive identification to active faith.

Beyond attendance figures, the report notes broader social benefits tied to church involvement. More than 60% of churchgoing Christians say they feel a strong sense of belonging in their local community—compared to just 25% of non-churchgoers.

Church involvement is strongly correlated with improved mental and emotional well-being—particularly among young adults. At a time when this generation faces a growing mental health crisis, active faith participation appears to offer significant support and stability.

Researchers suggest the real decline is not in Christianity itself, but in nominal Christianity—where people identify as Christians culturally, but do not actively participate in church life or mission.

These findings are based on a nationally representative longitudinal study tracking religious attitudes and behaviour across England and Wales since 2018. The data, commissioned by Bible Society and conducted by YouGov, offers the most comprehensive look at the Church’s trajectory in years.

Speaking with Caldron Pool, Reverend Brett Murphy of Emmanuel Church, in Morecambe Lancashire, described the United Kingdom’s recent past as a “spiritual wasteland” marked by decades of decline in Christian attendance and a corresponding rise in radical secularism.

“Radical secular leftism has weakened the Christian foundations of our culture to the extent that aspects of British culture many Britons take for granted are dissolving before their very eyes,” Rev. Murphy said, adding that for over forty years, much of the church—particularly the Protestant denominations—has “capitulated to the prevailing leftist cultural zeitgeist.”

Rev. Murphy cited widespread biblical revisionism and theological compromise as contributing factors in the collapse of church attendance across the country. According to recent reports, over 3,000 churches have either closed or are now rarely used within the past decade.

On top of this, Rev, Murphy noted that Britain has simultaneously seen “almost uncontrolled levels of Islamic migration.” Despite the bleak outlook, he pointed to the findings as signs of hope: “In the midst of this darkness, there is a glimmer of light, a reminder that Almighty God has preserved a remnant and is building His church.”

“Young men, and to a lesser extent young women, are attending predominantly traditionalist churches, avoiding the woke denominations almost entirely,” Rev. Murphy said. “This confirms a hunch I’ve had for a few years. The younger generations are fed up with the shallow vapid lies of wokeism and are yearning for a belief system of substance.”

According to Murphy, many young people are disillusioned with the country’s trajectory and are turning back to historic Christianity as a source of cultural and spiritual strength. “We have attracted people from all walks of life,” he said of his own independent, traditionalist Anglican congregation. “A large percentage are young men searching for a community of Christians who stand firm on God’s word.

“Let’s hope and pray that the survey results from Bible Society and YouGov are good signs of a revival beginning to break out in the Green and Pleasant Land,” he said.

Source https://caldronpool.com/study-revival-in-the-uk-church-attendance-up-50-gen-z-leading-the-way/

From Godreports.com

Presence of God felt in heart of London

The presence of the Lord was powerfully felt in the heart of London this Easter in what is seen by some as a spiritual breakthrough.

The capital has been swamped by months of rebellious protests, particularly by the pro-Palestinian marchers in the wake of the October 7th massacre of Jewish people in Israel.

But a team of Dutch Christians under the banner of Presence, a movement aimed at bringing Christian worship onto the streets of Amsterdam and other European cities, came to London on Maundy Thursday night to lift the name of Jesus beside government buildings in Whitehall.

“Jesus is the Answer” and many other songs of praise to God resounded down the busy thoroughfare as musicians and singers raised their voices in worship.

It was in stark contrast to a protest earlier in the day that saw a pro-Palestinian group occupy the entrance to the Department of Business and Trade after staging a fake accident to divert security as they called for an arms embargo of Israel.

The singers were stationed on the pavement beside the Cabinet Office, opposite the Ministry of Defense and just round the corner from No 10 Downing Street, the residence of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

The joyful praise and worship continued for over two hours, interrupted now and then by prayers and proclamations, boldly declaring the Lordship of Christ over London after so much chaos and disruption in recent months.

Many of the songs had an Easter theme, with much focus on the cross and the blood Jesus shed in order to reconcile us to God and each other.

Prayers were particularly directed at the people of Israel and the Jews in the UK who have been feeling greatly intimidated by the exponential rise in antisemitism since the Gaza War broke out.

Presence leader Wim Hoddenbagh, on at least two occasions, turned towards Downing Street to tell the Prime Minister (a practicing Hindu) that Jesus loves him! He further made a point of thanking the Jewish people for giving Jesus to the Gentile world while prayers were also said for the city’s homeless.

So uncharacteristic of the many rallies held in London was the complete absence of hostility – just praise, prayers and, clearly, the presence of God in their midst.

Further such events are planned in other parts of the UK, and they hope to return to London.

With the BBC criticised for dropping a traditional Easter service from its prime channel¹, suggesting they were thus playing down the importance of Christianity to the nation, perhaps we should take that as a sign for the Church to take more responsibility for their own message in the way the Dutch believers have done.

It is surely time to challenge the darkness that has come over our land since we decided that we knew better than God how to run our affairs. We turned our backs on the Ten Commandments and, in the face of increasing immorality, made up laws to reflect our changing culture.

Explaining the motivation for the Presence movement at a recent event in Amsterdam, Wim referenced the way the prophets of old used the weapon of worship to bring down enemy strongholds. It was the answer to Paul and Silas in prison, to King David hiding from his persecutors; why Jericho fell and why the godly kings of Israel sent worshippers out to battle ahead of the soldiers!

It’s time to build an altar of worship to God, he said. For the battle is not ours, but his!

¹They have decided not to cover the service from King’s College, Cambridge, as has been the tradition for many years.