Are revival fires spreading again? We asked 18 Christian leaders

With reports of renewal gathering pace, Christian leaders from a variety of churches and locations across the UK report on what they’re witnessing

For years, almost every study into religious affiliation and church attendance in the UK has told the same story. Fewer people are going to church. Secularisation is on the rise. Young people aren’t interested.

Not anymore, it seems.

In recent weeks a Bible Society/YouGov study named The Quiet Revival has revealed church attendance is increasing and the biggest rise is happening among Gen Z (18-24s) men. The report has been almost universally welcomed, with the excitement spurred on by the many churches who also saw record attendance at Easter.

Are we witnessing a turning of the tide? Surveys from the UK and other Western nations certainly look promising. Consider the following:

• Bible sales increased by 87 per cent between 2019 and 2024, according to SPCK.
• Twice as many people are making first-time commitments to follow Jesus compared to 2021, according to new Evangelical Alliance research. 
• More then 2 million people tried the Alpha course last year - the highest figure ever recorded.

The former editor of this magazine, Justin Brierley, has been arguing since 2023 there’s a “surprising rebirth of belief in God” taking place, especially among leading intellectuals.

66 per cent of Americans have made a meaningful commitment to Jesus, a twelve per cent increase since 2021, according to Barna. Their CEO, David Kinnaman, called it: “The clearest trend we’ve seen in more than a decade pointing to spiritual renewal.”

Is this the beginnings of a new move of God? We spoke to a range of Christian leaders from across denominations and church backgrounds to find out…