‘More men are finding Jesus - my church is full of them!’

A small chapel in the Welsh Valleys has experienced significant growth in recent years, with much of it driven by young men coming to faith. Pastor John Funnell of Noddfa Church shares the story 

There has been much discussion recently about toxic masculinity, the manosphere and the negative impact of influencers such as Andrew Tate. But there have also been glimmers of hope.

Surveys from across the US, UK, Scandinavia and Australia suggest that young men in particular are turning to Jesus in increasing numbers. Church has not always been seen as a place where men want to be, but our congregation is full of them.

When I arrived at Noddfa Church in 2014, the church was one of the few remaining chapels still open in the area. But with just a handful of elderly people attending, it was weeks away from closing. It is situated in a post-industrial coal mining village deep in the heart of the Welsh Valleys. There is high unemployment and the area tops most of the charts for social deprivation. The valley was not just secular but anti-Christ. The people there were broken and bitter, let down and apathetic. They hated God.