Let's overturn these tables

There used to be three clear realities about the church in England (and elsewhere in the western world).

Attendance numbers were dropping, young men didn’t go to church, and Covid would cause even faster decline.

Now, half a decade after Covid, it seems all three realities were wrong.

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The numbers

Just over 2 months ago, I reported on declining church attendances in Australia, UK and USA. Since then a couple of surveys shows the picture is changing, in England at least.

Bible Society survey

In April 2025, the Bible Society released The Quiet Revival, a report on church attendance and belief based on a survey of over 13 thousand people in 2024 in England and Wales. It follows a similar survey conducted in 2018, and so allows meaningful assessment of change over that 6 year period.

Main findings

• Church attendance has increased 50% in 6 years.
• The main growth has come in Pentecostal and Catholic churches. The Church of England has experienced slower but consistent growth over the past 4 years, and still has the largest overall attendance.
• The most dramatic growth has come with young adults (18-24 year olds). Church attendance among young men has increased from 4% to 21% in just 6 years. Among young women, the increase has been from 3% to 12%.
• The growth has been greater among non-white or minority ethnic groups.
• As a result, instead of being the least likely generation to attend church, Gen Z is now the second most likely. And belief in God or a higher power is now higher among 18-24 year olds than any other generation.

Healthier and happier

The survey shows that church attendance is related to higher levels of life satisfaction.

• Churchgoers are happier with their lives than non-attenders (71% vs 53%) and find more meaning in life (75% vs 49%).
• Church attenders are less likely to feel anxious (31% vs 43%) and more likely to feel hopeful (69% vs 46%).
• Surprisingly to me, churchgoers feel more connected to their local communities (55% vs 31%). As a result, church attenders are more likely than others to be engaged in social activism – e.g. donating to charity, getting involved politically, volunteering).

Particularly interesting is that while non-believers have a lower life satisfaction than church attenders, non-practicing Christians (people who identify as Christian but don’t attend church) have lower life satisfaction still.

Confidence in the Bible

The survey finds that the general population in UK have a low level of confidence in the Bible’s relevance today – only 25% believe it is relevant to them personally compared to 89% of churchgoers. However around a quarter to a third of younger churchgoers report their confidence in the Bible is often shaken by the media and British culture, and by reading some parts of the Bible.

Faith in Life survey

These results are supported by a separate smaller study in 2024, which found that the 18-24 age group was the most likely of all to believe their faith has impacted positively on their life and gives them purpose. They are also the generation most open to learning new things and changing their minds about faith.

What’s going on?

The Bible Society report suggests two factors that are assisting this growth.

1. A change of climate

There has been a shift in the cultural attitudes towards Christianity in the last decade.

Ten or twenty years ago, a number of articulate atheists promoted an attitude of hostility towards Christian faith, but the cultural climate has changed, first to apathy, and now to warmth towards Christianity.

2. The quest for belonging

The study confirms the fact that younger generations are facing increasing mental health challenges, and are often feeling more isolated and anxious. Many are looking to the church to find connection, meaning, purpose, healing and community.

But it appears it isn’t simply relationships they are finding, but they also have a growing belief in God and feeling loved by him, and are engaging in spiritual practices like Bible reading and church attendance.

What next?

The report recommends churches take action on these survey findings, especially aimed at helping young adults.

Discipleship

The report rightly recognises that it is one thing to have young adults attending church, but the real goal is for them to become Jesus’ disciples. However I feel concerned that current approaches to discipling by the church may stifle young adults and enculturate them into an ageing Christian culture that has seen the church in numerical decline.

Maybe Gen Z knows something the adults have missed? Let’s hope the “discipling” is encouragement and support for them to learn from the Holy Spirit rather than from the way things have always been done.

Confidence in the Bible

The report wants to see young Chriostians grow in their confidence in the Bible. But what if their concerns about the Bible are a reaction to current Christian interpretations that are outdated or not from the Holy Spirit?

Has the current church properly understood God’s attitude to women, the queer community and social justice? Does the current church’s teachings on creation and creation care, the Canaanite genocide, the Old Testament Law, hell and the fate of sincere believers in other faiths, all reflect the mind of God?

Do young adults see any of these issues more clearly than their older teachers?

Intergenerational conversation

It would be good to see “mutual listening and learning”. Young adults need to be listened to, not just spoken to. But for older people to build trusting relationships with GenZ requires adults to respect them and be open to them.

I have been an older Christian mentoring Gen Z for two decades, and I believe there are some clear principles in doing this well – see Making young disciples in the 2020s.

Interpersonal relationships

Personal relationships are likely to remain the best way to share faith and make disciples. Church activities built around active relationships will surely be more helpful than passive listening.

What about the rest of us?

All this is wonderful for the church in England and Wales. But what can the rest of us learn?

Each country is different, but there are many commonalities, in western culture at least. The internet and social media have created a lot of common ground.

Choose your hill to die on

Too much of our doctrinal statements and ethical stances reflect the battles and issues of bygone days. Christians in congregations and denominations can fight over matters that really aren’t all that important.

These battles generally turn people off. Knowing which disagreements really are necessary to pursue is critical.

Scratch where it itches

If more younger people are feeling isolated, anxious or uncertain, and looking for community and purpose, then surely the church has answers if we listen and reflect.

We need to know how to express the hope we have in meaningful ways and terms that Gen Z can appreciate. Our groups and conversations need to be liberating, not constricting.

Too much of our teaching and preaching reflects what we think is important. Leaders are supposed to be feeding the sheep, not themselves.

Training & equipping

Parents, pastors, leaders and adults generally need to be equipped to relate to and mentor young adults in helpful and respectful ways. It won’t just happen, churches need to give time to it.

And young adults need to be encouraged and trusted to share faith within and outside the church in relevant and meaningful ways.The old ways often don’t work.

Deciding what’s important

In the end, what is most important to us? Growing the kingdom of God? Seeing young people grasping hold of a new life? Or continuing what we feel most comfortable with?

Prayer, caring, serving are really important.

Photo by NATHAN MULLET on Unsplash

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