A Quiet Revival - But Are We Ready?

For years, the prevailing narrative - and the statistics - about Britain’s Christian landscape has been one of steady decline: shrinking church congregations and a cultural drift towards secularism and atheism. But new research from the Bible Society paints a very different picture - one of unexpected, quiet renewal.

What many have been sensing anecdotally - and certainly what I’ve been seeing with my own eyes as I work with churches up and down the country - has now been confirmed by the empirical data. The Bible Society’s newly released report, The Quiet Revival, reveals a surprising trend: church attendance is rising, not falling. And it’s being driven, in large part, by young people.

What the Numbers Show

Since 2018, the number of churchgoing Christians in England and Wales has actually grown from 8% to 12% - an increase from 3.7 million to 5.8 million people. Among 18-24-year-olds - Generation Z - attendance has quadrupled, growing from 4% to 16%. A third of all adult churchgoers are now aged between 18 and 34, up from just 14% six years ago. Though the growth among young women is not to be ignored, the shift among young men is especially striking: monthly attendance has jumped from under 4% in 2018 to 21% in 2024. The report also shows that 40% of 18-24-year-olds pray at least monthly, and 37% say they’re curious about the Bible.

The research - based on surveys in 2018 and 2024 conducted by YouGov on large, nationally representative samples of the adult population in England and Wales - shows that today’s churches are more ethnically diverse too, especially among younger people. Only 6% of over-55s are from global majority backgrounds, but this jumps to 32% for those under 55 - making them more diverse than the UK population (18% non-White, according to the 2021 National Census). Nearly half of young Black adults (47%) and a third of young adults with mixed ethnicity (33%) attend church monthly. And yet, while churches are becoming increasingly ethnically diverse, there is still a notable rise in young White attendees too.

Denominational dynamics are also shifting. Anglican affiliation among churchgoers has dropped from 41% to 34%, while Roman Catholic representation has climbed from 23% to 31%. Pentecostal identification has seen the most dramatic rise, more than doubling from 4% to 10%.

Another striking insight from The Quiet Revival study is that regular churchgoers consistently report better wellbeing. They feel more hopeful, more fulfilled, and often experience lower levels of anxiety and depression than those with no religious connection - a reminder that, for all its ideals, secularism continues to fall short of delivering the existential fulfilment it promises. The report also highlights clear differences in how active, churchgoing Christians think, believe, and live - differences that shape not only their inner lives but their outward impact. Churchgoers report stronger community ties and are significantly more likely to engage in social action, from volunteering and charitable giving to supporting food banks.

Are We Ready to Steward the Moment?

The data is encouraging. But it raises a vital question for the Church: are we ready for this? Perhaps the issue is no longer if (young) people will come, but whether we’ll be prepared when they do.

This new cultural and missional moment may require us to reimagine our approaches to worship, prayer, and community with fresh boldness and creativity. Could new musical expressions emerge that blend genres, cultures, and generations? Might prayer gatherings flourish not just in church sanctuaries, but in cafés, gyms, offices, universities, or parks? Could discipleship take root in unexpected places - like workplaces, neighbourhoods, or online communities - where faith can be nurtured through conversation, vulnerability, and shared rhythms?

Churches will need to cultivate environments for honest spiritual curiosity - hosting open forums, theology nights, and apologetics events, for example. They will need to see digital platforms like Instagram and TikTok not as distractions to avoid but mission fields to enter - for they are today’s public squares where the gospel can speak in visual and compelling ways.

Worship may also need to expand - embracing not only robust preaching and heartfelt praise, but also silence, lament, and justice-oriented action. As Paul wrote, “I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel” (1 Corinthians 9:22-23).

The task now is to innovate our methods without diluting the message - shifting our emphasis from mere programmes to authentic presence, and from simply filling buildings to truly forming people. This means we can’t simply be concerned about preserving institutions; we need to cultivate genuine relationships. Young people aren’t just looking for entertainment or affirmation; they’re hungry for authenticity, depth, and belonging. Despite being in an age captivated by social media influencers, many are tired of consumerism and celebrity culture - and it doesn’t seem that they’re drawn to churches that imitate these patterns.

The Need for Adaptive Leadership

The Bible Society’s report reveals a renewed openness to Christianity, the Bible, and the Church. Yet the central challenge now is discovering how to engage this curiosity in fresh, meaningful ways. Leaders who understand the cultural moment have a huge opportunity - not to cling to old structures, but to shape new spaces where curiosity is welcomed, faith can grow, and authentic community is formed.

This is why adaptive leadership is so essential. Approaches to evangelism and ministry shaped for a time when faith was assumed - or when Christians held cultural majority - simply don’t translate in an age where spirituality is self-directed, often digital, and frequently explored in isolation. In fact, clinging to old models may not just be ineffective - it may actively miss the moment.

History has a lesson to teach us here. Kodak was once the giant of photography. But when the world shifted from film to digital, Kodak clung to its old model - and vanished. Of course, photography didn’t die; in fact, more photos are taken today than ever. But Kodak failed to adapt. It was the same with Blockbuster. Netflix embraced streaming; Blockbuster stayed tied to its physical shops. We know how that ended!

When the landscape changes, refusing to adapt our methods isn’t just a missed opportunity - it’s a sure path to decline. The Church faces a similar crossroads. Spirituality is not dead; if anything, spiritual hunger is growing, but often outside traditional forms. If we’re inflexible, we risk becoming the Kodak or Blockbuster of the faith world - faithful to our methods, while forgetting that it’s the mission that must remain sacred.

New Wineskins for the New Moment

If we’re serious about reaching and discipling this generation, we can’t just dust off old methods and hope they work. Jesus spoke about new wine needing new wineskins (cf. Matthew 9:17). In the same way, the Church must embrace fresh forms for the timeless Gospel. This is not a time for nostalgia - it’s a time for courageous, creative faithfulness.

This isn’t a new idea. In the 16th century, for instance, Martin Luther recognised the power of the printing press. Rather than resist, he embraced it - translating the Bible into German and placing Scripture into ordinary hands. The Reformation didn’t spread by theology alone (though that mattered deeply), but because Luther understood the cultural shift and used it to proclaim timeless theological truth.

The Church today must do the same. We need to pick up the new wineskins for the new moment! We must stay rooted in the gospel, and we need to remember that most of the places where renewal is breaking out are those where God's holiness, truth, hope, and power remain uncompromised. But in this cultural moment, faithfulness requires more than preservation - it demands imagination. This isn't about abandoning tradition, but reimagining it - not holding on to what’s familiar, but stepping boldly into what’s needed.

Hope, Challenge, and the Road Ahead

Trends come and go. And the Church’s future doesn’t hinge on opinion polls or statistics - it is grounded in the unchanging faithfulness of God. Still, the Bible Society’s report shows that there is much reason for hope.

Yes, Christians remain a minority in British society. In 2024, only 39% of the UK identified as Christian, down from 46% in the 2021 National Census. Many are sceptical of Scripture, lack confidence in the Bible, or question God’s existence. Not everyone entering our churches is stepping into true discipleship; many young people still wrestle with key issues like the uniqueness and authority of Christ, and some are simultaneously being drawn to alternative spiritualities as they search for truth.

But hearts are open. Spiritual curiosity is rising. And we know that when Christian faith is lived with depth, courage, and authenticity, it has the power to draw people in.

This “Quiet Revival” isn’t a national awakening - yet. But it is a sign, and a powerful one at that! It calls for prayerful discernment, deeper discipleship, and a readiness to meet the moment with humility, hope, grace, and grit.

Jesus said, “The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few” (Matthew 9:37). The opportunity is in front of us. The moment is now. But it will take a Spirit-empowered response - and it will require us to be bold, faithful, and unafraid to adapt.

The Spirit is stirring - not with loud fanfare, but quietly in the hearts of a generation searching for something authentic. Young adults are showing up - not for spectacle, but for substance. They’re looking for meaning, community, truth, and something worth giving their lives to. It’s not loud. It’s not viral. But it’s real. This is indeed The Quiet Revival. The question is: are we ready?