This will be a year in which ‘discipleship is essential’
If 2025 was the year of the “Quiet Revival,” what does 2026 have in store for Christianity in Britain?
Drawing both on research and anecdotal evidence and experience, Phil Knox, writing for the Evangelical Alliance, has outlined five “missional trends” he expects to see this year.
Knox wrote that despite decades of headlines about church decline and diminishing congregations, the tide finally appears to be turning.
Last year, research commissioned by the Bible Society and conducted by YouGov found that over a fifth of men aged 18-24 are attending church at least once a month, a staggering increase from just 4% of that demographic in 2018. Women in the same age bracket have also been attending church in larger numbers, going from 4% in 2018 to 12% in 2024.
According to Knox, this year is predicted to be “the most spiritually open … in living memory.” However, he warned that while atheism was likely to continue declining, there was no guarantee that this would lead to mass conversions to Christianity.
“The Evangelical church will grow. But the rising tide will cause seekers to turn not only to all forms of Christianity, but to other religions, paganism and the occult,” he said.
Secondly, Knox stated that he expected to see more “unexplained” events and spiritual experiences that would lead people toward faith. He pointed to research suggesting that over a quarter (28%) of new adult Christians start their faith journey due to a spiritual experience.
Knox encouraged churches to do more to connect their social and community work with the work of saving souls.
“In 2026, foodbank use will sadly but predictably increase as inflation and the cost of living hardship continue. But it’s worth remembering that almost every foodbank in the U.K. is connected to a church. However, just a fraction of service users will be invited to take the next step on the journey of faith. For those who are, many will become Christians,” he said.
Fourthly, Knox said he believed Bible sales would continue to rise this year as seekers and new believers seek to do their own “theological research” and to find the source of truth in a world flooded with misinformation.
“In a ‘fake news,’ ‘post-truth’ world, younger generations are particularly drawn to good news that is true, profound and beautiful. Churches that keep the substance the same but relate relevantly to culture will flourish. Expect new Christians to cite reading the Bible as pivotal in their journey of exploration and decision moment,” he said.
Finally, Knox predicted that 2026 will be a year in which discipleship is essential.
“When people come to faith, research tells us their greatest needs are in helping to establish spiritual disciplines and find new community,” he explained.
“Many new believers will leave the church because they have not been nurtured or built meaningful relationships. In 2026, newcomers to church will cause leaders to invest time in early spiritual formation and empower spiritual fathers and mothers.”
This article was originally published at Christian Today
