2025 was a seismic shift for the church in the UK. More people are increasingly open to Jesus and are actively exploring faith. More people are being baptised. Churches are growing.

Missional trends 2026 is here to help you make sense of what has happened and what we might expect to see more of in the coming year. 

In the last one hundred years, the number of people attending church in the UK hatve been in steady decline. But in 2025, several pieces of research have offered marker points to indicate that the tide has turned. 

Drawing on the latest research, listening to our members and observing the landscape, in 2026 here is what to expect:

  1. It will be the most spiritually open year in living memory. Atheism will continue its decline. Belief is back. 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. WitchTok may be as popular as Alpha.

  2. Spiritual experiences, dreams and unexplained events will draw thousands to church. In the last year we have heard countless examples of this, previously rarely cited as a pathway to faith. 28% of new adult Christians say a spiritual experience prompted them to explore the Christian faith. Expect people to turn up to your church who are asking, ​‘What was that?!’

  3. Millions needing help with life will encounter Christians, but whether they become disciples or not will depend on gospel intentionality. In 2026, foodbank use will increase. Every foodbank in the UK is connected to a church. Despite this, just a fraction of beneficiaries will be invited to take the next step on the journey of faith. For those who are, many will become Christians. 74% of all parents with children under the age of five have attended a church activity in the past 12 months. Churches that join the dots between these ministries and faith sharing will grow rapidly.

  4. Bible sales will continue to soar with seekers turning up to church having done their theological research. Bible sales have increased by 87% in recent years and the UK’s bestseller will grow in popularity.[3] 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.

  5. The influx of new converts will invite churches to ask difficult questions about discipleship and evaluate current models and cultures. When people come to faith, research tells us their greatest needs are in helping to establish spiritual disciplines and find new community.[4] Many new believers will leave 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. 

Missional trends exists to help you track what is happening across the church and invites us to consider how we respond. It collates the statistics and stories of what is taking place, but also offers insight into how it is happening. 1 Chronicles 12:32 tells us that David had the sons of Issachar, who ​‘understood the times and knew what Israel should do.’ In the same way, these pages hope to give you a bird’s eye view of what God is doing across the UK and apply it in your context.

Every church and organisation has a finite amount of energy and resources for mission and evangelism. The purpose of these pages is to help you to invest them fruitfully to make Jesus known wherever you are. 




[3] https://​www​.thetimes​.com/​u​k​/​r​e​l​i​g​i​o​n​/​a​r​t​i​c​l​e​/​s​p​i​r​i​t​u​a​l​-​g​e​n​-​z​-​d​r​i​v​e​-​i​n​c​r​e​a​s​e​-​i​n​-​b​i​b​l​e​-​s​a​l​e​s​-​v​n​p​h​xfjn5
[4] http://​www​.find​ing​je​sus​.co​.uk

How we respond: Part 1 – Making sense of the moment

What is going on?

For most of our lifetimes religious identity has been diminishing in the UK. Studies and censuses in recent decades have painted a picture of fewer and fewer people identifying as Christians and attending church. However in the last year it seems that the tide has turned. Several independent pieces of research have told a story of a resurgence of interest in faith and millions more people attending church regularly. Here we explain what is going on, offer some comment and a way forwards.
Can we make the quiet revival louder?

Can we make the quiet revival louder?

Phil Knox explores some of the latest ‘revival’ research and asks how we need to respond as the UK church Find out more
Good News People

Good News People

Equipping and inspiring churches and individuals to be hopeful evangelicals Find out more

How we respond: Part 2 – Making the most of the opportunity

1. Are we joining up compassion ministries and faith sharing?

The most common reason why people begin their journey of exploration is needing help with life. New believers cited coming to toddler groups, football projects, debt relief initiatives and other ministries that meet people’s human need for community and connection as their starting point. As we seek to make the most of the missional moment we are in, investing time, thought, creativity, resources and effort in joining the dots between these ministries and sharing the gospel is likely to bear significant fruit.
Joining the dots between foodbanks and faith sharing

Joining the dots between foodbanks and faith sharing

Phil Knox explores how compassion ministries are igniting faith across the UK and calls churches to link social action with evangelism and invite people to follow Jesus Find out more

2. Are we equipping and inspiring Christians to share their faith?

The gospel spreads at the speed of relationship. When new adult Christians are asked who played the most important role on their journey to faith, they describe people from church who are not the leader, close friends and small groups of Christians. A significant proportion of people who begin exploring the gospel do so because a friend talks to them about their faith or they see the impact of trusting Jesus on someone they know. But almost a quarter of Evangelical Alliance member churches had done no training in evangelism in the last three years. How many more might encounter Jesus if every Christian in the UK was ready to share their faith with their friends?
Sharing Easter eggs and good news on our street

Sharing Easter eggs and good news on our street

Phil Knox shares how God inspired him to creatively share the gospel with neighbours during Easter Find out more

3. Are we ready to help those having spiritual experiences?

28% of people who become Christians as adults say a spiritual experience initially prompted their journey of faith. 39% said it helped as they explored faith and 42% said it was an experience of God that finally prompted them to decide to follow Jesus. In the next few years it is very likely that people will come to your church having experienced something they cannot understand and are interested in finding out if who they have encountered is Jesus. We must be ready to help them take the next step.