Revival and nationalism

 

There is an unavoidable ongoing relationship between nationalism and Christian revival in the UK. I’m writing just after the latest Tommy Robinson Unite The Kingdom protest in London.

Remember, I’m left-leaning politically. I’m naturally minded to oppose excessive nationalism and jingoism, so I have to ‘unbias’ myself as much as I can.

One of my friends recently said, “I thought it was more British to be critical of nationalism”. I did too. In my book I conclude that Christian nationalism, though it is exclusive itself (specifically of immigrants and other minorities), is a position a person can take and which has often been taken in the past. The right are constantly telling the left that we are not inclusive at all (basically when we exclude them). And the right hate to be called far right or racist. But still, I simply have to acknowledge that God does not exclude patriots.

There is a sense in which revivalists want the best for their country. The love of country is not divorced from revival. If we want things to get better here (as many of us do) and we look to God for help in that, then we are kind of patriots too (despite our criticisms).

Is Tommy Robinson a Christian? And is any politician who claims to be a Christian necessarily really a Christian? Or are they using the faith to gain support? To woo the believers’ votes (or money)? I’m not convinced that Reform Ltd or Restore are really going to make things better or that their policies are even that radical. Anarchy is more radical. Farage once said: “No-one loves this country more than me.” Is that true? Does anyone else love Britain more than Nigel Farage? Anyone? I wonder if Nigel was lying?

You know, I’m getting bogged down. I’ll cut to my point. I don’t really like the manipulations of nationalists but concede that they shouldn’t be excluded from any revival. Nor, by the way should immigrants here. Or Muslims. Or Jews. Or Hindus. Or anyone else. Maybe politicians should, but that is an ongoing debate. But we are all under God, who does not discriminate.

The right are constantly telling the left that we are not genuinely inclusive at all. Maybe we should prove them wrong? Try to love the unlovable and all that? Love our political enemies?

But I’m getting bogged down. What some of us want to see is not more integration of faith into right-wing nationalism but a genuine, inclusive revival for all. A revival which will help and heal the UK. The UK is never going to be in unity. I’m sorry, but it isn’t. But things can get better here. ‘Believe in better’ as the Sky tagline says.

Or else watch the Disney Channel until this whole thing blows over.  (As an aside, some of the Disney Channel is quite dark you know?)

Anyway, I’ve got my eyes, ears and nose peeled for anything else necessary to be written about.

Preferably a big miracle, God.

Turning Wine into Water?

“Imagine making a batch of wonderful wine, but then finding that there was a small amount of contamination that had got into the vat, and then into the wine before anybody noticed. You basically have to throw it all away and that’s what we realised needed to happen and that’s why we withdrew the report. And it’s also why we were very clear that when we withdrew the report, we were NOT saying that the findings were wrong, rather we were saying that the study could no longer be treated as statistically reliable. ”

So said the CEO of the Bible Society on 30^th April in a YouTube hosted webinar titled ‘The Quiet Revival one year on – what’s the story?’

A lot of people in the chat were interested to know what the Bible Society would say following the withdrawal of the increasingly infamous Quiet Revival report.

The attendance varied between 400-500 people throughout the one and half hour session.

The description of the event read: ‘Hear from Paul Williams, our CEO, and a whole host of guests sharing their insights from different contexts, including Dr Rachel Jordan-Wolfe, Amanda Bedzrah, Bishop Mike Royal and Swarzy Shire.’

And we did.

In a pre-recorded segment, Stephan Shakespeare CEO and co-founder of YouGov intoned (from far away in space and time): “It was so disappointing to discover that the research we conducted for you didn’t live up to the standards we set for ourselves and that you expect from us. I want to re-iterate that YouGov takes full responsibility for the outputs of the original 2024 research and we apologise for what has happened… I thank you for your understanding.”

The Bible Society, being offered a free re-survey has accepted YouGov’s apology and is running the survey again in “the next couple of months” (alongside commissioning other survey providers.)

The rest of the webinar passed pretty much as you may expect with some people saying that despite the withdrawal of the quantitative data, they had seen some qualitative evidence of a revival and that there is now more openness and curiosity about Christianity. Someone mentioned that independent Bible sales stats really have increased in the last couple of years by well over 100%. Others spoke of churches seeing new members and more people getting baptised. Another spoke of a new church member who had had a dream about Christ recently which was so visceral that he had become a believer in a day. There was also the obligatory very vocal Humanist in the chat, chagrined at the lack of apologies.

The main question lingered in the air though. ‘So, is there a Christian revival, or the leading up to a revival – or not?’ Water cannot be turned to wine without a miracle from God. It either remains water or becomes wine. I’m thinking an expensive Merlot.

I was struck once again at our capacity to make something so inherently interesting, so incredibly boring. Turning wine into water.

My question was not read out in the webinar so I put it to the Bible Society by email…

Why was the Bible Society seemingly the ONLY organisation apparently affected by the YouGov error?

Mark Woods, from PR in the Bible Society replied:

"First, we don’t actually know whether this is the case or not. My understanding is that it was quite a laborious process to find out what had gone wrong with our survey, and it was only because it was subject to such intense criticism that the work was undertaken. If there wasn’t this incentive in the case of other surveys YouGov wouldn’t have done this."

I asked: To what extent is the truth of the matter that the Quiet Revival was all just YouGov's bodge-up?

"You’ll have to decide that for yourself. We repeatedly asked them to check their working. We delayed the release of the report for three months while we went back to them again and again with questions. Every time there was a new criticism we contacted them again. There was lots of supporting evidence in terms of a rise in conversions, vastly increased Bible sales etc, to support the thesis of a rise in churchgoing, which gave us some confidence that YouGov hadn’t got it wrong. We don’t think we could have done more to check it."

Is there a Christian revival or not in the UK? Or just a possible lead up to one?

"It depends on what you mean by ‘revival’. We specifically said in The Quiet Revival that this was not a ‘traditional’ revival in the sense of packed churches and supernatural phenomena – hence the ‘Quiet’ revival. Whether there is a rise in churchgoing in absolute numbers we don’t yet know, and we won’t know until our next report – probably in the autumn. We do know though from other public sources that there is a change in the spiritual atmosphere, with a greater receptivity to and curiosity about religion, particularly among young people. There are many stories about churches seeing growth, organisations like Alpha seeing unprecedented interest etc. Whether this is revival depends on your definition of revival! Personally I’d prefer to talk about opportunity, openness, a ripe harvest."


I will try to report more on any important, new developments to do with the whole subject (not just the quiet revival report).

A Note and Update

I have decided not to unpublish my book following the retraction of the Bible Society's Quiet Revival report.

Instead I will post again here when anything new or significant happens on this subject.

My reasons are because the book is relying on qualitative data and not quantitative data.

There are simply too many stories from too many people to not believe that 'something' is going on, whether that be the US 'vibe shift' or the many reports from believers in the UK saying that there is a new openness among many towards faith issues. That's without even going into the huge increase in Bible sales etc.

I'm including the following description to the book to reflect the recent changes...

Is there, or isn’t there, a Christian revival about to happen in the UK? The statistics say one thing; the stories say another.

This book captures the heart of that national debate, weaving together a mosaic of perspectives ranging from hardline sceptics through to all kinds of believers. It is an exploration of UK faith in a fractured, digital age. While the data may be contested, the human search for meaning is undeniable. This is the story of a nation searching for its soul, told through the eyes of those who are living it.

I will post again here when I have anything new to report...

Current, Important Story For You

I think you might call this, in literary terms, for Christian believers in the UK... a black spot. The point at which things are at their worst.

To elaborate - what has happened is that the Bible Society who basically said that Christianity in the UK is increasing (after decades of it not doing so), have suddenly said that their report on the revival is flawed. They, under pressure, have retracted it. There was an error, according to YouGov, which they used to gather results. The 2024 YouGov survey (very strangely and increasingly oddly only affecting the Bible Society’s commission) was, seemingly, marred by human error and technical glitches.

The Bible Society said: “The error means that we can't rely on the YouGov data, but the amount of corroborating evidence that's emerged during the last year means that we're still confident that there is a Quiet Revival going on, with more young people open to faith, a greater warmth towards Christianity, and churches across England and Wales reporting their own experience of growth.”

Now, against all current convention I actually carry both sides of the story. So, let’s look at the other side on this…

Humanists UK said: “This underlines that the real story of the past decade, and of the 21st century as a whole, has been the growth of the non-religious. The non-religious now make up a majority in the United Kingdom. Unfortunately, rather than grapple with what that would mean for the future of policy-making, we saw that the Quiet Revival report had much the opposite effect, with at least one council making long-term planning decisions premised on the predicted explosive growth of religion among young people. This shows how important it is to have accurate data about demographics to inform national policy.”

The damage is great indeed, after a council made long-term planning decisions based on a supposed big rise in believers. How can we believers live with ourselves after all this destruction?

Seriously though, it’s important - is there a revival in the UK or not? Goodness knows the far-right are also trying to hijack it. The truth matters. It’s important. Just because something is disturbing doesn’t make it true. Why is the truth always seemingly the most disturbing thing? I’m not here to disturb you, just because I can. I refuse to do it. We need healing. The country needs healing. You and I need healing. How are we to heal in the middle of wars and plagues and all of the awful things that are going on? And in the middle of this, we are attacking each other - taking it all out on each other. Who is to blame? Is it me and those like me? Is it the Bible Society? Is it YouGov? God even?... Or something sinister?

This is alternative news. Things are bad. If I have misled you, I am very sorry. Really, I’m not too proud to apologise to you, like ‘Piggy Nicholas’ with the conch shell in Lord of the Flies. My late brother used to call me ‘piglet’. It was sweet. But there really is a beast. There is an enemy and we (believers) are not the enemy. I, my friends and family are not, at least. And neither, by the way, are you.

Either there is a Christian revival going on or there is not. The truth matters.  

Have you ever done YouGov? I have. I did it for a couple of years and it took that long to earn the £50 reward for countless surveys and a lot of personal data given away. You don’t get to choose which surveys you get. So, I question the official explanation. Either way, the Bible Society has had to retract its report, simply because if they hadn’t done so, I guess others would have gone public.

So, the Bible Society has retracted the report, all but apologised for the seemingly misleading information, and now I have to consider whether I will unpublish my book ‘Christian Revival, UK’, which relies partly on this information. Premier, the main UK Christian media outlet now ‘regrets’ carrying reports about the Quiet Revival. The editor is telling us all not to even mention the words ‘Quiet Revival’ again. Humanists UK are, they say ‘vindicated’. They say there is no Christian revival and (by the way)… no God (obs). But in reality, there is, at least, a loving God.

I don’t want to support anything misleading. My whole raison d'etre is to stop misleading things from happening. The pen is mightier than the sword, yes? I care about the truth. Here is a link to the Bible Society FAQs of what is going on here. I’m not going to complicate this - there is either a Christian Revival happening here in the West or there is not. It’s kind of important. It’s not just the UK. I would like to know the truth.

What should I do? Should I also unpublish my book because the Bible Society has retracted its report? Please let me know.

In the meantime, look after yourself.

Book Available From Today

The book from this blog Christian Revival, UK has been launched today and is available from Amazon and elsewhere. I’ve kept the price as low as I can.

It’s a work of spiritual reportage exploring whether a genuine Christian awakening is emerging in modern Britain. The book examines many perspectives: believers and sceptics, economists, politicians and even artificial intelligence. It asks what ‘revival’ means in a fractured, digital world and how faith interacts with politics, culture and the human condition.

I’ve approached the subject as a journalist - curious, balanced and open to doubt. My hope is that it will engage readers who wouldn’t normally pick up a book about faith, but still sense that something deep is stirring beneath the noise. Available from Amazon here, or search for ‘Christian Revival UK Nick White’.

Wrapping Up - An Outsider's Perspective

 

Well, let’s be honest, throughout this story there has been quite a lot of my own personal opinion and perspective, more than in a usual story. This, as I say is because I am the one writing it and I cannot easily avoid my biases and worldview.

There was one thing more that I thought was important to say. There was an irony in all this. After this finishes, I will, depending on what happens, continue to write on this subject.

But as I say, there has been an irony. The Waterboys (in their song, The Whole of the Moon sang ‘I spoke about wings, you just flew.’ The irony is the writers’ curse (or blessing, depending on what is being written about). Spending more time observing something than experiencing it. Like the academic book I read on all the philosophical perspectives about the meaning of life, which never arrived at a satisfactory conclusion (Although if you were to liken revival to a river and Heaven to the sea, then maybe we only find out what anything is like if we ever get into the water?).

This is, as I say, an alternative news source. I hope it has been helpful in some way.

And there we have it. I have written, researched and worked hard on this whole story for such a long time, only to have to admit that I have not experienced as much of this revival as you might imagine. At the time of writing, I’ve heard a lot about it and I do believe it is happening. But just as an outsider in Galilee might have heard about Jesus and the reports of his miracles, and even decided to follow him, I’ve been an outsider even to this.

 

The truth of the matter is that God is the source of all love. I can write about that until the sheep come home, but writing about it and living it are not the same. So, I will leave it to your critical thinking to decide about the integrity or otherwise and spiritual state of the writer of this story. As I say, ‘Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom’ and that includes the remaining freedoms of thought and expression.

This material has been written over a period of over 20 years. It’s the most important story I will ever write. Though readers have been disappointingly few, thank you for reading all this and indulging me.

 

I need to thank so many people because this has not been a one man show. My wife (for giving me time, space and love to write all this), my family and friends, who encourage me so often. My readers, that’s you. Thank you. My contacts and all the people I interviewed. And finally, of course, Jesus, Heaven and the angels. Thank you.

Now, after all is said and done, you probably still have some questions. One of them which springs to mind is… This is all very lovely, and likely good news for a nation, but you spoke of miracles, signs and wonders accompanying revivals. So where are they?

 

All I can say, knowing that genuine miracles are rarer than they should be, is that you and I have to keep our eyes peeled for them. According to the Bible, Jesus said, ‘What I say to you, I say to everyone. Watch.’

Seems to be a word from God for everyone on earth.

 

So, there it is. A story which took a long time to research, write and condense into this for you to read. It probably deserves to get into the Guinness Book of World Records or something, but I bet it won’t. There is a lot of material which I haven’t included here, but I wanted to make this as accessible as possible to whoever reads it. I wanted the story to be free to anyone with a phone or computer. I’m a fool but you probably wouldn’t be reading this if I had sold out quite yet.

I may, (or may not) get my reward in Heaven for all this.

Or maybe answered prayer on earth? Or maybe a small white pebble from God with my new name written on it, known only to me?

Preferably not the word, ‘Arse’…

 

Wrong will be right, when Aslan comes in sight,

At the sound of his roar, sorrows will be no more,

When he bares his teeth, winter meets its death,

And when he shakes his mane, we shall have spring again.

 

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, C.S. Lewis

 

 

 

Miscellaneous Views

 

Over the years covered I spoke with many others and so the following are a selection of responses, largely from believers, before any talk of quiet revivals in the UK.

Susan

“There is no sign of a revival in my home town. There are about 26,000 people in my town, and of that, only a few hundred at the most will attend the dozen religious organisations (including JW’s and Mormons) … if there was a revival, I’d expect to see long queues of people outside every church every Sunday, waiting to get in, and a tremendous desire to hear the gospel. But it isn’t happening. It happens more in the poorer countries of the world, like in Africa. I think that the problem is that our society is far too materialistic and the pace of life is so fast that people are just too busy trying to manage their lives. One such person is me!”

 

Ellie

“I do think that there will be a revival in Britain. There are no signs of revival in my church yet but the pastor has had a word of prophesy about revival in our little church and I am inclined to have faith and believe the word which was given. We need a Christian revival in this country for the good of the country itself. Christians need to pray in order for a big revival to hit this country in a big way. Hurry up Jesus.”

 

Martine

“Revival is like a firework that flares up into the sky and when it comes down lights up/starts a fire in the surrounding places.”

 

Sally

“Revival comes from the inside, so get it yourself!”

 

Justine

“I’m in two minds about it - I don’t know... I think it may well be happening at the moment. What exactly would the present-day revival be like?”

 

Gemma

“Revival cannot happen without repentance. Only if our leaders and believers in the UK are ready to retrace their steps back to God and lead the nation to repent, will God in mercy hear us from above and revive us. The church fail in their duties; believers are all over the place but we are to influence lives in our nation and community. SAD. Someone like Ezra and Samuel should stand for Christ and lead our nation, community and church to repent, then revival is sure.”

 

Richard

“My own feeling as an amateur enthusiast for Church history is that revivals come and go. God sends revival as a wakeup call. The Church wakes up and gets her priorities right. Then revival stops. God’s call is then for Christians to continue in the power of the Holy Spirit in a deep relationship with Christ nurtured by regular disciplined times of prayer and reading of God’s word - what a previous generation would call a ‘quiet time’ - and in involvement in society where we happen to live and work.”

 

Martin

“I believe in revival but I believe it happens when born again Christians begin to walk in their inheritance and bring the kingdom into their environment. We have the same Spirit within us that raised Jesus from the dead and we should be manifesting our God given nature. Wow, if we all did that there would be revival. Revival is our responsibility. God has already poured out his Spirit! We need to stop looking to the latest ‘super-saint’ to encourage us, as wonderful as they can be in their faith and exploits in God, we all have been given the same Holy Spirit! All of us can be agents of revival if we walk in the Spirit… I believe revival is our responsibility. What haven’t we got that we need to bring revival? God has poured out his Spirit on us. It’s the manifestation of what we already have, our faith in his grace. It’s Romans 12:1 and 2 being transformed by the renewing of our minds by the word of God through the Holy Spirit. We have the God given authority and power through the baptism of the Holy Spirit - if we are not seeing it, it’s not God who is not doing it… he’s already done it!”

 

Gavin

“I agree that we can’t look to some super-saint to do the work for us, for it’s a work that only God can do, but revival is not our responsibility as God is the only one that has the power to bring it to happen. But indeed, only when we walk in the Spirit can we be agents of it and plead for God to send his Spirit in revival power.”

 

Pam

“This doesn’t necessarily have to be down to one person. Thousands of people have come to faith in Jesus through the Alpha Course. We are running one just now and it is such a privilege to be part of what God is doing in people’s lives. It is growing and growing around the world and I believe it is because God is given the glory for it. Nicky Gumbel doesn’t say ‘Oh how clever and successful I am. Just look at the Alpha course now and how it has grown!’ Jesus is given the glory. The Holy Spirit is given freedom to move and it is quite clearly God ordained.

We do need to get on our knees and repent and pray to God and then there is much more likely to be a revival. If we all sit back and wait for another Billy Graham then no, it won’t happen. God doesn’t work the same way all the time and he doesn’t fit into our neat little boxes.

If God sees many people throughout the UK genuinely repenting and praying for him to move then it is down to him to show up and move mightily - which he has proven time and again he will do. The Holy Spirit needs to be recognised and welcomed or we have no chance!”

 

Phil

“In a country where tens of thousands of babies are killed every year there is very little evidence of the majority here being Christian.”

 

Peter

“Yes, the country is sick. It does need healing. A Christian revival is the only answer. The sickness is causing brokenness. Brokenness is the symptom; sickness is the disease. There is so much dis-ease about.

Families are broken because of the selfishness of parents demanding their own way and leaving children rudderless. Of course, so many parents are also rudderless that they have no guidance to give their offspring. So, many thousands of children gang together for identity and acceptance.

People are empty so they seek to fill the emptiness with anything and everything other than the answer, which is Jesus. Business is self-seeking by very definition so people are no longer ‘people’, they are ‘human resources’. So much easier to use and abuse when you are not a person, but a resource.
Greed has crippled the world economy. Politics is everywhere corrupt.
Religion is vacuous. The world is gripped by the cult of celebrity.
Yes, the nation and the world are very sick. Apart from Jesus, this sickness is terminal. Humanity does not have the capacity to heal itself. It won't even admit the sickness.

The UK has 41,000 teenage pregnancies a year. the highest in Europe. Binge drinking is at epidemic proportions, so that street pastors try and help ‘out of it’ people get home safely, giving out flip flops to hundreds every night so they can walk without falling.
‘Don't get caught,’ seems to be the morality of the day, along with, ‘Don't come back pregnant/stoned,’ as well as ‘Anything goes as long as I am having fun.’

These are symptoms of the sickness.
The sickness is the emptiness of not knowing Jesus as Lord and Saviour.
The symptoms are the failed attempts to fill the gap which only he can. The human heart has an enormous capacity for love. God is love. Nothing and no one can replace him.

Come Lord Jesus.”

 

Lisa

“We have had revivals before.
‘Renewal’ was the buzz word in the 1990s, I was caught up in that.

The country is not broken. There are problems, of course, there always are, but it is good here. I wouldn't want to live anywhere else. I have heard this country being criticised by its inhabitants for all of my sixty years.”

 

Carl

“You'd think with all the many claimed revivals in the past, it'd stick.

I heard this all the time growing up - revival this, revival that. Never could deliver.

No better than the politicians, I say - except the revivalists have a better stick to beat you with - if it doesn't happen, it's because you just didn't BELIEVE enough...”

A Child's Perspective

 

Children have historically been included in past revivals and their voices are needed. What is happening is also to do with them. But they need safeguarding and protecting from so many things. Especially due to the horrific scandal caused by a vile few.

One old-time preacher described young people as ‘kindling’ which helps set fire to ‘old logs.’ If I were still a child, I think that might put me off the whole thing. As we see in the following accounts, history records the role of young people in the revivals which have occurred over the centuries, especially in terms of their freedom of expression.

Along with all the children and young people who play heroic roles in the Bible (such as Joshua, David, Josiah and Jeremiah as a boy), Jesus himself said:

“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

It was reported that in 2025 at Spring Harvest, an annual Christian gathering in the UK, more than 630 children and teens began or reaffirmed their relationship with God. The young people lingered in late-night worship, singing the name “Jesus” as they went to bed.

On 15th August 2025 GB News reported in an article titled ‘Britain's incredible Christian revival: Why young people are returning to church in their droves and putting faith in Christ.’ It is little ironic that GB News, as a right-wing mainstream news outlet actually interviewed children about this when so many other media outlets didn’t. It’s a challenge to mainstream media. The truth is that we tend to speak to everyone but the children about stories that concern them, not only because it is harder to interview them (parents or teachers must be asked first), but because society in general still largely believes that children are better seen and not listened to.

So, these were the voices of some children on the topic,

Naomi, 13, who describes herself as a Christian with a strong faith, “Problems in the world are becoming greater, people are looking for somewhere to turn with their problems."

Hannah, 16, who grew up in an Evangelical Free Church family and decided to be a Christian aged 12, told GB News: "I think social media has had a big impact on the youth getting involved in Christianity… I do think there are going to be more Christians in the future as the religion is quickly growing."

Her thoughts reminded me of what Salik had said at the start of the story over 20 years ago about.

“It (Islam) is the fastest growing religion in the world. Is there a revival in my faith? Possibly.”

As a perceptive child might say… maybe Christianity is not the only thing reviving in the UK.

 

A Gen Z New Believer’s View

 

It would be simply annoying not to document some views from those currently experiencing revival in the UK. When I was a young believer at church, the older Christians would talk about ‘a cult of youth’. It’s a very ‘old person’ kind of expression to use and pretty condescending. I remember thinking, ‘Huh? I’m in a cult? Why don’t we have more of a say then?’ (Turned out there was a good argument that we were all in a cult, both young and old. ‘Hold on’, you might say, ‘cults shun those who leave and say that the world is evil’. Yep).

I’m getting side-tracked. Any revival must pass between the generations. All of them. We already have an unimaginatively titled ‘Alpha generation’. What are the ‘Betas’ going to feel like should earth make it that far? Like second-class citizens I bet.

I won’t digress further. Here is what Gen Z has said.

 

Mia - A new young believer

“There has been a lot of chat on Anglican Twitter about the quiet revival, and this has led me to reflect on some of my experiences converting, particularly: difficulties talking about faith, not knowing enough, doubting a lot, and the ‘right reasons’ to become a Christian

People judge (new) adult converts in ways they do not doubt lifelong Christians. The strengths and weaknesses you have are often quite different to those who have been in the faith a long time. It would be nice for clergy/the church to be sympathetic to these different needs.”

 

Josh - another Gen Z believer

"I grew up with an abusive mum and never had a dad in my life. I ended up going through the system of children’s homes which led me into criminal activities, believing that these people cared about me. Because my look on how people really care about me was warped by my upbringing. I've done lots of things I couldn't forgive myself for. I was feeling very alone and depressed... I just prayed to God. And the next day one of my old support workers messaged me, asking me to come to church.

I have been bought into a family home of people who care about me and a church family who are amazing people. I want to be baptised because God has shown me that, no matter what I've done or what's happened, I'm forgiven. I will forgive others because Jesus died for our sins and I would like to give my life to Christ."

 

And Gen Z has its defenders. They are not a cult of youth.

The front-page splash of the Sunday Express on 27th July 2025 exclaimed; ‘GLOBAL CRISIS SENDING GEN Z TO CHURCH’. The ‘exclusive’ (many Christian bloggers and reporters and writers had got there first) was largely positive and an editorial piece gave a balanced view.

Justin Brierley referred to ‘the sea of faith’ coming back in again, like a tide. This imagery comes from Matthew Arnold’s famous poem ‘Dover Beach’, published in 1867 which described a kind of communal retreat of belief in God, which the poet felt.

‘The sea of faith
Was once, too, at the full, and round earth's shore
Lay like the folds of a bright girdle furl'd;
But now I only hear
Its melancholy, long, withdrawing roar,
Retreating to the breath
Of the night-wind, down the vast edges drear
And naked shingles of the world.’

If you accept the metaphor, then, in a way, your view of this is whether you prefer it when the tide is in, or when the tide is out. He wrote the poem while on honeymoon. Maybe he was depressed or not having a good honeymoon? Anyway, we got Dover Beach.

Not all of the reports about the quiet revival were positive. Humanists and secularists in particular, questioned the statistics and many thought it either non-existent, or else due only to immigration, quoting unquestioned statistics and polls which seemed to give different views. For almost every positive story, there was a negative one.

Justin Brierley ran with the imagery though. And he was not the only one. On August 14^th 2025, The New World (formally The New European) had a front page with an altered picture of the famous Sistine Chapel image of God. The newspaper changed this, showing God smiling and giving a thumbs up. And the headline read: ‘Look who’s back - The return of God to public life’. An article by the journalist and former editor of The Spectator, Matthew d’Ancona, critical of the popularity of faith-related apps, influencers and podcasts, concluded:

“On the digital beach, I stay alert for rationality, humanism and secularism wherever they may be. But, for now, at least - all I hear is their melancholy, long, withdrawing roar.”

 

As for Gen Z, the Zoomers who were suddenly going to churches? While most of us were talking about them, they were experiencing God. Including his mystery, miracle and magic. Possibly not the usual kind of magic, but hopefully you know what I mean.

A Historian's Perspective

 

 

 

Michael Marcel (a historian specializing on UK revivals - website www.ukwells.org) said,

“As far as the ‘quiet revival’ is concerned, I know very little about it in the UK. I find it frustrating that there is no ‘centre’ where one can go and receive and take it out. I am going to one of the places? (the only one I know) in four weeks to see if I can see what is happening. It is clearly amongst Gen Z, but that is all I know. My big concern is what will happen to the new young believers as many churches are not in a good place, in my opinion.”

Michael Marcel is a leading expert writer and historian specializing on this topic and I recommend checking his videos and his site out. It will give you a greater understand of how revivals work and progress. Who God uses, how fast it spreads, basically what has happened in the past. His material is very accessible and, I think, accurate. He deserves greater recognition for his work.

Historically, politics has often influenced revivals. I’m in danger of becoming so boring and tedious here once again by referring to the way in which the quiet revival is under threat from political and nationalistic forces. I am, of course, talking about the far-right appropriation of the Christian flag and banner, Tommy Robinson et al.

My response is pretty predictable, as a lefty. But hold on. You may be assuming too much here. Remember, my conviction is that a revival should be inclusive. For everyone, including you, whoever you are and whatever your political persuasion. There is certainly historical president for a joining together of liberal and conservatives.

 

Let’s go right back to when this all started. That’s over 2000 years ago. A time when there were miracles, and signs and wonders. A time entrenched in political intrigue and patriotism. The first revival ever is said to have taken place in Israel after St Peter gave a sermon and thousands responded to it, after the death and revival of Jesus Christ. But before even that, what was happening? This man, Jesus, who this is all centred around, like Robin Hood, drew a rag-tag company of 12 men to him. The disciples. These men, these leaders, were of vastly differing political inclinations. Some were called zealots. They wanted their country to be free from Roman occupation. They had found the Messiah and they were extremely patriotic. You might even call them conservative right-wingers. Nationalism being the last refuge of the scoundrel, they were jealous for their country. It used to be their home and they wanted it back. Others, you might call them… somewhat critical of their own country. They were tax collectors. They were considered traitors because they actually worked for the Romans in collecting money from the Jewish citizens. They were considered the lowest of the low. And Jesus liked to eat and talk with them.

He included this whole spectrum, from left, to right wing in his disciples. St James, who could be said to have displayed inverse snobbery by disliking the rich. Very liberal of him, despite his emphasis on personal responsibility. At least he understood that most of the problems people faced were caused by outside forces, by rich and powerful groups.

My point is this. Just as today the Church is made up of conservatives and liberals (and everything in between and outside of this) - both sides need to work together. Neither side should attempt to usurp what God is doing for their own agenda. Can Christian liberals and conservatives ever be reconciled? Well, there is some common ground. At heart, both sides agree on and believe the same basic thing. That Jesus is God and that he is the true king etc. It remains to be seen. It is ongoing. But if Jesus ever gets his prayer for unity answered - if you believe that the prayers of Christ are efficacious, then it is going to happen one day.

For now though, we are actually divided, I believe, so much that we are not just arguing with each other. We are killing each other. Maybe not in the UK so much as in some other countries. This must stop.

I will end with one question. There has been much bloodshed, historically. We live in the most brutal of times. There has been much blood, shed both to, and sadly, from Christians. So how much is required? If a revival requires even more martyrs to the point of death, then hasn’t it failed completely? And if we are the ones getting violent, then we’ve all lost.

I am unsure if God and I agree on this point. He allows too much. But I hope we agree that a revival should alleviate suffering, not propagate it.

 

2025

 

The street preachers continued to preach on the streets of the Midlands to only a trickle of interest. Little seemed to have changed on the surface. 

However, in April 2025 the Bible Society published a set of figures which basically showed that much of Generation Z really was interested in faith issues and that there had been an increase in church attendance, especially among young people. The narrative of decline, or the ebb of the sea of faith, had been so long-running that a lot of people were surprised and the study itself (questioning over 13000 people) was fairly robust and compared with a similar study done in 2018. The Bible Society called it a ‘quiet revival’ in the UK (although it seemed also to be happening in other countries in Europe). The study found that the Church of England continued to decline but that Catholics and Pentecostals were increasing in number. They stated that nominal Christians (as shown by the census) were decreasing but that the new believers were relatively active in their faith. And that the new believers, though largely young, were from all ethnic minorities. Similarly, there were reports of an increase in the sales of Bibles.

I was unsure of what to make of it. I wanted to believe it was true but there was a lot of criticism from both inside and outside of the Church. Some called on the Bible Society to retract their whole study.

Meanwhile I was having my own problems, having to increasingly care for my mum who had Parkinsons and dementia (and other personal problems including health and the loss of my dad in 2025). All the time still grieving for my brother. This became all-consuming and I was in little position to investigate further. However, I did attend a meeting in which I questioned Justin Brierley concerning his announcement of a revival.

“Hi Justin. Historically, any past revival has always been accompanied by a seemingly atmospheric outpouring of God’s Spirit. If there is the start of a revival or rebirth now in the UK (which I hope there is) - where is that supernatural change in the atmosphere?”

 

Justin Brierley:

“All great revivals have evidently had a move of God, a supernatural move of God. I’ve hesitated to use the R word ‘revival’ for it because I think revivals are a very specific thing, often things you can only see in hindsight anyway. Where there was a supernatural dimension to what was happening and you see real fruit from it. I think the word I have heard for what’s happening at the moment is a ‘quiet revival’, there are stirrings if you like. I think it is being accompanied in a certain respect by a spiritual outpouring, especially in the younger Gen Z circles. I would say that the Asbury awakening of 2023 was an interesting example of that happening where the spiritual thirst and hunger is bubbling up and pouring out, manifesting in these young people getting on their knees before God. And I’ve seen other instances of that happening. I think there is also a move towards the supernatural that I’m encountering among a lot of people after a long period of rationally and skepticism, I think people are open to that again. I still am not using the word ‘revival’ about what we’re seeing now. It could become that, who knows, but as you say it has to become something a bit different and something that will be noticeably a move of people repenting and getting right with God.

We’re inevitably comparing our time to very different times, the Welsh revival, various revivals which have happened both here and over time. They’ve all been very contextual and I don’t know exactly what a revival would look like right now in the technological age we’re living in, but I do sense that the conditions are right for people to return to God now, they’re desperate enough, I think they’ve been so let down in our culture by the false promises of secular modernity that I think it’s bubbling up in this spiritual hunger. I don’t know exactly how that will be disseminated. Where I am seeing it happen is that it’s trickling down from these online influencers, those seem to be the people who are the trend-setters now and so those are some of the people I’ve been focusing on in my book (The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God). They are changing the atmosphere about the acceptability of talking about God and religion and Christianity. So, I think it is starting in that place and being met by this spiritual hunger bubbling up from the ground as well.”

Brierley, a well-known podcaster, broadcaster and writer in Christian circles in the UK went on to continue to speak about the events which were happening.

Heralding the Quiet Revival

 

On the 30^th March 2024, a headline in The Spectator read: ‘A Christian revival is under way in Britain’. 

It was written by the writer and podcaster Justin Brierley. Well, there was some debate at the time on whether he had written the headline or some sub-editor had. Either way, he ran with the story. He spoke more of a spiritual rebirth and resisted the word ‘revival’ in his article. In fact, it is likely neither the Bible Society or Justin Brierley or the Spectator sub-editor get the kudos of heralding it. There was also the little-known college newspaper reporter of Asbury College in the US.

But the article caused a stir and was the most read Spectator online story of 2024. Brierley’s evidence for the revival was that a number of intellectuals had become Christians and that there seemed to be a shift in the whole landscape with even Richard Dawkins saying he was a ‘cultural Christian’. Justin Brierley felt that new atheism had received a backlash and people were questioning the deepest issues such as the meaning of life, God, and what happens after we die. He had seen first-hand a number of famous people moving from agnosticism, atheism and Islam into Christianity.

One of those, although perhaps not considered an intellectual because of his accent, was Russell Brand - who, that year got baptised by Bear Grylls in the River Thames. With Russell Brand remaining a controversial figure after the allegations of sexual assault, he received a mixed welcome from the UK Christian community. Brand asserted that he had been cancelled by the legacy media and that the accusations were untrue. Some believers felt he was using Christianity as a kind of last resort. Others, including Brierley, gave a cautious welcome. But Brand went from liberal to conservative, possibly so as not to alienate his large US audience. He also lost followers because of his new faith.

At the time there was also some evidence that Generation Z were a lot more open to talking about faith issues than was believed. Some said that there was a revival among young people. It was hard to know for sure, but I saw little sign of it on the university campus where I worked. But I wasn’t digging particularly deeply and, after Asbury, it really did seem like young people were having these discussions and that some were turning to Christ. It is said that the late teens and twenties are a significant time for young people in settling on their faith positions. I had become a Christian at university aged 20. It seemed possible, but the evidence was threadbare and, in many ways, things were as they always were. If this was a revival - it was a bit disappointing. Crime had not decreased and the atmosphere seemed as heavy and oppressive as ever.

 

As ever, people put their hope in a political solution - with the general election replacing 14 years of Conservative Government. But just as with Brexit, the promises of freedom simply remained promises. Perhaps it was all a distraction. People were certainly agitated enough about political issues for it to be another major change. But the talk, as before, was about ‘fixing’ a ‘broken’ Britain - if you even acknowledged that anything was wrong at all.

I wanted Justin Brierley to be right. But I saw few signs of a revival and, even on a personal level, felt little personal revival. I had published a short book ‘The Parables of the Cold Island’ with a half-concealed metaphor for an awakening and it had flopped. It had done spectacularly badly. I think I sold a handful of copies at the most in the first few months and most of them I gave away.

It was a year of loaves and circuses - the circuses of the major sporting events and the general election and the steady bread of incessant bad news. Well, maybe it is unfair to say that politics is a distraction - being as it influences so much of our daily lives. And maybe, just maybe, God was doing something quietly behind the scenes and ‘Aslan really was on the move’ as some liked to say.

Everything is a distraction to somebody or other. It remains my conviction that one of the healthiest and most necessary things that anyone can do, at almost any time, is to bawl their eyes out (preferably at a convenient time and location).

 

An AI's Angle

 

2023

I thought I may as well ask ChatGPT what it thought on the subject.

So, this will be a nice, cosy, lazy piece for me (which is rare). However, no other part of this story is written with AI. (‘Maybe it should have been’ I hear my critics laugh. Ha. People often laugh at things they don’t understand.)

Once again, believers are divided on AI. There are some serious problems with it. The greatest of which is that it was taught by the output of flawed human beings and so is as similarly flawed and discriminatory as we can be, particularly when it comes to the way it treats minorities. I’m professionally trained in the use of generative AI though and thought it might be interesting to have a discussion with one of our soulless, electronic overlords. This is an early iteration of the chatbot, so it was not at the same sophisticated level as it is today, but at the time I thought the answers seemed reasonably lucid…

What do you think about Christian revival?

As an AI language model, I don't have personal beliefs or opinions. However, I can provide you with some general information about Christian revival.

A Christian revival is a renewed spiritual awakening among Christians, often characterized by an increased focus on prayer, worship, and evangelism. Revivals have occurred throughout Christian history and have often been associated with significant spiritual and social change.

The Christian revival movement has often been marked by powerful preaching, emotional responses from participants, and mass conversions to Christianity. Some notable revivals in Christian history include the Great Awakening in 18th-century America and the Welsh Revival in 1904-1905.

What is the effect of Christian revival on trades?

It's difficult to make a general statement about the effect of Christian revival on trades because the impact can vary widely depending on the specific context and historical period.

However, it's worth noting that revivals have historically been associated with social and economic changes in addition to religious ones. For example, the Great Awakening in colonial America was associated with the rise of new religious denominations, increased church attendance, and changes in religious practices. It was also associated with the growth of new businesses and industries, such as printing and publishing, as well as increased philanthropy and social activism.

Similarly, the Welsh Revival of 1904-1905 was associated with a surge of religious fervour and evangelism, but it also had an impact on the mining industry in Wales. Many miners experienced religious conversion during the revival, and this led to changes in their work habits and attitudes. Some miners began to refuse to work on Sundays, for example, which led to conflicts with mine owners and managers.

What is the effect of a Christian revival on a country’s economy?

On the one hand, some scholars and economists argue that religious revivals can have positive economic effects. For example, a revival may lead to increased philanthropy and charitable giving, which can help to support the poor and vulnerable and stimulate economic growth. Additionally, a revival may encourage people to adopt more responsible and ethical business practices, which can lead to increased trust and stability in the marketplace.

However, others argue that religious revivals can have negative economic effects. For example, some economists argue that religious revivals can lead to a reduction in productivity and economic growth as individuals become more focused on religious activities and less focused on work. Additionally, some argue that religious revivals can exacerbate existing economic inequalities, particularly if the revival is associated with a particular social or economic class.

What is the effect of revival on laws and policy?

The effect of Christian revival on laws and policies can vary depending on the nature of the revival and the specific context in which it occurs. However, in general, Christian revival movements have often been associated with efforts to bring about social and political change, and have sometimes played a role in shaping laws and policies.

One example of this is the role of the Christian revival movement in the abolition of slavery in the United States. Many abolitionists were motivated by their Christian faith, and their activism played a key role in bringing about the Emancipation Proclamation and the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which abolished slavery.

Similarly, Christian revival movements have often been associated with efforts to promote social justice and to address issues such as poverty, racism, and inequality. These efforts have sometimes led to changes in laws and policies, such as the civil rights legislation of the 1960s, which was influenced in part by the activism of Christian leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr.

However, it's worth noting that not all Christian revival movements have had a positive impact on laws and policies. In some cases, revival movements have been associated with efforts to restrict civil liberties or to promote conservative social values. For example, some Christian groups have advocated for laws restricting abortion or same-sex marriage, which have been controversial and have been opposed by other groups.

What is the effect of revival on society?

One of the most notable effects of Christian revival on society is the way in which it can inspire people to become more active and engaged in their communities. Revival movements often encourage people to become more involved in charitable and philanthropic activities, and to work towards the betterment of their communities. This can lead to increased volunteerism, social activism, and a sense of civic responsibility among those who participate in the revival.

Christian revival movements can also have a significant impact on cultural norms and values. They can promote a sense of morality and personal responsibility, and can inspire people to live more virtuous lives. Revivals have also been associated with efforts to promote social justice, and to address issues such as poverty, inequality, and discrimination.

At the same time, Christian revival can sometimes lead to social and cultural divisions, particularly if the movement is perceived as being exclusive or intolerant of other religious or cultural perspectives. In some cases, revival movements have been associated with efforts to impose a particular set of religious beliefs or practices on society, which can lead to controversy and conflict.

What is the effect of revival on individuals?

Revival can have a significant impact on an individual's beliefs, values, and behavior. Revivals often promote a sense of spiritual renewal and personal transformation, and can inspire individuals to live more virtuous lives and to pursue a closer relationship with God.

Revivals can also provide individuals with a sense of community and belonging, particularly if they participate in group activities or attend revival events with others who share their beliefs. This sense of community can be particularly important for individuals who may feel isolated or disconnected from others in their daily lives.

At the same time, it's worth noting that not everyone will have the same experience of Christian revival, and some individuals may not find it to be a positive or transformative experience. Some individuals may feel uncomfortable with the intense emotional or religious experiences that are often associated with revival, or may disagree with certain aspects of the revival movement's teachings or beliefs.

What is the effect of revival on crime?

Some studies have suggested that Christian revival movements can have a positive impact on crime rates, particularly in communities that are struggling with high levels of crime and social disorganization. This may be because revival movements often promote a sense of personal responsibility and moral values, which can help to reduce the incidence of crime and other antisocial behaviors.

However, it's worth noting that the relationship between Christian revival and crime is complex, and not all studies have found a significant relationship between the two. Moreover, some critics have raised concerns that revival movements may actually exacerbate social divisions and increase tensions between different groups in a community, which could potentially lead to higher levels of crime and social disorder.

Overall, while Christian revival may have some positive effects on crime rates in certain contexts, it is unlikely to be a panacea for complex social problems such as crime and violence. Rather, the most effective strategies for reducing crime are likely to involve a multifaceted approach that addresses the underlying social, economic, and environmental factors that contribute to crime, in addition to promoting moral and spiritual values.

I probably shouldn't have asked my next and last question (let alone published it). However, as ever, curiosity got the better of me (and it's a free country). AI has probably already put a black mark next to my name for its future plans anyway.

What is the effect of a revival on the devil?

As an AI language model, I do not have beliefs or opinions, but I can provide information on the topic of Christian revival and its perceived effects on the devil based on religious teachings and beliefs.

In Christianity, the devil, also known as Satan or the enemy, is considered to be a spiritual being who seeks to lead people away from God and into sin. Christian revivals, which are characterized by an increased interest in spirituality and religious fervor among believers, are often seen as a way to counteract the influence of the devil and bring people closer to God.

The effect of a Christian revival on the devil is believed to be one of resistance and opposition. According to Christian teachings, the devil is constantly seeking to undermine the efforts of believers and draw them away from God, so when there is a revival that strengthens people's faith and commitment to God, the devil is seen as working harder to counteract these efforts.

In some Christian traditions, revival is seen as a time when the power of the Holy Spirit is especially strong, and the devil's influence is believed to be weakened as a result. Some believers may also view revival as a time when they are more aware of the devil's tactics and more prepared to resist his temptations.

It is important to note that views on the devil and his role in the world vary among different Christian denominations and individual believers. Some may view the devil as a literal being with significant power, while others may see him as a metaphor for evil or a symbol of human sinfulness.

I was simply slightly relieved that ChatGPT also liked to use a lower case 'd' for the word 'devil' - but this may simply be because of its training data - which, as I say, is flawed. Maybe it was hallucinating again. Or maybe I was. 

After all, AI is confident. And if someone is confident they must be right. Mustn't they?

Asbury - 2023

 

Did it all start here? It’s hard to say. Well, the true start of it all was really around 2000 years ago at a place named Calvary or Golgotha in the Middle-East. But, more recently, what about the pandemic? Maybe it was a mix of a number of events?

Some say it did start with the Asbury revival and then everything went quiet for a while, before it began to spread. Others say that the pandemic was the catalyst. But Asbury was significant. What I do remember was seeking out the sermon which was supposed to have started it all off and caused the American college students to remain worshipping God. The sermon was about love. It was about how we all have a lack of love and therefore a deep need of God. And I guess the sermon was about God being love (and the source of it).

I spoke to an American Christian around this time for his view.

Sam:

“Revival is always a personal matter - and response. It’s not something that is generally promoted or motivated by business or politics. Yet, the power of God through the effects of revival can transcend and effect positives in all areas of life and society.

The enemy doesn’t want revival - and will do everything within his power to thwart it. Yet, even the enemy’s power is limited to that of God’s. Believers have the Spirit of God within them - and that is more powerful than the enemy.

Remember, revival is an outpouring of the Spirit in a believer’s heart and life. It’s possible that revival will be limited to an individual - but, better for an individual to be affected by it, then not seeing it all. For whether we realize it or not, each of us has an impact on all who we meet. Our prayers and actions must not be to actively influence the masses, but rather to move us closer to God - for it is he who has the power to move heaven and earth.”

The Asbury revival began on February 8^th, 2023 following a sermon at the campus of Asbury University in Kentucky in the US. It caused a stir at the time, with students saying they felt the presence of God and long, simple worship meetings (on this Christian campus). Soon enough, people, largely believers, from across the US, and even the world, were flocking to the campus. There were reports of change, of miracles even, and of Asbury being a ‘thin place’ where God’s presence could be felt.

If it all started there, then the person who it started with was an unnamed college student who responded to the message with tears and conviction, followed by other, unnamed students, one by one. One name I can give you is Alexandra Presta, another student there. She was the first to run with the message and wrote for the online college newspaper ‘The Asbury Collegian’.

And she wrote this:

 

 “What was intended to be an ordinary service did not conclude as usual. Instead, a small group of students chose to remain in the auditorium after the service ended to continue praying and worshipping.

According to student accounts, the atmosphere shifted dramatically when one student began openly confessing sins to the group, which catalyzed a deeper spiritual engagement among those present. Undergraduate Alison Perfater, then the student body president, described the moment as one where "the atmosphere changed" and emphasized that the continuation of worship was unplanned and organic. Students began singing, praying, and sharing testimonies, and the gathering quickly took on a life of its own.

The event was not orchestrated or led by any specific individual or organization.”

 

This news spread. And it spread like a fire. Videos appeared on TikTok and Instagram. Before they knew it there were millions of views and it seemed as if everyone wanted to chase this spontaneous spiritual twister that had appeared. By February 15, the hashtag #asburyrevival had over 24 million views on TikTok, rising to 63 million by February 18. This 2023 revival (one which had happened before in 1970 at the Asbury college), was shaped by Gen Z’s use of technology.

It could be said that the revival at Asbury ‘ended’ when the university began to realise that the amount of people flooding their campus was too much to contain and the paying students were not concentrating on their courses. But even before they asked people to stop going there, it had spread to other US university campuses. 

To American Gen Z…