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A Surprising Revival: Young People in the UK Are Fueling Church Growth
A SURPRISING REVIVAL: YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE UK ARE FUELING CHURCH GROWTH
A new report is challenging long-held assumptions about the decline of Christianity in England and Wales. The Quiet Revival, released earlier in 2025, reveals a significant uptick in church attendance particularly among young adults and young men.
In 2018, just 4% of 18–24-year-olds said they attended church at least monthly. Today, that number has jumped to 16%, with young men leading the charge, rising from 4% to 21%. Young women also saw growth, from 3% to 12%.
“These are striking findings that completely reverse the widely held assumption that the Church in England and Wales is in terminal decline,” said co-author Dr. Rhiannon McAleer.
Overall, church attendance has increased by over two million people in the past six years, with particular growth seen in Roman Catholic and Pentecostal congregations. For the first time, men (13%) are more likely than women (10%) to attend church regularly.
The report also highlights increasing diversity within congregations. One in five attendees now come from ethnic minority backgrounds, and nearly half (47%) of young Black adults aged 18–34 attend church at least monthly.
Beyond attendance, the report points to a deeper sense of purpose among churchgoers. “In a time of rising mental health struggles and loneliness, especially among youth, church appears to be offering meaning,” said co-author Dr. Rob Barward-Symmons.
Churchgoers were also found to be more charitable and more likely to volunteer, with higher life satisfaction and lower rates of anxiety and depression.
“Far from dying out,” said Bible Society CEO Paul Williams, “the Church is alive, growing, and making a real difference.”
While this report focuses on trends in the UK, similar patterns are emerging in the United States. In its last issue, WOTS highlighted findings from the Survey Center on American Life that showed a notable rise in church attendance among Gen Z men, particularly when compared to their female peers.