The ‘fire is rising’ as people in Britain increasingly encounter God in unexpected ways – with evangelical congregations growing, but churches of the ‘mushy middle’ declining.
That was the message from a panel of experts discussing the future of faith in the UK. The annual Theos think-tank event was held at BMA House in central London, and featured a panel of authors, broadcasters and the General Secretary of Churches Together in England, evangelical Mike Royal. It was entitled Does the Future Have A Church?
With a range of experiences and faith perspectives represented, the panel were in agreement that it was orthodox and evangelical churches that were growing. Broadcaster Justin Brierley referred to a change in culture, calling it a ‘meaning crisis’. The pandemic and political and global uncertainty meant people were again asking existential questions. They were, he suggested, now seeking mystery – and it is the churches that ‘offer something otherworldly, that take you out of your humdrum daily existence, that are actually the most attractive; and it’s the mushy middle where churches are declining’. Podcaster and author Tom Holland’s advice to ‘lean into the weird’ was quoted.
Lessons from a three-hour church service
It's sometimes said that culture is like a river. To fully appreciate its flow, you need to get in it. …