The Evangelical Alliance UK (EAUK) is experiencing its largest surge in membership in three many years, with 5,000 latest members joining prior to now 12 months. This remarkable growth reflects a resurgence of interest in evangelical Christianity across the UK and has strengthened the EAUK’s influence in national discussions and advocacy efforts.
Founded on 19 August 1846, during a gathering of 800 evangelical leaders in London, the Evangelical Alliance was established to advertise unity amongst evangelicals. For over 170 years, the EAUK has been committed to helping Christians and churches share the message of Jesus Christ while advocating for biblical truth in society. Today, the Alliance represents a wide selection of evangelical communities and continues to fulfil its founding mission.
Under the leadership of Gavin Calver, CEO of the Evangelical Alliance and an ordained evangelist, the organisation is experiencing renewed vitality. “We’ve been blown away by your support and are thankful for every considered one of you,” Calver stated in a membership letter, reflecting on the extraordinary growth.Â
The Evangelical Alliance’s recent expansion is especially striking, with over 5,000 latest members joining in a 12-month surge – far surpassing the unique goal of three,000. This brings total membership to greater than 23,000, marking the fastest growth for the reason that Nineteen Nineties. Calver expressed his gratitude, saying, “With 5,000, the Lord’s blown out of the water what we thought was possible.”
Much of the expansion reflects the constituency that the EAUK already has, with many latest individual members signing up after EA representatives spoke at their churches. “The EA has really began asking again,” Calver noted, acknowledging that the organisation had previously “taken its foot off the gas” in searching for latest members.
This growth spans diverse demographics; around 1 / 4 of UK evangelicals are people of color, and the EAUK represents 80 different streams, networks, and denominations. Calver remarked, “One of the good joys in my job is I get to evangelise in a lot of these places, and the primary worship song on a Sunday morning tells you where you might be: how charismatic an environment, how free an environment.”
This surge in membership has also strengthened the EAUK’s voice in national discussions, particularly in its advocacy with the UK government. The organisation often represents evangelicals in dialogue with policymakers, ensuring Christian perspectives are heard on key issues akin to marriage and racial justice. Calver explained, “Our role is to present the church a transparent and effective voice into the corridors of power.”
The EAUK’s influence is clear through its recent meetings at 10 Downing Street, where it has brought an evangelical perspective to vital policy discussions. Calver remarked, “Certainly, within the UK, our access to the corridors of power is amazing. We’re out and in of Westminster and the 4 governments of the UK on a regular basis. We get to take people’s voices to somewhere they would not get otherwise.”
Since its inception, the Evangelical Alliance has focused on empowering Christians to proclaim their faith and uphold biblical values in a rapidly changing world. Formed to supply a united voice for evangelicals, the Alliance has all the time sought to take care of a firm stance on essential doctrines while addressing the challenges of every generation. Calver stated, “The EA here has only really existed for 2 things since 1846: unite the church in reaching the lost in every corner of the UK, and secondly, give the church a transparent and effective voice into the corridors of power.”
In light of the growing secularism in society, Calver is each realistic and hopeful. “We’re living in a secular tsunami,” he said, acknowledging the challenges of a declining Christian identity within the UK. However, he also noted that the distinctiveness of evangelicalism brings hope. “Some parts of the church are baptising the culture a little bit, and meaning the distinctiveness that evangelicalism offers brings hope,” he explained.
Looking ahead, Calver and the Evangelical Alliance have ambitious goals, including increasing membership to 50,000 inside the subsequent decade. “Last 12 months I said to my board, ‘If you let me set a ten-year direction for where we would like to go, I’ll stay for a decade to see it through,'” Calver shared. He emphasised the necessity to balance theological firmness with an lively evangelistic mission: “We must hold our nerve theologically. Do not compromise on the things that matter within the Word of God, irrespective of what the worth tag inside your culture, after which go for it wholeheartedly in sharing the gospel.”
While this presents a major challenge, Calver stays confident in God’s provision. “As long as we stay on mission, and we do not drift, and we keep our focus, and we spend more time on our knees than on our feet, I’m confident that the Lord is with us and we’ll get there.”
However, he acknowledged the obstacles ahead, akin to an aging population and fewer Christians within the UK. “I don’t desire to start out doing that math, but some are going out the back door in addition to through the front door,” he noted, maintaining a hopeful outlook despite the challenges.
