More than 100 Christian leaders recently got here together at a parliamentary reception in London for the launch of Shine Your Light 2025 — a daring evangelistic initiative aiming to bring the message of Christ to streets, neighbourhoods, and marketplaces across the UK.
The event was coordinated by the National Day of Prayer and Worship (NDOPW) and led by MP Jim Shannon, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for the International Freedom of Religion and Belief.
Since its inception in 2023, Shine Your Light has seen a dramatic rise in participation, with church involvement doubling from 738 to over 1,500 in only one yr.
Christian leaders representing over 60 denominations and networks across the UK got here together in a spirit of unity to reflect on the impact of past events and to stay up for upcoming initiatives, which include a nationwide 72-hour prayer event over Pentecost weekend – 6 to eight June – and a series of coordinated Christmas outreach efforts from 12 to 14 December.
The reception featured addresses from a various group of religion leaders, including Bishop David Edwards representing the New Testament Church of God and United Christian Broadcasters, evangelist Andy Frost of Share Jesus International, broadcaster and pastor James Lusted, and Lydia and Henry George of Ichthus Christian Fellowship.
Rev Dr Tessa Henry-Robinson, newly appointed President of Churches Together in England, led a time of prayer.
Testimonies were shared from across the UK, including powerful stories from Christmas outreach events in Birmingham, Bedford, Canterbury, and communities in Wales and Scotland, showcasing the transformative power of the campaign in motion.
The Convenor and Founder of NDOPW and the Shine Your Light movement, Dr Jonathan Oloyede, emphasised the deeper purpose behind the campaign: “Seeing over 100 leaders in Parliament this week speaks of how much the Lord’s hand is on this call for mission, unity, and prayer to return together. We can not separate the three – but bring them together as one.
“Shine Your Light has grown since 2023, but there may be more that we want to do because the Church to reclaim our confidence within the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
“Praying at the guts of Westminster is a symbolic sign of the ripples needing to exit. As we prepare for Pentecost in a couple of weeks’ time, allow us to start praying for our communities that they’d be open to the move of the identical Holy Spirit which fell at Pentecost.”
Jim Lyon, of the Congregational Federation, shared his experience facilitating a Shine Your Light event in Northamptonshire countryside: “We did something last December in my community and we saw some truly amazing opportunities to bring people together to listen to the message of Christmas.
“I’d encourage every Christian to wish for a key so that you can unlock the chance to do a Shine Your Light event in your area, using the amazing resources which can be found.”
Closing the event, Shannon reflected on the spiritual significance of hosting such a gathering in the guts of Westminster: “Being capable of sponsor this Shine Your Light Parliamentary Reception was an honour for me.
“Seeing many Christians from across the entire of the Isles in Parliament was exactly what the spirit of Shine Your Light is about.
“I commend the boldness of Christians taking a stand to ensure that God’s light is visible in our world of darkness.
“I’m expectant of greater things in 2025 if we will multiply the fervour within the room to each community in these Isles. I’m praying for what God might do next.”
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