In the fairly niche world of church stats, it’s been quite a big day. It turns out the YouGov data behind the Quiet Revival report was flawed, so the Bible Society have pulled the report. YouGov have taken full responsibility for the error, and the Bible Society have handled it with real integrity.
For many Christians, this will land as difficult news – emotionally and spiritually. Over the past year, there’s been a lot of hope, prayer, and conversation built around the idea of a “quiet revival.” To see that narrative destabilised is no small thing.
But whatever you call it – revival or not – it doesn’t take away from what’s actually happening in real people’s lives.
I think of Dave, who randomly emailed asking when we were running Alpha – on the exact week we were starting one. A year later, we baptised him. I think of Rob, going through a tough time, whose old boss (a Christian living miles away) pointed him in my direction. Since then, we’ve been meeting up for chats and coffee. I think of Ned, who’s clearly in tune with God in a deep way, even if he never quite fitted into “church” as such – we’re still good friends and see him now and again.
I think of Connor, who had a pretty dramatic encounter with Jesus and ended up being baptised. And Owen, who had a moment at a summer Christian event and is now quietly reading his Bible and growing, even if we don’t see him much on a Sunday. Then Sian, who just emailed asking if she and her kids could come along. And Trevor, who had a dream about Jesus, got in touch to talk it through, and is now writing Christian-inspired poetry in between work and family life.
These aren’t stats. They’re people.
So yes – the Quiet Revival research might not hold up. But something is happening. Quietly, maybe. Messily, definitely. But real. And in my time in ministry, it feels like something new.
(Names have been changed to protect identities.)
