According to figures published by Christian Research recently membership of New Churches has increased by over 1,300% in the last twenty years whilst congregations in the Church of England have fallen by 40% in the last thirty. The decline is reflected in other denominations: the Baptist Union of Great Britain has seen a reduction to 82% of its 1980 figure and the Methodists expect to be down to 71% by 2001 if trends continue.
The percentage increase in the New Churches is impressive but derives from relatively small numbers: ten thousand to one hundred and thirty-seven thousand in the period mentioned. The Anglican Churches handle larger numbers: nearly three million down to just over one and a half million respectively. Numbers may be small but the increasing swing towards the evangelical flavour of the New Churches could indicate an historic change is taking place.
Indeed, the latest in-house magazine of New Frontiers International, the largest single new church organisation in the UK, agrees with this. Whilst celebrating their successful arrival in the new millennium the magazine also adds much weight to claims that a huge cultural shift is taking place.
Many of the new churches started in the early 1960s. Seeing a decline in the established churches - both in numbers and in adherence to doctrinal roots - a small group of young leaders began to emerge. They say that whilst finding Christianity and the person of Jesus Christ exciting, they had to admit that church life was less stirring.
They had a desire for a new radical style of church based on the principles which they saw in the New Testament. In this part of the Bible, in a section called the Acts of the Apostles there is a description of an informal and vibrant lifestyle as practised by the earliest Christians. This became their inspiration and goal. After they and their contemporaries experienced what they call 'the baptism in the Holy Spirit' there was added impetus to their aspirations. This religious experience, not to be confused with conversion, is said to be 'a life-transforming' run-in with God's Spirit in which certain empowering 'gifts' are given to the believer such as 'speaking in tongues'.
From the late 1960s and into the early 1970s a group of like-minded believers from differing denominational backgrounds formed small church groups that met in people’s homes. These groups were located mainly south of London and along the south coast of England in places such as Crawley, East Grinstead, Haywards Heath, Seaford, and Brighton.
They increased in size so that eventually buildings (usually large, old run-down ones) were taken over to accommodate the growth. By the end of the 1970s thirty new churches were active under one leadership team in the south of England and strong links had been forged with similar groups forming in the Midlands and the north.
From within these teams a handful of leaders appeared who to have become significant in the spread of the new churches, firstly in the UK, and later internationally. Among them Terry Virgo, who now heads New Frontiers International, and Gerald Coates who heads Pioneer, the second largest of the new church groupings.
Claims that a “spiritual hunger was hitting Britain” led these combined teams to start special annual Bible teaching weeks, one in the Yorkshire Dales and, later, one in the South Downs. From their conception in the late 1970s until they were stopped in 1988, they had increased attendance from two thousand to nearly ten thousand.
After a break of two years another Bible Week started in 1991. The National Agricultural Showground at Stoneleigh, near Coventry became the venue which saw attendance grow from 8,000 to its present 22,000 and is now staged on two identical consecutive weeks. Organisers expect 30,000 each week in the summer of 2000.
These annual shindigs, which are now replicated by many other Christian groups, effectively create a shop window for the new church philosophy. They promote an evangelical and charismatic Christian stance: one which is becoming increasingly noticeable especially as the influence of the older established churches wanes.
Spring Harvest is one of the celebrations to which all the main political parties were invited in April this year. The Conservative leader, William Hague, was the only one who turned up with several aides in tow and, according to The Times, delivered “an impassioned speech” to 8,000 Christians in one particular gathering. More than 50,000 committed Christians take part in Spring Harvest, a three-week event, held every Easter at Butlin's camps in Minehead and Skegness.
Terry Virgo says of Hague's visit, “Some political figures recognise the value of evangelicalism - they see a lot of integrity and hard work - yes, and votes”. Mr. Virgo thinks that “it would be OK if we (evangelicals) had more of a voice”. Fending off criticisms that a US style Bible Belt with Moral Majority form of political lobby could develop in the UK he says, “we can't compare this situation with that in the US - it's a totally different thing”. He points out that whilst the Christian lobby in the US has always had more power there, the Moral Majority and associated styles “has nearly all gone now”. He is confident that “there is no danger of it being replicated here”.
Are these new groups displaying a more accurate expression of Christianity in this country? Gerald Coates answers an emphatic “Yes”. He claims that the new streams began because “the mainstream moved away from its roots in terms of faith, doctrine, passion and sacrifice”.
Terry Virgo attributes their origins to the charismatic gifts and to making church life “more accessible”. He says that “people don't have to overcome the usual hurdles to come to our church events - they can relate to it much more easily. What used to be 'Sunday Best' is now casual weekend - same as everybody else!”
Not all manifestations of evangelicalism in the UK are found in the new streams: it is seen in other places. Matthew Ashimolowo, a Nigerian minister who moved to Britain 15 years ago, planted a church in Hackney, East London. He started the Kingsway International Christian Centre with less than 20 people and saw it grow to become one of the biggest churches in the country. It has around 5000 meeting each Sunday in a converted warehouse.
London's Pentecostal Kensington Temple is also host to the new brand of Christianity. It boasts a ministry that “regularly cares for and touches over 12,000 people each week” although this is facilitated through a network of “up to 130 churches and ministries all over London”.
Also in London, Holy Trinity, Brompton, is the home of the hugely successful evangelically based Alpha course. Billed as “a 10-week introduction to the basics of the Christian faith” and advertised on hoardings across the UK, this has now become an international phenomenon which was pioneered by Anglican minister Nicky Gumbel. Even Terry Virgo had to concede, “We can't argue with the fact that one of the most effective evangelistic thrusts for many years is coming out of the C of E”.
Past critics of new churches have reviled them “sheep stealers”. Gerald Coates prefers to call it “transfer growth” and claims that it happened “mostly in the early years but much less now”. In explaining that it has taken on a new form he says “When (churchgoing) individuals or families move to a new area, maybe because of jobs etc., they look for a new church and they often choose one like ours - that's where a lot of our transfer growth comes from”. New Frontier’s response to the criticism is almost identical and, like Pioneer, are now heavily into evangelism projects which aim to get converts from 'unchurched' backgrounds.
Further slating of the movement in the press often claims that they are simply an American import. Mr. Virgo rebuffs this: “there's plenty of evidence around - plenty of documentation that can be easily found showing that this is totally untrue”.
Other flak comes from closer to home: the traditional churches accuse them of promoting a “superficial” and “frothy” attitude, especially in the context of worship. Terry Virgo's response is somewhat predictable: “we encourage songs with good content - clapping is neither here nor there. People visiting a soccer match might clap or shout because they're happy with what they're doing”. In a more serious tone, he refers to examples in his local church situation where “many of the 'clappers' sit with AIDS victims during the week - I know their lifestyle” he says and indicates that this type of thing is true on a national scale in New Frontiers churches.
What of the future for the innovators? Mark Twain once wrote: “The radical of one century is the conservative of the next”. Will they be absorbed into a mediocre mainstream and acquire religious respectability? Terry Virgo again: “There is always the danger of becoming the conservative - we must always be alert”.
Practical plans for expansion indicate that they're not about to give up or even slow down. Among others, leaders of New Frontiers churches have taken on, or are about to take on, “very large buildings” sometimes against their better judgement. Mr. Virgo claims that their being blocked from buying smaller buildings, that they felt more suitable, is a form of guidance from God. He says, “Our churches in Hastings, Eastbourne, Winchester, Norwich, and Sheffield have buildings presently too big as they all each seat 1000 minimum”. They aim to fill them - and more.
The cultural shift that they are looking for may not be as far off as you think! Reversals of public opinion have happened in England in the past: the Wesleyan religious revival in the mid 1700s changed the course of the nation's history. It began at a time when there was a high crime rate, high instance of alcohol abuse and institutional corruption, yet at the height of the revival it was said that one in thirty men in the country was a Wesleyan and that Wesley was “the most loved man in England”. Wesley operated for about fifty years, but his movement affected the culture and morals of the nation for a further one hundred.
The new church style, as Terry Virgo says, “could easily become the style of church nationally for many years to come”.
Anthony Whelan, 2000