Evangelical Alliance Forecasts 2026 as Most Spiritually Open Year in Living Memory
The Evangelical Alliance''s missiology specialist Phil Knox has identified five key mission trends for 2026, predicting a surge in spiritual openness, unexplained spiritual experiences, and booming Bible engagement. The forecast follows a ''seismic shift'' in 2025 that saw a 50% increase in church attendance over six years and an 87% rise in Bible sales since 2019.
The Evangelical Alliance (EA) has released its missional trends forecast for 2026, predicting that this year will be the most spiritually open in living memory, with significant implications for churches and faith communities worldwide.
Phil Knox, the EA''s missiology senior specialist, has identified five key trends shaping the mission space in 2026:
**1. Increased Spiritual Openness**
2026 is projected to see a continued decline in atheism and a resurgence of belief. This openness extends beyond Christianity to other religions, paganism, and the occult, with practices like "WitchTok" gaining online traction. Churches are encouraged to engage seekers with clarity and compassion.
**2. Unexplained Spiritual Experiences**
Research from 2025 indicated that 28% of new adult Christians cited a spiritual experience as the prompt for their faith journey. Churches are advised to be ready to address questions arising from dreams, visions, and unexplained encounters.
**3. Gospel Opportunities through Compassion Ministries**
The EA highlights the need for churches to better integrate their compassion ministries, such as food banks, with faith-sharing. Statistics show that 74% of parents with young children attended a church activity in the past year, suggesting significant evangelism opportunities.
**4. Booming Bible Engagement**
Bible sales increased by 87% between 2019 and 2024. A 2025 study found that 29% of UK students read the Bible weekly, including 12% of non-Christian students. Churches that maintain the core message while relating it to contemporary culture are expected to flourish.
**5. Discipleship Questions and Challenges**
With more people coming to faith through new pathways, effective discipleship will be crucial. The EA stresses the importance of investing in early spiritual formation and empowering "spiritual fathers and mothers" to prevent new converts from leaving the church.
These predictions follow a "seismic shift" observed in 2025, where various research studies indicated a turnaround in church attendance and spiritual interest, including a reported 50% increase in church attendance over six years.
