Evangelical Alliance Predicts Surge in Spiritual Openness and Bible Reading in 2026

The Evangelical Alliance is predicting that 2026 will be a year of increased spiritual openness, with more people turning to God, the Bible, and unexplained spiritual experiences.

Phil Knox, the organization's missiology senior specialist, said the trend is already visible. "Belief is back," he said. "In a 'fake news' world, younger generations are particularly drawn to good news that is true, profound and beautiful."

Church attendance in the UK rose in 2025, and the EA expects that momentum to continue. Knox says churches that connect their practical ministries, like food banks and parent groups, with active faith-sharing will grow the fastest. He noted that nearly every food bank in the UK is connected to a church, and 74% of parents with children under five have attended a church activity in the past year.

Bible sales also climbed in 2025. The EA attributes the increase to a post-truth cultural moment, where people are hungry for something they can trust. New Christians are increasingly citing Bible reading as a turning point in their faith journey.

Knox also flagged a rise in unexplained spiritual encounters. Youth for Christ reported in 2025 that teenagers were having dreams of Jesus, which led many to seek out youth groups. The EA found that 28% of new Christians said a spiritual experience prompted them to seek Christ.

But Knox issued a caution. The same spiritual hunger is also drawing people toward other religions, paganism, and the occult. TikTok videos tagged "Witchtok," focused on tarot and manifestation, have grown in popularity over the past year.

"The rising tide will cause seekers to turn not only to all forms of Christianity, but to other religions, paganism and the occult," Knox said. He urged church leaders to be ready to answer questions of wonder and to welcome people who show up asking, "What was that?"

The EA's report was published in January 2026 as part of its annual missional trends forecast.