Faith is Growing
There are clear signs the tide is turning in the Anglican Church in Australia. At the recent Electoral Synod in May 2025, all four candidates for Archbishop of Melbourne were evangelicals. In the end, Ric Thorpe was elected—an English bishop with deep experience in church planting through the Holy Trinity Brompton network (where Alpha originated). His election marks a decisive shift toward mission-focused evangelical leadership in the diocese.
And the momentum is national. This month, Dr Mark Short—another evangelical—was elected as Primate of the Anglican Church of Australia. He’s the first evangelical to hold that role since 1982. It's a clear sign that evangelical influence is growing, not just in Melbourne, but across the country.
Meanwhile, evangelist Dave Jensen has been reporting a rise in conversions, particularly among younger men. But perhaps even more striking is what’s happening among the Baptists. In just one year, baptisms rose by 34%—from 2,693 in 2022 to 3,603 in 2023. And remember, Baptists only baptise youth and adults who make a personal confession of faith.
When asked why, Baptist pastor Andrew Turner observed:
“Something else is going on… I do suspect it’s driven not by Christians becoming more fervent in evangelism. I think it’s driven by spiritual thirst among those who have been dwelling in – even born into – a spiritual desert.”
Tim MacBride, Principal of Morling College, recently made a similar observation to me.
I’ve also heard that more people are now attending Baptist churches than Anglican ones in Australia, for the first time ever.
Interestingly, conversions into Eastern Orthodoxy and Catholicism are also being reported. But I doubt it’s because these churches have suddenly become more missional. It seems more likely that spiritual hunger for ancient worship is the deeper cause.
Globally, the standouts remain the Pentecostals. On every continent, Evangelicals are the second-fastest-growing Christian group, and Pentecostals/Charismatics are the first. This trend is less pronounced in the West but striking in Africa, Latin America, and Asia.
We live in fascinating times. It's worth looking over the fence now and then. Faith in Jesus is alive—and growing—in many places. The trends are varied, complex, and mostly up