Bishop urges churches to prepare for renewed interest in Christianity

Bishop Philip North, the Bishop of Blackburn, has called on churches in Lancashire to prepare for a growing interest in Christianity, noting signs of a “rebirth” among young people and families exploring faith. He emphasized the need for confidence in sharing the Gospel as churches report an increase in attendance from individuals who first engaged with Christianity online.

Speaking at the Diocese of Blackburn’s Synod on 10 October, Bishop Philip urged the Church to move beyond a narrative of decline. He highlighted that while Western Christianity has experienced a long period of withdrawal, there are encouraging signs of renewed faith, particularly in France, where large crowds attended events during Pope Leo’s recent visit and adult baptisms have risen.

Bishop North pointed to similar developments in Lancashire, where churches have welcomed new families and young adults who began exploring faith online before attending services. He also noted confirmation services where adults joined children in publicly affirming their Christian faith, describing this as an increasingly common story across the county.

The bishop’s remarks followed a series of events marking the Diocese of Blackburn’s centenary, including a diocesan-wide mission weekend. Parishes organized activities to invite people into churches and introduce them to Christianity, with the response demonstrating “profound faithfulness and purpose” among clergy and lay leaders.

The new diocesan vision, *Joyful Followers of Jesus*, has been developed over two years and will formally launch when the Synod meets again at St Michael’s School in Chorley. The vision aims to help people come to know Jesus, inspire children and young people, share the Christian faith, and develop Christian leaders.

Bishop North stressed the importance of approaching the future with ambition and a determination to make a difference in people’s lives. He urged the Church to be “ambitious for the Gospel of Jesus Christ” and to avoid merely maintaining the status quo.

Prayer will be central to the vision as the diocese seeks to inspire a new generation of Christian leaders and deepen faith across the community.

Source: Read the original report