Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Report 2022
What people in
the UK think of
Jesus, Christians
and evangelism
Introduction
The Talking Jesus research was first carried out We are passionate about this research because
in 2015 for a group of leaders from across many we know that facts can change people’s
denominations. When we first saw the results, understanding and behaviour. This research can
they were so astonishing that we had to re-do the bring confidence to the church and to all of us who
research to see if it really could be true! Did 43% follow Jesus and who long to see others come to
of the population really believe in the resurrection? faith.
Were practising Christians really speaking about
This booklet will introduce you to the Talking Jesus
their faith to their friends and family on a regular
research, so you can understand the reasoning
basis? Was there a growing number of young adult
behind the research and how it can be used to help
Christians? The answer was yes, and you’ll be
in the task of evangelism. Most of the questions
pleased to know that the answer is still yes.
that we asked are identical to those in 2015,
Since then, the research has been presented but a few are new or have asked for additional
hundreds of times. It has changed our thinking information. We’ll compare where we can, and point
and strategy around evangelism and those initially out any differences that matter, as we go along. To
startling facts have become widely accepted. make this comparison we are using UK data from
2015.
The original partners in this research always
intended to track the results to measure the
churches’ impact in evangelism. This was planned The report is in five parts:
for 2020 but, due to the pandemic, we waited. 1 The state of faith in the UK p4
During the wait we gained more partners – new
organisations interested in the research. This 2 Those outside the church p12
new research is brought to you by Alpha, the 3 Conversations about Jesus p20
Evangelical Alliance, HOPE Together, Kingsgate
Community Church and the Luis Palau Association. 4 How people come to faith p30
We’re excited by it, and we know you will be too. 5 Next steps p37
Christian 48%
Muslim 4%
Hindu 1%
Jewish 1%
Sikh *%
Buddhist 1%
Agnostic 4%
Atheist 12%
Other 1%
None of the above 26%
% among UK adults
Prefer not to say 2%
The first question that we asked was about 26% of the respondents didn’t affiliate with any of
the religious affiliation of the population. We the main religions or define themselves as either
discovered that 48% of the population choose to an atheist or agnostic. They are the next largest
describe themselves as Christians. This is down group after the Christians, they are the ‘none’
from 58% in 2015.1 The Christian faith is chosen by group. This group has grown in number significantly
many more people in the older age brackets – 60% since 2015, where they were only 11% of the UK
of those aged 55–64, going up to 63% of those 65+, population. The age break 18–24 has the highest
whereas it is 29%Christians
Practising of those aged6%18–24. This is a percentage of those choosing ‘none’, 27%; also
significant drop in the number of people choosing the highest percentage of atheists 20% and of
to Non-Practising
affiliate themselves with the Christian faith.
Christians Muslims 14%. In comparison only 4% of the whole
42%
population describe themselves as Muslims; they
As the church, it is important to know all we can
tend to be younger and centred in London with 12%
about those Non-Christians
we are trying to reach. If 48% of 52%
of Londoners being Muslim. Our 18–24-year-old
the population associate themselves with the
Christians have a more challenging environment to
0% other 52%?
Christian faith, what about the 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
practise their faith in than any other age group.
% among UK adults
1
I n 2015 we published the England-only statistics, but we had UK data and as this 2022 report is UK wide we are now
comparing with the UK data from 2015.
The religious
faith of our
respondents
Practising Christians 6%
Non-Christians 52%
% among UK adults
10% 65+
17%
55-64
Age 19%
breakdown 45-54
17% of practising 35-44
Christians
25-34
19%
18% 18-24
2
I n 2015 7% of the English population met our description of practising Christian.
In 2015 7% of the English population met the away. With an ageing population in England, this
criteria to be included as practising Christians. could have led to a noticeable decline in the
In 2022 6% of the English population meet the number of practising Christians in England over
The religious
criteria to be practising Christians. 3 With the level the seven years since we carried out the original
faith of our
of accuracy of the research this is not a significant research. This means we have replaced many of
respondents
changePractising
over sevenChristians
years. Each 6%
year there are our ageing, practising Christians with new younger
many wonderful practising Christians who pass practising Christians.
Non-Practising Christians 42%
Non-Christians 52%
% among UK adults
10% 65+
17%
55-64
Age 19%
breakdown 45-54
17% of practising 35-44
Christians
25-34
3
Unfortunately we don’t have these
19%figures for the UK wide population in 2015.
18% 18-24
7 Talking Jesus Report
Section 3
What do people think about Jesus?
Section 3a – Is Jesus God?
20% of the UK population think that Jesus is God similar, in fact it is slightly higher in the younger
in human form, who lived among people in the first generations and shows that the church has held its
century; 21% of the UK population thought this in ground on this core belief.
2015. Across all generations this percentage is
How people
describe
God in human form who lived Jesus
20%
among people in the 1 st Century
A prophet or spiritual
33%
leader, not God
Other 4%
% among UK adults
% among UK adults
8 Talking Jesus Report
0%
Section 3c – How do people describe Jesus?
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We asked our research sample to tick from were all positive – that Jesus was spiritual,
a list of attributes to describe Jesus, or 43%; peaceful, 39%; a leader, 38%, and
to say that they didn’t know. The top traits loving 37%.
How people
43% describe
39%
38%
37%
37%
Jesus
27%
27%
25%
13%
5%
5%
11%
3%
3%
2%
8%
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% among UK adults
When you look at the responses from non- Although some didn’t know, or didn’t agree, with the
Christians, 15% of them said they didn’t know how options, there was a considerable number who felt
to describe Jesus and a further 13% said that none the same as the rest of the population.
of the options that were listed were how they would
The top trait for practising Christians, on the other
describe him. Still the top three traits that were
hand, was that Jesus was loving, 76%. This shows
chosen were the same as the whole population:
very clearly the difference that knowing Jesus
spiritual, 31%; peaceful, 27%, and a leader, 26%.
personally makes in someone’s life – Christians
Loving was the option fifth most likely to be chosen,
know they are loved; their understanding of Jesus
with 22% of those with no religion selecting it.
is personal.
% among UK adults
The answers to this question amazed us in 2015 as resurrection, still 45% of the population believe
and are still astonishing today. Jesus rose from the dead.
Was Jesus
16% of the population believe in the resurrection In 2015 44% of the UK population were indicating
a historical
of Jesus, word for word, as it is described in the that they believed in the resurrection and in 2022
person?
Bible. A further 29% say they also believe in the this figure is 45%. The fact that this level of belief
resurrection, but that some content of the biblical has remained consistent over the last seven years
account should not be taken Jesus was a– that’s
literally real human
45% being
is significant. 54%
percent of the population who are willing to tick
43% of those over the age of 55 don’t believe in the
a box saying they believe in the resurrection. A
resurrection – whereas this figure falls to 39% of
further 41% sayJesus is a mythical
they don’t or fictional
believe and character
14% don’t 28%
those aged 18–34. There is more belief about the
know.
resurrection in the younger generations than the
Only 41% of the population clearly don’t believe older. Another interesting fact is that 17% of the
% among UK adults
Jesus rose from the dead! That is extraordinary, in 18–24-year-olds don’t know what they believe about
an age where faith was supposed to be dying, and the resurrection – the age-group with the highest
where science could have disproved such things percentage of people undecided.
Those outside
the church
Other 1%
Don't know 7%
Section 1
None of these 13%
This was a new question added for 2022. We asked were both about talking with someone to find out
this question of all those who would not describe about faith: 15% said talking to a friend or family
themselves as a Christian, but also of all those who member who they know to be a Christian; 12% said
didn’t fit the definition of a practising Christian. Of talking to a Christian leader in the community and
those who do not describe themselves as Christian 9% said talking to a colleague or acquaintance
(i.e. the non-Christians) we can also see when who they knew was a Christian. (That’s a lot of
those of other religions, and those of no religion, talking options); 13% said visiting an open church or
give significant answers. cathedral, and a further 12% said reading a book or
a pamphlet about Christianity.
Overall, searching on Google is the top way that
non-Christians say they would find out about the Those who were non-practising Christians
Christian faith (26%). This reflects how, in our favoured going to a local church (43%); reading the
culture, we now use Google or another search Bible (35%); 24% said they would talk to a Christian
engine to find out about everything from holidays leader in the community; 21% would talk to a friend
to shopping. The next two top ways that non- who was a Christian. This shows us that non-
Christians would find out about the Christian practising Christians are highly likely to be part of
faith were reading the Bible (22%) and going to our church services.
a local church (22%). The next leading answers
Section 2
Do those outside the church have good contact with us?
We saw very clearly in the original Talking Jesus
research in 2015, that the reach of the church % non-Christians who know
was greatest through all the normal everyday a practising Christian
relationships of practising Christians. This is
still the same in 2022. We asked all the non-
4%
Christians and non-practising Christians if they
knew someone that they would call a practising
Christian. 53% of those who are non-Christians
know someone who is a practising Christian in 42% 53%
the UK. This is a significant drop from the 68% of
non-Christians who knew a practising Christian
in the UK in 2015. 5 This could be an impact of the
pandemic and the last two years of isolation. This
is something that we need to watch and think
about in our churches. We need to work to keep our
Yes No Don't know
links outside of our own church communities.
5
T his was 66% of English non-Christians in 2015 – in 2017 report “Talking Jesus – What Can I Do”.
12%
14 Talking Jesus Report
11%
Yes No Don't know Yes No Don't know
12%
11%
8%
2% 1%
53% of non-Christians know us, but how well do throughout the nation and have close relationships
they know us? Do we have the sort of relationships with those who are not yet Christians. Interestingly
that are close enough for faith sharing and other though, 12% of non-Christians, as seen in part 2,
ways of outreach? The good news is that the first section 1, did say that they would talk to a Christian
active and practising Christian that non-Christians leader in the community to find out more about the
know and thought of was close to them; the Christian faith, so Christian leaders do have a role
majority were their family and friends. 35% said the in evangelism.
active and practising Christian they knew was a
One more important factor that the research shows
friend; 31% said a family member.
is that most non-Christians thought of someone in
There is one change from our data in 2015 that their own age group as the practising Christian they
could be a direct result of the pandemic. In 2015 knew. Whether they were old or young, the person
only 4% of non-Christians in the UK thought of a that came to mind, who was a practising Christian,
neighbour as the person that they knew, who was was mostly likely to bet in their own age bracket. For
a practising Christian, but in 2022 it has doubled example 61% of those aged 65+ thought of someone
to 8%. New local links may have been created as who was also aged 65+ and 57% of those aged
we have reached out during the pandemic to those 18–24 thought of someone also aged 18–24. For the
who live near us. majority, evangelism and relationship-building with
those outside the church is done within generations.
2% of those who are non-Christian thought of a
Peer to peer evangelism is critical.
church leader as the Christian they knew well. This
shows us that we cannot rely on church leaders to We need to keep reaching outside our church
do the work of evangelism; it needs to be the whole communities and increasing our links and
church, the whole body of Christ, as we are spread friendships intentionally.
Caring 50%
Friendly 62%
Encouraging 19%
Hopeful 23%
Good-humoured 33%
Generous 32%
Authentic 19%
How
Hypocritical 9%
non-Christians
Unhappy 4%
Naïve
describe the
10%
Selfish 4%
Christian they
Hurtful 3%
know
Homophobic 5%
Narrow minded 10%
Other 1%
Don't know 3% % non-Christians who know a practising Christian
None of the above 1%
Those who are not Christian and who knew a who call themselves Christian, but who are not
practising Christian were asked what they thought regularly practising their faith, have an even more
of that practising Christian. The top traits were positive view of the Christians that they know who
How
friendly (62%), caring (50%), good-humoured (33%) are practising; 72% of non-practising Christians
non-Christians
and generous (32%). The most negative traits were think the practising Christian that they know is
describe the
that 10% thought the practising Christian they friendly.
Christian church
knew was narrow minded or naïve and 9% said they
In 2015 in the UK the top traits of the practising
were hypocritical. Overwhelmingly the practising
Christians that non-Christians knew were also
Christians that are known by non-Christians are
Caring friendly, caring,20%
good-humoured and generous.
considered by non-Christians to have positive
Friendly Little has changed since
22% 2015; practising
traits.
Encouraging 10% Christians are still thought of positively in 2022 by
When weHopeful
look at the non-practising Christians, the those
15% who know them.
numbers get more positive – this
Good-humoured 5%shows that those
Generous 11%
Authentic 7%
Hypocritical 26%
Unhappy 4%
Naïve 13%
Selfish 9%
Hurtful 8%
Homophobic
17 Talking Jesus Report 16%
Narrow minded 26%
Don't know 3% % non-Christians who know a practising Christian
None of the above 1%
Section 5
How
non-Christians
What do people think about the church? describe the
Christian church
Caring 20%
Friendly 22%
Encouraging 10%
Hopeful 15%
Good-humoured 5%
Generous 11%
Authentic 7%
Hypocritical 26%
Unhappy 4%
Naïve 13%
Selfish 9%
Hurtful 8%
Homophobic 16%
Narrow minded 26%
Other 3%
Don't know 13% % non-Christians
None of the above 10%
We asked a new question in 2022 to discover over a more negative perception of the church.
the words or phrases those who are either non- Relying on a more general draw from the church
Christian or are non-practising Christian associate is going to be more problematic in reaching non-
with the church. Non-Christians have a more Christians and shows why personal evangelism,
negative view of the church than the individual invitation and witness is so vital.
Christian that they know. The top two traits for
The non-practising Christians, however, have a
the church are negative – hypocritical (26%) and
more positive view of the church – 47% think that
narrow minded (26%), but the third trait is positive,
the church is friendly and only 12% said it was
22% said the church was friendly.
hypocritical or narrow minded. The closer people
This means that it is the individual Christian who is are to Christian faith, the more positively they view
the best bridge for evangelism. There is a positive the church.
relationship and identification with that person,
% amon
10%
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% non-Christians
This is a new question for Talking Jesus in 2022. aged 18–24 and 25–34, as was, ‘What will make me
happy?’ – a question also being asked by those
We wanted to understand people outside the
under the age of 34. 19% of those aged 18–24 also
church better and to discover if there were any big
asked ‘What happens when you die?’ In fact, the
questions that they were asking in common?
question holds up reasonably strongly across
We also asked these questions of all those on the most age groups (e.g. 17% of those aged 65+ asked
survey to better understand both non-Christians, it) except for 25–34s (13% asked it, significantly
non-practising Christians and practising Christians. less than 18–24s, 45–54s, 55–64s, and 65+). This
shows us that it is an important question to many
Although ‘Will everything be ok?’ was the highest
across the generations and one that we should be
scoring question for the whole population of the
answering clearly.
UK at 18% (not counting ‘None of the Above’), which
is probably a reflection of the current changes The questions that we listed were more in tune
across the world with the Covid 19 pandemic. ‘What with those in the younger generations. 22% of all
should I do with my life?’ was the highest scoring respondents said that they weren’t asking any of
question for practising Christians at 19% (not the questions, yet only 5% of those aged 18–24 and
counting ‘None of the Above’) and ‘What happens only 8% of those aged 25–34, selected this option, in
when you die?’ was the highest scoring question contrast to 38% of those aged 65+. These questions
for non-practising Christians at 22%. will help with age specific mission, evangelism, and
discipleship. More research would need to be done
‘What should I do with my life?’ was key to those
to understand other generations better.
Conversations
about Jesus
Section 1
Is the team talking about Jesus?
21%
23% 4%
52%
42%
5% 43% 53%
75% 54% 7%
72%
21 Talking Jesus Report It is every Christian's Other believers are
responsibility to talk to better suited than I a
4% 4%
non-Christians who know
%
Section 2
a practising Christian
14%
21%
5%
41%
4%
52%
75% 7% 81%
23%
42%
5% 43% 53%
54%
72%
4% 4%
I feel confident inviting I don't feel I know any I don't feel I know any
non-Christians to suitable non-Christian friends well non-Christians well
courses, events or services enough to invite them to a course, enough to talk to them
at my church event or service at my church about Jesus Christ
20%
40% 36%
3%
5%
3%
I feel comfortable talking I don’t talk to non-Christians I am always looking for
to non-Christians about about Jesus Christ because opportunities to talk to
Jesus Christ I don’t feel able to answer non-Christians about
difficult questions Jesus Christ
Non-Christians
who’ve had a
conversation with a
practising Christian
about their faith
33%
35% 41%
51%
55% 60%
7%
10%
8%
I felt more positive towards I wanted to know more I felt closer to the
Jesus Christ about Jesus Christ person in question
23% 22%
36%
2% 5%
55%
75% 73%
9%
I felt comfortable I felt like I was missing out I was open to an experience
in the conversation by not sharing their faith or encounter with Jesus Christ
2%
6% 14%
2% 2% 5%
I felt more positive towards I wanted to know more I felt closer to the
Jesus Christ about Jesus Christ person in question
9% 7%
6%
26%
1%
11%
63%
90% 87%
I felt comfortable I felt like I was missing out I was open to an experience
in the conversation by not sharing their faith or encounter with Jesus Christ
To look at the impact of our conversations, we about Jesus Christ; this is about a third. A further
asked non-Christians, who had had a conversation 36% were open to an encounter or experience
with a practising Christian and chosen to remain of Jesus for themselves after the conversation;
a non-Christian, how they felt during and after the again about a third. 41% felt closer to the person
conversation. We also asked practising Christians, in question, with 51% feeling less close. These
for whom a conversation was a key influence in statistics are more positive than in 2015. In 2015
their coming to faith, the same questions about the approximately 1 in 5 non-Christians, who chose to
influence of the conversations they recalled. Both remain a non-Christian following a conversation
sets of answers are needed to get a full picture of with a practising Christian, was open to either
the power of our personal conversations. knowing more or experiencing/encountering more
of Jesus Christ. In 2022 this figure has risen to
We discovered that 75% of non-Christians felt
approximately 1 in 3. This is very good news for the
comfortable during the faith conversation and 33%,
church.
because of the conversation, wanted to know more
We asked the non-Christians what they recall about the conversations they had with non-
remembered from the conversations they had had Christians. 34% of them said that they asked what
about faith. The top things that they recalled were, the other person believed and 44% said they shared
that they were asked what they believed (33%) a personal story about their faith. 25% said that they
and that the person shared about their personal invited the person to a church service and 20% said
faith (30%). These are the top two memories that they offered to pray for them. This shows that both
and show that Christians are listening as well groups have similar memories about the conversations.
as conversing, which is excellent practice. It is
Non-Christian 18–24-year-olds were more likely than
also good that Christians are sharing their own
non-Christians aged between 35–44, 45–54, 55–64
personal experience of faith as this is easy for
and 65+ to say that, as a result of the conversation,
people to understand and makes the conversation
they had had a spiritual experience with 15% saying
open and authentic. 19% remembered being invited
this. They also recalled that they were offered
to a church service and 13% recalled that the
another conversation, 27% – again much higher than
person offered to pray for them. 19% of the people
the age brackets mentioned above. They were also
questioned said that this conversation helped
more likely to report that the conversation made
them to think about spiritual things and shows
them think about spiritual things (30%) than non-
that the conversations were useful. This research
Christians aged 55–64 and 65+. The 18–24-year-olds
shows that practising Christians are having good
were also more likely than 45–54s, 55–64s, and those
conversations with those without Christian faith.
aged 65+ to have felt more positive towards Jesus
We also asked the practising Christians what they Christ having spoken to a Christian about their faith.
Coming
to faith
Section 1
How do people come to follow Jesus for themselves?
One of the key pieces of the Talking Jesus research others to come to faith. This is such a key part of
in 2015 and 2022 was finding out how practising the research that we are exploring it in even more
Christians came to faith. We asked what the key depth in this 2022 report than we did in 2015.
influences were for each person in coming to faith
The first key factor we researched was the age at
so that we can better understand how to help
which people come to follow Jesus for themselves.
33%
Age at which
practising
Christians came
to faith
14%
12% 12%
7%
5% 5% 5%
1%
3% 3% ow
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%
Christians
The highest percentage of practising Christians There is a clear strong message for the church
said that they came to faith from birth. Therefore, – don’t underestimate the early years. Most
it is evident that the younger years are the most practising Christians come to faith before the age
significant. The research clearly shows that most of 18, but it’s never too late for someone to come to
practising Christians come to faith by age 18; faith.
although, encouragingly we can see that people
have come toThe faithtop
across all age brackets.
influences that
helped over 18’s
come to faith
Life event 23%
Youth club
7%
34%
Christian family
Conversation(s) with Christian(s) you did not know well 6%
Attending an online church service(s),
other than a wedding or funeral
6%
Going to an introduction to Christianity course
like Alpha or Christianity Explored
6% 19%
Attending a
Christian content shared on social media by people you do
not know (e.g. Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok etc.) 5% physical church
service
24%
Reading the
A church wedding or funeral, online or offline 5% Bible
When we analyse this data for the most common impacting under 18-year-olds. The respondents
influences in bringing people to faith, we need to chose the influences from the above list, with
consider that this covers all ages but that 76% of the list being displayed in a randomised order to
practising Christians came to faith under the age each respondent in order to eliminate bias. They
of 18 and therefore many of these influences were were able to choose up to three influences. Only
Attending a church school was also a key influence It is also helpful to note that only 2% of practising
for 11% of practising Christians. This was again Christians said that there was another influence
influential across the age ranges and should other than those listed. The list is long, but it is
encourage all those who are part of Christian representative of the top influences that have
schools in their service and ministry to school brought many practising Christians to faith. It can
children. The call to churches is to work with the help local churches and practising Christians to
schools where they live to encourage and enable focus on what helps people come to faith now.
faith to flourish and develop as children grow in
It cannot report on what new measures might be
these environments.
discovered that have not yet influenced people,
You might look down this list and think, ‘Oh, some of such as the growth in social media since 2015. So,
these have a small response’, but not every church we still need to keep our hearts and minds open
is running a Messy Church, so the fact that 4% of to new ways to communicate the wonderful, good
practising Christians are reporting it as influential news of Jesus Christ, whilst we keep using the
shows it is having an impact. If you look at how methods that we know and trust.
age interacts with this data as well, you will see
As we have seen, the above factors were highly
more patterns. Of 25–34-year-olds, 8% say that
influential for those who came to faith at age 18
Messy Church, or a new form of church, has been
or lower, many of whom are now adults. We also
significant in their coming to faith. This is the age
wanted to know what the research could tell
group that are mostly likely to be parents, and this
us about over 18s and their journey to faith. We
shows that Messy Church and other new forms of
therefore split our final graph, to isolate the key
church are reaching this key generation.
influences that bring adults over 18 to faith.
among practising
%
Christians
Life events are the biggest single influence for mission open. Life events also happen to
bringing adults to faith, and the question was individuals, the death of a loved one, the birth
clear that this included both negative and of a baby, moving home, losing a job, illness or
positive life events. The pandemic was a negative breaking up with a long-term partner. All these
life event which has left people more open to influences shake people’s understanding of their
finding out about Jesus as demonstrated in this world and it is these moments in adult life that
research. Since we did this research there have people often explore faith. The other influences
been continued national life events with the war that bring adults to faith are those we examined
in Ukraine and the continuing economic crisis earlier on in this section.
across the UK keeping the door of opportunity
Conclusion and
next steps
What can we learn and put Part 3 – Conversations
into practice from the Talking about Jesus
Jesus research? • 55% of non-Christians, who know a practising
This research shows us some things that are Christian, have had a conversation with that
the same as in 2015 and other things that have Christian about their faith
changed. • 75% of practising Christians think it is every
Christian’s responsibility to talk about their faith
Key findings summary:
• 46% of practising Christians don’t know any non-
Christians well enough to invite them to church
Part 1 – The state of faith
in the UK • 33% of non-Christians, having had a
conversation with a Christian (and choosing to
Practising Christian team remain a non-Christian), are open to talking more
about Jesus Christ
• 48% of the population describe themselves as
Christians • 36% of non-Christians, having had a
conversation with a Christian (and choosing
• Of these Christians, 13% count as our definition to remain a non-Christian), are open to
of practising Christians in the UK, a total of 6% of experiencing or encountering Jesus for
the UK population themselves.
• They are spread throughout the generations • 33% of non-Christians recall being asked about
what they believe when in a faith conversation
Whole population overview of believers with a Christian
• 20% of the population believe that Jesus is God
• If you want help with this, give them a booklet or Let’s keep going together – so that everyone,
something to read to help start the conversation everywhere, can know about Jesus.
• Invite them to your church, online or in person, to Many thanks and grateful acknowledgement to
a service, an event or a course our consulting partners, Rev Stephen Hance of the
Church of England and our data analysis partner,
• Give them an accessible copy of the life events
Dr Bev Botting.
of Jesus Christ to read
The Partners who have brought you the Talking Jesus research:
evangelical alliance
together making Jesus known