God is Building His Church – A Reflection on Ligonier’s State of Theology Survey 2026

For the second time since 2018, Ligonier Ministries UK has sought to reveal what people in the UK believe about God, the Bible, and salvation through its State of Theology survey. The results of the 2026 survey bring to light the great opportunity but also acute need within evangelical churches in the UK today. Sam Tunnicliffe helpfully draws out the key findings from the survey below and shows why churches and pastors ought to be encouraged as well as challenged. 

The State of Theology

The 2026 State of Theology survey gives British churches substantial reason for thanksgiving. 28% of UK evangelicals said that they had begun attending Sunday services for the first time as adults in the past two years. These aren’t just interested people: they have begun attending church and now believe the gospel, inasmuch as these things are ever provable by survey!

These newer evangelicals are disproportionately young, male and from ethnic-minority backgrounds. Even amid the assortment of flags and banners which bedeck our government buildings, a steady trickle of people are coming to church. Where the agenda of inclusion and equality has so often divided, it is the Church of Christ which unites.

A Word to the Cynics

The survey’s definition of “evangelical” was demanding. Respondents had to be practicing Christians and strongly affirm four statements concerning biblical authority, evangelism, Christ’s atonement and salvation by grace through faith. The findings were drawn from around 500 such evangelicals within 5,177 completed surveys. We are not merely discussing people who selected “Christian” as a cultural label, but people who you might easily chat to over coffee after the service.

There have been reports, and indeed rebukes, of a Quiet Revival in this country. We Brits are a cynical bunch. In one way we are right to be so; spiritual renewal cannot be read from the topline of a spreadsheet. On the other hand, in Christ God has made known to us the mystery of his will, a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him. We ought not to be surprised when we see this happening in our churches. Whatever you may think of the R word, ultimately this is a great encouragement to our evangelism, as well as a great opportunity for good discipleship.

“Happy Inconsistencies”

Yet among these “new evangelicals”, 71% agreed that God accepts the worship of all religions, while 57% affirmed that the Bible contains helpful accounts of ancient myths but is not literally true. Most strikingly, 55% said that Jesus was a great teacher, but not God!

These are shocking statistics, but such beliefs live side-by-side with a strong affirmation of the Trinity (99%) and of the bodily resurrection of Christ (97%). These are not consistent and coherent liberal theologians invading evangelical churches. They are sheep in need of shepherding: people attracted to Christianity, and perhaps even truly converted, but not yet equipped to recognise when their convictions contradict one another.

Nor is confusion confined to newcomers. 63% of all UK evangelicals (taken representatively) agreed that “everyone sins a little but most people are good by nature”, up from 49% in 2018. Only 47% agreed that even the smallest sin deserves eternal condemnation, down from 61%.

But sin is not a minor defect in otherwise good people: all have sinned (Romans 3:23) and stand in need of God’s grace. In fact, if we do not believe in the seriousness of our sin, we cannot fully grasp the depths of our saviour’s love for us.

Most people live with what R.C. Sproul used to call “happy inconsistencies”. The belief that God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit cannot properly live alongside the denial of Jesus’ divinity. Nor can the belief that the Bible is the highest authority in your life easily sit alongside the claim that it contains ancient myths and is not literally true.

The Call to Discipleship

The sufficiency of scripture and the promise of the Spirit of Christ provide the ultimate encouragement to the pastor asking, “am I up to this daunting task?” Ultimately, God is building his house. Praise God that he uses us, but also that he has told us where to stand and given us the power of the Spirit to bear the load.

Pastors should not read these statistics as though Christ has placed the continued existence of his church upon their shoulders. Even they are sheep belonging to Christ, our Chief Shepherd. He will sustain his church and advance his kingdom; the gates of hell will not prevail against it. Our privilege is simply to pass on what we have received from him.

The church must teach the scriptures, but also faithfully proclaim the deep theological truths they reveal – the good deposit entrusted to God’s people (2 Timothy 1:14). Teaching on God’s holiness, Christ’s person and work, sin, salvation, and the authority of the Word of God seems just as necessary as ever.

Confessionalism is sometimes caricatured as an attempt to put human documents alongside scripture, but properly understood, it does the opposite. A confession publicly declares what a church believes scripture teaches. It liberates pastors, giving them an approved (though of course not infallible) standard for teaching the whole counsel of God. In an age of contradictory affirmations and pastoral anxiety and burnout, let us thank God that we do not have to reinvent the church’s doctrine every week.

Ligonier’s own resources, as well as the teaching of other faithful, scripture-grounded ministries such as Broken Wharfe, seek to serve the church in this. We do so not by any attempt to add to the Word of God or undermine the local church, but by coming alongside pastors and partnering with churches to aid the work of discipleship to which they are called.

So let us receive these newcomers gladly. Let pastors preach Christ plainly, administer the ordinances faithfully and catechise with great patience. We may have to consider how to make time for theological instruction, both in the household and in the household of God, but let us do so with joy, liberated by our saviour, and confessing together the faith entrusted to the saints.

You can view the results of the State of Theology Survey 2026 here. For creeds, confessions, catechisms and resources on the theology of the church, visit the Broken Wharfe Bookshop.