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In Secular UK, Evangelical Alliance Experiences Record Growth.

Leader explains why the movement is seeing its biggest membership bump in 30 years and its mission for the years ahead.

INTERVIEW BY JAMES THOMPSON|APRIL 17, 2024

Image: Illustration by Christianity Today / Source Images: Getty

As CEO of the United Kingdom’s Evangelical Alliance (EA), Gavin Calver sometimes compares the organization to the polarizing British breakfast spread Marmite: You either love it or you hate it.

The EA hears plenty from its critics, taking hits for stances on issues like transgender identity, and is calling on Christians who love them from a distance to actually join.

“We’re asking, ‘Will you please stand with us as someone who loves Marmite, not dislikes it?’” Calver said. “In our culture, it makes it a little lighthearted, but it needs very little explaining. People get it quickly.”

More churches, organizations, and individuals are responding to the call, and after record growth in the past year, the tally of dues-paying individual members recently topped 23,000. The total is a signal of the group’s influence to government officials and societal leaders, allowing the EA to represent evangelicals more effectively in the wider culture. CT.