There are many today who believe that if a revival were to break out, it would break out in the cities and from there flow into the countryside.  The Rev. Tim Keller, the Rev. Peter Moore and Bishop Mark Lawrence have all written or spoken of this reality in recent times.  Certainly during our time in London, we could say that a spiritual awakening is stirring in this important city.

For the first time in decades, there were 20% more people in worship over Christmas than previous years, but that’s just on paper.  There is something else happening, a cleaning of house so to speak.  Over the years, there have been many London churches that have just died, yet out of that death is coming new resurrection.  Holy Trinity Brompton Church in the Kensington section of London is experiencing a powerful spiritual awakening, averaging between 3,500 and 4,000 on a Sunday over 3 campuses.  BUT, Holy Trinity is not interested in just growing bigger and bigger, but each year they send hundreds of their people to plant new churches within those hulking defunct sanctuaries.  In fact since 1985, they have re-planted 21 churches in the London area sending between 10 and 200 parishioners, a great deal of money and staff to each church!  Not that you know where these churches are, but just to get a feel for the amazing work of Holy Trinity consider that all these London churches were rescued from closure!

Ascension, Balham Hill; Holy Trinity, Swiss Cottage; Oak Tree Anglican Fellowship; Riverside Community Church; St. Barnabas, Addison Road; St. Gabriel’s, Cricklewood; St George’s, Holborn; St. Mark’s, Battersea Rise; St Mark’s, Tollington Park; St. Mary Magdalene’s; St. David’s, Holloway; St. Paul’s, Brixto; St. Paul’s, Hammersmith; St. Paul’s, Shadwell; St. Peter’s, Brighton; St. Stephen’s, Westbourne Park; Northside PM Church (Sydney); St. John’s, Hampton Wick; St. Andrew’s, Cullompton; St. Alban’s, Fulham; St. Peter’s, Bethnal Green; All Hallows, Bow.

It’s one of the reasons I keep going back often annually to Holy Trinity Brompton because they just keep growing through the power of the Holy Spirit.  They grow by giving away, their people, their money their ministries.  Many of the men and women in ministry in London came to Christ and were trained at HTB, and are now all over the city!

In fact, while we were there on Sunday February 13, we attended four different services, all were well attended:

Holy Trinity Brompton – Attended their children’s service where children just came out of the woodwork!
All Souls Langham Place – Filled to capacity, this is the church where John Stott was Rector for many years
Westminster Abbey – Transcendent Worship
St. James Muswell Hill – Great church North of London where The Rev. Kim Swithinbank is Rector.  Capers gave a faith testimony here