Chinese Church ‘fastest-growing in the UK’

Boosted by people emigrating from Hong Kong, the Chinese Church is now the fastest-growing Church in the UK, according to a new report from Bible Society

There has been a 28.8 per cent growth in the last two years, putting the Chinese Church ahead of the Pentecostal Church (3.3 per cent) and other minority ethnic churches (1.8 per cent).
 
In 2011 there were an estimated 83,072 Chinese Christians in Britain worshipping at 138 churches. That had grown to 174 churches and 89,475 Christians by 2021. Today, there are some 114,976 Christians at 201 churches.
 
The growth is happening largely in Cantonese congregations, boosted by people emigrating from Hong Kong to the UK. The Government introduced a new visa in 2021 allowing the British National Overseas (BNO) population in Hong Kong the right to come and live here. Since then more than 100,000 people have moved.  
 
The new report finds that not all Chinese Christians attend a Chinese church, with a quarter preferring to attend an English-speaking church. The report states that ‘the post-2021 wave of over 100,000 Hong Kong BNO arrivals is more likely to join non-Chinese churches than other first generation Chinese immigrants.’
 
This means that the current influx of people from Hong Kong ‘represents an opportunity for established churches to welcome Chinese believers,’ says the report.
 
Dr Yinxuan Huang, Quantitative Research Manager at the British and Foreign Bible Society, conducted the survey in partnership with both Bible Society and the London School of Theology. The resulting report is the first systematic research on Chinese Christians in Britain since 1950. 
 
He said, ‘This is an exciting time for the Chinese Church in Britain. It is seeing a time of incredible growth, which is also a missional opportunity as others from within the Chinese community are drawn to the Church.
 
‘It is also a time when local, English-speaking congregations can welcome people from Hong Kong to their services. There is a real opportunity for growth, but also learning from each other.’
 
The findings were welcomed by Sharon Shek, the Baptists Together Hong Kong Response Co-ordinator.
 
Sharon came to the UK in 2021. In her role she connects fellow Hong Kongers with Baptist congregations, and encourages Baptist churches to be places of welcome for the Hong Kong migrants.
 
‘I understand why many choose a Cantonese-speaking congregation – it’s in our language, the culture of the church is more familiar, and you connect with other people who are similar to you. The difference in culture is one of the hardest things for Hong Kongers, and some want to build together.
 
‘But there are many who choose an English-speaking church because they think it’s better to adapt to the culture this way. It has worked well when the church and the pastor have offered a warm welcome. There are many examples of this in Baptist churches, in Reading, Bristol, Cambridge, and Nottingham.
 
‘I would therefore encourage all churches to find out if any Hong Kongers are living locally. Please consider running the Welcome Course, which is good for connecting people.
 
‘But this research shows the impact Hong Kongers are already having on the church in the UK.’
 
Sharon said the research could help reflection on the longer term needs for those from Hong Kong. We are in 'a season of welcome’ she said, with people still continuing to arrive from Hong Kong, albeit in smaller numbers. Their longer term needs are complex, particularly with language difficulties. She encouraged closer relationships between Cantonese and English-speaking churches so they could better understand each other.
 
The report offered some recommendations for church leaders and missional agencies in the UK to effectively engage with the Chinese community in terms of Bible engagement and church involvement.
 
These included: Prioritise relatable Bible teaching; Nurture interpersonal relationships; Develop people-centred leadership; Engage with the religiously unaffiliated; Better to be together.

One of the fastest-growing Chinese churches is the Manchester Alliance Centre, which has seen six-fold growth.
Its pastor, the Revd Wai Chor Chiu said, ‘When the UK government welcomed Hong Kong people to move, it was quite exciting. The church expanded to six times the original size to more than 1,500. It’s a big change.’

He added that, 200 years after the first Protest missionary arrived in Hong Kong, Christians from Hong Kong could ‘preach the gospel back to the local people’.
 

The full report can be accessed via Bible Society.