Two churches in Lancashire bring 10 to 15 Year 6 children to Confirmation every year. This year, Bishop Philip North said, 10 adults stood with them in each church. He told his Diocesan Synod about it on Saturday, Oct. 10, and gave it one word: rebirth.
I have seen the same thing on beaches and campuses all autumn. People show up first. The question is who is ready to meet them.
Article Summary
- Who: The Rt Rev Philip North, Bishop of Blackburn, in his Presidential Address to the Diocesan Synod, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026.
- What he saw: new families and young adults turning up in Lancashire churches, "often starting with online exploration of the Gospel."
- The detail: at 2 churches he visited, 10 adults joined the Year 6 Confirmation candidates in each church, in his own account.
- What's next: the diocese launches its new vision, Joyful Followers of Jesus, when the Synod next meets at St Michael's School in Chorley. Parishes are asked to appoint Prayer Enablers.
- Coverage: the full text is on the Diocese of Blackburn site. Christian Today and the Lancashire Telegraph reported it.
| What the bishop is hearing | What he is asking for |
|---|---|
| Young adults turning up, often after searching online | Churches that believe it and are ready |
| 10 adults confirmed alongside children, in each of 2 churches | Prayer Enablers in every parish |
| A parish mission weekend across the diocese | An invitation for every soul in their care |
Address text and confirmation detail from the Diocese of Blackburn, Oct. 10, 2026. Also reported by the Lancashire Telegraph (Oct. 12) and Christian Today (Oct. 19).
Ten adults beside the children
Bishop Philip opened his address with Pope Leo's recent visit to France, and the teenagers and young adults he said are heralding change there. Then he turned to Lancashire.
Many of you are telling me about new families and especially young adults simply turning up in your churches, often starting with online exploration of the Gospel.
Bishop Philip North, Diocesan Synod (Diocese of Blackburn)
A few Sundays ago I went to two churches where every year they have presented ten to fifteen Year 6 children for Confirmation. This time they were joined by ten adults in each church, passionate in their newfound Gospel faith. And that story is an increasingly common one across the county. There is a rebirth.
Bishop Philip North (Diocese of Blackburn)
The address leaves the 2 churches unnamed. Christian Today's Duncan Williams and the Lancashire Telegraph's Jack Stott both carried the line "There is a rebirth."
On X, @lancstelegraph posted:
Blackburn bishop urges churches to prepare for Christian ‘rebirth’ among young people
@lancstelegraph (Oct. 12, 2026) https://x.com/lancstelegraph/status/2109508681180049502
Do we believe it?
The bishop was blunt with his own church.
Which poses a challenge for an institutional church. Do we believe it? And are we ready for it?
Bishop Philip North (Diocese of Blackburn)
For 150 years the story of Western Christianity has been one of decline and withdrawal. Even as Christians we have come to inhabit that narrative ourselves.
Bishop Philip North (Diocese of Blackburn, also quoted by Christian Today and the Lancashire Telegraph)
Then he went to the Gospels. Jesus in his home town, among the Gadarenes, in the Temple.
Jesus does not tinker. He does not leave things the same. He transforms.
Bishop Philip North (Diocese of Blackburn)
On X, @talkChristianly posted:
Has the CofE stopped believing in the possibility of renewal, and instead become gripped by "a mindset of scarcity and anxiety"? Stirring words here from the Bishop of Blackburn, inspired by the impact of the Pope's visit to France:
@talkChristianly (Oct. 13, 2026) https://x.com/talkChristianly/status/2109912846129660138
PRO TIP I ran follow-up in youth ministry for years. If an adult walks in after watching sermons online, ask what they watched. It tells you their first question about Jesus, and it gives you a reason to meet again that week.
Prayer first
Joyful Followers of Jesus was shaped over 2 years. The diocese says it launches next month, when the Synod meets at St Michael's School in Chorley. The bishop said it "is founded on the basis of prayer and is soaked with prayer in every paragraph."
Instead of Vision Champions, the invitation to our parishes is to appoint Prayer Enablers who will support clergy and PCCs in growing levels of prayer in their church and ensuring that our new vision is implemented not through our own strength and our own efforts but through His.
Bishop Philip North (Diocese of Blackburn)
We cannot rest until every single boy and girl, woman and man in Lancashire has heard the Good News and been invited to respond.
Bishop Philip North (Diocese of Blackburn)
The diocese has video from its July centenary conference, where Bishop Philip gave the opening keynote. The Oct. 10 address is published as text on the diocese website.
The same Saturday, across the Pennines
While the Synod met in Lancashire, organizers say 550 people were baptized in the North Sea at Bridlington South Beach, hosted by Calvary Chapel York. We wrote about it here. A beach and a synod hall are asking the same question: where do these new believers go on Sunday?
Ready at the door
The bishop closed with this:
In faithfulness and trust, let's prepare for the time of Rebirth.
Bishop Philip North (Diocese of Blackburn)
If you're one of those young adults who found Jesus on a screen, walk into a parish this Sunday and tell someone your name. Between Sundays, the WWJD.COM SuperApp can help you keep reading Scripture and praying while you settle in.
After the address, act
- Read the full address on the Diocese of Blackburn website.
- Pray for Bishop Philip, the Synod, and the Prayer Enablers who will be named.
- If you're in Lancashire, ask your vicar how you can help welcome new adults.
- If you lead a church anywhere, ask who greets a stranger who arrives after watching online.
- Pray for the 550 baptized at Bridlington, and for the churches walking with them.
FAQ
Who is Bishop Philip North?
The Rt Rev Philip North is the Bishop of Blackburn, the Church of England diocese for Lancashire.
When did he give the address?
Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, as his Presidential Address to the Diocesan Synod.
What did he say was happening?
New families and young adults turning up at churches, often after exploring the Gospel online. At 2 churches he visited, 10 adults in each joined the children being confirmed.
What is Joyful Followers of Jesus?
The diocese's new vision, shaped over 2 years and launching at the next Synod meeting at St Michael's School in Chorley. It asks each parish to appoint Prayer Enablers.
Is there video of the address?
The diocese has published the full text. Its YouTube channel has his July centenary conference keynote.
Sources
- Diocese of Blackburn: Bishop Philip calls for 'ever greater boldness in service and proclamation' in address to Diocesan Synod
- Diocese of Blackburn on YouTube, "All For Jesus, Session 1 Keynote, Bishop Philip," July 7, 2026
- Lancashire Telegraph, Jack Stott, Oct. 12, 2026
- Christian Today, Duncan Williams, Oct. 19, 2026
- @lancstelegraph on X, Oct. 12, 2026
- @talkChristianly (Revd Dr Christopher Landau) on X, Oct. 13, 2026
- WWJD News: 550 at Bridlington
- WWJD.COM: Faith Is Rising
- WWJD.COM: Statement of Faith
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