(Photo: Shine Your Light)
Organisers of this year’s Shine Your Light Christmas evangelistic outreach have been “overwhelmed” by the response from local churches.
They said that over 3 million people were reached through church events that took place from 12 to 14 December across the four nations of the UK, plus Ireland.
Over 2,000 separate events were registered by churches ahead of the campaign, which got underway with The Salvation Army’s Christmas carol service at the Royal Albert Hall attended by 5,000 people.
Other events included community carols at Warrington Rugby Stadium & Aston Villa Stadium, street outreach, and workplace gatherings to share the Christmas message.
The campaign enjoyed further exposure when it was featured in an episode of BBC’s Songs of Praise on 14 December that was watched by around a million people.
The Redeemed Christian Church of God mobilised parishioners from over 900 churches to railway stations, shopping malls and community centres across the nation to share the Christmas message.
Over Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, a specially recorded carol service in partnership with Spring Harvest was to be broadcast to an estimated 56,000 prisoners. Shine Your Light partner Green Pastures also signed up to broadcast the service in its network of homeless shelters.
Shine Your Light founder Pastor Jonathan Oloyede said the campaign had been “blessed beyond all we could ever imagine”.
“Throughout the year we sensed the Holy Spirit momentum building,” he said.
“Attendance at our daily 7am and 7pm online prayer rooms grew steadily, with hundreds gathering regularly, and our 72-hour prayer vigils were supported by churches and thousands of individuals from all four nations.
“The BBC contacted us because they wanted to showcase what God is doing when local churches unite in mission.”
Reflecting on the success of previous Shine Your Light events held throughout the year, Pastor Oloyede said he had heard remarkable stories of a renewed confidence in evangelism among lay Christians, and reports of people “who previously felt unable or unwilling to share their faith stepping out in new ways”.
“One woman in Witney, Oxfordshire, who has been disabled for decades, felt God prompt her to start a TikTok channel sharing testimony, Bible verses and answering questions about faith. This year alone she has gained more than 8,000 followers,” he said.
Elder Mark Davies of Paignton Baptist Church said his congregation joined Shine Your Light for the first time after a year of exploring mission in everyday life using Frontline resources from the London Institute of Contemporary Christianity and the 24-7 Prayer movement.
He said: “The Shine weekend fitted perfectly into our wider Advent programme and helped us take our witness onto the mixed-use street where our church is located.
“Around a dozen members led outdoor carols, focused on one-to-one conversations, invited people into an ‘Open House’ coffee space, and served the local community.
“Alongside this, the church visited around 350 homes on the 10 streets nearest the building with invitations to Christmas services.”
Major Scott Cunliffe, of Bangor Salvation Army, used Shine Your Light resources to support and promote a full festive programme that included carol services at a bowling centre, offices of the Department for Education, nursing homes, shopping areas, and a golf club.
The outreach was set to conclude on Christmas Day with carols at a Parkrun for over 400 runners, followed by a final service at a special learning centre.
“Throughout December we’ve been out in the community almost daily,” said Major Cunliffe.
“From outdoor carol services and social clubs to a Christmas movie night advertised only on Facebook, we met many people we’d never encountered before.”
The next event by Shine Your Light will be a month-long national prayer vigil from 5 January to 5 February 2026.
Pastor Oloyede said: “We thank God for every story we hear of new Believers coming to faith. Churches are reporting better-prepared and better-resourced outreach, growing confidence in sharing the Gospel and a fresh unity across denominational lines. God is clearly doing something new in local communities.”
