SHINE Your Light (SYL), the growing UK evangelistic movement which mobilises and equips UK churches to take Carol and other Christmas services out from church buildings and onto the streets, marketplaces and shopping centres has reported over 1.5-million more UK citizens were reached by its December 2025 events than hoped for.
Organisers had initially aimed to mobilise 200,000 Christians in partner churches to reach 2 million people across the UK. However, following a detailed analysis of 1,832 SYL events – a 10.4% increase on the previous year – church and event leaders reported that
308,730 Christians engaged with 3,531,871 people during the Christmas season.
After several months of careful review to verify event data, SYL- supported by more than 50 denominational, network, prayer, and national ministry partners – confirmed significant year-on-year growth. Highlights include:
- 66,000 prisoners reached through a national Christmas Day carol service broadcast
- More than 44,000 children participating in SYL events held in schools
- Over 1 million viewers watching a special edition of BBC Songs of Praise on
December 14, which featured the ministry of Shine Your Light
- More than 10,000 Bibles distributed on the streets, with pastors reporting hundreds
of first-time decisions to follow Jesus
- Public endorsements from national leaders, including King Charles III, Prime
Minister, Sir Keir Starmer MP, and the Leader of the Opposition, The Rt Hon Kemi
Badenoch MP
Organisers believe a key factor behind the campaign’s growth was the 72 hours of continuous online prayer, held in the SYL Digital Prayer Chapel during the focus weekend of 12–14 December 2025.
2025 marked the third year Shine Your Light has encouraged churches from all denominations and across all four UK nations to take the Christmas message to public
spaces, often working collaboratively with other churches as a visible sign of unity.
The campaign was officially launched at OVO Arena Wembley during the SKYLIGHT youth concert, led by gospel singer Emmanuel Smith where more than 5,000 young Christians gathered for worship.
Reaching young people was one of three strategic priorities for SYL in 2025, alongside outreach to prisoners and those in homeless accommodation, and expanding the use of social media to share the gospel.
Pastor Jonathan Oloyede, founder of Shine Your Light, said: “We have been deeply humbled and genuinely overwhelmed by the extraordinary response from churches across these Isles. From England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to communities across Ireland, believers stepped forward with incredible faith and unity. The level of participation, scale and impact far exceeded anything we anticipated, and we give all the glory to God.
“In 2025, our vision was to mobilise 200,000 Christians to reach two million people during the Christmas season. But after analysing 1,832 outreach events, we are thrilled to report that 308,730 Christians reached an astonishing 3,531,871 people – a 207% increase on 2024.
“Behind every number is a story. We are hearing inspiring testimonies of ordinary believers – many who once felt unable or hesitant to share their faith – now stepping out boldly as lights in their communities.
One example came from Witney, Oxfordshire, where a woman who has lived with a disability for decades began sharing her testimony online. After feeling prompted to launch a TikTok channel featuring Bible verses, faith discussions, and her personal story, she gained
more than 8,000 followers in 2025.
Churches have also reported increasing openness among the public. Prayer gazebos and street outreach initiatives have seen hundreds of people asking for prayer, many sayingthey would never feel confident enough to enter a church building.
“We are deeply thankful to God for His blessing on every event,” Pastor Oloyede added. “We are also grateful for our partner churches and organisations, and we look forward to 2026 with even greater expectation for what God will do through Shine Your Light.”
At the start of 2026, Shine Your Light hosted a month-long National Prayer Vigil from 5 January to 5 February, bringing together a wide range of Believers from across the whole of the UK and Ireland to pray for renewal, unity, and guidance in a divided world.
The campaign’s 2026 focus weekend will take place 11–13 December.
More information about Shine Your Light 2026 is available at: www.shineyourlight.org.uk
For further information / interviews:
Adam May – 07736 949869 – adam@ndopw.com
Director of Strategy & Implementation, NDOPW
Revd Paul Eddy – 07923 653781 – paul@pauleddy.uk
Director of Communications, SYL
[2] LICC’s frontline resources can be accessed. Resources | LICC