Recap 2025 – the Acts 11 year
Look back and rediscover the insights shared on mission and migration
Pause with us and look back over 2025 – a year in which the Acts 11 project deepened its voice, expanded its reach, and continued to join God in the ongoing story where mission and migration meet.
by Joseph Ola
Learning from Global Voices
We began the year reconnecting with the prophetic insights of Prof Jehu J Hanciles, who reminded us at the launch of this project one year ago, that nearly half of the world’s migrants are Christians and that the Body of Christ is profoundly on the move in our generation. This set the tone for all our activities this first year.
In May, Prof Esther Mombo challenged us to confront the racialised structures that shape global mobility and ecclesial belonging. She urged Western churches not only to welcome migrants spiritually but also to stand with them in resisting unjust immigration systems – a message whose urgency only grew as UK immigration policy debates (and, indeed, in the United States and beyond) intensified through the year.
The Quiet Revival, Intergenerational Faith and Diaspora Wisdom
June and July carried forward national conversation around the Quiet Revival report. While the Bible Society’s findings highlighted increased openness to faith among young adults, our reflections emphasised the often-overlooked role of migration in shaping the vitality of the church today.
Our June webinar on Faith and Faithfulness Between the Generations explored how first- and second-generation African Christians live and pass on their faith, and what the wider UK church can learn from diaspora communities navigating spiritual inheritance in complex contexts. Then in July, many of you joined our conversation with one of the co-authors of the Quiet Revival report, Dr Rob Barward-Symmons, where we explored these themes more deeply.
As Angelina reminded us in July, the renewal of the church often happens when generations stand side-by-side in worship, learning to listen to one another’s rhythms of faith.
Scripture, Migration, and Decolonising Mission
In August, Tyler helped us look again at Scripture’s migration stories and how they inform our mission theology today. By September, Harvey’s reflections on decolonising mission (to mark the release of his newest book by the same title, Decolonizing Mission) invited us to grapple seriously with the entanglements of imperial history and Christian witness, and to imagine mission shaped by mutuality, justice, and global interdependence.
Witness in a Shifting Political Climate
October and November brought reflections on rising hostility toward migrants in the UK, alongside stories of Christian solidarity standing against fear and division. As anti-immigration sentiment intensified, we heard testimonies of believers choosing courageous welcome in costly places.
Across the year, the Acts 11 Project has sought to name reality honestly while nurturing hope: that God continues to move through his people – especially those on the margins.
As we turn toward a new year, our commitment to resourcing and equipping the church deepens. We look forward to continuing to share reflections and updates that support congregations, mission organisations, and researchers engaging with mission and migration.
In 2026, we will be launching our Acts 11 Book Club, begin a new round of webinars, and prepare toward our next Acts 11 Conference later in the year. We will also continue exploring fresh ways to amplify diverse voices and strengthen the church’s imagination for God’s mission in a world on the move.
