The Church of Scotland has recorded a notable increase in new Christian conversions in the years following the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to official figures released by the denomination, 820 individuals publicly affirmed faith in the saving work of Jesus Christ in 2025, nearly twice the number recorded in 2021, when 428 people made similar professions of faith.
Data presented to the church’s General Assembly showed that 27% of the Kirk’s 841 congregations welcomed new members during 2025. Church leaders described the development as “very encouraging” and said it reflected evidence of the Holy Spirit moving within the denomination.
The General Assembly began meeting in Edinburgh last Friday and is scheduled to continue through May 18.
“There are encouraging signs of renewal,” the report said. “We are seeing evidence of increased Bible engagement, renewed interest in spiritual questions, growing church attendance, and more young people and young adults coming to faith with confidence.”
The report further stated that these changes “should encourage us to rediscover the Good News we have to share.”
The Rev. David Cameron said the numbers indicate that many people across the Kirk’s parishes are actively searching for spiritual meaning. Between 2021 and 2025, the denomination recorded 3,292 professions of faith.
The rise in conversions has coincided with the ongoing efforts of the Faith Action Leadership Team, a major initiative launched in May 2023 to help create new disciples and strengthen the Kirk’s future growth, according to a church press release.
In its latest report, the Faith Action Leadership Team highlighted a special emphasis on younger generations in Scotland, stating, “We believe the Church of Scotland is called to respond to growing spiritual curiosity among young people, an area in which our denomination currently has limited reach.”
Despite the increase in new believers, the denomination continues to experience an overall decline in membership.
Church statistics showed approximately 229,000 members at the end of last year, representing a 5% decrease from 2024, largely due to deaths. A 2023 report found that the Kirk had lost more than half of its membership since 2000.
Founded by law during the 16th-century Reformation, the Church of Scotland serves as Scotland’s national Presbyterian church. Unlike the Church of England, it does not recognize the British monarch as the head of the church.
