Press Release

At a Crossroads: what is the future direction for Christian social action?  

A unique four-month study involving 73 church leaders, theologians, and frontline practitioners has concluded that Christian social action has reached a critical crossroads. A report of the study reveals a widespread consensus, that to tackle entrenched poverty effectively, current charitable models must evolve. 

Crossroads, a new four-month study from Together for the Common Good tested a provocative framework identifying three critical disconnects, described as the “three sins” of Christian social action: 

1. The disconnect between charity and justice 
2. The problem of deepening dependency and the disconnect with empowerment 
3. The problem of secularism and the disconnect from distinctive Christian roots 

The study engaged leaders from across the major Christian traditions, including Catholic, Anglican, Methodist, Baptist, Salvationist, and Evangelical faiths, from more than 30 organisations including Caritas, Trussell, Ascension Trust, and Feeding Britain. 

A report of the study’s key findings highlights the importance of these three “sins” which were first formulated by Jon Kuhrt whose challenge to the Christian social action sector was published on the Grace+Truth blog*.   

There is no ‘silver bullet’ to the issues of poverty in the UK but the study found a consensus – that these three issues are the ones that need grappling with. The report shows that each area throws up tensions that need to be engaged: 

• Systemic and relational justice: Frontline charity workers expressed a strong desire for deeper systemic change. They felt that a prophetic voice was needed from the Church and this is largely absent. There was a fear among some that asking questions risks being “political” and this needed to be addressed. Most felt that systems are broken but that there is no clear voice setting out clearly what the Church should be doing or asking for. There was also a challenge to the wider Church to move beyond simply campaigning for increased welfare and to confront deeper structural issues which undermine the relationships, community and the dignity of work within the political economy. 
• Empowerment over Dependency: there has been significant growth in social action projects which focus on provision, of food and other resources. Overcoming the trap of long-term dependency emerged as the highest priority. Many felt that the dependency questions often go unasked at the grassroots level and these urgently need discussing. Participants also questioned whether the State had grown unhealthily dependent on the Church to fill the gaps as the level of need has grown. Frontline practitioners emphasised the pressing need to pivot toward initiatives which promote true community, healthy interdependence, personal responsibility and mutual care. 
• Reclaiming Christian Distinctiveness: Senior leaders and funders voiced significant concern over a fading theological vision, warning that “mission drift” threatens the distinctiveness that inspired Christian social action in the first place. There was a desire for greater confidence in the distinctive Christian story. There was a need for greater focus on spiritual formation and discipleship and to deepen the theological roots of social action, as well as formation around what it means to be human.  Some also called for an end to ‘secularisation by stealth’ which has affected so many church-based social initiatives. 

Jenny Sinclair, Founder and Director of Together for the Common Good, said: 

“For too long we’ve measured Christian social action by how much we deliver. The challenge this study puts to the church is not whether we care, but how we do it: whether the disposition of the church is one of solidarity or as a service provider. We are at a crossroads: the appetite to discern a different way is real and broad. We must find a way that integrates justice, empowerment and a confident Christian distinctiveness. Our task now is to walk that good way together. We invite people to read the report and comment.”

Jon Kuhrt, CEO of Hope into Action, said: 

“Christian social action does an enormous amount of good every day. But precisely because this work matters, we have to be willing to ask difficult questions about its impact. Are we only responding to the symptoms of poverty, or challenging what causes it? Are the people we support becoming participants and partners, or passive recipients? And are Christian organisations still confident about the faith that inspired their work in the first place? What encourages me about this study was how willing people were to engage seriously with those questions. There was disagreement and nuance, but also a strong sense that we cannot simply carry on as we are.” 

Rachel Arnold, Crossroad project lead and former Head of Church Engagement at Christians Against Poverty, said: 

“One of the most striking things about these conversations was how much common ground we found among people coming from very different Christian traditions, organisations and experiences. People engaged deeply, challenged assumptions, and pushed into the complexities, particularly about dependency and empowerment. There was also a real openness to exploring the extent to which our current models of social action are helping people and communities to flourish. This study was never about arriving with the answers. It was about listening carefully enough to understand whether these questions resonate across the church and to gauge whether there was a shared appetite for change. The answer to both was very clearly yes.” 

Next Steps 

Subject to future funding, the next phase of the Crossroads initiative will bring together cross-denominational working groups to design practical frameworks. Outlined in the report, these will help Christian social action – across churches, schools and charities – to make the shift from temporary crisis management and toward sustainable, relational community transformation. 

Notes to editors 

• Media contact: Ben Curran, Head of Communications at Together for the Common Good. 07737049580, ben@togetherforthecommongood.co.uk 
• TheCrossroads feasibility study was led by Rachel Arnold (freelance consultant, formerly Head of Church Engagement at Christians Against Poverty), Jon Kuhrt (CEO, Hope into Action) and Jenny Sinclair (Founder & Director, Together for the Common Good).  
• The study ran from March to July 2026 and involved 73 participants and over 35 organisations, across 25 interviews, four focus groups and a seminar, spanning the Catholic, Anglican, Methodist, Baptist, Salvation Army and evangelical traditions. 
• *The three “sins” of social action were first set out in Jon Kuhrt’s December 2023 article Justice, Empowerment & Faith: the Future Direction for Christian Social Action. 
• All comments to Annette McBride at annette@togetherforthecommongood.co.uk 
• About Together for the Common Good: Together for the Common Good is a UK charity dedicated to spiritual and civic renewal. Working across the Christian traditions, it equips leaders, churches, schools and charities to read the signs of the times and work for the common good. Drawing on Catholic Social Teaching, it offers online resources, Staying Human public talks, the Leaving Egypt podcast, the Common Good Schools programme, and the Crossroads Initiative. www.togetherforthecommongood.co.uk