Evangelical churches on the rise

'It's making a choice every day to follow Jesus,' says Becky

Cardiff churchgoer Becky Philips opened up her religious life to the TV cameras for BBC Wales' Week In Week Out.

The current affairs series examined the rise of evangelical churches in Wales for BBC One Wales on 3 November.

Becky is not a typical 25 year old - while most people her age can be found down the pub a few times a week, she attends Rhiwbina Baptist Church.

It's one of several evangelical churches in south Wales which regularly attract several hundred worshippers.

After her recent baptism, Becky said: "I'm being obedient to God … God says get baptised when you believe and I believe in Jesus, that's why I'm getting baptised today.

"You can have this freedom and amazing love that's unconditional as well and it gives you, not rules for life because it's not like living by rules ... it gives you something to live for as well."

Evangelical churches may have more worshippers than the Church in Wales

She added: "I'm trying to change the way I think. I'm not saying that I'm perfect … in that I'm never going to do anything wrong, and I'm never going to go out again and go out to bars and not be able to drink too much.

"I'm not suddenly this magic person that's going to do everything right. I'm still working on a lot of changes.

"You can't just say, right I'm not going to do this now. It's making a choice every day to follow Jesus."

Becky became a member of the church after going on the Alpha course.

It's a hugely popular introduction to the Christian faith which more than two million people have completed in the UK.

Sunday services at Rhiwbina are now so full organisers are thinking of extending their church premises.

The Evangelical Alliance Wales estimates that up to 60,000 people attend its services every week.

Week In Week Out reports that those attending a Church in Wales service numbered fewer than 50,000 a week last year, down from more than 62,000 in 1990.

But the Archbishop of the Church in Wales, Dr Barry Morgan, denies claims that the church is in crisis.

More about the programme