By Al Gordon, author of Spark
On a Saturday night in East London, a thousand young creatives gather for what they expect to be a conference. Something shifts midway through the gathering. The room grows still, heavy with the presence of God.
“God’s presence moves like a cloud—thick, near, filling the space… People are overwhelmed. Kneeling. Weeping. Stunned,” says Al Gordon.
Moments like this have become a defining mark of the Renaissance Movement, led by Al Gordon and rooted in the story of SAINT Church (Hackney) in East London.
The Renaissance Story
Emerging from the Covid pandemic, Al Gordon gathered some friends to step out of isolation and into community at SAINT Church, aiming to do three things:
Encounter the Creator
Equip the creative
Empower the church
People from all over the world came, hungry to reignite their creative minds. Through singing, dancing, baking, creating, laughing, and collaborating hundreds of creatives found their spark.
Encouragement from entrepreneurs and artists to plan more events like this led to the creation of The Renaissance Movement, a global initiative helping churches and individuals rediscover creativity as central to faith. It exists to awaken imagination, equip creatives, and create spaces where people can encounter God through making and creating.
What started in at SAINT Church in Hackney (East London) has grown into a network of gatherings and communities across cities worldwide.
What Happens at Renaissance?
Renaissance gatherings are not typical conferences. They’re designed as immersive environments where people don’t just listen—they participate.
“We wanted people to make stuff. Try stuff. Taste stuff. Step outside their comfort zones,” Al says.
From hands-on creative practices to unexpected, playful moments, the goal is to help people reawaken their imagination. Because experience often unlocks something deeper than information alone.
But again and again, something more happens.
Across cities, these gatherings often become spaces of encounter—where creativity and the presence of God meet in a way that leaves a lasting mark.
Why It Matters
We’re living in a time of rapid technological change, cultural fragmentation, and widespread disconnection. In that environment, information is everywhere—but meaning, beauty, and hope often feel in short supply. The Renaissance Movement carries a conviction that creativity is one of the primary ways the Church can speak into this moment.
“We desperately need a new renaissance today… a rebirth of truth, beauty, and goodness,” Al says.
This isn’t about making church more interesting or entertaining. It’s about recovering a vision of creativity as something that forms people, shapes culture, and reflects the nature of God.
This vision is already spreading through a growing global community—artists, leaders, and churches choosing to create, experiment, and make space for God to move.
Getting Involved
Renaissance isn’t just something to attend—it’s something to join.
There are gatherings happening around the world, and churches can host, partner, and become part of the movement.
For a deeper dive into the ideas behind the movement, Al Gordon’s book Spark is a helpful starting point, helping you discover your creative calling, make space for it, and begin to live it out in everyday life.
Al Gordon is the founder of Renaissance, a creative movement empowering artists, innovators, and leaders to reclaim their divine calling. He leads SAINT, a thriving church on a mission to bring hope to the heart of East London. Passionate about bridging faith and creativity, Al helps people step into bold, risk-taking faith.
Al has spent his life at the intersection of faith, culture, and creativity, working with some of the world’s most innovative artists, musicians, and designers. A sought-after communicator and a trusted voice in the Christian creative movement, he believes every local church should be a cathedral of creativity.