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"So we while you can see some of the wackier funnier angles it always turns into something serious and an opportunity to share spiritual journeys because lots of ministers like to wear clothes that talk about their own journey. For example one minister wears a traditional preaching scarf made especially for her which features a test tube, because her background is in science and when she became a minister she wanted something that combined Christian symbolism and her background which I thought was fantastic.

"So it's the ideal church show because everything you can imagine is here under one roof from vestments, to videos, communion wine to candles. They all have to be bought and consumed within the average working day and working year of a church. Where else are you going to find such customized items and the show brings all these together so it's a one stop shop for anybody who cares about the growth and nurture of their church."

CRE also commissioned a survey through the Christian Research Association that revealed that as a result of the recession three in four UK adults have had cause to reconsider core values or think about 'the meaning of life' in the past year.

"We wanted to look at the whole impact of the recession on the general populous and their spirituality. Has it undermined their moral view, has it changed their view of life? Has the fact that we've been through the biggest financial crisis certainly in my lifetime affected people's views of eternity?" explained Stephen.

He added: "Clear research came back having done a sample of all socio-demographic groups, so its impartial was, that 3 out of 4 people in the past year have had cause to reconsider their attitude to life are on the search for a deeper meaning to life because of the impact of the credit crunch and the recession. Here is a fantastic opportunity for the church to actually say there is an answer here and we have it.

"What's interesting is the next question that we asked is where are you searching to find meaning? The majority of people said they're going back to family and friends. They're looking for a closer connection with who they know and trust and also believe in. When the question was asked where would you be looking for deeper meaning in the church, virtually nobody said that's where they would look. Of those who have no connection with the church they said that wasn't even on the radar. So we have an interesting and big problem here because we have a whole generation of people searching and we have a message that isn't getting through."

Last week during the CRE a media storm gathered round the fact that a Muslim was appointed as the new head of religion and ethics for the British Broadcasting Corporation in the UK.

Goddard said the response when they quickly pulled together a debate to discuss this news appointment: "People were sympathetic to the person himself, but are struggling with what he represents. They are prepared to give him a chance to prove what he brings into the job. But it's unnerving at a time when the previous head of religion and ethics was doing a very good job.

"It still baffles many people as to why he was moved on and whether there's another agenda. We now have here a Sikh in charge of the Christian television program Songs of Praise. No disrespect to him and to his faith, but does it make sense to have somebody who has no devotional background within the Christian faith to be in charge of a devotedly Christian program that reflects only devotion of one faith?"

For more details on the Christian Resources Exhibition go to: www.creonline.org.uk