Evangelical Christians are significantly more likely to give to charity or volunteer this Christmas than the average population.

Nine in ten British evangelicals will either volunteer or give to charity over the festive period, research released on Friday revealed. This compared national figures that show only 12.5 per cent have volunteered in the last year and two-thirds have given to charity.

Four in ten evangelicals (39 per cent) will serve their local communities by providing food parcels or meals for the homeless and vulnerable this Christmas, Friday's research showed.

But the survey of more than 800 Christians by the Evangelical Alliance also revealed most evangelicals most evangelicals will not struggle financially this Christmas.

In a sign of the "middle class culture" within Christianity, 71 per cent said they did not have to cut back or not get want they want this Christmas.

Steve Clifford, general director of the Evangelical Alliance, said the comparative wealth was a "real challenge" in the Church.

"The ease with which many can enjoy Christmas is certainly not universally shared with many requiring food parcels, or struggling with unsustainable debt," he said.

"When we don't see for ourselves the challenges many face, it's a nudge for Christians to continue to show charity but also a stark reminder that our congregations might not reflect the realities of the communities we are in or seeking to reach."

The Bishop of Burnley, Philip North, wrote a column for the Church Times earlier this month lambasting the Church of England for its "establishment bandwagon of outrage and horror".

He said the Church's agenda was "set not by the poor, but by academics, the moneyed elites and certain sections of the secular media".

He warned the CofE was so disconnected for deprived communities "that it no longer hears what they are saying, let alone amplifies their voices to the nation".