The Evangelical Movement of Wales came into being through an exceptional manifestation of God's saving grace and his overruling providence.
The Spirit of God moved powerfully in the University College of North Wales, Bangor, between 1947 and 1949. One of the men converted was J. Elwyn Davies, a theological student and a zealous Student Christian Movement (SCM) worker. He became the leader of the converted students at Bangor. Another student, Herbert Evans, had been converted in 1941, and the basis of a lifelong friendship was formed between the two during these years in Bangor.
Arthur Pritchard was a theological student at Aberystwyth, and met with Elwyn Davies, Herbert Evans, and new converts from outside of the colleges, in a retreat at Dolgellau, Meirionethshire, during the first weekend in January 1948. They met mainly to prepare for an evangelistic campaign at Bala during Easter that year.