Often times we get the question…why Scotland? Few know….but Scotland is one of the darkest countries as far as the Gospel is concerned. There is a revival of old pagan spirituality along with withcraft, often called New Spirituality. Why? Because the Church is as dead as the graveyards that are oftentimes beside them. This new Spirituality is much more attractive and resonates with Europe's pre-Christian past.
If you look through the magazine rack or on the book shelf in a bookstore or movies/television shows and you will see how many articles/shows reflect a growing interest in spirituality. But they are not finding The Truth…. Instead they find the counterfeit…..mediums, fortune-telling, ghosts, angels and witches.
I know this is long….but read the following article by Jeff Fountain…a YWAMer in Holland, I believe.
Europe: the Prodigal Continent
Over two millennia, Europe´s ´Christian´ identity has been forged by apostolic bands, wandering monks, scholars, reformers, revivalists, social reformers and countless anonymous witnesses to the transforming power of Jesus Christ.
Today, at the start of the third millennium, this ´Christian´ identity is becoming obsolete. In short, Europe is becoming a mission field of neo-pagans. The centre of gravity of the worldwide church has moved from Europe and the West over the past two decades to the Third World countries.
Did you know..
1. that believers in China outnumber the whole population of Germany?! (80 million)
2. that there are more Anglicans in Nigeria than in the UK and the US combined?!
3. that one church in Korea has a membership equal to the whole population of Amsterdam?!
4. that there are more members of the Assemblies of God denomination in Brazil than there are evangelicals in the whole of Europe?!
5. that in France today there are more spiritist healers than doctors, lawyers and priests combined?!
Today, at the start of the third millennium, this ´Christian´ identity is becoming obsolete. In short, Europe is becoming a mission field of neo-pagans. The centre of gravity of the worldwide church has moved from Europe and the West over the past two decades to the Third World countries.
Did you know..
1. that believers in China outnumber the whole population of Germany?! (80 million)
2. that there are more Anglicans in Nigeria than in the UK and the US combined?!
3. that one church in Korea has a membership equal to the whole population of Amsterdam?!
4. that there are more members of the Assemblies of God denomination in Brazil than there are evangelicals in the whole of Europe?!
5. that in France today there are more spiritist healers than doctors, lawyers and priests combined?!
Europe has become the prodigal continent, squandering its Judeo-Christian heritage. It needs to "come to its senses" and decide to return to the Father.
Europe is the New "Unreached Tribes"
Upheavals in Europe´s politics and society over the past decade have created large new social "tribes" alienated from the gospel. New strategies and paradigms are needed for the mission field of 21st century Europe. These include the following four social groupings: Post-Christian Europeans -- reject the Christian worldview and its values as old-fashioned, irrelevant and inhibiting. Modernity (the summation of those forces shaping today’s society like urbanization, science, technology and industrialization) has marginalized faith in many European minds. Traditional churches are losing members rapidly in both Catholic and Protestant lands.
Initiatives from renewed traditional churches, like the Alpha Course are proving to be effective tools for introducing post-Christian Europeans to the gospel message. Post-Communist Europeans -- have rejected the Marxist gospel that science and the state are the saviors of the human race. Communism’s collapse left a great spiritual, psychological and ideological vacuum. From gun-toting Albanian rebels to Moscow’s nouveau-rich, post-Communists share a common mistrust for authority figures, an aversion to accepting responsibility or to think for oneself, and a generally hopeless outlook on the future. Openings abound for ministry among the millions of Post-Communist Europeans, but strategies need to be long-term and impacting the whole person.
Europe is the New "Unreached Tribes"
Upheavals in Europe´s politics and society over the past decade have created large new social "tribes" alienated from the gospel. New strategies and paradigms are needed for the mission field of 21st century Europe. These include the following four social groupings: Post-Christian Europeans -- reject the Christian worldview and its values as old-fashioned, irrelevant and inhibiting. Modernity (the summation of those forces shaping today’s society like urbanization, science, technology and industrialization) has marginalized faith in many European minds. Traditional churches are losing members rapidly in both Catholic and Protestant lands.
Initiatives from renewed traditional churches, like the Alpha Course are proving to be effective tools for introducing post-Christian Europeans to the gospel message. Post-Communist Europeans -- have rejected the Marxist gospel that science and the state are the saviors of the human race. Communism’s collapse left a great spiritual, psychological and ideological vacuum. From gun-toting Albanian rebels to Moscow’s nouveau-rich, post-Communists share a common mistrust for authority figures, an aversion to accepting responsibility or to think for oneself, and a generally hopeless outlook on the future. Openings abound for ministry among the millions of Post-Communist Europeans, but strategies need to be long-term and impacting the whole person.
Post-Modern Europeans -- mainly want to create a better future, in favor of hopelessness,
cynicism and nihilism. Post-modernity is a chaos of irrational and contradictory beliefs in which there is no ultimate meaning or direction. The goal of this Generation X is simply survival -- and fun -- in a godless, mindless universe. Post-modern Europeans are open to spirituality and even to the Spirit. They reject the materialism of their post-Christian parents, and are in search of authentic community.
Post-Migrant Europeans -- are the children of (mainly Muslim) immigrants to Europe´s cities, who reject their parents´ national identity and faith in favour of European youth culture. They comprise a significant proportion of many urban populations. In Amsterdam, 60% of those under 20 years are post-migrants. They have no Christian heritage, but will greatly influence the city´s future for better or for worse. A new breed of missionary is needed to engage in friendship evangelism among post-migrants, with such strategies as street sports, social centers and job creation.
And After the ´Post´?
Anything named ´post-´ is temporary. Because it has no clear identity of its own yet, it is defined by what preceded it. The terms post-Christian, post-communist, post-modern and post-migrant describe many of today’s Europeans. But what will follow in ten years? or twenty?
When Roman order collapsed across Europe, chaos and fragmentation reigned, until messengers of the Gospel came telling their Story. The communities they established in time became the building blocks of the new order, western civilization.
With the current rejection of the modern order, today’s messengers of the Gospel may have a new opportunity to lay fresh foundations for tomorrow’s Europe.
cynicism and nihilism. Post-modernity is a chaos of irrational and contradictory beliefs in which there is no ultimate meaning or direction. The goal of this Generation X is simply survival -- and fun -- in a godless, mindless universe. Post-modern Europeans are open to spirituality and even to the Spirit. They reject the materialism of their post-Christian parents, and are in search of authentic community.
Post-Migrant Europeans -- are the children of (mainly Muslim) immigrants to Europe´s cities, who reject their parents´ national identity and faith in favour of European youth culture. They comprise a significant proportion of many urban populations. In Amsterdam, 60% of those under 20 years are post-migrants. They have no Christian heritage, but will greatly influence the city´s future for better or for worse. A new breed of missionary is needed to engage in friendship evangelism among post-migrants, with such strategies as street sports, social centers and job creation.
And After the ´Post´?
Anything named ´post-´ is temporary. Because it has no clear identity of its own yet, it is defined by what preceded it. The terms post-Christian, post-communist, post-modern and post-migrant describe many of today’s Europeans. But what will follow in ten years? or twenty?
When Roman order collapsed across Europe, chaos and fragmentation reigned, until messengers of the Gospel came telling their Story. The communities they established in time became the building blocks of the new order, western civilization.
With the current rejection of the modern order, today’s messengers of the Gospel may have a new opportunity to lay fresh foundations for tomorrow’s Europe.
So why Scotland?….because only 2 ½ % of the population are born again believers. Many villages have no church…oh, there might be an empty building, but no church. We truly feel God’s prompting that revival will come to Scotland and come through the youth… IF……
Roman 10:14-15 says … “But how can they call on Him to save them unless they believe in Him? And how can they believe in Him if they have never heard about Him? And how can they hear about Him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"
We need to be that new breed of missionaries…and engage in fellowship evangelism. We are being sent…..God planted the vision for a youth camp two years ago. We have interceded over the land and the youth of Scotland for two years. The enemy, of course, does not want the light of God’s Glory and Jesus’ love to shine through us; so consequently he has tried to intimidate us, discourage us, scare us, put every stumbling block he could in our way……therefore we are in need of major prayer in to order to stand in the battlefield….and to march forward singing of Jesus’ redemptive power. Scripture tells us that some things will not be broken without fasting along with praying. As a result, we have begun a fast (each fasting as God leads) until our commissioning on July 8th in order to press-in in prayer. Thank you for committing to join us and cover us.
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