Europe 4
What are we prepared to do?
Noted missiologist C. Peter Wagner declares, “The greatest challenge facing the global mission movement in the coming decade is to evangelize the 40/70 Window, the only major region of the world, with the exception of the Arab Muslim bloc, where the movement of God is virtually at a standstill. The two major segments of the 40/70 Window are post-Christian Europe and the Silk Road/Turkic Belt. As examples, there are proportionately fewer born-again Christians in Poland than in Nepal. There are proportionately fewer born-again Christians in Spain than in Japan. In more than 50 nations of highly secularized Europe, many people who are numbered as Christians have never heard the gospel.”
The number of Europeans who pass on into eternity without Christ is astounding. It has been documented that believers in China outnumber the entire population of Germany. One church in Korea has a membership equal to the entire population of Amsterdam. According to some reports, Christianity is growing 50 times faster in Africa and 43 times faster in Asia than in Europe.
Planting a church in Sweden involves going to an unreached region. Believers in Greece comprise a small percentage of the population. I read that 97 percent of Greeks are members of the Greek Orthodox Church, yet only three percent of them attend church weekly.
According to one report, a national Baptist pastor in Croatia said there are families who are Baptist in doctrine scattered throughout the country who have preserved their faith within their families. It is hopeful that our missionaries can find one of these cells of people with whom they can start a church and ultimately reach that community for Christ.
The whole country of Iceland is only about the size of Kentucky and the population is just over 300,000. Over half the population resides in the capital city of Reykjavik. Missionaries are needed who have a mind to stay and, if need be, to die there. Iceland has been a graveyard for many a missionary and Icelanders are not ashamed of it. They have seen missionaries come and go, but they need to see missionaries come to stay and become a part of their lives. They must see that we care about them.
I recently read “one hundred years ago, Holland was a hotbed of religious devotion with 98 percent of the population attending church regularly. Today it's less than 10 percent. Almost half the church buildings in Holland have been destroyed or converted into restaurants, art galleries, or condominiums.”
European countries that are predominately Catholic are also ripe for harvest. Many professing Catholics aren’t satisfied with their religion. One missionary was told by her Catholic landlord that she finds it hard to receive advice on family issues from a priest who is not permitted to be married and has no experience in the matter. Conversations like those provide a natural opportunity to plant a gospel seed. Though the work is slow at times, it is not impossible.
A.N. Wilson writes about Europe’s decline in faith in his book God’s Funeral. Wilson points to major changes in two significant areas: First, for the first time in history, many people no longer feel the need to pray or worship. Second, many have no point of reference outside themselves — no objective, transcendent truth. Each individual defines their own version of reality, as well as their own meaning and values.
In light of this information and my three previous articles in this series, we must consider these main issues:
1. The difficulty for those having ministered in Europe for years, persisting against all odds and eventually seeing some fruit from their labors, is that in recent years, up to 35 percent of their support has been lost due to the unfavorable exchange rate. Our churches could consider increasing their support so those already effectively ministering there can stay.
2. The need for more church planters is needed in this land of few Bible-preaching churches. Missionaries who go to European countries must be sure God called them. They need to be determined to stay if they expect to reach the people for Christ Jesus and start to build independent Bible-believing, Baptist churches. Our churches should consider sharing this burden so individuals will surrender their lives to serve God in this region of great need.
3. Church groups from the States working with our missionaries can be so helpful with evangelizing Europe. The opportunities in many areas are endless. Communicate with our soldiers on the field and find out what type of assistance they can use. Opportunities abound that will both challenge and change local churches and encourage our missionaries in Europe.