I was 9 when I was baptized (didn't think I was going that far back did ya?) and I seeked God on what he was going to do with my life. I developed a call, or desire and passion, to do missions. Later God worked on my heart and I fell in love with England, all the missionaries who came from there, the history.. In 2013 I met Pastor Kelton Black through a girl in my women's ministry. He invited me to come serve with his church in England. When I was there I noticed a few things about the culture; the church was missing a generation, and they didn't talk about really deep or serious things often outside of formal settings. I loved the church and the members of it (whose average age was 70) are some of the most welcoming and loving people I know. I did however feel a burden in my heart for the young generation that was missing.
My husband, Eric also felt a call to serve in missions in high school and when he graduated he joined YWAM (Youth with a Mission) and stayed with them for a couple years before we started dating. In 2015 my husband and I listened to God and journeyed back to Somerset. Now we got to minister there together. He noticed that the great big beautiful churches were now more like monuments to their past works. That the country that used to send out missionaries was now the one in need of them. In Europe (including the UK) only 2% of people claim saving faith in Jesus.
After a couple months of praying for God's will to be revealed we sat down and composed the reasons why God is calling us, not only individually but as a couple.
The churches have become museums…
Only 6% of ppl in England attend church. Its closer to .4% in the area where we will be.
Last time we were in England we visited a number of beautiful churches that have become monuments to the rich Christian history that the country has. However now, many of those churches are empty. Their message, that once influenced towns, is now missing and has no influence on the lives around it.
The churches that are alive with the Spirit of God are missing a generation... The average age of a Christian is 45, the average agw of a Muslim is 25.
The area of Somerset we have interacted with 3 different churches and in those churches there is a huge generational gap. The young adults and youth of England are missing from the churches and there is a barrier in the way of them connecting with them. These churches will die out if the younger generation does not recognize the importance of God and value of biblical fellowship and if the older generation doesn’t reach out and connect with the younger ones.
The Bible says Judges 2:10 “And all that generation also were gathered to their fathers. And there arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord or the work that he had done for Israel.” If there is not a change in the generational gaps in the churches in Somerset this could very well happen to the area.
There is a generation that is missing who God is… In the last 20 years chirch attendance has dropped by around 37%.
The young adults (18-35ish) are not only not connecting with God but they don’t even know who he really is. There are a lot of hurting young adults in Somerset that are not aware that there is healing in Christ. They also don’t know how to connect with each other, In Somerset everything closes early so their is no safe place to go and fellowship, this leads to isolation. This is a generation that could be impacting the world for Christ, they have the means and opportunity. They come from a country that used to be known for impacting the world for Jesus. When we think of pouring in to the young adults in Somerset we don't just think of them we think of how they could turn around and impact the world. But they can’t take that stand in today’s world if they don’t know what they are standing for.
God has a heart and passion for the English people of this generation. He has a desire for them to leave behind the isolation and emptiness and be ignited for Him.
Tha is why ww want to go and serve a missing geneation that has no hope and can't see a way for changing it.
God Bless,
Megs
"God, awaken this generation
ReplyDeleteWith a new and greater revelation
Of Jesus and His salvation,
The only hope of their nation."