The Church in England

John Wycliffe, Jacob Arminius, John Calvin, St. Augustine, John Knox, Thomas More. I could keep going, but the idea is that our heritage runs deep and much of it comes from Europe. As I googled “church in London,” I found a very interesting and
telling result. All of the churches had a very rich history page, but not much more in the way of current growth or progress. It seems that churches that once steered the course of the Christendom for some time have now become tourist attractions.
I country whose majority once followed Christ now has lost touch with what once lead them. While statistics will show that the majority of the country still claims to be Christian (70%) a walk down the streets and into these monuments might tell a different story. In twenty years, 1980-2000, the Church of England suffered a 27% decline in membership.
Here is the short of it, the church isn’t growing, it is declining. The committed faithful continue to go and grow older as the younger generation becomes more and more accustomed to hanging out on Sundays rather than going to church. Many now who are parents did not grow up going to church. Many believe that England is a glimpse around the corner and into the future of what America could look like down the road. The growth of Islam in England is a major issue. I think my friend Randy said it best in the book that will hopefully one day exist so that proper credit can be given. He said that there is something that happens to you when you know that you are a minority.
You live differently. You act differently. Everything is bent on you becoming a majority. You know things will not be easy so you do not expect them to be. You are not comfortable or complacent. You stay primed and ready for your opportunity to grow. You seize every opportunity you have to get ahead so that one day you might be a majority. The Christian church started this way, but has changed over the years as it has become the clear majority. It do not want it to sound like the church is the way it is because solely because we do not care anymore. We never really cared that much about the church anyway. In fact, we do not really care about the things of God at all like we should. God Himself is the groom of the church. She is under His care and watchful eye. We need not be worried or surprised that the church will prevail, but as in all other times in history it will be a remnant that God uses. Which could mean that in the years to come we could see Christianity become the minority in the England, as well as in America. There is reason to be concerned. I do not want to preach gloom and doom, although it sounds that way. I want us to remain hopeful. Even in the midst of darkness, God will not let his Bride perish. I also want the love of God to do such a work in our hearts that we are compelled to go and speak the truth in the darkest of places as God is still advancing his kingdom all over the world. He is advancing His kingdom in the hearts of those who would call us enemies, and will one day call us brothers and sisters.