Though it is not new and before it is so many magnificent centuries old Churches in England sold, lying closed or given to people of other faiths by the government.  But it is a matter of grave concern that what has gone wrong with Britons which have led to Godless secular society.  Perhaps the present white Briton’s younger generation has forgotten their living God of Israel and forsaken Him and left the Churches.  They have virtually forgotten their rich Christian heritage which they inherited from their forefathers and British Monarchs who  established the mighty Christian Empire the world over with the might of the Holy Spirit by obeying the rules of the God of Israel and in whose empire the sun never set in.  Once upon a time the Britain a Christian nation who led the world in exporting Christianity along with coal and cricket have long gone.  Having led the way they are now on their receiving end of help from outside missionaries.  Last year in October, 2000 in my Spiritual Food write up “Decline of Christianity in the West Part I – Where is your posterity” I have gone at length   to explore the reasons for the decline of Christianity in the Britain which can be viewed at  www.voiceofchristiansministries.org/archive7.html 

Keeping in view the spiritual pauper ness in England, missionaries from Africa, Asia and Americas are flocking to Britain to convert a nation that has slipped into godless secularism.  There is a report in the section of press that about 1500 missionaries and their full time staff from 50 countries are believed to operating in Churches in Britain at the moment.  Sixty percent from America.  Most of the missionaries come from the countries where Christianity was introduced by  British missionaries in the late 19^th century and early 20^th century.  The role reversal follows vast growth of Churches in Africa, Asia and South America and a steady decline in Church goers in western Europe.

Anglican based Church Mission Society, which has sent missionaries abroad for the last 200 years, has now brought 20 people from India, Uganda, Chile and Sierra Leone to reinvigorate dying parishes in England.  Stephen Tirwomwe from Uganda was invited by the Mission Society in 1997 to work in a struggling Church of England Parish St. Phillip’s in Osmondthorpe, East Leeds. British missionaries opened the first Church in Uganda in 1877.  Mr. Tirwomwe who has accompanied by his wife and two  children has said, “It was so depressing when I first arrived to find Churches empty and being sold and when in Uganda there is not enough room in our Churches for the people.”  There is great need for revival in Britain – it has become so secular and people are so inward – looking and individualistic.  The country needs reconverting.  The most harrowing experience he shared that while knocking at doors in inner-city  Leeds asking people to Church, a third of the doors open and some people have responded.  The greatest barrier, he says is the “English reserve”, which he claims inhibits people from talking about GOD. 

Another Pastor Marcos Barros from Brazil came to London eight years ago.  He has spent three years in Edinburgh and now runs the East Lancashire Community Church in Bolton said, “There is a lot of growth in Brazilian Churches as the result of the work done by European missionaries mainly from Briton.”  Some lost their lives in their endeavors to spread the Gospel.  What is happening now in South America is the result of their sacrifice and we see ourselves as their spiritual children.  Mr. Barros, who joined a Presbyterian Church at the age of 17  works with 50 missionaries in the movement “Go to the nation.”  The organization sends missionaries to work along side clergy in Methodists, Baptist, Anglican and Church of Scotland parishes. 

Basically the Christianity was so vibrant in Britain until 150 years ago that she spread the Gospel of Lord Jesus Christ like wildfire in the world, but the passion for Christ has now been faded due to materialistic approach of Britons, liberal theology, multi-racial society, godless secularism which caused deadening end of Christian way of life, which could not be borne by Christians like us in Asia, Africa and South America where the seed of the Christianity was sown by British missionaries  centuries ago and our forefathers turned to Christianity  through them.  Now it is high time for we (non-Britons)  people who have burden and vision to reconvert Britons again into Christianity with the might  of the Holy Spirit. 

We at Voice of Christians Evangelical Church, Ludhiana, India wholeheartedly support  the good work, which  is being done by 1500 missionaries in Britain at present through our fervent prayers, so again the closed Churches in England may  be opened, Gospel of Lord Jesus Christ be preached, multi-racial society in Britain be reached for Christ and  the lost glory of the Christianity be restored in the mighty name of our  Saviour Lord Jesus Christ. 

May the Lord re-revive Great Britain!

The above write up published in Masihi Sansar (Christian World) newspaper on July 1, 2001. Freedi Joseph, Chief Editor, Masihi Sansar, Lamba Pind, Jalandhar – Panjab, India.