JamesSuth
Well-Known Member
At the weekend I visited a small town in Scotland, UK, where I grew up. As a child, there were three churches in the town. One Episcopal / Church of England, and two Church of Scotland, that had merged to effectively be one church with one board and minister. Attendance was about 30 at the Episcopal church, and around 80 - 90 at the Church of Scotland, which also had a lot of children attending youth focused events and clubs - 30 - 40 (almost exclusively without their parents). At the time I wondered how the church would survive in around 20 or 30 years time when all the elderly people were no longer alive. This past week I got my answer. The Episcopal church is still open but no longer have services as such. Instead a handful of attendees meet in a group and discuss their week. The theology is extremely liberal. The Church of Scotland (which as a denomination has turned away from God to focus on climate change, socialism, abcde issues etc), has issued a statement saying that the congregation has 'dwindled' and they are trying a cafe style church in a local cafe instead. When I left the congregation was around 15 (most of whom were likely not saved), so if it has dwindled from that, it is effectively over. No decision has been made on their one remaining church building, but closure must be on the cards, the last minister having retired around a decade ago.
I spent time over the weekend thinking about it. It is one thing to hear about how things have gone downhill since the past, it is another to witness it in one's own lifetime. The town I speak of has long been against Christ, despite the outward appearances, so perhaps it is ahead of the curve. But the decline is mirrored across the country to some extent. I'm reminded of Luke 18: 8 "Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?". If a falling away is a sign of the nearness of Christ's return, I saw it first hand last week. So I'm encouraged that He is near. I also pray for the handful of believers that I know of in the town. They are still there, and still praying, in a town that is more enthusiastic for this world's evil than most.
I spent time over the weekend thinking about it. It is one thing to hear about how things have gone downhill since the past, it is another to witness it in one's own lifetime. The town I speak of has long been against Christ, despite the outward appearances, so perhaps it is ahead of the curve. But the decline is mirrored across the country to some extent. I'm reminded of Luke 18: 8 "Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?". If a falling away is a sign of the nearness of Christ's return, I saw it first hand last week. So I'm encouraged that He is near. I also pray for the handful of believers that I know of in the town. They are still there, and still praying, in a town that is more enthusiastic for this world's evil than most.
. And there are believers all over the place shining the light in the darkness. But the days of people having a church nearby, let alone one that preaches the Gospel is over.
