Europe is a land of wonder, beauty, and inspiration. It is an historically deep-rooted continent which appeals to millions around the globe as a place to visit and explore. Many of the world’s most beautiful cathedrals and churches are in Europe, proving to those around the globe that it is a land thriving with faith and religion. But is it really?
There’s a misconception many of us have had about this continent. The very thought of missionaries serving in Europe is lost on them, “Isn’t Europe already very religious? Why would you need to serve there?”
A continent bursting with stunning cathedrals yet lacking in faith; how did it come to be that a land that once held such strong religious power back in early modern Europe has now strayed from those deep Catholic roots, with little more than religious stereotypes echoing on?
Over the past five centuries, a multitude of factors have led to a waning faith in God. Jon Burns, President of Greater Europe Mission International says, “The problem is we see all these beautiful cathedrals and we assume there are all these people committed to the faith, but since the Second World War, the church in Europe has actually been on a massive decline, and I argue with anyone that Europe is the most unreached place on the planet right now.”
And he’s right! While you’ll find that many Europeans claim to be Christian (Catholic specifically), they generally state this as an assertion to their culture and upbringing, rather than having active, authentic relationships with God. Much of Europe’s remaining population claim no religion at all and live atheistic or agnostic lifestyles, especially in the younger generations. Add to this, millions of people have landed on Europe’s shores in recent years, in search of hope and peace, bringing with them the religions of their home countries.
But is this limited to Europe? Burns explains that “around the world, continents have come to a tipping point, where there’s enough Christians to reach themselves. However, in Europe, that’s simply not the case. In villages, towns, and cities, it’s rare you’ll find even 2% of committed Christ followers. Very few people even know a genuine follower of Jesus. All these stunning cities with beautiful churches, very few of them contain a thriving Christian community.” Burns goes on to say, “If we define an unreached people group as less than 5% evangelical Christian, there’s really only a little bit of Romania that’s reached, there’s about 8%. But really the rest Europe is nowhere near [being reached].”
With Europe being such an influential continent, the importance of reaching it and bringing its people back to Jesus is great. “It’s imperative and urgent that we reach Europe now,” Burns explains, “Europe has been the epicentre for art and architecture and philosophy and religion for more than 2,000 years. Its influence is unmatched. Europe is the crossroads of the world, and therefore reaching Europe is critical for world revival.”
With Europe being a global leader, imagine the potential world-wide impact that could be made if it were to become a thriving continent full of true Jesus followers! This is one of the reasons many choose to support or serve with GEM and other agencies serving within Europe – if we reach Europe, we can reach the world!
Now is the time for us to come alongside the people of Europe as one body of Christ; will you pray with me to see the brokenness that has overtaken Europe be lifted, that the church would be renewed in Christ, and that God would expand His kingdom through all peoples of Europe to the world?
About the author:
Leanne Monge Barrera is a storyteller with Greater Europe Mission and serves out of Winnipeg, Canada.
