Probably because, as this article indicates, much of it is being done by those from the former colonies, the Third Worlders living in Europe. Many came for economic advantages, set up churches to minister to their own former countrymen, and discovered that they were ministering to the local Europeans as well. Then they discovered how apostate (Christian theological term for those who have fallen away from the Faith) that Europe has become.
There are more Black Pentecostals attending Church in Britain than white Britains attending.
I noticed this phenomena of African missionaries to Europe 20 years ago when some Zimbabwean friends of mine went to Europe as missionaries.
I think that the North American Christians have invested themselves heavily in the Third World, and in Eastern Europe when it was under communism (much work was done surreptiously such as Bible smuggling).
The most famous of the Bible Smugglers, a Dutchman named Brother Andrew, turned his attention to the Muslim world after the fall of Communism. Mission work since then has heavily focused on that area known as the "10-40 Window" an area defined as 10 degrees latitude north/south by 40 degrees longitude east/west as that is the area seemingly intransient to the Gospel.
It is only recently that Europe has gotten the attention of North American Christians as a mission field. Many of the most thriving Churches in Europe are either local Pentecostals, Third World Pentecostals, or American English speaking congregations who minister to expatriate Americans. The exception is the Catholic Church in Poland.
I hope this provides some insight into what is for you, a foreign world.
BTW, Pentecostals are those Christians who believe that the miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit which were delivered to the Church after Jesus ascended into heaven, are still available today.
The early Christians (all Jews at that time) were celebrating the Jewish Pentecost, the Gift of the Law given to Moses after 40 days at Mount Sinai. So it is the day that memorializes both the Gift of the Law, and for Christians, the Gift of the Holy Spirit active on the Earth.
happygrl, very eloquently stated. I guess I am a Baptecostal. My mom is Baptist and my father is Assembly of God. I grew up in both and need to someday find a church that has the right mix. For now I bounce around and study more alone ofr in small private groups. My fondness of beer makes me a misfit in either.
TopQuark, I knew someone here would know a much better answer than me.
Definitely so. Thanks for the informative note, HappyGirl. G-d bless!