Missionary: Western Europe's Darkness Foreshadows America's Spiritual Decline

Agape Press ^ | Chad Groening

[Iam1ru1-2]

Missionary: Western Europe's Darkness Foreshadows America's Spiritual Decline

By Chad Groening

May 31, 2005

(AgapePress) - A Southern Baptist missionary stationed in Madrid, Spain, contends that Western Europe is currently the hardest mission field on Earth. Chad, a 32-year-old Christian worker abroad, says the hostility to Christianity has become so severe in Europe that he does not want his last name published.

Chad is responsible for ministering to missionary children throughout Western Europe and for taking part in evangelistic efforts. He says it is a tough place to share the gospel and when he approaches people, a typical response is, "Oh, we already know about all that. We don't need it."

The region is marked by "a spiritual deadness that you can't believe," Chad notes. "To me it's the hardest mission field on the planet right now. I think about Ephesians 6, where Paul talks about [how] we're fighting a spiritual battle. And the battle lines are drawn in Western Europe, especially with all the immigrants there."

The American missionary believes Europe can be viewed as a sort of bellwether for the future cultural and spiritual scene in the U.S. "Living in Europe," he says, "I see Europe as probably 50 years ahead of where the U.S. is going spiritually. In Madrid, the Spanish equivalent of the House of Representatives just legalized same-sex marriages."

What has descended on Western Europe, Chad asserts, is "just a spiritual darkness." He says most people see churches or cathedrals as just "the buildings and nothing else. They are empty on Sunday morning. There's no spiritual sensitivity whatsoever."

Nevertheless, Chad remains prayerful and determined, ever grateful for his opportunity to learn and serve in what feels to him like "the hardest mission field in the world."

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Chad Groening, a regular contributor to AgapePress, is a reporter for American Family Radio News, which can be heard online.

For AgapePress information contact: editor@agapepress.org

[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

Is Groening not his real last name?

[Bostton1]

LOL that is too funny.

[Bostton1]

Maybe it's not him, or could he be writing about himself in the "third person".

[Betaille]

He's right that the farther a nation gets from religion, the weaker it becomes. However I am not so sure America is following the same path as Europe (just delayed).
America has a still-rising evangelical movement and trends such as home-schooling are growing fast.

[w6ai5q37b]

Hopefully Americans will look at Europe, repent and choose not to make the same mistakes as Europeans are making. This goes for the "free trade" issue as well.

[clearlight]

Europe, pagan once, pagan again. Guess those little experiments with socialism and communism (Hitler and Stalin) didn't make much of an impression.

[Dead Dog]

"I see Europe as probably 50 years ahead of where the U.S. is going spiritually. In Madrid, the Spanish equivalent of the House of Representatives just legalized same-sex marriages."

I think the difference between Europe and America has it roots in the Great Awakening more than anything. That seems to have been a cultural crossroads where we began to part ways.

Christianity is doing fine in the US, there are simply far too many Christian Americans that like declaring defeat and praying at first sign of adversity. Only half wrong.

[happyathome]

I agree. Besdies, a spiritual revival in Europe is not just up to American evangelists - God may have His own plan.

[Dead Dog]

Instead of having a bunch of Americans yacking about this, what do you all think?

{Brits get an honorary ping)

[TalBlack]

"The American missionary believes Europe can be viewed as a sort of bellwether for the future cultural and spiritual scene in the U.S."

The missionary doesn't take into account on factor that is often overlooked when assessing Europe: Many of her best LEFT TO COME TO AMERICA. That is not crowing, rather it is a simple observation.

A certain type of individual left the society ENMASSE. This is also a factor in why America WON'T go down the same road of spiritual death as Europe. We suffer from the same stupid human hubris as any people anywhere BUT there are a hell of a lot more God fearing people here to counterbalance.

In the future the most "interesting times" will be in America.

Europe will just swirl down the drain.

[processing please hold]

America has a still-rising evangelical movement and trends such as home-schooling are growing fast.

I agree. Look at the red states. Europe can't project their Godlessness on America.

[John Locke]

Europe, pagan once, pagan again.

Let us hope so:

Pagan Europe.

[SuziQ]

Europeans consider themselves far too sophisticated for anything like religion. Rationalism has taken them.

[Jess Kitting]

Why should we be hoping for a pagan Europe?

I don't think it is in anyone's best interest.

Neverthless, Europeans are free to choose their own destiny. Hope they will recognize the consequences of their choices before it is too late.

[John Locke]

Why should we be hoping for a pagan Europe?

Gee, there's a whole book that answers your question. Of course, there's no going back. But one can dream.