The Need in Wales

Spiritual Climate

Imagine yourself standing among thousands of energized rugby fans in a Welsh sports arena.  The Welsh National Rugby Team has just entered the field and the fans are on their feet for their anthem.  As you will notice in the video below — they will sing this anthem with enthusiasm and pride.  You will see the Welsh flags, boisterous fans, alcohol and crazy wigs — much similar to the crowd during an American baseball game.  However, you may be surprised not by what you see, but by what you hear as they begin the Welsh National Rugby Team Anthem:

Yes.  You heard that correctly!  You heard the words of Cwm Rhondda (or “Bread of Heaven”), which you more likely know as “Guide Me O Thou Great Jehovah.”  Now in your mind’s eye take another look around the stadium.  It is very possible that you are one of very few that truly understand the depth of the words of that song: “Guide me O thou great Jehovah, pilgrim in this barren land. I am weak, but Thou art mighty.  Hold me with Thy powerful hand.”   To the Christian, this is a song of encouragement; a reminder of a God who is guiding, protecting and providing for His children.  To the unsaved Welshman, this is a beautiful song reflecting on his heritage and nothing more.   What a vast mission field just within the walls of one rugby stadium!

A Forgotten Past

The Welsh are a people rich in heritage.  Never question a Welshman’s loyalty to his country, and never degrade his culture.  Both are vitally important and a badge of honor that many proudly boast.  So rich in fact in their heritage, that many fail to see their spiritual depravity.  They live their day to day lives in contentment.  Long gone are the days of the Welsh Revival.  Generations past are forgotten and the importance of trusting Christ has been laid aside to pursue other endeavors, such as education, sports or politics.  Beautiful church buildings that were once filled with worship to the Lord, are now used for modern day conveniences such as gas stations, grocery stores and more.

A Hopeless Future

These are the people that God has laid on our hearts.  These are the people that Michelle and I are anxious to share the gospel with.  We want them to know that there is so much more to life than the fleeting moments we share on earth.  The sad reality is that fewer than 12%of the Welsh attend church of any kind, and needless to say even fewer of those are sitting underneath the truth of the gospel message.

“How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?”  (Romans 10:14)

That question is one that God continually brings before us.  How will they know, unless we go and tell.  It is that simple.

The Brutal Reality

The following excerpts and statistics were taken from the 2007 Tearfund survey titled, Churchgoing in the UK.  Though the Tearfund organization seems pleased with the results, one can see from the few highlights below the disturbing trend in the UK.  The majority of youth are no longer exposed to solid biblical teaching, nor do they hold any interest in Christianity.  It appears acceptable to simply have a knowledge of church, God and/or religion, without the inconvenience of personal involvement.

Before fully understanding the results of the statistics, Tearfund gives a brief summary of their expectations and definitions:

• Given the competing demands for time it is reasonable to equate monthly attendance with a commitment to regular church going. [preface p5]
• The Tearfund research adopts a middle ground of at last monthly attendance as indicative of a commitment to “regular churchgoing.” [p. 2]

Unfortunately, that is the preface needed to fully comprehend the following statistics:

• This Tearfund research helps us to understand that the further people are from the church (in terms of churchgoing) the less likely they are to attend in the future.  Alongside this is the growing realisation that most people today see themselves as “spiritual” rather than in any sense “religious.”  There has been a rise in awareness of all things spiritual including a Godless spirituality with many adopting the “pick n’ mix” approach to their spiritual lives. [p. 1, 2]

Unfortunately, this attitude of apathy is apparent in Wales, as well as other parts of the U.K.

• There are a further 600,000 adults who have no experience of church at all, yet are open to going in the future…Put another way, one in every seventeen UK adults are open to church going, if only churches reach out to them. [p.7]

Now there is some encouragement!  Did you see that last sentence?  There is a percentage of those willing and open to churchgoing, if we as the church would reach out to them.  Praise the Lord!  That is our field white unto harvest!

• Wales is arguably the most secular nation, in the sense that over three quarters (78%) are either de-churched or non-churched and only 12% are regular churchgoers. [p. 10]

This is the nation that God has laid on our hearts to reach.  We pray that God will open their hearts and they will see the need of Christ in their every day lives.  For some it is not a matter of purposely rejecting the Bible or the Lord – they simply do not  know.  The field is there, and we are praying for laborers to help us in this ministry.  Whether it be holding us up in prayer, financially supporting us, or maybe coming along side and assisting us in the needy country.