Why Ireland
We get this question a lot. The short answer is, “Because God has called us to minister here.” But there are several compelling reasons that may help you understand God’s call to Ireland.
Ireland has rapidly changed into a modern, globalized society. Ireland has undergone a radical transformation in the last twenty years, due in part to the economic boom nicknamed the “Celtic Tiger”. The 2010 Lonely Planet guidebook describes Ireland today as “a land of motorways and multiculturalism, planned and developed in between doubl
e decaf lattes and time out at the latest spa for a thermal mud treatment.” The influx of money quickly moved Ireland into a modern (and secular) lifestyle, the position of wealthiest European country, and new jobs attracted immigrants from all over the world who now make up 10% of Ireland’s population. With the Celtic Tiger now a thing of the past, the country faces an extended recession with one of the highest rates of unemployment in Europe.
Modern lifestyles and economic difficulty have brought problematic social issues on a scale that was practically unheard of in the Ireland of 20 years ago. Ireland ranks towards the top of the European lists in reference to young male suicides, binge drinking, and alcoholism-related deaths. Cocaine and heroin use is alarmingly on the rise amongst all socio-economic levels, and drug gang feuds have made Dublin the “Gun Murder Capital” of Europe, even beating out London. Divorce (previously illegal until 1997) is a new difficulty for families to adjust to, with a 70% increase over just four years. Human trafficking of immigrants for either prostitution or domestic help is alarmingly on the increase.
Ireland has the lowest percentage of evangelical Christians in all English-speaking countries in the world. Church attendance is in steady decline, and people claiming the Muslim faith is on the rise, second only to those who claim atheism. Though evangelical pastors were persecuted and imprisoned just 40 years ago, revival is beginning to happen. With some of the recent changes has come an openness to the Gospel. Once considered “cults,” evangelical Christians are becoming more accepted in society. Like much of Western Europe, many evangelical churches today in Ireland consist of just 20 people, most of which meet in homes. There is a hunger in Ireland to know the grace of God’s forgiveness through a living relationship with Jesus Christ.
Please join us in prayer for this nation in transition, for the churches in Ireland, and for our ministry work in Co. Kildare.
