Europe: Mosques Could Outnumber Churches
England is known for its impressive churches. However, they have become increasingly void of worshipers. At the same time, Muslims with mosques have moved in.
Some Methodist churches are now inhabited by Muslims due to Methodist parishioners declining in number so as to sell properties.
Anglican sanctuaries cannot by "covenant" be used by other religions. When vacated, they are often used as restaurants and such.
Prince Charles, not known for his Christian morality, has stated that he thinks of himself more as the "Defender of the Faiths" than the traditional "Defender of the Faith," the latter meaning Christianity. He reads the Koran for devotional intake, he informs media.
The Queen in her annual address spoke not only to Christians but those of other world religions, giving the message that she is broadening her definition of who she is and what she represents. Further, her remarks underline her appreciation for other than Christian belief.
A move-in by Muslims is frightening. However, if Christians slacken, sew their convictions to the winds, as Jesus stated, an empty house will be housed by demons seven times over. That is exactly what appears to be occurring in England, for example. No doubt a European sweep of things forecasts the same spiritual tragedy.
All the more that America must remain vigilant in guarding its Judeo-Christian heritage. Secularists are out to make it another Europe. That can happen in one generation if the next set of believers abdicate their biblical moorings.
Canada has already gone the way of the pagan. The United Church of Canada and Anglican Church are known for their apostasy. When formed in 1925, uniting Methodist, Presbyterian and Congregational Churches, the United Church of Canada was biblical. Now many of its leaders don’t represent belief in Jesus as divine. Many clergy have no idea what it means to have a personal, saving relationship with Christ. Canada, for all intents and purposes, has already gone over the line as secularist.
Evangelical congregations pray for their nations to remain faithful to Scripture. They must continue their intercessions if biblical faith is to survive the attacks from unbelievers. In America there are now mega-churches that sport building complexes rivaling large corporations. While in Texas recently, I passed the Prince of Peace Lutheran Church that was blocks in acreage. It had schools and sanctuaries — beautifully landscaped and architecturally state of the art.
Across the boulevard from the Lutheran Church was a mammoth Baptist Church of like impress. While driving from Dallas airport to Denton, I passed a number of sanctuaries that were very much like office buildings rather than the traditional church design. These structures were sprawling and striking. In Denton the Bible Church has increased its facilities to great lengths. Scores attend numerous services — weekends and throughout the week.
In these Bible-preaching sanctuaries the eternal verities are maintained, worshipers are carrying Bibles and marking them during sermon deliveries, and all ages can be seen in the pews. Myriad of activities for singles, marrieds, divorced, children, teens and elders are scheduled throughout a most active church year.
This is the hope of America: a Bible reaching spread throughout the country from shore to shore. Without it, the grassroots will be taken by the apostates, atheists and agnostics.
Per TheTimes Online, Ruth Gledhill, Religion Correspondent: "Thousands of churches face closure, demolition or conversion in the next decade, leading to the demise of some branches of Christianity in Europe, according to experts.
"In some parts of the country, former churches are being turned into centers of worship for other faiths. A disused Methodist chapel in Clitheroe on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales is the latest, destined to become a mosque for the town’s 300 Muslims.
"There are more than 47,000 churches in Britain today, and 42 million people, more than 70 per cent of the population, consider themselves to be Christian. It sounds a lot, but behind the figures lies a story of decline in the country’s established religion.
"Although the Pentecostal and Evangelical branches of Christianity are growing, worshippers often prefer modern, functional, warehouse-style buildings to the traditional neo-Gothic landscape of British ecclesiastical architecture.
"Just one tenth of the nation’s Christians attends church, and churches are now closing faster than mosques are opening. Practicing Muslims will, in a few decades, outnumber practicing Christians if current trends continue."
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