Of all the places in the world, in the face of tremendous spiritual need, why would we focus on Europe? Aren’t France and Spain famous for their cathedrals? Wasn’t Germanic Europe the seat of Reformation thought?
The truth of the matter is this: neither church buildings nor history save. The spiritual climate of Europe is a dismal one- less than 2% of Europeans claim to have a relationship with God through a relationship with Jesus. In most of Europe, that percentage is less than one percent. Nevertheless, it wasn’t the great need that brought us to Europe.
We might point to the unprecedented access to the hundreds of unreached people groups that are represented in Europe as a good reason for missions there. In every European country there is significant representation of “the nations.” Besides free access to these people, there is the added opportunity to meet the immense social and physical needs that accompany immigration. We thank God for the chance to befriend, assist, and influence unreached refugees and immigrants, but this isn’t our primary motivator either.
While we’re taking a look at the list of reasons to be on mission in Europe, let’s scratch “comfort,” “ease,” and “results” off that list as well.
No the reason for Europe is not that we picked it at all, but that God picked us for it. Our desire to see all the peoples of Europe come to faith has everything to do with obedience to what God has told us. We go because He compels us. He leads us with a vision of Spanish Cathedrals reclaimed as houses of worship. He motivates us with spiritual conversations with Germans over coffee. He guides us with supernatural insight into the global influence of the European worldview.
In the end, it all comes down to calling. We’re just some regular people on a quest to seek God and obey His direction. A big part of that is seeking out others who may be similarly called.
Nevermind all the other reasons for going- is God calling you to impact Europe with the gospel of Christ?
