British Teens Are Coming to Christ — Thanks to Inspiring Cathedrals

[SavedByGrace1980]

British Teens Are Coming to Christ — Thanks to Inspiring Cathedrals

According to a new study, British teenagers are coming to Christ in droves, and many are inspired by the majesty of church buildings like historic cathedrals. Indeed, the numbers of teenagers identifying themselves as practicing Christians was so large that the study was not released until six months later, to confirm the numbers were accurate.

"There was disbelief among the team because it was so high," Jimmy Dale, the Church of England's national youth evangelism officer, told Britain's The Telegraph. "What is really exciting for us is that there is this warmth and openness that we are seeing among young people — they are really open to faith."

The study, commissioned by Hope Revolution Partnership and carried out by ComRes, found that a surprisingly high number of Britons between 11 and 18 years old are Christians. One in five (21 percent) between the ages of 11 and 18 describe themselves as active followers of Jesus, and one in six (13 percent) said they were practicing Christians who attend church.

These numbers would be depressing in the United States, but they represent a huge upswing from a decade ago. In 2006, church statistician Dr. Peter Brierley reported that church attendance among teens was half the current figure, with only 6 percent of 11-14-year-olds attending church, and a mere 5 percent of those 15-18 also worshiping regularly.

Indeed, according to The Telegraph, the research was carried out in December but it was not released until June because analysts considered such a high figure literally unbelievable. Another study recently released by Youth for Christ showed similar results, so researchers finally accepted the good news.

Perhaps even more fascinating than the surge in teens coming to Christ was the reasons they gave for this decision. In the survey, 20 percent said reading the Bible had been important, 17 percent described a religious school as pivotal to their faith, 14 percent pointed to a spiritual experience, and 13 percent said they decided to believe in Jesus after visiting a church or a cathedral.

The influence of a church building was more significant than attending a youth group, going to a wedding, or speaking to Christians about their faith, according to the study.

"Things which we would class as old hat methods are some of the more effective ways," Dale explained. "It's a real wake-up call for the church — we've got lots of young people who are coming into churches with school groups and that's a really integral part of them becoming a Christian."

The great cathedrals have long been called "sermons in stone," and they were built to convey the grandeur of God. As Boston College professor Peter Kreeft wrote, "the cathedrals, miraculous 'sermons in stone' ... made rock and glass seem to take wing and fly like angels."

Kreeft noted that some of the world's greatest paintings and statues were made for churches, and some of its finest music composed for Masses. "For what happens within that sacred time and place is the most beautiful work of art ever conceived: God's work of redeeming man from eternal darkness into heavenly light by enduring that hellish darkness in mans place on the Cross," the Catholic professor argued.

Cathedrals built around the story of Jesus' birth, death, and resurrection were intended to preach the gospel in their very architecture. It seems in Britain, at least a few of them have achieved that glorious purpose.

Officials in the Church of England emphasized that these findings showcased the importance of keeping churches and cathedrals accessible to the public.

"This shows the power of church buildings — they are powerful for all sorts of reasons," John Inge, bishop of Worcester, told The Telegraph. "They give a sense of stability, and also the sense that the Christian faith has inspired people to build these extraordinary buildings."

Nine of Britain's 42 cathedrals charge for entry, but some financial pressures might change that. During the Manchester bombing last month, Birmingham Cathedral temporarily closed, as it put in place increased security measures. Inge is leading a campaign to persuade parishes to keep churches open.

Interestingly, evidence suggests churches that lock their doors might be more likely to be vandalized, since intruders sense they are less likely to be disturbed.

"I'm passionate about church buildings staying open," Inge declared. "The cathedrals are the jewel in the crown but when thinking about all those young people, it's just as likely to be one of the parish churches which they have been inspired by."

The Church of England has received a small resurgence in recent years, as the number of worshipers rose from a low of 16.3 percent in 2009 to 17.1 percent in 2015, The Telegraph reported in May. This might be connected to a rise in nationalism which preceded the Brexit vote last year.

"People see Christianity as an expression of Englishness. There has been more rhetoric around Britain being a Christian nation," Stephen Bullivant, professor of theology and the sociology of religion at St. Mary's University in Twickenham, told The Telegraph. "I suspect a larger proportion of people who say they are Anglican tend to be patriotic."

Since 1983, self-described Anglicans have dropped from 40 percent of the population to 17 percent in 2015. The number of nonreligious people reached a peak of 50.6 percent in 2009, and fell to 48.6 percent in 2015.

Interestingly, a ComRes survey in December found that only 54 percent of Britons 11-18 describe Jesus as a "real person who actually lived," with 27 percent calling Him a "mythical or fictional character" and 19 percent saying they don't know. Only 37 percent said they believed Jesus rose from the dead, while 40 percent said they did not believe it happened, and 23 percent said they did not know.

Despite the overall trend against religion in Britain for the past thirty years, the uptick in teenage practicing Christians is good news, and believers should take notice that church buildings do serve an important part in proclaiming the gospel. While Christians need to be careful not to worship art and creation more than the Creator, there is a place for soaring architecture in the ministry of the gospel.

https://pjmedia.com/faith/2017/06/21/british-teens-are-coming-to-christ-thanks-to-inspiring-cathedrals/

 

[Guest Thallasa]

9 hours ago, SavedByGrace1981 said:

British Teens Are Coming to Christ — Thanks to Inspiring Cathedrals

According to a new study, British teenagers are coming to Christ in droves, and many are inspired by the majesty of church buildings like historic cathedrals. Indeed, the numbers of teenagers identifying themselves as practicing Christians was so large that the study was not released until six months later, to confirm the numbers were accurate.

"There was disbelief among the team because it was so high," Jimmy Dale, the Church of England's national youth evangelism officer, told Britain's The Telegraph. "What is really exciting for us is that there is this warmth and openness that we are seeing among young people — they are really open to faith."

The study, commissioned by Hope Revolution Partnership and carried out by ComRes, found that a surprisingly high number of Britons between 11 and 18 years old are Christians. One in five (21 percent) between the ages of 11 and 18 describe themselves as active followers of Jesus, and one in six (13 percent) said they were practicing Christians who attend church.

These numbers would be depressing in the United States, but they represent a huge upswing from a decade ago. In 2006, church statistician Dr. Peter Brierley reported that church attendance among teens was half the current figure, with only 6 percent of 11-14-year-olds attending church, and a mere 5 percent of those 15-18 also worshiping regularly.

Indeed, according to The Telegraph, the research was carried out in December but it was not released until June because analysts considered such a high figure literally unbelievable. Another study recently released by Youth for Christ showed similar results, so researchers finally accepted the good news.

Perhaps even more fascinating than the surge in teens coming to Christ was the reasons they gave for this decision. In the survey, 20 percent said reading the Bible had been important, 17 percent described a religious school as pivotal to their faith, 14 percent pointed to a spiritual experience, and 13 percent said they decided to believe in Jesus after visiting a church or a cathedral.

The influence of a church building was more significant than attending a youth group, going to a wedding, or speaking to Christians about their faith, according to the study.

"Things which we would class as old hat methods are some of the more effective ways," Dale explained. "It's a real wake-up call for the church — we've got lots of young people who are coming into churches with school groups and that's a really integral part of them becoming a Christian."

The great cathedrals have long been called "sermons in stone," and they were built to convey the grandeur of God. As Boston College professor Peter Kreeft wrote, "the cathedrals, miraculous 'sermons in stone' ... made rock and glass seem to take wing and fly like angels."

Kreeft noted that some of the world's greatest paintings and statues were made for churches, and some of its finest music composed for Masses. "For what happens within that sacred time and place is the most beautiful work of art ever conceived: God's work of redeeming man from eternal darkness into heavenly light by enduring that hellish darkness in mans place on the Cross," the Catholic professor argued.

Cathedrals built around the story of Jesus' birth, death, and resurrection were intended to preach the gospel in their very architecture. It seems in Britain, at least a few of them have achieved that glorious purpose.

Officials in the Church of England emphasized that these findings showcased the importance of keeping churches and cathedrals accessible to the public.

"This shows the power of church buildings — they are powerful for all sorts of reasons," John Inge, bishop of Worcester, told The Telegraph. "They give a sense of stability, and also the sense that the Christian faith has inspired people to build these extraordinary buildings."

Nine of Britain's 42 cathedrals charge for entry, but some financial pressures might change that. During the Manchester bombing last month, Birmingham Cathedral temporarily closed, as it put in place increased security measures. Inge is leading a campaign to persuade parishes to keep churches open.

Interestingly, evidence suggests churches that lock their doors might be more likely to be vandalized, since intruders sense they are less likely to be disturbed.

"I'm passionate about church buildings staying open," Inge declared. "The cathedrals are the jewel in the crown but when thinking about all those young people, it's just as likely to be one of the parish churches which they have been inspired by."

The Church of England has received a small resurgence in recent years, as the number of worshipers rose from a low of 16.3 percent in 2009 to 17.1 percent in 2015, The Telegraph reported in May. This might be connected to a rise in nationalism which preceded the Brexit vote last year.

"People see Christianity as an expression of Englishness. There has been more rhetoric around Britain being a Christian nation," Stephen Bullivant, professor of theology and the sociology of religion at St. Mary's University in Twickenham, told The Telegraph. "I suspect a larger proportion of people who say they are Anglican tend to be patriotic."

Since 1983, self-described Anglicans have dropped from 40 percent of the population to 17 percent in 2015. The number of nonreligious people reached a peak of 50.6 percent in 2009, and fell to 48.6 percent in 2015.

Interestingly, a ComRes survey in December found that only 54 percent of Britons 11-18 describe Jesus as a "real person who actually lived," with 27 percent calling Him a "mythical or fictional character" and 19 percent saying they don't know. Only 37 percent said they believed Jesus rose from the dead, while 40 percent said they did not believe it happened, and 23 percent said they did not know.

Despite the overall trend against religion in Britain for the past thirty years, the uptick in teenage practicing Christians is good news, and believers should take notice that church buildings do serve an important part in proclaiming the gospel. While Christians need to be careful not to worship art and creation more than the Creator, there is a place for soaring architecture in the ministry of the gospel.

https://pjmedia.com/faith/2017/06/21/british-teens-are-coming-to-christ-thanks-to-inspiring-cathedrals/

 

 Funny, the beautiful Cathedrals were originally Roman Catholic , before they were taken . 

And yes , nationalism is coming back in Europe, and with it , an indentification with Christianity .

As the soulessness, of a hypermarket world grows apace, we see what in contrast we get , through connecting in love with each other, and our God ,and appreciating  all the wondrous culture of the christian period .

May I add ,that I have very big problems with the anti Catholic hate on this site . I am not a practising one as such  ,but I see many leave, being   hurt because of this .  It is a very serious problem and makes me doubt the the sincerity of many .You are excluded from this as I know you are connected to the Source .

I am beginning to want to disassociate with the name christian ,as I see so few good fruits under this title ,and perhaps find another way of indentifying with Jesus .

Edited June 26, 2017 by Thallasa

[SavedByGrace1980]

Just now, Thallasa said:

  Funny ,  the beautiful Cathedrals were originally Roman Catholic ,  before they were taken . 

and yes nationalism is coming back in Europe and with it an indentification with Chrstianity .

As the soulessness of a hypermarket world grows apace, we see what in contrast we get through connecting in love with each other and our God ,and appreciating  all the wondrous culture of the christian period .

 

Thank you.  I was hoping one of our European Worthy-ites would respond.

This article made me remember when I was in the US Navy back in the 70s.  Although I've never been to England or the northern part of Europe, I did get to go to Italy, southern France, Spain and Greece.  On shore leave, my buddies and I would walk around some of the larger cities and on occasion we went into a church or two (they we unlocked and open).

Though I wasn't a Christian at the time, I was still amazed by the beauty of the churches and cathedrals.  Awe inspiring indeed.  (and sadly, they were mostly empty during services.)

Blessings,

-Ed

[Guest Thallasa]

33 minutes ago, SavedByGrace1981 said:

Thank you.  I was hoping one of our European Worthy-ites would respond.

This article made me remember when I was in the US Navy back in the 70s.  Although I've never been to England or the northern part of Europe, I did get to go to Italy, southern France, Spain and Greece.  On shore leave, my buddies and I would walk around some of the larger cities and on occasion we went into a church or two (they we unlocked and open).

Though I wasn't a Christian at the time, I was still amazed by the beauty of the churches and cathedrals.  Awe inspiring indeed.  (and sadly, they were mostly empty during services.)

Blessings,

-Ed

But not on Sundays ,at least not nowadays . My local church is  full on sundays  ,not with me ,but there are still many followers .

Yes the  R.C.  churches are left open, and always have been .

[Fidei Defensor]

I am glad there is surge i teens seeking Christ. My only comcern is what will they do if the cathedrals crumble? ISIS is known to demolish monuments and buildings, they just destroyed a famous Mosque in Mosul. The UK is rife with ISIS and Mujahideen; what is to stop them from destroying cathedrals?  

 

[SavedOnebyGrace]

21 hours ago, Thallasa said:

 Funny, the beautiful Cathedrals were originally Roman Catholic , before they were taken . 

And yes , nationalism is coming back in Europe, and with it , an indentification with Christianity .

As the soulessness, of a hypermarket world grows apace, we see what in contrast we get , through connecting in love with each other, and our God ,and appreciating  all the wondrous culture of the christian period .

May I add ,that I have very big problems with the anti Catholic hate on this site . I am not a practising one as such  ,but I see many leave, being   hurt because of this .  It is a very serious problem and makes me doubt the the sincerity of many .You are excluded from this as I know you are connected to the Source .

I am beginning to want to disassociate with the name christian ,as I see so few good fruits under this title ,and perhaps find another way of indentifying with Jesus .

You have a wonderful way of expressing yourself.  There is one thing that is absolutely true: former Roman Catholics are the harshest critics of the Roman Catholic Church as it exists today.  Speaking only of my own family: one Roman Catholic uncle and his wife left their local RCC because they switched from an all Latin Mass to an English mass; one Roman Catholic aunt continued with the changes in the church until her death, but mostly followed RCC teaching by a lay person on the radio; my mother and father continued in the changes to RC teaching, but when my father died, my mother rewrote her will to leave everything to my sister and her atheist husband.  She and my sister there occult practices.  I never gave my mother or father reason to be angry with me, except I became a Christian.  One other aunt and uncle became non-denomination Christians like me and my parents ridiculed them ceaselessly.

Believing anything but we are saved by faith through God's grace, not by words of the flesh, is believing a false gospel.  How can I give tacit approval of a false gospel and remain true to my Christian faith?

[Guest Thallasa]

2 hours ago, Saved.One.by.Grace said:

You have a wonderful way of expressing yourself.  There is one thing that is absolutely true: former Roman Catholics are the harshest critics of the Roman Catholic Church as it exists today.  Speaking only of my own family: one Roman Catholic uncle and his wife left their local RCC because they switched from an all Latin Mass to an English mass; one Roman Catholic aunt continued with the changes in the church until her death, but mostly followed RCC teaching by a lay person on the radio; my mother and father continued in the changes to RC teaching, but when my father died, my mother rewrote her will to leave everything to my sister and her atheist husband.  She and my sister there occult practices.  I never gave my mother or father reason to be angry with me, except I became a Christian.  One other aunt and uncle became non-denomination Christians like me and my parents ridiculed them ceaselessly.

Believing anything but we are saved by faith through God's grace, not by words of the flesh, is believing a false gospel.  How can I give tacit approval of a false gospel and remain true to my Christian faith?

You are very kind , so thankyou . However my beliefs are not that of a typical, what is called '  born again christian ,and I did not leave the RCC because of the teachings per se for as you can see here ,and on many other sites there is profound disagreement on practically everything and yet Jesus hopefully unites  those who believe in Him .

I think that there are many churches within the RCC ,and that all those who like ceremony ,ritual ,being guided by men, are a totally different breed from those who love Jesus , and follow Him exclusively ,while respecting Mary (in the background )I don't remember my parents ever mentioning Mary .What I objected to ,was having my brain and my relationship with God dictated to me by men ,and this goes for all men  I have to add that the RCC has saved millions of souls ,and the people with most depth on here are often ex-catholics . So maybe need to think aabout that .

God led me on a long journey of knowledge, where I nearly died ,and this broke down the barrier which keeps most humans on a shallow material plane, where they cannot see ,but in a very narrow way, as I did before . What I learned ,I had to work very hard for in a scientific way, for years, is totally wonderful and precise , and shows God's laws . However  it is beyond the reach of most , until they are truly 'born again ' , and that for me , is just that .

 

 

[Guest Thallasa]

On ‎26‎/‎06‎/‎2017 at 10:59 PM, SavedByGrace1981 said:

Thank you.  I was hoping one of our European Worthy-ites would respond.

This article made me remember when I was in the US Navy back in the 70s.  Although I've never been to England or the northern part of Europe, I did get to go to Italy, southern France, Spain and Greece.  On shore leave, my buddies and I would walk around some of the larger cities and on occasion we went into a church or two (they we unlocked and open).

Though I wasn't a Christian at the time, I was still amazed by the beauty of the churches and cathedrals.  Awe inspiring indeed.  (and sadly, they were mostly empty during services.)

Blessings,

-Ed

    Yes they are truly beautiful places contructed to the glory of God as Creator ,and safe havens in times 

   war and strife etc.

 

On ‎27‎/‎06‎/‎2017 at 3:01 PM, Fidei Defensor said:

I am glad there is surge i teens seeking Christ. My only comcern is what will they do if the cathedrals crumble? ISIS is known to demolish monuments and buildings, they just destroyed a famous Mosque in Mosul. The UK is rife with ISIS and Mujahideen; what is to stop them from destroying cathedrals?  

 

  Well ,if they are not meant to be destroyed , then they will be protected .If they are truly being used for God's purpose ,  He can do that !!!

Edited June 29, 2017 by Thallasa

[Fidei Defensor]

1 minute ago, Thallasa said:

    Yes they are truly beautiful places contructed to the glory of God as Creator ,and safe havens in times 

   war and strife etc.

 

  Well ,if they are not meant to be destroyed , then they will be protected .If they are truly being used for God's purpose , He can do that !!!

Although the Apostle Peter does tell us the Lord will destroy them one day, " But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment. ¹¹ Since everything around us is going to be destroyed like this, what holy and godly lives you should live, ¹² looking forward to the day of God and hurrying it along. On that day, he will set the heavens on fire, and the elements will melt away in the flames. ¹³ But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world filled with God’s righteousness." (1 Peter 3:10-13). Besides the Lord destroyed the Second Temple with Titus in 70 A.D. and the Roman Legions. And the Lord God has never wanted a house, except in us Christians, "But that same night the Lord said to Nathan, Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord has declared: Are you the one to build a house for me to live in? I have never lived in a house, from the day I brought the Israelites out of Egypt until this very day. I have always moved from one place to another with a tent and a Tabernacle as my dwelling. Yet no matter where I have gone with the Israelites, I have never once complained to Israel’s tribal leaders, the shepherds of my people Israel. I have never asked them, “Why haven’t you built me a beautiful cedar house?” Furthermore, the Lord declares that he will make a house for you—a dynasty of kings! For when you die and are buried with your ancestors, I will raise up one of your descendants, your own offspring, and I will make his kingdom strong. He is the one who will build a house—a temple—for my name. And I will secure his royal throne forever. I will be his father, and he will be my son. If he sins, I will correct and discipline him with the rod, like any father would do. But my favor will not be taken from him as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from your sight. Your house and your kingdom will continue before me for all time, and your throne will be secure forever." (2 Samuel 7:4-7, 11-16), and "But that same night God said to Nathan, Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord has declared: You are not the one to build a house for me to live in.  I have never lived in a house, from the day I brought the Israelites out of Egypt until this very day. My home has always been a tent, moving from one place to another in a Tabernacle. Yet no matter where I have gone with the Israelites, I have never once complained to Israel’s leaders, the shepherds of my people. I have never asked them, “Why haven’t you built me a beautiful cedar house?” Now go and say to my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has declared: I took you from tending sheep in the pasture and selected you to be the leader of my people Israel. I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have destroyed all your enemies before your eyes. Now I will make your name as famous as anyone who has ever lived on the earth! And I will provide a homeland for my people Israel, planting them in a secure place where they will never be disturbed. Evil nations won’t oppress them as they’ve done in the past, starting from the time I appointed judges to rule my people Israel. And I will defeat all your enemies. Furthermore, I declare that the Lord will build a house for you—a dynasty of kings! For when you die and join your ancestors, I will raise up one of your descendants, one of your sons, and I will make his kingdom strong.  He is the one who will build a house—a temple—for me. And I will secure his throne forever. I will be his father, and he will be my son. I will never take my favor from him as I took it from the one who ruled before you. I will confirm him as king over my house and my kingdom for all time, and his throne will be secure forever." (1 Chronicles 17:1-14). "When Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, He yielded up His spirit. And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split.The tombs broke open, and the bodies of many saints who had fallen asleep were raised. 53After Jesus’ resurrection, when they had come out of the tombs, they entered the holy city and appeared to many people. When the centurion and those with him guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified and said, "Truly this was the Son of God." (Matthew 27:51-54).

[Anonymous Aristotle]

Praise God! Especially with the evil that is threatening Europe and Britain in these last few months.