Charles & Kimberly Redburn

Ireland: Deep wounds healed in Christ

Wars, conflicts, and disputes between religious sects have left deep wounds among human beings throughout history, and Irish people especially carry these scars.  Like much of the rest of the world, there are generations of people who align with a specific religion because of ancestral ties.  This should not come as a surprise because we know that family religious connections have occurred since Jesus walked the earth and established His Church.  Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles, was deeply entrenched in the family religious heritage and only a personal encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ caused Paul to abandon his religious tradition and spend his life sharing the Good News.  To this day we can be thankful that Paul was willing to sever ancestral ties and share the Gospel with those who would gladly receive it, as well as those who would not.  It is easy to imagine how difficult it is to break from the traditions of family and likely face alienation from family and peers.  However, in light of eternity this is a much better alternative than endless suffering separated from God.

In Ireland, the rise of secularism over the last several decades has accelerated at an alarming rate.   Many of the negative events associated with religion that contributed to the predominantly secular Irish society, have mostly occurred during the lifetime of people born in the 1980’s and 90’s.  These relatively recent events have contributed to Ireland’s rapid decline of gospel believing Christians to approximately 1%.  To be clear, this travesty of secularism occurred in just decades and not over centuries of time.  Because of this, many Christians outside of Ireland are unaware of the dire situation facing the Irish people.  Satan, the father of lies, has whispered in the ears of many to convince them that God cannot be trusted based on the sins of some religious people who hurt so many others who trusted them.

Although the statistics and sociological analysis for Ireland may seem bleak, we continue to have hope. “Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us” (Eph 3:20).  We are thrilled by the change in people when they see God’s glory through the ministries of hospitality and love for both God and neighbor.  When the Lord is doing something, building something, or restoring something, we can behold His glory in His works, and we are changed by them as well.  Restoration is not only what God does, but it is a part of who He is.  The first three and last three chapters of the Bible, as well as everything else in between, point toward a God of restoration.  His intent has always been to restore people to Himself and He uses disciples to share the message of the One who provides grace that we may be reconciled to the Father.

            It is extremely challenging to build trust with people who have been deeply wounded by religious representatives, but God is far from finished with Ireland, or any other people group! We know it is not His will that any should perish, but that all should come to know Him (John 3:16).  Hope and the faithfulness of God to keep His promises without fail continue to drive us to press on in this Ireland mission.

We are so thankful for your partnership in prayer and would greatly appreciate your financial support as we continue the work of Jesus to make disciples (Matt 28:19-20).  We know that if we are able to introduce Jesus to those that do not know Him as Lord, anyone who truly meets the King of kings is forever changed, and cannot help but fall in love with Him.