Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
IF THE TERM Evangelical Christian evokes images of the American south, you might be surprised to find that there are people practising the faith across Ireland.
Across Ireland, there are numerous churches and congregations. Many of those who practice are ex-Catholics, though many immigrants make up a number of key positions in the church.
The Religion
In terms of faith, Evangelical Christians beliefs are divorced from Catholicism in one key way.
They believe that God’s grace is bestowed upon all who believe in the word of Jesus. They believe that works beyond that – charity or societal works – are an off shoot of that grace, not demanded by it.
As Ludie Creech of Operation Mobilisation puts it: “The works are the fruit of God’s grace, not the root of it.
“This whole idea of Evangenical Christians is a bit shaky ice because peopel have different definitions.
“We believe that people are saved through Grace, Faith and Jesus Christ alone. God has been good enough to grant us salvation if we repent and believe.
“Jesus said that he is the way, the truth and he extends that invitation to everyone who repents and accepts his teachings.
“Most other religions believe that you have to work for that, but we believe that we are saved and do works to show the gratitude.”
In Ireland
Ludie himself came to Ireland in 2008, leaving Atlanta, Georgia and a job in landscaping. He and his family are based in Roscommon and work to spread the word of their religion.
How did he end up in Ireland?
“It’s a long answer. I became a Christian in 2002 and really began to study the bible and learned what it means to be a follower of Christ. I started to have this compulsion that the word of the Lord needed to be spread.
“It’s a bit of a long answer, but God opened up a door to allow us spread the word.”
Evangelical Christians are inter-denominational Christian grouping. Roughly 1.5% of Irish people are members of the faith. That makes Ireland the lowest percentage of Evangelical Christians in the English-speaking world.
But it is important to note that it is a loose definition. The services are markedly different to Catholic masses.
“We don’t call it Mass. We call it a worship service. There is prayer, singing of songs and preaching God’s word.
“In most, if not all churches, there is breaking of bread, but we see these as symbolism.”
The Misconceptions
Many Irish people will know Evangelical Christians are known for their enthusiasm, music and fervour. But is that all helpful?
“That enthusiasm manifests itself in certain ways. Some of that isn’t helpful, some of the things you see don’t help.
“We believe that the Bible is the final authority and that does give us great hope and great joy.”
Irish people have a varying array of reactions when Ludie tells them of his faith.
“There’s a wide spectrum of reactions. Some people are influenced by misconceptions like Christian TV and some of the zany things we see.
“The past few years there’s been a lot of questions about organised religion, so it’s a good conversation starter.
“We’re not out to get people to follow one denomination. We are out to spread the word of the Lord and of Jesus’ on the cross.”
For more on Operation Mobilisation, click here or email info.ie@om.org.
This is the fourth in a series on minority religions in Ireland. If you are a member of a minority faith and would like to tell your story, email paulhosford@thejournal.ie
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Great idea :)
Fantastic Idea, we need to get every school in the country involved in small growing projects. Home economics and a proper PE classes are needed to. We need to teach the next generations about the environment, food, and health. This will pay for itself in the long run, improving the quality of lives both physically and mentally whilst improving the countries general health reducing the burden on our healthcare system.
Love this!
This is what should be in our schools, not religion and the time it wastes. Taxpayers pay good hard earned money, to properly educate their children and the church can pay to teach religion.
What a brilliant idea. People of all ages can enjoy gardening, but children in particular will have lots of fun and gain special benefits. Gardening is educational and develops new skills including:
Responsibility – from caring for seedlings and plants
Self-confidence – from achieving their goals and enjoying the food they have grown
Love of nature – a chance to learn about the outdoor environment in a safe and pleasant place
Physical activity – doing something fun and productive
Cooperation – including shared play activity and teamwork
Creativity – finding new and exciting ways to grow food
Nutrition – learning about where fresh food comes from
All in all not a bad lot of things to learn when you’re a kid!
have your say