Bible Loving

Scotland was known many years ago as a ‘Bible Loving’ nation. This was as a result of great spiritual awakenings or revivals which took place across the land in the late 1800s, and early 1900s. The effects of these days lasted for many years afterwards, and left a legacy of spiritual awareness across a couple of generations. Unfortunately, that is no longer the case, and Scotland, the place where I found my faith in Christ, can no longer be called ‘Bible Loving’. On the contrary, the pendulum has swung, and we are enduring a society which is thumbing its nose at God and all things moral, never mind spiritual. The laws of the land display how far we have fallen from grace as a once Godly nation.

There is an awakening in some third world countries, where Christianity had been suppressed, and when freedom of religion eventually happened, these societies have all grown in faith very quickly, and sometimes at great personal cost, even life itself. This is evident, but not limited to countries like Russia, China, South Korea, South America. It seemed to me that all of the established once Christian nations were in decline, just like Scotland, but I was in for a nice surprise.

The ‘Bible Belt’ of America consists of some States to the West and South of the Carolinas, down to Texas. These States were greatly affected by great revivals and spiritual awakenings in the late 1800s, just like Scotland. Christianity is alive and well across the USA, but especially so in these southern States. Churches seem to be thriving, and still growing. The outreach programs into the communities are ongoing, and I have personal knowledge of such work in the Greater Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex area. The Church of God is exciting and moving, and to cap it off, as if to prove the point, I noticed three brand new church buildings under construction in the 20 minute drive to church from my family’s apartment. These are mainstream new churches, launched and supported by ordinary Christians of different denominations who find their faith relevant and important.

The significance was not lost on me. Why does Christianity survive well in one nation, and yet be in decline in another? Both Scotland and the USA benefited from great spiritual awakenings and revivals brought about by Godly men and women under the influence of a Holy God. I know some will play down the whole American church because of a few ‘extreme’ TV evangelists, but these same people will probably not have experienced the true and real Christianity of the ‘Bible Belt’ areas, lived out by many ordinary people whose lives have been changed, and are testimony to God’s workings.

My questions are simple. Like it or not, my Bible Loving Scotland no longer exists, so why did this happen? What changed? Perhaps a more important question is, why did we let it happen? (Do you think my view is all wrong, or unbalanced? Don’t seethe in silence, speak your mind by clicking on the comments box at the bottom of the Blog Post! If you agree, you can say so too!!)