Dear New Hope,

Last week, my wife and I were in the Netherlands. While there, we met 6 new friends for dinner. During the discussion, the question finally came my direction: “So, what do you do?” Over the years, this is the question that always alters conversation with people who do not follow Christ as Lord. “I’m a pastor,” I said. Heads snapped up. Eyes popped open. Mouths dropped. At first there was awkward silence and then it was followed by a strange mixture of comments, as if I said I was from Venus. “Really? This, for us, is a first time we’ve met one of you. Is it a full-time job?” In the course of their inquiries, it was made very clear that Europe doesn’t “have such things.” Pastors don’t really exist. The Christian tradition is all but obsolete. Church buildings are beautiful and historic, but are now museums or graveyards at the center of town squares. They could not comprehend any church more than 10 people (let alone 1,000!). They had no category to understand how a pastor could work “full-time” in his congregation (let alone 7 pastors in 1 church). And then the bomb dropped. Rens, a man in his 30’s, said this of the Netherlands and the imminent future that is knocking on their door: “In Europe, the future is for mosques.”

Rens is not a religious man. By all considerations, he is an atheist devoid of a theistic worldview. But he’s not stupid. Rens looks at the landscape of his country and he sees a very different future. He is bringing up 2 young children and sees that they will be growing up in a much different continent than he did. A group of nations that at one time had such rich Christian traditions and produced some of the worlds’ best theologians now seems to be sliding irrevocably away from Christ.

That dinner was Sunday night. Early that Sunday morning, my wife and I had made our way to the town center to gather with local believers for worship. We tried 2 different churches. We stood outside of one church at 10:30 Sunday morning, and the doors were closed and sealed. We made our way to another church at 11:00, and gates barred the entrance while trash cans sat ominously in front of the doors. No echoes of worship in the town square. No prayers of saints being lifted. The remnant indeed is small. The light of Christ is growing dim in Europe. And, in the words of the young, Dutch atheist at the dinner table: “the future is for mosques.”

My friend, Europe is on a bad trajectory spiritually and I can’t help but wonder how far behind America is following. The future of the world is changing in front of our eyes and those bringing up young children are concerned about the challenges they will be confronted by. But, in the midst of all the tough news, we who are followers of Jesus Christ have every reason for confidence.

• One, Jesus Christ is alive and today is seated at the right hand of God. He is universally present and absolutely sovereign over the nations.
• Two, God will always preserve a remnant for His glory.
• Three, even the gates of hell will not prevail against the church that Jesus is building.
• Four, a day is fast approaching when enemies of Jesus will be vanquished and believers from every nation, tribe, tongue and language will gather in one assembly to sing a song of victory and triumph that “Our Redeemer Lives.”
• Five, the future is for Jesus and His Kingdom. One day, the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. (Hab. 2:14)

To those of you who love Jesus and are committed to the work of God here at New Hope, thank you! Spending time in Europe has renewed my perspective that what God is doing at New Hope is not common or ordinary. Indeed, every week when saints assemble for the public exaltation of Jesus Christ, it is a testimony that God’s presence is indeed among us. I hope our posture toward Sunday gatherings is challenged by this. I pray that we never take for granted what a privilege it is to assemble in town squares all over the nation with other believers to sing anthems to our God and to hear His word proclaimed! I continue to pray that our commitment toward the church prayer gatherings becomes one of earnestness and necessity, rather than casual and optional. America has such a rich, gospel-oriented, Christ-centered tradition of local churches influencing their community with the light of God’s Kingdom. I don’t want America to experience the same slide toward biblical irrelevance and spiritual darkness as Europe has. Would you take time today to pray for Europe? Will you take time to ask God what changes He is calling you to make in your life? Where do you need to more effectively battle against spiritual darkness? What is the spiritual trajectory of your life? Is the light of Christ growing brighter, or is the kingdom of darkness encroaching? Is your home a place of hope where God’s kingdom shines into your community?

The future belongs to our God. His kingdom is forever. Now is the time for the perseverance of the saints.

You are loved,

Craig Trierweiler