Scotland

“Church revitalization is a unique opportunity right now in the UK. It’s a chance to come alongside struggling but faithful Christians to strengthen and re-establish a gospel presence in a community before it flickers out.” — ABWE Missionary

The Spiritual Need in Scotland

Scotland was once a stronghold of Christian faith. Christianity was first introduced in the fifth and sixth centuries A.D., with Roman Catholicism and the Church of Scotland dominating Scottish life for centuries. As the Protestant Reformation spread throughout Europe, John Knox, a 16th century Scottish theologian who studied under John Calvin, led the Church of Scotland into alignment with biblical theology and practice. These reforms resulted in the birth of the Presbyterian church. The Reformation ignited conflict in Scotland between Catholics and Protestants, a long battle which ended with Protestant government reform and the deposition of the Catholic monarch, Mary Queen of Scots.

The Scottish Enlightenment of the mid-18th century produced great minds in philosophy, politics, and the arts, but the paradigm shift from religion to science and reason led to the rise of secularization and separation from the church. As modern political policies and cultural ideals became increasingly liberal, many churches shuttered their doors. Today, the population of evangelical believers in Scotland has declined to a mere 7.5 percent.

Christian Missions in Scotland

ABWE’s approach in Scotland is to come alongside national partners and churches, partnering with them to share the gospel, disciple believers, and plant new churches in areas without gospel witness. The ABWE missionary team serves local churches through family and children’s ministries while also supporting outreach programs.

We are seeking teammates with a heart to serve and a passion for ministry in Scotland. Missions work in Scotland is incredibly diverse, and a great variety of skill sets are needed to spread the gospel and plant churches in this historic country and culture.