Former politician, Janet Ryder, shares her perspective on what is happening in Wales and how we can pray.
For so long seen as a nation of “revival” a nation of “song” and a “beautiful landscape”, hardly describes the nation of Wales as it is today. Yes we still have many “churches” and a few have growing, large congregations, but, for the most part, they are small with ageing and dwindling congregations.
We are seeing a decline of the old, with a genuine grief felt by many, as much of the traditional/inherited church ages out and dies of old age (literally) – unable to transform as there is no youthful energy left, seemingly abandoning Biblical values and failing to represent Him to the world around them other than by ‘keeping the building open.’ Whilst a great deal of what has happened, our history of revival and wealth in our songs written for Him, is undoubtedly to be honoured, we are in danger of becoming fixated on the past and what was, almost allowing it to become an idol.
Set against this background, is a rise of the new – fresh, mission-focussed expressions of Church springing up, sometimes in what are deemed the ‘most unlikely’ places and pioneered by young, inexperienced, relatively unqualified (as many in the Church would judge them), BRILLIANT young leaders. “Cant i Gymru – 100 for Wales” are one of the rising forces set on seeing churches become missional again and reach out to their communities by establishing new expressions of “church” but they are not the only factor/agency/player. Interestingly, the growth in new Welsh-language expressions of Church is disproportionally high – praise God for, as with the traditional expressions declining, Wales is in danger of there being little left.
We are a nation divided by not only denominations but language, however, there are growing signs of unity. In many settings, in so many areas and regions, God is doing amazing things as He draws His Church together in unity – from youth celebrations, to prayer initiatives, to missions to building and of links between congregations and leaders of different expressions/backgrounds/generations. This is an answer to Jesus’ prayer in John 17 and foundational in the future mission of the Church in our nation.
There are many new green shoots coming through which is to be celebrated.
A generation struggling
Post-Covid, we have seen a rise in severe mental-health issues with stretched professional, health-care and education sectors/agencies severely inadequate to meet the overwhelming demand. This is finding it’s expression across the whole of society but most noticeable among young people in school absence, isolation, depression, violence and suicide.
The continued chasing after meaning in the wrong places – finding alternative ‘truth’ and identity in things online and in ‘feelings’ rather than in God’s word and relationship with Him. While there are some wonderful examples of ongoing regular work among young people in Wales, there are so many areas where the Church seems either to care little or have decided that this is too difficult and ‘we cant do anything to reach them’ (in so doing, they become congregations waiting to die as yet another generation is missed).
There is an openness to the spiritual among young people themselves. This is a generation with little or no past contact with the church meaning they have not been inoculated by previous negative experiences. While they often find Church irrelevant, they ARE very interested in God as they seek to find meaning in the midst of despair.
Rural neglect
We have experienced the ignoring of rural life, values, issues and industry by almost every political party. It has become much more trendy (election winning) to focus on urban issues and forget the hundreds of thousands who live and work in small communities in the countryside across most of Wales. We are still a nation of mainly “small” farms who are facing an increasing struggle but on who we depend to maintain our “beautiful landscapes”
Many would say we have seen the destruction of the countryside with the building of wind-farms in “the wrong places”, wiping out the last remaining strongholds of declining bird species all in the name of a green agenda.
In many rural areas there is economic isolation. It cannot be OK to build rural economies solely on a part-year only tourism industry and, in the process, to relegate the rising generation to poorly paid work and benefits with little prospect of ever being able to leave home (due to high housing prices driven by the same tourism industry) without moving to the cities/towns.
There has also been spiritual neglect of rural areas. The focus on meeting the needs of urban deprivation has led to there being a blindfold in many denominations to rural poverty and a lack of necessary resource to provide real resource to reach and disciple rural populations. Having one minister with 5, 6, 9 or even 16 churches is too big a challenge. They can only provide occasional Sundays in each place and have little time or energy for anything else. Praise God for new non-denominational plants in rural areas.
- Wales needs to fall back in love with God! Return to our first love instead of fixating on side issues.
Revelation 2:4 -5 You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.
Pray for:
- Jesus to become the centre once more with the door open for Holy Spirit to move.
- As Jesus becomes our focus, our divisions become less of an issue, a focus on Him rather than the things that divide.
- Wales again to seek first the kingdom of God.
- Signs and wonders following the preaching of the gospel and those who believe.
- God is causing the ones who are seeking and those who have previously been rejected by the church to be drawn in/back and new expressions of church to grow, reaching out to young and old alike
Pray that:
- Those seeking meaning would find acceptance and love in Christ, no matter their current state.
- Pray that the church would be open and equipped to help and disciple those who are coming out of new age practices and many different backgrounds
- Pray that young people would be led by the Lord, and learn to distinguish His voice well.
- Pray that the church not only disciples these young people but also is envisioned to set them free of any “religious” restraints and shackles of the past.
- Many of the issues we face are too big for man alone to overcome.
Pray for:
- The rising up of those who will seek Gods solutions to our human needs in the health service, finance, communities, businesses and the ushering in of a Holy Spirit-led Kingdom mentality
- God to release greater creativity in His people in Wales.
Pray for:
- Wales to find her creative identity and sound for THIS era, not the last.
- Pray that we would step out of idolatry of what was, and step into expectation of what is, and is to come.
- Pray for the original intent for Wales to be a people who ‘see’ in God – to be redeemed.
Janet Ryder was one of the first members elected to the National Assembly for Wales in 1999, she served 3 terms before stepping down.
