Metrics of Renewal, 3: Seemingly Vibrant Churches in Unexpected Places

Cork, Ireland was far more interesting than I’d imagined.

I only had two real expectations when we visited Ireland in 1997. First, I expected to see beautiful, green pastures with medieval ruins and countless sheep scattered across rolling hills and coastal cliffs. Second, I hoped to feel and taste the atmosphere in village pubs brought to life with bands and bards singing ancient tunes amidst a non-stop flow of Irish stout served up in pints. Our week in Ireland certainly provided all that and more.

What I didn’t expect, however, was to have a meaningful church experience during our journey. Just like in Prince Edward Island, Churches of Christ of the American Restoration Movement have no real presence in the Republic of Ireland. Well, I mean that we have no presence outside the capital city of Dublin. And even that is an infinitesimally small work in the midst of a large city. So basically, we didn’t plan to cross paths with any CofC friends.

On our only weekend on the Emerald Isle, our private itinerary took us to Cork. It’s a beautiful, modern city close to the famous coastal areas of Dingle and Kerry. And it’s not far from the Blarney Castle and from Cobh, the Titanic’s final port of call. Cork is also famous for an international jazz festival each fall.

What to do on a Sunday morning in a Catholic country where Catholicism isn’t just a religious choice but a national identity? Should we have a private prayer service in our B&B? Should we attend a Catholic mass—which I’ve done on many occasions? Or should we check the listings and see what choices are available?

We chose the last option. And in Ireland, where maybe 5% of the population is Protestant and less than 1% evangelical, I didn’t expect much from an evangelical church. 

Out of curiosity and proximity, we picked Cork Baptist Church. We pulled up as worship was already starting. The auditorium, which might hold 250 people, was packed. We had to clamber to the back and squeeze in amongst other latecomers. I don’t recall much about the service except that the music/singing wasn’t long and that the service wasn’t cluttered with many extras. The sermon seemed decent enough, and there was a lengthy list of announcements at the end detailing some of their upcoming activities.

Folks greeted us kindly, but I don’t recall exceptionally warm hospitality. It was clear that we weren’t locals, so there was no use trying to “win us over,” I suppose.

But the Cork Baptist Church seemed alive. The gathering and the service seemed vibrant. Something positive was at work in their midst. For all I know, their theological beliefs could have been out of whack. Perhaps the church has since undergone major trials and traumas. I don’t know. But on that one fall day, I witnessed unexpected signs of life and health in a church that we just happened to visit in a place where I would have anticipated anything but life and health in an evangelical church.

Honestly, I don’t really know anything about Cork Baptist. But I do know that we experienced something special in that brief, one-time visit. And it demonstrates several interesting things about the potential for church health:

(1) You don’t have to be in the cultural majority to enjoy church vitality. Ireland is hardly the place one would look for a strong evangelical church—for all kinds of historical and cultural reasons. But here it was, a seemingly strong Baptist church swimming against the tide of Catholicism.

(2) Your church doesn’t have to have snazzy facilities to be numerically strong. I’ve seen this play out over and over again: Old church with outdated facilities yet packed to the gills with people of all ages. Having said that, I must admit that I’ve seen tons of outdated church buildings that are practically empty every Sunday. I wouldn’t dare suggest that cruddy facilities are a recipe for success. I’m just saying that facilities are rarely THE key to church vitality.

(3) Downward trends in society don’t mean doom and gloom for every church. Ireland has undergone a precipitous drop in church attendance over the last 40 years. In 1971, 90% of the Irish attended church each Sunday. Today, it’s somewhere in the low 40% range. That’s a massive decline and clearly a cause for concern among church leaders. But some churches always seem able to buck the trends. Why is that? This church certainly seemed to be among them.