Scotland
Population 5,295,000 | Roman Catholic 16% |
No Professed Religion 37% | Church of Scotland 32% |
Overview
Scotland forms part of the United Kingdom, occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain. It shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the southwest. In addition to the mainland, Scotland is made up of more than 790 islands, including the Northern Isles and the Hebrides. Scotland’s population is 5.2 million, and its largest city is Glasgow (pop. 598,830). Edinburgh, the country's capital and second-largest city (pop. 489,000), is one of Europe’s largest financial centers. Since Scottish waters consist of a large sector of the North Atlantic and the North Sea, it has the largest oil reserves in the European Union. This has given Aberdeen, the third-largest city in Scotland (pop. 229,000), the title of Europe's oil capital.
The great spiritual revivals of Scotland’s past stand in great contrast to its present spiritual decline. Nearly half of all children are born out of wedlock, and alcohol and drug abuse are high even compared to other European countries. These moral failures, social problems, and economic woes have gained for Scotland the reputation of being the worst performing Western European country. In light of these great needs, the Church of Scotland is in steep decline, due to a shortage of clergy and the influence of liberal theology, nominalism, and Freemasonry. The need for revival, reformation, evangelism, and church planting is desperate.
Sources: Wikipedia and Operation World
Partnership with 20Schemes
In 2015, HeartCry was privileged to be introduced to Mez McConnell, director of 20Schemes ministries and pastor of Niddrie Community Church in Scotland. The mission of 20Schemes is to plant and revitalize churches in the poorest communities (schemes) in Scotland through the training and sending of indigenous church planters and other ministry workers. HeartCry has been given the opportunity to come alongside 20Schemes and financially support some of their church planters.
Missionaries
Pete Bell
Church Planter (20Schemes) - Glasgow, Scotland
After serving as a full-time youth worker in the Scheme of Barlanark, Pete, along with Pete Stewart, is now beginning a church plant in that same community... read more
Pete Stewart
Church Planter (20Schemes) - Glasgow, Scotland
After working as a mortgage broker for a couple years, Pete felt a strong call to full-time ministry. He served for six years as a youth minister in Barlanark... read more
Paul McLoughlan
Church Planter (20Schemes) - Edinburgh, Scotland
Bingham is a scheme in Edinburgh that has no gospel church at all. Paul and his family have recently moved there in order to bring the Good News of Jesus to the lost and... read more
Andy Prime
Church Planter (20Schemes) - Edinburgh, Scotland
Andy is a graduate from Oak Hill College and was an Associate Pastor at Charlotte Chapel in Edinburgh since 2010. In September 2014, he left Charlotte Chapel to join 20schemes... read more