Planting Seeds of Christ's Love in Ireland

Todd and Celesta James, missionaries to Ireland for over 20 years, have recently joined forces with Evangelical Friends Missions to plant Evangelical Friends churches. They've seen many changes to their adopted country. As Todd explains, "The Irish are a very friendly, outgoing people who love to have a good time. There is an openness to the gospel. They are more accepting of Christianity now. However, most Irish are caught up in their new-found materialism and would say 'I don't need religion. "It used to be hard to talk to them about the gospel [because of the political tensions between Catholics and Protestants], now it's just hard to catch them!"

IRELAND: Moving towards materialism

The country of Ireland has experienced tremendous changes and an unusual economic turnaround during the past fifteen years. American high-tech companies have expanded into Ireland because the country offers a well-educated, English-speaking work force where jobs are desperately needed. Consequently, the country is becoming more secularized and it's beginning to look a lot more like the rest of Europe.

5 YEARS AGO

• The unemployment rate was 23%
• Only 15-20% of women worked outside the home.
• Most people would say they were practicing Catholics who attended mass. They were not open to hearing about Christ.

TODAY

• Unemployment rate is 4%.
• 50-60% of women work outside the home.
• Most people would say they're too busy to attend mass or "don't need religion." They are more open to talking about Christ.
• One out of ten people work for American, high tech companies.

Christianity: A culture or a personal belief system?

98% of the Republic of Ireland are Roman Catholic, 1% are Protestant (only 1% of those are born again believers ) For the Irish, Roman Catholicism is more of a culture than a religion or a belief. The terms Catholic and Protestant often cause political and cultural tensions. The term Christian is seen as nonthreatening because most Irish would see that as different from Catholicism or Protestantism. Our missionaries simply say they are "Christians" and they are welcome in both circles.

Evangelical Friends Ministering in Ireland through the Todd James Family

Todd and Celesta James went to Europe in 1980. They served most of the time since in Ireland under Greater Europe Mission (GEM) but are from Rose Drive Friends Church in California. January 1, 1998 they came under the Evangelical Friends Mission. Todd continues to run SportsLife, a program of evangelism through athletics. This is very appropriate since very few in South Ireland really understand what it means to be born again, and most Irish are very sports minded. Celesta has been invited three times to teach in universities, but GEM had no provision for working wives. She is completing her doctor's degree and her research on women in prison has come to the attention of people in high places. They have planted at least one church and other Bible study groups. The James family has taken Irish citizenship along with their American citizenship.

Todd's primary focus is strengthening their church plant by developing and maintaining relationships with local people.

Todd's evangelism tract, "Meet My Head Coach" has been translated into 6 languages and continues to be an effective outreach tool around the world in sports ministries.

He hosts a Basketball camp one week each summer through his outreach organization, SportsLife. The camp invites American Christian college teams to play against the National Irish basketball team.

The Christian athletes provide a totally new meaning to the term, "Christian" for many Irish people who have never met someone who believes that Jesus Christ is the most vital part of their life. The camp allows them to meet young athletes who deliberately seek to study the Bible and apply it's truths to their daily lives.

Celesta finished work on her Ph.D. in Women in Prison. She also works with a volunteer organization, "Irish Prison Reform Trust," a watchdog for prisons in society. Her research and involvement has really opened doors for ministry and interaction with a variety of people at high levels. She also teaches Sunday School and disciples a few people.

Kathi Perry

Kathi is a church planting missionary in Dublin, Ireland. Together with the James family, she is working to establish a church in the community of Ringsend. Kathi helps with the youth, disciples new believers, takes her turn teaching on Sunday mornings, and manages a lending library which is a ministry of the church plant, Cairde Christian Fellowship in the local creche (preschool).