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This past week, Maddie and I had the privilege of traveling around the country of Ireland with a group from Boston Baptist College. It was an incredible time of fellowship, sightseeing, and growth in our understanding of Christian history.

Throughout our time in Ireland, many things stood out to us. (I hope to share more of these with you in the days ahead.) But for the sake of time, I wanted to share a few initial highlights from the trip.

First, the Christian history of Ireland is direct evidence of the early church’s fulfillment of the Great Commission. Part of our trip took us to the Aran Islands, just off the western coast of Ireland. This island chain became known for its Christian fervor and for the copying of Scripture. On the island of Inishmore, Enda (around AD 500) established a school to train young men in doctrine and in the scribal process of copying Scripture. These men were then sent out from Inishmore to the mainland of Ireland and into continental Europe, spreading the Gospel. The Great Commission brought the Gospel to Ireland—and it was that same commission that compelled Irish believers to carry the message forward. This legacy was a great challenge to me in my own witness and passion for evangelism.

Second, we can have great confidence in the Scripture we hold in our hands today. Throughout the trip, we saw early copies of Scripture dating back to AD 200, as well as copies from AD 500 and AD 800. Irish history is marked by the faithful transmission of Scripture from one generation to the next. The scribal work of Irish Christians cannot be overlooked in its importance for the preservation and passing down of God’s Word. Walking through early Christian scribal communities and hearing presentations about their work deepened our admiration for their love of Scripture and their faithfulness in continuing this task. It is because of their labors that you and I can confidently say we have the Word of God.

Third, a Christian history does not guarantee a Christian future. It was emotional to walk through ancient sites and museum exhibits filled with deep Christian heritage, while also being surrounded by the spiritual darkness that marks much of Ireland today. Though Catholicism remains a part of the national identity, there is little spiritual light. The absence of modern Gospel-preaching churches stood in stark contrast to the many ancient churches once fueled by the Gospel and Scripture. Just because our nation has a rich spiritual heritage and enjoys Gospel light today does not mean that will always be the case. We must be diligent in passing our Christian faith to our children and communities, so that our history does not become merely a Christianity of old relics.

Of course, there's not enough time or space here to share everything from our trip—but I hope you're encouraged by the faithfulness of the many Irish Christians throughout history who labored, most likely in obscurity, unsure of how much impact their efforts would make. Yet it is because of their work that the copying and transmission of Scripture continued through the medieval ages. So, like them, let us continue faithfully in our pursuit of God and in service to Him—because we never truly know how God is using our efforts to advance His church.

Serving Together, 

Pastor Derek