Dick and Susan have observed Europe’s great need for a re-reformation. In their travels to the U.K. they have been torn to see previously reformed churches closed from lack of attendance, and children who might have attended those churches loitering aimlessly on the street corners. The problem is two-fold. On one hand these children need someone to challenge them with the gospel. On the other hand, that said gospel must be one which would lead to a cultural change – such as has been seen wherever biblical Calvinism has taken root. A kind of dysfunctional pietism seems to hold sway today, with very few evangelicals venturing forth out of their churches. It’s as if they’ve surrendered their cultures to satan, and only seek to retain the faith of their “hearts.”

In Lynchburg, Virginia, Rev. Knodel took his faith to the streets in a way that even the fundamental Baptists would not. Passing out tracts, holding up large scripture signs, and street-preaching took the message outside the church in a way that the world could not ignore. Many victories over the devil were won. In one case, after two years, a national homosexual organization gave up its march/celebration in the face of our witness for Christ! Such witness also bore fruit with the church’s young people, as they had concrete illustration of the differences between the covenant and pagan communities. They could see what it meant to “have faith.”

On the Knodel’s first visit to Edinburgh, Scotland, shock struck them when they saw a beautiful old reformed church with the word “BEDLAM” covering a huge banner draped over the whole front façade of the church. Later they found that the banner advertised a theatrical performance in the church. It was another of those churches which no longer supported gospel preaching. It had more in common with the chaos and innuendoes-of-hell associated with the word “bedlam.”

The Knodels believe that God has largely forsaken this part of the world, because these early bastions of Christendom became comfortable with the world. They came to love peace and safety more than the advance of the kingdom of God. They forsook God, so God forsook them. (Jeremiah 2: 1-17) In the first chapter of Jeremiah’s second book, “Lamentations,” one gets a picture of Europe today. Jeremiah observed, “How doth the city sit solitary – that was full of people! How is she become as a widow! She that was great among the nations, and princess among the provinces, how is she become tributary!” (Lamentations 1:1) Jeremiah closes with a prayer for this calamity: “Turn Thou us unto thee, O Lord, and we shall be turned; renew our days as of old!” (Lamentations 5: 21)

Through RCM’s contacts with the once Eastern-Block nations, and other parts of old Europe, the Knodels have gotten really excited over the prospects of stemming Christianity’s retreat there. They see real prospects for helping to bring the best and most biblical teachers – the kind of people associated with RCM – into places like Russia and Siberia, where enclaves of young people cry out for the Scriptures. Through this they hope their witness to echo back to America, calling her Presbyterian churches there, to stand tall in the army of the Lord: Sola Scriptura, Sola Fidei, Sola Christi! Let us press on, to the gates of hell, til they are broken down!

Will you join the Knodels in prayer? “Lord, use us and others, to raise up again – children from these lands – who have the ears to hear and the eyes to see! Help us to identify them and make disciples of them, through the materials already available from Reformation Christian Ministries. Might we build again, Seminaries of Truth in Great Britain, Russia, Poland, France and Switzerland. Give us these lands once again! Forbid again, by Thy power, the advance of the judgment of Islam. Give us once again Scotland, as a testimony to Thy Great Grace – that Thy Name might once again be praised where once bedlam and chaos reigned! And give us Europe, that the darkness might not prevail – over Thy Light!”