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Quick to Listen

African and West Indian Christians Are Changing the UK Church

Quick to Listen

Christianity Today

Religion, Christianity, Religion & Spirituality

4.3622 Ratings

🗓️ 19 June 2019

⏱️ 49 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

How God is working through the Windrush generation and beyond. The number of churches continues to drop in the UK. As CT reported last month, there are only 39,000 congregations left in the country, a quarter drop from 20 years ago. But despite churches increasingly closing their doors and the number of people attending church falling, this bad news isn’t across the board. For Black Majority Churches, the numbers actually look a lot healthier. These congregations began in the wake of World War II, when immigrants began arriving in the UK from the Caribbean, sparking a generation that became known as the Windrush generation, named after the boat that the inaugural group took. “They came over to help the UK,” said Chine McDonald, the media, content, and PR lead at Christian Aid. McDonald’s family came over from Nigeria several decades later, though they didn’t always face a warm welcome from the local congregations. “I remember when we would go to predominantly white churches. We would arrive on a Sunday and were told, ‘What made you choose this church as opposed to a black church that was down the road?’” said McDonald. “...These white majority churches weren’t used to see black people in their congregations, weren’t used to having black friends or black neighbors.” Nigeria is actually responsible for one of the country’s most robust denominations, the Redeemed Christian Church of God, which has more than 800 churches in the UK. McDonald joined digital media producer Morgan Lee and editor in chief Mark Galli to discuss the growth of African and West Indian Christianity and how it is changing the UK. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

This episode is brought to you in part by The Apologetics Guy Show, the podcast that helps you find clear answers to tough questions about Christianity.

0:11.1

Learn to explain your faith with courage and compassion. Join Moody Bible Institute professor Dr. Mikhail Del Rosario at apologeticsky.com.

0:22.1

Today is June 19th, and you're listening to Quick to Listen, where each week we go

0:27.4

beyond hashtags and hot takes discuss a major cultural event.

0:31.4

And today we will be talking about the growth of African Christianity in the UK.

0:48.0

Music the growth of African Christianity in the UK. I'm Morgan Lee, digital media producer here at Christianity today.

0:52.3

I'm joined by my co-host, as always. Kind of not always. Not always.

0:57.6

I travel so much. And you scold me for that appropriately. I think you like berate yourself

1:04.5

Mark personally. You're like, oh, I'm so sorry. I can't make it again. I'm going on XYZ trip.

1:10.7

Exactly. But I won't be traveling for six weeks, although I understand't make it again. I'm going on XYZ trip.

1:11.3

Exactly.

1:14.7

But I won't be traveling for six weeks, although I understand you will be now.

1:16.7

Yes, but I'm not going to miss a podcast.

1:18.5

Don't worry, anyone, any listeners.

1:22.5

Oh, I thought I was going to get to have the free hand for a couple of them, no?

1:23.2

Okay.

1:26.6

Mark has a pet podcast he wants to do that I've been vetoing.

1:29.4

Okay, I can't tell him.

1:30.5

Actually going to be here.

1:32.4

All right, Mark, who is joining us? Our guest is Cheney McDonald, who works for Christian Aid.

1:35.5

It's an international development organization that works with the world's poorest.

1:40.2

She's also done work with World Vision, UK.

...

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