Sunny beaches but few gospel churches

With the glorious weather we’re currently experiencing in Ireland, many people are flocking to the stunning west coast.

The west coast of Ireland has beautiful beaches, welcoming communities and a variety of outdoor pursuits to enjoy. The west coast has very few evangelical churches though. The majority of Bible-believing churches in the Republic of Ireland are situated in the main cities, along the east coast and in the counties bordering Northern Ireland. Those living along the west coast may have to travel miles to attend a Bible teaching church, naturally making it difficult to be involved in their church communities. When there are few evangelical churches, it also results in fewer outreach efforts into the towns and villages along the west coast.

Northern Ireland, our neighbours on this island, are in a different position. We live on a small island yet there is a large contrast in the church landscape. Christians in Northern Ireland have a choice of many evangelical churches to attend, meaning they are unlikely to have to travel far on Sunday mornings.

There is a huge need for evangelical churches along the west coast of Ireland, including in the Gaeltacht (Irish speaking) areas. We are thankful for the church plants that are present, but more are needed. Many people in the UK have Irish roots and many visit Ireland on holiday, especially during the summer months to enjoy its beauty, yet finding a good church to visit in some areas can be challenging. Please pray for your neighbouring country, especially the areas lacking an evangelical witness. Pray for more church plants and church planters. Pray that everyone living across the whole of Ireland will have an evangelical church near them, especially with more people moving out of the cities due to the Irish housing crisis, the high cost of living in cities and the rise of remote working