Bringing faith out of the cold
RELIGION in America is booming: new churches are springing up everywhere and 43 per cent of the population attend church on Sundays.God has never been more popular.
In England, however, just four per cent of the population worship on the seventh day.
But one man has moved to Wear Valley to try and relight the spark.
Baptist Reverend Jim Williams, from Phoenix, Arizona, USA, arrived in Hamsterley in February with wife Sally, bringing with him an almost tangible enthusiasm to spread the word.
He ministers at Wolsingham, Hamsterley, Crook and Bishop Auckland Baptist Churches The Reverend said: ³We had no reservations about coming over.
³It was a call from God to come to England to assist the work of the Baptist churches here.² Rev Williams has a fascinating and extensive CV.
He was one of the founding pastors of the SonRise Community church in Scottsdale and before he moved to Phoenix in 1995 to start the church he lived in Washington DC and was the Vice president of the national Grocers¹ Association.
He was also the regional minister for Ohio state university and 27 other campuses in South Eastern Ohio.
So surely the Wear Valley must seem like small fry? Apparently not.
Rev Williams said: ³We plan to stay for a year or more and in that time I would like to get the Baptist churches in Crook, Bishop Auckland, Hamsterley and Wolsingham to a stage where they can call for their own English pastor.² He added: ³I want to reach out to people who do not have a church.² Rev Williams feels the decline in church attendance is caused by a shift towards secular humanism: ³People determine what they are going to do by conventional human wisdom now.
They live their lives without divine wisdom and intervention, but Western Europe has always been a platform for faith and vibrant faith at that.
³America looks to England as the forefathers of our faith so I am hoping to strike a spark here.
Reverend Williams is inspired by other religious men who created strong followings.
He speaks passionately about the Wesley brothers, Charles Spurgeon and Billy Graham, who filled Wembley stadium in 1954 with believers.
Although Phoenix and the Wear Valley are as different in terms of climate and appearance as chalk and cheese: Rev Williams finds little difference culturally.
He said: ³There are difference, like with certain words and all the greenery but the people are very alike friendly, warm and accepting.² I ask him what he makes of the weather and he answers as diplomatically as possible for a man wearing a hefty jacket and sitting next to two heaters.
³It is different but we have been introduced to the joys of thermal underwear.
³I only have one pair of socks today but two weeks ago I was very well wrapped up.² I ask him what God means to him and when he is happiest.
Rev Williams said: ³I am happiest when I feel Jesus is most in control of my life.
God to me is very complex so let me use a comparison.
³We are all flashlights, with a compartment for batteries, an emptiness inside that must be filled if we are to work.
People try to fill that with alcohol, pornography, gambling, or drugs, but for me, only Jesus can fill that space.² Rev Williams has it all worked out when it comes to his faith and helping
others: he just needs someone to tell him that it¹s two pairs of socks until mid April at least.