🇬🇧 Britain wasn’t always Christian ✝️
It was won — from paganism to Christ — through hardship, holy fire, and missionary grit.
We must learn from those who carried the torch.
Because as the gospel fades in our day...
Britain may need to be reached again 🧵
Before churches dotted the British Isles, paganism held strong.
Rome’s conquest in AD 43 cracked open the door to the gospel —
but it was everyday, Spirit-filled men, not emperors, who first brought the good news of Jesus.
Christian merchants, soldiers, and settlers entered Roman Britain.
Minorities, yes — but bold in witness.
By the 4th century, bishops were appointed, churches were planted, and cities like London and York became gospel outposts.
When Rome fell, Britain faltered.
But Christ wasn’t finished.
A slave boy named Patrick would become one of the most influential missionaries in Christian history.
Patrick was kidnapped and enslaved in Ireland.
There, he met Jesus.
After escaping and returning to Britain, he had a vision: go back to Ireland — not as a slave, but a missionary.
He obeyed.
Under Patrick:
- Thousands were baptised
- Paganism collapsed
- Christ was exalted
He didn’t just preach. God used him to break spiritual strongholds.
Ireland would never be the same.
Decades later, Columba carried that same fire to Scotland.
Ordained in his 20s, Columba built dozens of monasteries in Ireland — then set sail with 12 men to the harsh island of Iona.
From that lonely rock, revival spread across Scotland.
Iona became a lighthouse.
Columba preached, prayed, wrote, and worked miracles.
His life of holiness sparked generations of missionaries.
Scotland heard the gospel because one man left comfort for calling.
While Columba focused north, another Irishman turned toward the continent.
Columban trekked through pagan Europe — France, Germany, even the Alps into Italy —
reviving a land collapsing into spiritual ruin.
Columban didn’t seek crowds.
He sought Christ.
Yet kings came to him, miracles followed him, and monasteries rose wherever he went.
He re-lit the fire in a Europe gone cold.
But back home, a new darkness had taken hold.
The Anglo-Saxon invasions flooded Britain with paganism.
Christianity was nearly erased.
Enter Augustine of Canterbury.
Sent by Pope Gregory the Great, Augustine arrived with 40 men.
He aimed high: convert the kings.
And he did.
Miracles confirmed the message, and by century’s end, the gospel had reached all 7 Anglo-Saxon kingdoms.
Many of these conversions were merely political. Hearts remained hard.
So God raised up a new wave of missionaries —
Celtic monks who had carried the gospel flame through the dark.
From Iona and Lindisfarne, men like Aidan, Cuthbert, and Boniface walked the land.
They preached Christ.
They healed the sick.
They planted churches.
And they discipled a nation from the ground up.
This is how Britain came to Christ:
- Through slaves turned missionaries
- Through monks who left comfort for calling
- Through miracles, monasteries, and men who burned with holy fire
As Westerners, we inherited their legacy.
But will that legacy die with us while the West sinks back into oblivion?
What if Christianity isn't just a civilising force — but the truth?
Read more about Jesus' influence on the West here:
dailydeclaration.org.au/2019/03/21/ten…
Sign up for free email news, commentary and devotionals from Australia's largest Christian news site — The Daily Declaration — at this link: .dailydeclaration.org.au/newsletter/
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