Vision Trip 2022: The Church in Portugal

Hey Friends and Family!

As many of you may know, I am currently attending Covenant College, a small, Christian, liberal arts college up on top of Lookout Mountain Georgia. The Lord has provided tremendously to allow me to attend Covenant, mostly through allowing me to be a part of a cohort called the Maclellan Scholars. The purpose of the Maclellen Scholars program to “equip students for faithful leadership and encourage them to live out their callings for the good of the College, the church, and the world.” In summary, the Maclellen Scholars program works to train students with leadership qualities that we will take into our various professions to be missionaries to wherever the Lord calls us to be. (to learn more about the program you can look at the College’s website here: https://www.covenant.edu/academics/maclellan_scholars) Covenant equips the Maclellen Scholars in many ways such specific courses, internships, and through the purpose of this fundraiser: a vision trip.

This vision trip is not a missions trip and not a study abroad but instead an aspect of a Christian Leadership program. This trip to Portugal will specifically provide us with a chance to learn from Portuguese Christian leaders and their American partners in ministry and to explore how one historically Roman Catholic country sustains a deep secularized society today. Through this, we will gain a global perspective as we process intercultural dynamics and the global church. This will allow us to go with confidence into the workplace to create change for Christ. While supporting this trip will not produce an immediate tangible impact, your support will aid in the training of Christian leaders for the betterment of the church and ultimately the world.

While there is much uncertainty in the world right now, we are currently raising funds with the hope that we will be able to travel to Portugal at the end of May 2022. (Note: if the trip is cancelled due to COVID, then your donation will be automatically refunded to you by GoFundMe)

Expenses:

The cost to participate in this trip is approximately $3000 per person, including transportation and all on-site expenses. We have committed to raising this money by April 15, 2022.

While the one of the main purpose of this gofundme is to raise money, that is not our primary need. We need your prayer. Please pray that the Lord's will will be done throughout the process of this trip, whether it be that I and the other Maclellen Scholars go on this trip or not. Please pray that through the preparations for this trip, we will rely on God and not our own strength or resources. Please pray that this trip will knit together the members of my year's cohort. Please pray for the Covenant staff and Faculty who's work is to pour into us. Pray that we the students would have open ears to learn and serve so that through this time, we might be better equipped to love this world and show this world the hope and truth of the gospel. And most of all, pray for the global church, especially Portugal (This helpful PrayerCast video provides a window into the needs of Portugal and its people

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGRYRWnzPt4)

To gain an understanding of our chosen location, here is some background on the country of Portugal:

Portugal, by its latest census (2012), is a predominantly Christian country, with 90% of the population claiming Christianity as their faith and more than 90% being Catholics. This percentage places Portugal as one of the largest Catholic countries in the world. However, the large numbers do not represent reality as most people are nominal Christians and could be identified more accurately as agnostic than Christians. This is due to the profound importance given to tradition, a crucial aspect of Portuguese culture. Portugal's History and Roman Catholicism cannot be studied apart from one another. In the Counter-Reformation years, Portugal became one of the leading defenders of the Papacy and fiercely repelled and expelled any attempts to have Rome's church challenged in its core and values. Even now, it is evident that the Reformation did not impact Portugal. Only 0.5% of the population affirms a real relationship with Jesus Christ, and out of the about 90% who claim to be Christians, only 19% attend Mass regularly. Those people are in their mid 40's or older. Among countries in the 10/40 window, Portugal has one of the lowest percentages of committed Christians.

Culturally, Portugal is a diverse country, and its rich history and architecture are a treasure to the world. Despite its small size (350 miles long/200 miles wide), Portugal has beautiful areas with natural parks, country hills (including one Ski resort), and some of the most beautiful beaches in Europe.

As we travel in Portugal and interact with its nominal Christian community (as well as with other cultural groups), we hope to learn more about the impact of how a Christianity detached from Christ impacts a culture, leading it from a once church-centered society to one where religion is considered obsolete. This will undoubtedly be enriching as we walk through history, learning to look to Christ to pave the way for ours and the future generations so as not to deviate from the Bible and the grace of Jesus. This will also be humbling as we learn from a culture different from our own even as we hope to encourage the local church with whom we commune.