London bombings doing little for evangelism

England (MNN) — Last week’s bombing that crippled London’s transportation infrastructure is having little spiritual impact on that nation. Islamic extremists are believed to be responsible for the bombing that left dozens of people dead and hundreds wounded.

A partner with Interserve, USA Kris Prenger is attending graduate school in London just a few hundred feet from where a bus was blown up. She says it doesn’t appear people flocked to churches to find answers for this bombing. Prenger says lip service from government leaders, who said things like, “‘Our prayers are with those who are injured and with families of those who have been killed;’ It always impresses me in situations when things are out of control people turn to God.”

Other than that, people seem to ignore spiritual things. Prenger says it doesn’t appear to be part of the English culture. In fact, they don’t view evangelical Christians very favorably. “In a certain way Christian ‘fundamentalists’ are painted with a not too dissimilar brush from Islamic fundamentalists.”

Prenger is praying that there will be more public discourse about moderate and fundamentalist Islam versus the Christian faith. “Christianity sees love as the basis for relationship with other people and our relationship with God, more importantly. Whereas with Islam it’s much more about relationships based on power and on following rules, and submitting to those rules, including rules that ask you to kill yourself, while you’re killing others.”

As that discussion takes place, the prayer is that many will see the love of Christ and turn to Him for answers.