Christendom Is Over in the West, Says Christian College Head

The new principal of International Christian College says the end of Christendom is the biggest challenge facing the church in the West.

Richard Tiplady started in his new role as principal of the Glagow, Scotland, school this month after departing from European Christian Mission, where he had served as the British director for the last six years.

He spoke of the need to re-think church in a post-Christendom and increasingly plural context.

"The biggest challenge we have to face in the West in our mission is to accept that Christendom is over," he said, "that we are no longer in a privileged position of power in society and that we do ourselves no service – we do the Gospel no service – to clamor to bring it back."

"I think that means we need to think again about how we live as Christians, the purpose of church, discipleship, and the function of church leadership," he said.

Tiplady spoke of his passion to see a new generation of Christians released and growing in ministry and even more lives transformed by the Gospel.

"The heartbeat of my Christian life and of my spirituality is mission ... The Gospel is good news and I want to see more lives turned around. So it doesn't matter where I am or what job I do, that will drive me in any ministry, or in