As I mentioned a while back, our theme this semester on Thursdays is to seek answers to tough questions people have about Christianity. Its been fun so far. Tonight one of our students has asked to talk about the persecuted Church in the world. I decided that a good question to go along with that would be: Why don't miracles happen today like they did in Bible times? This question relates to the persecuted church because in many places where the church is persecuted we do hear stories of miracles of healing and such. But often in America, the only miracles we hear about are of people finding close parking spaces at the mall on a rainy day! I don't think that counts.
So I wonder, how would you answer that question were it posed to you?
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Old dying church...new vibrant church
Part of being a campus minister, at least for me, means traveling around and visiting churches to share the vision for ministry on campus. Being a commissioned missionary in the Evangelical Congregational Church, the denomination I grew up in and, obviously, am still a part of (along with the Christian Church/Church of Christ), most of the churches I visit are EC churches. Like any other EC churches, each church is unique and you can never be sure what you'll get.
This morning I was invited to visit, for the third time, First EC Church in Reading. I believe this was one of the first churches I visited back in 2006, then I was invited again in 2008. Each time I have been given an hour in Sunday school to speak on campus ministry. After that I sit in the worship service, worshiping with the community.
First EC Church is certainly a church with a long history that appears to be near the end of its race. While I am not sure of their history exactly, two things give clues. Their huge and beautiful building indicates they once had a larger, vibrant congregation. But their current attendance is around thirty, most of whom are well into retirement and nearing the end of their sojourn here on earth. It would be really tempting, if that was the end of the story, to be a bit sad for this church.
In the time since First EC began the demographics in Reading have changed. Along with more and more Hispanics moving into the area, churches have been planted. One of these churches, affiliated with the EC church, is Vida Nueva (New Life). For the last number of years (I am not sure how long, but at least as far back as 2006 when I first visited), First EC has thrown wide the doors to their facilities, allowing Vida Nueva to worship in this beautiful building. While First EC's thirty or so attendees barely makes a dent in the pews, Vida Nueva packs the place.
So we see while one church is finishing its race it is helping another church to begin its own race. This is beautiful. Even this is not the end.
Today between Sunday school and the worship service one of the ladies told me that another church, Living Word, is meeting in their building on Sunday evenings. This new church has already grown big enough to, like Vida Nueva, to pack the sanctuary. And like Vida Nueva, this church reflects the demographics of the city of Reading.
The Holy Spirit is certainly moving in the world today as churches like Vida Nueva and Living Word are emerging. In the evangelical sub-culture there is a lot of talk about the "emerging" church. This week I have been reading The Next Evangelicalism by Soong-Chan Rah and he has forcefully shown that the real emerging church is the one growing in Latin America, Africa and Asia as well as among such immigrant communities in the USA. If our eyes are not open we might miss this, but this is the true evangelical church emerging in 21st century America.
This morning I was invited to visit, for the third time, First EC Church in Reading. I believe this was one of the first churches I visited back in 2006, then I was invited again in 2008. Each time I have been given an hour in Sunday school to speak on campus ministry. After that I sit in the worship service, worshiping with the community.
First EC Church is certainly a church with a long history that appears to be near the end of its race. While I am not sure of their history exactly, two things give clues. Their huge and beautiful building indicates they once had a larger, vibrant congregation. But their current attendance is around thirty, most of whom are well into retirement and nearing the end of their sojourn here on earth. It would be really tempting, if that was the end of the story, to be a bit sad for this church.
In the time since First EC began the demographics in Reading have changed. Along with more and more Hispanics moving into the area, churches have been planted. One of these churches, affiliated with the EC church, is Vida Nueva (New Life). For the last number of years (I am not sure how long, but at least as far back as 2006 when I first visited), First EC has thrown wide the doors to their facilities, allowing Vida Nueva to worship in this beautiful building. While First EC's thirty or so attendees barely makes a dent in the pews, Vida Nueva packs the place.
So we see while one church is finishing its race it is helping another church to begin its own race. This is beautiful. Even this is not the end.
Today between Sunday school and the worship service one of the ladies told me that another church, Living Word, is meeting in their building on Sunday evenings. This new church has already grown big enough to, like Vida Nueva, to pack the sanctuary. And like Vida Nueva, this church reflects the demographics of the city of Reading.
The Holy Spirit is certainly moving in the world today as churches like Vida Nueva and Living Word are emerging. In the evangelical sub-culture there is a lot of talk about the "emerging" church. This week I have been reading The Next Evangelicalism by Soong-Chan Rah and he has forcefully shown that the real emerging church is the one growing in Latin America, Africa and Asia as well as among such immigrant communities in the USA. If our eyes are not open we might miss this, but this is the true evangelical church emerging in 21st century America.
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