Even though I grew up in a big city I've always enjoyed visiting small towns, especially the ones in the South (sorry folks, I'm a little biased). I love the atmosphere. I love the people. I love the culture. In most places it is a way of life that seems to be untouched by the intense struggles and furious pace of modern society making them a peaceful change of pace for those passing through. In the center of every town that I've ever been to there is a square. For the residents of these towns the square is the center of life. It hosts religious crusades, birthday parties, art festivals, music concerts, and political rallies. When these things are not going on it is the place that people go to just to get away for a while. In most cases these squares are surrounded by various businesses and government buildings with the First [insert Christian denomination here] Church somewhere nearby but not a central part of the landscape. The focus is usually the town hall, courthouse or some other government building. The church is not the focal point. One of the things that I observed as I traveled throughout Central America is the overwhelming presence of churches in every town square. Life there centers around the church and its teachings. If you know your history then you know that part of the reason that the Spanish and other Europeans came to the New World was to spread the Christian faith. As they slowly conquered the natives and built new towns they built elaborate churches and placed them at the center of every village. If the natives didn't convert directly to Christianity then they wove it into their local beliefs and customs. Much like the United States today, Christianity in Honduras, Guatemala, and Nicaragua has become something that is normal, it hs become cultural.
Even though they are separated by thousands of miles of land and sea, climate, language and culture the United States and Central America are very similar. They are both suffering from an overwhelming sense of spiritual entitlement. People in both places believe that the Christian heritage of their country is good enough, that they can ride through the pearly gates on the coattails of their forefathers. For these nations the supernatural has become secular. In our modern world there is an abundance of secular religion and cultural Christianity (I know those sound like oxymorons but, believe me, they are possible). Both are dangerous. They lull our defenses to sleep. They allow complacency and apathy to dull our passion. This is where we come in. As followers of Christ, we have the opportunity to show those around us the joy and excitement of being a child of the King. The church is more than just a building constructed to accent the shops next door or be a stop on a sightseeing tour, it is a living, breathing, dynamic organism meant to passionately pursue it's leader.
