I feel like a lot of times Church in America is seen as needing to be perfect. Or that it has to have everything all together. And if something goes amiss during a church service, then it will be a bad morning. Or maybe this is just my perception being so involved in my home church services weekly.
I have experienced a number of different types of churches so far on the World Race that have helped to shift/change my mind set on the purpose of a church service.
In Ecuador the Church was in the basement of the Pastor’s house. There was a pulpit and wooden benches. Sometimes a service was packed with people, sometimes there was only one person, but nevertheless, the entire church service proceeded.
In Peru, I went to a charismatic church much like those in America, but only in Spanish. There were a number of Pastors who spoke, a worship band and a variety of people in the congregation.
In Bolivia, I had the chance to attend an American Missionary Church. Most of the speaking was in English and was translated to Spanish while some songs were in Spanish and others in English.
In Albania I went to a traditional Evangelical Albanian Church. I didn’t understand much of what was going on, but there were some instruments, and all the singers wore choir robes. There were also different people that preached every week.
In Romania, I never got the chance to go to a Romanian church but instead we have World Race Church which consisted of some worship songs either on the guitar or from an ipod and then a sermon on podcast, discussion and then prayer.
In South Africa, I had the chance to go to a ‘Mega church’ such as Hillsong. The seating was very stadium like with 3 levels. There was a worship band, announcements, thanksgiving and prayer time, offering, and then a sermon.
In Mozambique, I was able to attend two different traditional African Churches. Both of these churches were in smaller rooms that were pretty much packed to capacity. The service began with dancing, singing and praising God. There is an offering where you dance up to the front to give your offering. There is a time of intense prayer and then different people speak, give testimonies and praise God. By the time church is over, everyone is dripping sweat, but stay seated no matter if the church service takes an hour, or four.
(The first church we went to)
(The inside of the 2nd church we went to)
This past Sunday, during a church service, some different thoughts came to mind.
- Praise and worship to God should be the happiest time of one’s life.
- One should be please to be at church.
- And Church doesn’t have to be perfect.
Going to all these different type of churches has changed my perception of my own church a lot. And I know that when I return home, my worship will change in order to be more genuine, my thoughts will be more positive, and my joy will be more evident. It doesn’t matter about the place where a church is held, the songs that are sung, the people who attend, but about the hearts of the people and their joy and devotion to serving and loving the God of the Universe.
(Giving a little message in the 2nd church. Sorry for the blurriness)
