The Tanzanian pastor tells me we’re gathering for church.
We follow him as he guides us between mud huts and through a field.
I ask him where the church is and he points to a tree.
As I mentioned before, I went to a church in King ‘Ori, Tanzania, that has become one of my favorite churches I’ve ever attended and it was under the trees of all places. This church had no frame, no brick or mortar to brag of, no sound system or smoke filled stages, no big screens, but it was filled with people who loved Jesus, who shouted with songs full of energy and joy that would make most of the Sunday morning worship services in America sound like a funeral procession in comparison. These Africans cried out to God from their brokenness. They shared and gave of what little they had. They would offer their chickens, bags of rice, eggs and mango’s as tithes, offerings to the church, as well as gifts to me and my team. They listened to God, they were led by the Holy Spirit, and depended on the strength of the Lord for everything – even their next meal. I didn’t leave thinking about the amazing church building or technology and effective media used. I left humbled, broken to the core, energized and full of joy. I left amazed at what an awesome God I have.
I thought this was my favorite church until I found another favorite right in Mwanga, Tanzania… right under another tree. And this was a fancier tree because it had some decorations –brightly colored fabric streamers hanging from it. Worship service in a copella in Kiswahili or the Maasai dialect with a gathering of about 20 Africans who’s songs of joy and brokenness humbled me and drew me into the presence of God. Just a drum, which was a yellow water jug turned upside down, voices, dancing and the wind blowing. There was no judgment, no superficiality, no religiosity. There’s no fashion show – no one worried about what to wear or who they were going to see at church, or who they didn’t want to see there. Don’t get me wrong. Mega churches can be and are effective in reaching the masses and with all of the surplus of resources and talent. These congregations have been able to have effective outreach efforts on a large scale. But like most churches, the Pareto Principal seems to take affect. The 80-20 rule when 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes. There’s usually 20% of the people most involved, engaged in 80% of work of the local church, while the other 80% just come to receive, but never really invest themselves. I think the old term is “pew warmer.”
Som
etimes I wonder if we haven’t catered too much to our culture and our society that we spend more time, money and emphasis on things that won’t last rather then teach people how to listen to God, or the role of the Holy Spirit in our every day life, or what gifts God has given us and how we are to walk in them daily and in so doing manifest God through us. Are the churches today living out of the example in Acts 2 or does it look different? Has the Word of God been sugar coated, packaged in a sizable portion and spoon fed to us to avoid offending people so they keep coming back?
These African churches – simple in structure, often mud huts with tin roves, or just sitting under a tree with nothing fancy to speak of accept for the thankful energetic and loving hearts of the people that attend have reminded me of the basics.
Just people coming together to shout songs of love to God, cry out to him, listen to him and receive from him. They loved each other and welcomed people who didn’t look like them. They didn’t need a billion dollar church building, with a cool program, or snacks. They didn’t use flat screens or have a live worship band with a smoke filled stage. They didn’t use cool graphics in their power points. It was a reminder to me of the simple things and what is truly necessary and what isn’t. We danced to the rhythm of a drum/water jug, the sound of each others voices, and danced. A man bent over on his knees in repentance and others crying out to God in tears. People broken People walking in humility. People solely dependant on God. People full of joy. People who don’t have much yet were moved to tears and dancing out of their thankfulness. People in love with God.
These are some of the same people who see things like sight restored to the blind. They see people physically healed before their eyes. They see demons cast out of people. They see the lame walk again.
It makes me think of the book of Revelations and the letters that were written to each church. These churches were filled with believers who served God yet God had something against each one. To the church of Ephesus who were some of the hardest working, selfless servants around – God said that they had left their first love. I know God works in different ways with different people and cultures, but I sometimes wonder what God would say about some of the modern day churches in the States.
The Africans have shown me a picture of what church should be – right under a tree.
