Get rid of all the Churches
I know what you are thinking. Here goes Mollie yet again. That crazy missionary; who curses countless times, doesn’t read her bible enough, has a few to many to drink sometimes and has missed a few too many church services in her life. Now she wants to get rid of all the churches. And the week after Easter… get her off the field she has gone crazy. I know it’s a crazy thought but just read before you decide to write me off.
The first church I went to was in a middle school cafeteria. Unconventional to say the least but it held something special. It was just a bunch of people loving the Lord. Then we, as a church, raised enough funds to buy a church and redo it. We spent weekends painting and getting ready for our beautiful new church. Then we finally moved in. It was great! Youth group was held in the gym and we could run around and we even had Sunday school rooms. The church was picturesque but something was missing. I could not put my finger on what it was.
Fast forward to college. I went to a church a few times that was in a Holiday Inn. Just people loving the Lord in a little meeting room. It held something special, something that in the moment I couldn’t figure out what it was. They since have acquired a church but they are still growing and now as beautiful as ever. This church also holds a huge part of my heart since they are the only church that would support me on this journey. So maybe I am a bit bias but I believe that this church holds what I crave. It holds what I have found to be true in so many of the churches here in Latin America. It holds raw love for The Lord.
In the past 4 months, you all probably assume that I have gone to countless church services in beautiful churches. Churches that have Sunday school for children and bible studies for women and there is of course a stained glass window. I don’t want to crush your idea but I have been in exactly 5 churches and 1 was for a funeral. But let it be known that I have heard 100’s of sermons.
I have heard a sermon in a dirt backyard. I have heard a sermon at my home in the common room. I have worshiped under a pavilion. I have worshiped on the beach. I have worshiped the Lord at 3 in the morning. I have worshiped the Lord in the pitch black. I have gathered with hermanos en Cristo and worshiped the Lord in more places than you can imagine. And you know where I feel the Holy Spirit the most? Right there! There in yard with pigs and ducks running amuck around me. There in the pavilion with surfers in bathing suits. There in a dark room when the power has gone out.
I don’t need a pew to love on the Lord with all my heart. I don’t need anything really. All I want is a few people and plastic chairs and I got my church. I don’t want a building with pews and beautiful fabrics. Just give me a dirt road and a few people speaking a couple of languages.
A church isn’t about the building. It is about the people. It about the hermanos en Cristo. It about people coming together and loving on the Lord. And for me, I love it most in unconventional locations. I love it most when it is raw.
So yeah, maybe the title was there just to freak ya out a little and make you read it. But let it be known that all you need to have a beautiful church is a few people who want to love on the Lord with you. The building is super optional and in my mind not recommended.
As for an update on me. I am loving Nicaragua! Its stolen my heart because the people are so loving and caring. I promise to have a blog soon about it all.
As for fundraising I am in need of just $650 more to be fully funded. Please consider making your tax-deductible donation today. To all my supporters, I am so very blessed to have you by my side on this journey.
All my love,
Mols
