But You Are Rich

You can tell a lot about a church just by watching how people function during their Sunday routine. Being the church-geek that I am, I have the tendency, when visiting a church, to quietly sit back and watch people as they go about their church business. How do they interact with each other as they come and go? How do they engage in worship? What’s the emotional tone of their gathering? How do they respond when the pastor is teaching? How do they dress and what does this say about them?

This summer I visited a church where all I could do was watch people. I really couldn’t participate because nothing was in English. The church was called Bois Neuf and was located several miles outside of St. Marc, Haiti. Because they speak Creole, I had no idea what was being sung, prayed, or taught. So I just watched… and this is what I observed:

• I saw over 150 people gather in a room better suited for less than 100 for a two hour service –and, it was hot in there!

• I saw men wearing clean white shirts with ties and women in beautifully colored dresses—a sharp contrast to their dirty, unkempt surroundings.

• I saw people physically, emotionally, and spiritually engaging with the worship music.

• I heard people audibly respond to the words of their pastor as he taught from his Bible.

• I saw beautiful children being lovingly taught. It was much later in the day that I learned many of the kids were from a local orphanage.

• I saw people who, I suspected, had very little put money in the collection baskets.

• I witnessed genuine expressions of love as people lingered an hour or more after the service.

As I watched this beautiful community of Haitian believers engage in their weekly gathering, tears flowed from my eyes. This was my fifth day in Haiti and by this time, I had soaked in so many troubling sights and had heard enough uncomfortable and disturbing stories for one week. I had never seen such poverty nor have heard such heartbreak. Just take a minute to think about what this church has endured in the last eighteen months: Four hurricanes and many more tropical storms have hit their region since the devastating earthquake in January, 2010. Though St. Marc was north of the earthquake devastation, they’ve had to aid their friends and family who were impacted in Port-a-Prince. Refugees have migrated into their community, swelling their already overpopulated city. A cholera outbreak recently started in their city and swept north into neighboring communities. Additionally, there is the constant threat of civil unrest from the daily impact of having a corrupt government that’s treated its citizens poorly for 200 hundred years. Oh… and then there’s Voodoo, which is an overt expression of the worship of ancient spirits. Christians there believe this is outright Satan-worship. The contrast between Bois Neuf Church and their surroundings was stunning.

As we continue our journey through the Seven Churches of Revelation, we come to the church of Smyrna. This town was a hotbed for persecution of Christians, and Jesus commends them for their endurance. This is one of two churches that do not receive correction from Jesus. Instead, Jesus encourages them in their hardship. I would bet that the people of Bois Neuf experience something very profound and encouraging when they read Jesus’ letter to the church in Smyrna. With Bois Neuf in mind, reflect on the words to Smyrna:

To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death. Revelation 2.8-11

The American church today may not be facing the troubles of Smyrna or Bois Neuf, but churches all around the globe are facing enormous hardship because of their faith in Jesus. Spend some time today praying for these churches. They have a great task ahead of them and are called to accomplish the same mission we have, but in the midst of difficult circumstances. God cares deeply for them. And, so shall we!