Church Without Pews
Living in a small Middle Eastern city we’ve had to re-think ‘church’. What does ‘church’ look like in this culture? We don’t have it fully worked out. But I hope that how ‘church’ looks continues to change, to become more relevant and accessible to the people here.
We have no building. Apart from the fact that it costs money that they don’t have, a building usually means pews, and trained preachers and a cross at the front somewhere; all things that make ‘church’ foreign to the people here. Pews make it more possible to just be a spectator. But when there are only a handful of believers and a few hundred thousand who don’t yet know about Jesus, you don’t need spectators, you need everyone to be absolutely involved. There is no time or money to send anyone off to Bible College to become a pastor or preacher and if someone would go it is unlikely (from observation) they would then want to return to this small town. And a cross, well that reminds people of the past and various religious wars!
So what do we do? We meet in homes. We sing, we pray, we look at the Bible together and we drink tea and eat. Everyone takes turns to lead the time of worship and a participative Bible study. We know each other well, see each other often and there is a genuine care and concern for one another. In a nearby village there is another small group of believers that meet when they can. Once a month we try and get together with them as well. None of the locals play an instrument, so we sing a capella. It’s all very simple - anyone could start ‘church’ in their own home!
Our dream is that in every suburb of this town there will be small groups of believers gathering together. And each of these might well look different. We meet on Sunday afternoon because that is a day that most people are off work, and women can easily get around more easily during the day. But perhaps another group may meet on a different day or a time that suits them better. They may not be used to modern music but prefer traditional instruments and worship. Or perhaps if they come from a conservative background, they may even prefer something closer to chanting.
We long to see ‘church’ in this Middle Eastern city as something that’s relevant and indigenous, not foreign or strange. Church is about followers of Jesus getting together to encourage one another to love and follow God. Exactly how that looks can be different everywhere.
Kathy (pseudonym) is a Wellingtonian based in the Middle East for the last 9 years. Besides being a vital part of a church planting team, she loves dancing, playing tennis, and makes seriously yummy hot cross buns!