I've heard about the "global south" and the vibrancy of the evangelical movement in places like India, Africa, and Latin America. But my readings didn't prepare me for yesterday's visit to a local Hispanic congregation.
On the invitation of a Hispanic co-worker, my husband and I attended a non-denominational evangelical church a couple of towns away. I must explain that neither of us are fluent in Spanish. Bob can converse better than me, but struggles with reading the language. I can read about 1/3 of a given text, but can't carry on a conversation. Neither of us have very good listening comprehension. So we went almost more out of courtesy than with any real expectations to receive.
But we were quite blown away by their love and hospitality, their graciousness and heart. We were made to feel included from the moment we arrived -- they even provided a translator during the message to provide at least the sense of what was said. They apologized that their translation equipment was not yet installed. (This is a very small church.) For the post-service meal, they insisted on getting our plates and serving us.
I was amazed. Here was a group of immigrants to our country, making us feel far more welcome than some of them have probably been made to feel. I felt convicted that I've never once been in a church that even attempted to provide translation for non-English speakers. Sure, there have been some that tried to plant Spanish-speaking churches - but not provide the translation in the English service. (I'm sure some do - I just haven't been in them. This is not meant as a condemnation, just a sharing of a personal time of conviction.) Yet here was a small church of less than 50 or so that was so focused on other cultures than their own that they were making the effort to translate into English.
Their heart for the world was equally overwhelming. Not once was the focus on their home countries -- in fact, we only learned the home country of 4 of the people we met. Neither were they limiting their vision to Northwest Arkansas. They clearly had a heart for the world, and were out to impart that heart within their congregation. With my reading comprehension I was able to grasp the sense of most of the worship songs. What I heard was a heart for the world -- consistently the choruses cried out to God on behalf of the nations, begging for His glory to come, and reflecting the need to take the message everywhere.
As I looked around the congregation I saw all ages, faces upturned in passionate worship. The 17-year-old who shared our lunch table could hardly wait to ask us how long we've been Christians and what we've seen God do. Here was a vibrant congregation, learning together what it means to be on mission with God. And God spoke to my heart that this was the reality of things I've been studying in my World Christian Foundations curriculum; this was the face of global Christianity.
Some of you have seen this and told me about it. Others of you hope to bring it to your corner of the world. I'm posting this to encourage you that those stories you read in the journals are real. The face of global Christianity may be shifting from the west, but it is very vibrant, and God is very much at work.
I didn't understand everything yesterday. But I understood enough to know that if I listened with my heart, I could hear the wind of the Spirit blowing.
"The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” John 3:8
When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Acts 2:1-2
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