O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles. (Psalms 43:4)
I was moved, today, to interrupt my series on the seven deadly sins of churches, by a need to celebrate churches.
It’s hard to say accurately how many Christian churches there are. Of course, one way to answer the question is to say there is only one church, only one bride … but today I was touched, specifically, by the thought of the individual worshipping communities. There are certainly more than two hundred and fifty thousand in the United States, and more than three million worldwide. Some are large congregations, some are tiny. Some are young and vigorous, some might be just a few faithful older congregants. Each has its own character.
The world seems an increasingly dark place. Christianity seems always under attack. Specifically, here in America we seem unable to resist the tide that is overwhelming our beliefs and morality.
It is moving, when contemplating the blackness, to consider those three million points of light. Some shine very brightly, and some are very dim — but they shine. Consider the faithfulness of that priest serving six elderly worshippers day after day. Think of the courage of that young pastor, in the inner city, shining against all the odds. Or the house church in China, the village in India, the extraordinary brave Christians in Syria. Even the huge “megachurch” where the individual believer seems lost, but is still believing, worshipping and caring. There are so many people living the truth of the scripture:
Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16)
It is easy to despair, but if you have ever stood on a darkening hillside in the country, in the falling gloom of early evening, looking down over a town and seeing lights flicker on, on by one; if you have ever seen those lights seem brighter and brighter, you will perhaps share my excitement and my affection for all those churches great and small.
It is easy to see the faults in churches. But churches are wonderful. Those lights shining on millions of hills are lighthouses, they lead people to His holy hill, and to His tabernacles. No wonder Christ loves His bride so deeply! Thank God for churches. Thank God for my church.