Reports from Haiti
Wednesday, January 20, 2010 at 11:45AMMark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church in Seattle and James MacDonald of Harvest Bible Chapel just returned from a jump into Haiti to assess the needs of the church in the devastated island nation. Some accounts were posted on USA Today’s Faith and Reason blog. I read with a sober mind and saw a heavy reminder of the sinfulness of humanity.
These guys, who are similar theologically, not identical in church culture, are pulling together a web site dedicated to helping churches help churches down in Haiti. Little Jacob’s Well is already on board and we are looking forward to seeing how we can do more. Please pray for churcheshelpingchurches.com and the rebuilding of lives and communities that will preach the gospel and serve their neighbors in Haiti.
Video from Pastor MacDonald below:
Reader Comments (4)
Since when is the "church" about a building. At this point the concern in Haiti is people.
Steve, of course the church is a people...sometimes the people meet in homes, sometimes back alleys, sometimes other structures, etc. These particular people in Haiti were meeting in a building - that is destroyed now. If your house was destroyed it would be a burden to you. For some Haitian Christians, their meeting building being destroyed is a terrible thing as well. Plus, you don't know what they did in the buildings...they could have had schools, tutoring, service programs for the neighborhood...all about people.
Plus, I know these guys are not just talking about "building back the building" as they have been meeting with pastors and Haitian people seeing what "they say" they need. So what is your point? Are you saying this is not about helping people? I don't see what you are getting at.
Reid, I hear what you're saying to Steve...but this vid doesn't come across like that.
"This is what I came to see..." (remains of church building)
"Here's the question we're asking: "Who is going to rebuild this church (building)? This was once a gorgeous place of worship...Who is going to help the church?" (box centered)
For 1700 years the Church has had an "edifice complex" that has triggered a woeful misappropriation of funds. The "family church" 80/20 inverse (overheard/outreach) is starting to make people take notice.
Holler at me old buddy, I still haven't heard your thoughts on "The Crowded House" folks in England and their connection to Acts 29. When I read through the Crowded House core values, my soul says “YES! YES! YES!” Is the “church industrial complex” with hundreds of billions in buildings not the elephant in the room?
Dave, come on man, why criticize people trying to help people in Haiti. In a place like that why is a building even bad? In many places in the world that do not have "houses" like Americans a central church facility does much more than hold a worship service; life goes on there. I have seen this in Peru on several occasions.
Another example. There is a seminary in Haiti that educates 200 guys a year, provides 800 K-12 poor kids with schooling, has an orphanage and is now struggling to serve 5000 homeless people etc. Should not they have a roof over their heads? It sounds silly man to be saying this schmack.
Of course I love the Crowded House guys and what they are about. I love the sending of the church into place. We have six missional expressions in homes AND we gather for word and sacrament in rented space on the Lord's day. Why is this a problem?
An example of one benefit of a non house church. Mars Hill Seattle that has "buildings" just took an offering for almost half a million dollars for Haiti. Why should I think this is something less than wonderful?
I don't have time to debate things that I really think both can good. Facilities can facilitate certain things, sometimes they are stupid wastes of money. House churches are great; but dogmatism that they are the "only" permissible form? I think churches can assembly plenty much anywhere.
Aim your energies at praying for, doing life with and reaching out to your neighbors with the gospel. Or we can aim at those people with: wrong theology, wrong structures, wrong everything - why not have our convictions and just get to work.
Beg God to multiply your family church into 20 of them, where people are meeting Jesus, give your life to it...and let people be who want to build back for people in a earthquake devastated land.
"Industrial complexes" might be the elephant in your crawl, but the things that burden me are the saving grace of God in Christ and how he is calling his church from a perishing world. Through lives, house gatherings, public gatherings and even using buildings.
Hope you are well brother. Blessings to your family