Europe is known for a few things. One thing that usually comes to mind is old churches. Well, Køge, Denmark is no exception. In the center of town is a very old church. It’s said it was built in the 1300’s. According to the all knowing source of Wikipedia, its tower doubled as Denmark’s first lighthouse in the 1500’s. Imagine that, a church literally being light to the community.
However, it seems that at some point the church in Denmark, Europe really, lost its glow. I’m not sure if church history here is so deep that people just wanted a break or what, but the church is dying. More and more people have decided that God no longer plays a pivotal role in their lives.
What does it mean, “the church is dying?” I think it’s worth investigating. I actually, come to think of it, don’t really care for this terminology. A church dying? Doesn’t that imply that at some point it will be dead? How can the church die? Here’s how I see it. The church is the “physicalization” (I made up a word, I know) of Jesus. It’s His bride. In a sense, it’s under His ownership. So how can it die? Perhaps it’s more accurate to say that the church has lost its identity. It’s forgotten it’s the bride of Christ. It has forgotten it’s “physicalizationism” (this is just getting worse). So, the church here in Europe has just forgotten who it is.
This church in Denmark, this very old one in the center of town, is very hard to miss. We can see its tower from the ship. Wherever you go in town, you can see the tower. It is how I know which way I’m going when I walk somewhere new. If you go into any small western/central European village, this will likely be the case; a large church that designates direction for disoriented tourists. So, it’s easy to dismiss these buildings as actual representations of Jesus. After all aren’t they just historical markers or cultural hotspots? I believe no.
Therefore, I feel I have been asked to be a part of this church here in Køge. I’ve asked around the ship and all the people who’ve gone there for service have said that the building is very nice and the service is in Danish. One even said it was the most catholic protestant service he’d ever been to. So my part in this church will be simple, to observe and to pray. To observe what a church that’s lost its identity looks like and to pray that it finds it again. I plan to go every Sunday morning that I have free and to walk around it and pray whenever I’m in town on free time. I plan, of course, to document what I discover not only to inform, but also to see how God works in this.
Somehow I thought just coming on this ship would be my crazy adventure for God these next two years, but obviously I was wrong. Yet again God asks me to do something that is completely uncomfortable, that may have absolutely no visible fruit for my labor, and makes me completely dependent on God for purpose. Should be fun.
1 comment:
Clay,
Thanks for your thoughts on the "dying church" in Denmark. I would be (unpleasantly) surprised if an American Christian touring Scandinavia were not similarly impressed. I remember that when we were in Norway, there was a certain sense of heaviness and even dread associated with seeing the magnificent but empty, non-living, structures supported by the state. They need our prayers. We learned that there definitely is active Christian life, but it does not reside in these structures any more, for the most part. In a sense you could say that "the church has left the building".
Your pictures are terrific and you have a very engaging writing style. Thank you for keeping us up to date on your journey. And yes, keep praying for that church.
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