When The Church Is Being Built…

As upset neighbours looked on, the notices were posted around the church’s construction site.  Work suspended.

But – why in the world would work have to be suspended?  Did we do something wrong?

Some of you have heard bits of what has been going on from our newsletter and email update*.  There are a lot of things that we don’t write on our blog, for various reasons.  But since this is pretty public business at the moment, I’m going to give you a bit of an overview.

As most of you know, our church has been purchasing property this year to use as a meeting place.  We’ve been renting what is pretty much the biggest place in the area – and we’ve been packing it out.

Regarding the property, we’ve been doing things – well, in a way you might not expect.  As we’ve been doing the paperwork, getting permits, and proceeding with construction, we’ve been trying to do it all – well, I might as well just say it – legally.

I know, it’s a shock.  But we’ve been working hard to get all the papers we need, and to go through all the proper channels.

But there are a few people who quite frankly don’t want a church meeting in their area.  A few very vocal people.

So, work has been proceeding – slowly.  It’s amazing – whenever we’re about to make some progress, an official of some kind seems to arrive to question some document or tell us to stop for some other reason.

And yet when someone came and robbed the site, stealing a lot of materials worth a chunk of change – well, no one noticed.

Last week, we** were trying again to get something done, and a crowd formed, very upset at what was going on.  That’s when I sent out an email update asking for prayer.

It was at this point that some public officials showed up.  Although one admitted that our paperwork was completely in order, eventually others put up the notice that work was suspended.  Why?

Talking to some people in our church, we’ve started to think about it this way.  It seems like things go beyond legalities – to politics.  And behind the politics – well, you’ve read it before, right?  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood… (Ephesians 6:12).

We did see God working, through your prayers, last week.  It seems some good contacts may have been made, and – we’re not sure what will happen, but there are some hopeful signs.

Work will actually continue.  There’s no legal reason to stop it.  Tomorrow some of our church leadership will be meeting with officials from the municipality.  And we hope to make some more steps forward – tomorrow, and through the next few weeks.

We have a lot of friends in the area – people who know we’re there to serve the community.  Of course, we’re sharing God’s Word – and we don’t expect unbelievers to understand that.  But we’ve also had clubs for kids, healthy activities for youth, we’ve provided free wheelchairs, we’ve helped keep public spaces clean, we’ve helped kids with their homework.  And so I think at this point, as I said earlier, there are just a few vocal people who aren’t happy.

But we’re here to serve them too.  So if you’re praying, pray for us – but pray for them as well.

I keep remembering Jesus’ prayer in John 17:14-17:

I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.  I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.  They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.  Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.

Someone else reminded me of Jesus’ promise from Matthew 16:18 – …I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

No, He doesn’t promise that we’ll get a building built (though if it’s His will, we will!).  He promises that the Church will be built.  That’s the people.  And that’s what is happening.

Our pastor Ismael reminded us of these words this morning as he talked about the struggles with the property –

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.
1Peter 2:9

And so, construction or no construction, we will continue to proclaim His excellencies.  Right?

*(Incidentally, we’ve send out three email updates and one newsletter in August and September.  Normally we don’t send out so many updates, but you can see the reason.  Anyway, if you’re supposed to be getting them, and you’re not, let us know!)

**I keep saying “we” not because I personally was present but because we’re a part of the church and help where we can.  Generally speaking most of the on-site work is being done by others at this point.  In this case, I got the news from several people who were present at the time.