Being Without

Peter and John are in the temple in Jerusalem. A lame man approaches them for spare change. They have none. So Peter speaks these immortal words which have both haunted and guided the Christian Church for centuries: “I have no silver or gold, but what I have I give you; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, stand and walk.” Out of what they did not have, they gave the man far more than he asked or hoped.

The Holy Spirit gathered, empowered and guided the church to speak the truth about the Messiah with boldness and clarity. Christian thought, lifestyle and witness were being moved beyond the comfortable. And then, this, the church offering gifts from what we did not possess rather than what we did.

I am in India as I write. We are visiting Christians whose witness we support and some of the people whose lives are forever changed by your generosity in Christ. Mothers tell of all they have learned and how they are now able to provide for their families. Young men display their accomplishments and the strength that arises from Christian values. Presbyterian Church in Canada, you have done well. Tomorrow we leave for the medical mission in Jobat and our visit with longtime Presbyterian missionary, Pauline Brown. That will merit a column of its own.

While in New Delhi, we had the honour of visiting with the passionate Christian theologian, Prof. James Massey. It was he who quoted Peter’s comment from the third chapter of Acts about silver and gold. Dr. Massey is a member of the Dalit or “outcaste.” He and his colleagues work on the edge of a primitive recycling facility among the very poor. Workers from his offices go into the surrounding village helping these outcasts adjust to the new India. It is getting more difficult for the Christian poor in an atmosphere of growing Hindu fundamentalism.

He points out the number of important events in scripture that take place “outside” the city or centre of attention, including the death and ressurection of Jesus. He is well published and offers a unique perspective for all Christians. Being without enables the church to see and to do what it cannot when it is preoccupied with its possessions.

I think of the early church out of Jerusalem with its clarity of message and transformative power. I think of our own church and congregations as we face the realities of a secular Canada. We are groomed to live as a majority but we are being called to learn the ways of a minority. We are so easily preoccupied with our assets.

What would our congregations be like if we let go of our buildings and investments? What would we newly understand of the Christian gospel if we became a church of the tent instead of the cathedral? Are there things your congregation could do if you did not have to maintain a building?