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Resources - Meditations
Of Cars and Congregations
Rev. John Terhorst
Recently, we thoroughly enjoyed three weeks of annual leave. This time
our holiday took us to Perth in Western Australia. We went there to
celebrate my mother’s 80th birthday. It was exceptionally good to be
with mum and family to mark this milestone. But of the twenty-one days,
we could only spend seven with my family. Why? Because we drove across,
towing our small, pop-top caravan. After leaving our driveway in
Leongatha, Victoria we covered 8,255 kilometres in just three weeks.
When you travel that distance, you have time to think, that is, while
Corrie was driving, of course. I thought about our car, in which we
spent a considerable amount of hours. Even while crossing the Nullarbor
Plain, we were continually entertained by the different sights. Views
made possible because of a large front windscreen, and side windows.
While driving, it was extremely helpful to have extended side,
rear-vision mirrors. These allowed us to see past the side of the
caravan and monitor what was happening behind us. Without those mirrors,
and needless to say without a clear windscreen, driving would have
become difficult and dangerous. Although, if we did not have a clear
view through the front windscreen, we may not have seen the sheep or emu.
They thought the middle of the road was a good place to stand and admire
the passing traffic.
The many hours of inactivity allowed a memory to return. A book by David
C Needham, “Birthright – Christian, Do You Know Who You Are?” In chapter
seven of that book David writes about “The Parable of the Car.” He
compares the Christian with a car. Yes, I know you need a bit of an
imagination, but think of the parable in terms of “Thomas – The Tank
Engine”, who like the car in David’s book, takes on human
characteristics.
I took David’s parable a step further. I began to compare local,
Christian congregations with the car. In my experiences of belonging to
various congregations, from inner city congregations, to country ones I
have discovered the following. If the local church is compared with an
automobile, some people want to stick black plastic all over the front
windscreen. In their reasoning, they do not want to look ahead, or move
for that matter, for they are perfectly happy where they are. These
Christians do not like to be challenged too often by the Lordship of
Christ over ALL of life, or the MISSION of the Church. Other Christians
do not want to tape up the front windscreen, but they see no use for
rear-vision mirrors. They seem to show no particular interest in the
history of the Church, or how it came to be what it is. The “faith of
our fathers” and their sacrifices and work do not play a major role in
“doing” Church. They do not want to look back and consider our rich
heritage. They just want to move, and occasionally, I receive the
impression that the quicker we move, the godlier we are. There is a
third group. These people have left me with the impression you never
need to look sideways at what is happening around you.
I remember watching a movie, and that is the only place these things are
possible, of a blind person driving a car. It seems ridiculous, even if
another person is giving instructions. I would never think of stepping
in a car with the front windscreen covered by black plastic. Neither
would I have been happy towing a caravan over 8,000 kilometres without
rear vision mirrors, or side windows. The truth of the matter is that we
are dependant for safety and good progress on all three.
For the Church of Jesus Christ to make a meaningful impact (the salt and
light images of Matthew 5) on the world, it requires a clear view in all
four directions. Yes, the Church needs to move ahead with a clear view
of the Call of God. Yes, the Church needs to be mindful of its past, and
those who contributed to it. Yes, the Church needs to see what is
happening around it both locally and globally. God gives people to His
Church who are visionaries. He equips others with a rich sense of the
past. Other Christians are gifted to turn vision into reality. All are
necessary for the work of God to continue.
A Prayer:
Dear Father, use me, and those different from me to build Your
Church. Amen.
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