Michael Spencer has an excellent posting - Christian Unity in Appalachia - about the collaborative relationship that churches in his part of the world have, primarily because they need each other. I spent seven years in the hills of West Virginia coming to understand the nature of the people and the culture of the region. Sure there is poverty, but they are not poor. They just don't have the financial wealth that other places have. They have family, tradition, church and community. What they have is instructive for those people and churches who are able to buy whatever church life they want.
Spencer writes,
Churches and the people in them are quite poor. A megachurch here is any church with a nice facility and more than 200 members. (We have two of these, by my count.)
Because of that poverty, churches do many things together, share facilities, pool their money for community projects and help one another out without many questions of doctrine.
Most pastors are eager to work with other ministers and churches in community causes. The sense of calling to the local community is strong here.
Of course this isn't limited to Appalachia. You can find places throughout the world where poverty and lack of development are met with human ingenuity, faith and sharing. I spent two years in southwest Oklahoma before moving to West Virginia, and the sense of camaraderie that the ministers had in our corner of the state was significant. Same was true in West Virginia.
Just remember, things are not always as they appear. Small is not necessary insignificant. Remote doesn't necessarily mean out of the way. And lacking financial resources doesn't necessary mean that your poor. What we have is God's spirit that unites us as the church, and sometimes even unites us across denominational, tradition and theological barriers. And yes, sometimes in communities. All because we need one another. I think this is where it begins, recognizing that we need others.
Thanks Michael for a reminder of the beauty of the church in Appalachia.
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