A quick thanks

                I’ve seen God’s kingdom created and lived in in many different ways in this world. I’ve seen the hungry fed, a blind man healed and relationships restored. I am glad that I now have seen a little bit of Iceland.

                It’s a bit difficult to compare the national church in Iceland to my experience of the church in America. If I were to tell people that I visited a church with 8,000 members, their jaws would drop! If I left out that detail and told them that I visited a church where 5% of the members worship, they might think that makes our attendance numbers in the United States seem pretty good! And that is the danger of comparing the institutions without a keen eye towards context and without a personal experience of cultural sharing.

The national church in Iceland is a beautiful and wonderful church, modern and with a fantastic history. But there’s so much more to learn about actually experiencing the church in a place where a pastor’s salary is paid for not by collecting an offering or a bi-annual capital campaign. The experience of church here in Iceland is a different rhythm. It’s always there. It’s always on the front lines of disaster response. The pastors take care of their members beyond a sermon and work together in many different ways. I’ve seen a gracious and wonderful part of the global church in my way-too-short 2 weeks here, and my perspective and ministry are better for it.