Can You Picture "Church"?
If I were to ask you what “church” meant to you, what images and ideas it brought to mind, what would you tell me? As I have traveled to various countries and cultures, I have a different understanding of what “church” is, but still when asked, my brain typically recalls images of neatly arranged chairs in a centrally air conditioned/heated building. It is likely a stone facade with carpeted interiors and neutrally painted walls. Pictures of Jesus or images of Bible accounts dot the walls. There is a sanctuary which is separate from the kid’s wing and the youth hall. Nowadays the platform usually hosts a backdrop of palette art and a plethora of musical instruments. Sometimes there are lights and other special effects. The people are usually dressed up nicely in what we westerners consider a “Sunday best” which has now become a rather ambiguous term as sometimes it denotes suits and dresses while to others it means clean jeans and a nice top. But living in Africa for 4 months, I have also visited some different types of churches. These vary from western churches but they also vary from each other.
Some churches have buildings. They are usually concrete with large metal doors and aerated block walls which allow in both light and air. They may have some bare bulbs hanging from the exposed roof trusses. The walls are typically decorated with fabrics or ribbons to add some color. The seats are hard, unpadded, wooden benches or plastic lawn chairs. Usually the man delivering the sermon stands behind a podium of some sort, be it glass or wood and speaks to the congregation. The dress is typically “African”. Bright and colorful fabrics - the women in skirts or dresses and the men typically in a matching shirt and pants outfit. Occasionally you will see a western style suit. The men sit on one side, the women on another, and the children often have their own section as well (unless they are small and sit with Mom). Some instruments may be played ranging from bead covered gourds to trumpets and trombones. And yes, there are often drums. Choirs sing and clap. The offering is taken with a handled bag, or in a processional to the front where a box sits. This usually involves dancing to the song a choir sings.
There is not much space between the property and the road so one can usually hear the din of the traffic during the sermon. The conversations of folks outside the open doors often filter in as well. Sermons are usually preached in a local language and translated into French (French is usually used only if white people are present). The sound systems that some churches have are not set at proper volumes so there can be a lot of feedback, static, or clipped sound.
Village churches, on the other hand, likely do not have buildings. Instead, the women carry long wooden benches on their heads to a large tree which provides the most shade from the scorching, unfiltered sun. Older children carry or walk with their younger siblings to a clean mat laid on the ground where they remove their shoes to sit down. Someone brings them a lesson and activities - usually delivered in French and translated to another language if run by a missionary.
The adults gather around, in semi or full circles to hear what the preacher has to say. There may or may not be traditional instruments. Some villages use just their voices and hands to make music. Some village may use song books, but many just sing songs they have made on their own that sing much like the psalms. They praise God for His goodness and blessing of their harvest, health, and home. The offering may be a time when a bowl is placed in the middle of a circle and the people unwrap coins from their scrap fabric wallets and dance joyfully to the center, placing what God has given them to give back inside.
Listen to an excerpt sung in a village church. I used an unedited version so you can hear the chickens.
The additional noise in a village church may not be car traffic, but could be moto or bicycle traffic. Many folks may walk by on their way home from getting water or on their way to sell goods. Chickens, sheep, goats, cows, and dogs roam about. The animal sounds permeate the singing and preaching. Fussier children are walked by their siblings to their moms because they have had enough of trying to comfort, console, and quiet the child. The service starts when the people arrive and finish when the preacher is done. A few people may come and go in the “middle”.
We often speak of how “church” is not a building but a body of believers, and yet, most often we picture buildings and parts of services as the definition of “church” when asked. But, let me ask you today, what does “church” - the place - look like for you? For me it sometimes looks like this.
If you are interested in learning more about the ministries in Togo church planting ministries in Togo, you can do so by visiting the ABWE main site.
Hannah Strayer is a missionary using media on the field to communicate stories of need with others God may be calling to help resolve them. You can learn more about her or begin partnering with her today! You can also follow her on social media (just scroll to the very bottom of this page!)