Sunday, February 15, 2009
a non-Christian lords prayer
“How come there are so many flash churches in our poorest city suburbs? That’s my problem with Christian religion.”
I sat with a stranger at Auckland Airport yesterday. He’s not a church goer and he told me why. Growing up in Mangere, one of Auckland’s poorest suburbs, he could walk past 10 flash churches in the space of two minutes. All these big and beautiful churches, and slowly, as he grew, he connected what he saw with all the people he knew, struggling financially in the streets around him.
What’s flash churches got to do with God? Are flash churches keeping people poor? Why isn’t faith changing this suburb?
What’s kept me pondering the conversation is this uneasy sense that I actually heard the Lord’s prayer being prayed. Amid the blare of TV and the boarding calls, I think I heard a plea that God’s will be done, God’s Kingdom come, on earth as it should be in heaven. A cry that the poor would see justice and a suburb changed.
Sort of ironic when that prayer emerges with such clarity in a busy airport from a religious sceptic.
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[…] Offbeat Modest Dress added an interesting post on a non-BChristian/B lords prayerHere’s a small excerptThat’s my problem with BChristian/B religion.” I sat with a stranger at Auckland Airport yesterday. He’s not a church goer and he told me… […]
Pingback by Topics about Christian life and Bible readings » Archive » a non-BChristian/B lords prayer — February 15, 2009 @ 5:05 pm
Hey Steve,
What’s a flash church?
Peace friend.
Dan
Comment by Dan Lowe — February 18, 2009 @ 12:34 pm
fancy – lots of bling – rich looking,
steve
Comment by steve — February 18, 2009 @ 1:33 pm