Paul, to the Churches in America . . .

Brant Hansen sat on a panel-thing and answered the question "If Paul was writing to American churches, what do you think he'd write?" thusly:

I remember hearing me say something about spending billions on "congregational maintenance" each year, while we're fully aware of believers elsewhere who have nothing.

I remember saying something about that, and how Paul just might bring that up.

I remember my mouth kept moving, and I said something about how Paul might comment on our building programs, in light of the poor in, say, India, and Africa, where churches are being planted and their people are in dire need.

And I remember I blathered on, and then realized that the biggest contingent there was from a local church that is currently in a $17 million dollar expansion project, and my face felt kinda hot.

I remember wishing I would shut up, and I remember actually shutting up. I remember another panelist, an older feller, saying Paul would probably say something else, not what I said he'd say. It was something about how we're not personally holy enough.

I would have done the same thing: blathered on and been distinctly uncomfortable doing so.

I think both Brant and the older feller are right. I think the older feller is wrong that Paul wouldn't say what Brant suggested he would.

A commenter said Paul did write to American churches; the epistles we've got in the Holy Scriptures are his letters to us. That's right, too.

Contextualizing those letters to Galatia, Corinth, Thessalonica, etc., what do you think Paul would write to American churches?
Tell me in the comments or post on your blog and leave me a link.

Tweet