"Pasika Nziza!" –Happy Easter

We went to a new church called Christ Church in Rwanda (CCR) on Easter morning.  Admittedly we had high hopes given the significance of the holiday and the brief description of the church.  To say we were sorely disappointed is putting it lightly.  Nate said this was in the top 5 worst services he has been too, holiday or not.

CCR is a non-denominational church located in one of the wealthier neighborhoods of Kigali called Nyarutarama.  The large, beautiful building is smack dab in the middle of the Gaculiro Estates: large homes predominately occupied by westerners.  We were attracted to the non-denominational background along with the opportunity to attend an English service in order to engage more deeply in the worship service.

When we walked into the sanctuary people were singing a familiar song “Once Again,” which warmed our hearts.  We were pleased to see a diverse community of 200 people.  However, it didn’t take long for us to observe the lack of participation after the first song.  The proceeding songs were dramatically slow with lyrics that lived in the clouds rather than your heart.  If the music wasn’t enough, the “nod” (and that is being generous) to communion was the strangest invitation we have ever heard to celebrate the Eucharist.

To put it simply, they asked for those people in the congregation who take Jesus seriously to partake in communion.  At that point, the live music stopped and a Christian pop song on a CD from the states rang through the speakers.  People got up from their seats to form lines at the four different tables lining the perimeter of the room.  Once we got a view of the table, we discovered those classic, shiny, metal plate-bowl type containers that Michelle remembers from her childhood churches in VA. (Morck sisters, can I get a witness?!)  The first one held small, thin pieces of a pita bread as the “body of Christ.”  The second container sat adjacent to the bread representing the “blood of Christ” in mini, individual, plastic juice containers full of cranberry juice.  The most awkward part for us was taking the elements instead of receiving the elements with no confession and without so much as a glance to the Bible for the context of this special ritual.

After communion a man took the microphone to begin the sermon.  With no introduction, we assumed he was the senior pastor who seemed like a nice person but appeared very insecure.  He had typed up his thoughts and was clearly afraid to veer off script.  He prefaced his sermon by directing us to the half page bulletin that revealed the outline to his thoughts.  Then he proceeded to share his 7 lessons from the Resurrection:

1.      The Resurrection proves that Jesus is God’s Son. John 10:17-18
2.      It verifies the truth of Scripture. Psalms 16:10, 110:1
3.      Assures our own future resurrection. 1Thes. 4:13-18
4.      Is proof of a future judgment. Acts 17:31
5.      Is the basis for Christ’s heavenly priesthood. Heb. 7:23-28
6.      Gives the power for Christian living. Romans 6:4
7.      Assures our future inheritance. 1 Peter 1:3-5

He summed it all up with this statement: “This is the heart of the Gospel.  If you remove the resurrection, Christianity is destroyed.  The entire structure of the Christian faith rests on the foundation of the Resurrection.”  Then he concludes with the commission.  “We must not keep the resurrection to ourselves.  The basic message of Jesus from the resurrection is two-fold: ‘come and see’ followed by ‘go and tell.’

Is that really what Easter is all about?!  A long list of theological arguments for the justification of the Christian faith?!  Was Jesus’ life not radical enough to inspire followers despite the outcome?  YES we are grateful for forgiveness.  YES we are in awe of the mystery of the resurrection.  YES our lives have been changed by the pursuit of the divine.  And YES, Jesus is worth sharing with people who don’t otherwise know him.  But you can’t convince us that the significance of Easter is exemplified in the validation of a religion called Christianity.  That is like going to the movies, getting your ticket and a big ole’ bucket of popcorn with extra butter only to sit in the lobby…eating…popcorn…hmmm..mmm that is some good popcorn!

Unfortunately, the story is happening in the theater.  The art, the substance, the whole point of going to see a movie is getting lost in a story.  This Easter, we got to the theater.  We bought our ticket and popcorn only to be told there is no movie playing just some stale, old popcorn.

At the very least, anyone who considers themselves a spiritual leader should offer up some personal experience.  They don’t have to be an expert (even better if they aren’t) but a few thoughts on what the resurrection means to them this Easter would suffice.  Now, don’t get us wrong, we wouldn't do it perfectly either if given the chance.  In fact, Michelle has been in leadership positions on Easter Sunday many times and her nerves stole her confidence away in the blink of an eye.  We both have a lot to learn when it comes to effective leadership but our experience in the church has left us with strong opinions. Our desire is to take God seriously, but not take ourselves too seriously.  Where is the fun?!  It’s Easter for crying out loud, let’s CELEBRATE and throw a party!!!  If a dear friend of ours was brutally executed two days ago and is found alive today, you better believe we would be throwing the biggest party of the year.

This service had no aesthetic beauty and no heart.  All it offered was a theological summary of why we can feel good about ourselves choosing the correct religion.  There were a number of times when Michelle’s eyes weld up with tears out of her longing for the Trinity community back home.  For all the critiques she could make about Trinity’s services, there are subtle details she took for granted that make a huge difference in a worship environment.  Most importantly, this was the first Easter in five years that she wasn’t standing on the beach with a small group of close friends, celebrating the joy of Easter as the sun came up over the ocean.  Magical!  Oh how we long to be on that beach among friends.  Holidays just aren’t the same without celebrating with people we love.  We miss you friends and family!  If nothing else, today gave us a gift.  A gift of appreciation for the love we have received and don’t want to live without.  Above all, God is a mystery that we have grown to respect and trust.  Thank goodness for Jesus and the radical love he stands for.  May none of us ever go without that love.

 Imana ibarinde kandi ibahe umugisha.