“What is the Church?” This was one of the most influential questions of Bonhoeffer’s life. During his time in Italy, Bonhoeffer attended a Mass at St. Peter’s. It was at this Mass that his idea of the Church expanded. I love the line in the book that said, “…he saw a vivid illustration of the church’s transcendence of race and national identity….the Church is something universal. It does not just exist in Germany or Rome, but beyond both.”

While I don’t believe I’ve had a paradigm shattered or some intense revelation about a certain topic, I have had a chance to reflect on some of the notable differences between my experiences in the American church and at MLK Church in France. The first, a similar tone to that of Bonhoeffer, deals with the issue of race. MLK Church is one of the most interracial and multi-ethnic churches I have ever been to, full of interracial couples and families. I love it. I think it is a beautiful display of the kingdom of God, where there is no race, gender, or nationality that separates His people. Sadly, experiencing this part of MLK made it really hit home just how racially divided and wounded America still is.

Another amazing thing about MLK Church is how real everyone is. I can’t help but notice that there doesn’t seem to be this underlying “knowing” that you must present yourself in a certain way or be a certain way. By this, I mean that everyone just seems, normal. There’s no “Christianese” language being tossed around, everyone doesn’t come dressed their best all the time, people will tell you when they’re not okay, and no one seems inaccessible. When there’s a call given for pray at the front of church, no one hesitates and almost everyone is lined up for prayer because everyone is dealing with something. That’s reality. That’s truth. The leaders of the church interact with everyone and on multiple occasions have let me know that they are here for me if I need to talk or if I need prayer. MLK Church functions like the family God intended the Church to be.

In America, I feel like we have this need in the Church to be all together. We’ve somehow built a culture in the church that we are supposed to hide the hard, messy, broken parts of ourselves. When I’m at church in America, everyone is happy and blessed with no problems. When there’s a call given for pray at the front of church it’s almost like a hold out to see who will move first and let the world know that everything is not okay. There is also an apparent elitist system in our churches. Our churches are full of cliques and the “leaders” seem more like celebrities, oddly far off and inaccessible. I’ve heard people talk before that they are nervous to approach the pastor of their church and I’ve been that way too! That’s insane to think about! They should be the person we are most comfortable approaching as the “shepherd of our flock”!

There are many other things I could note about my different experiences with the Church here in France and the Church in America, but that could take a few more pages. All of it to say, it’s been an amazing and healing experience at MLK. I’ve had time to really reflect on my own beliefs and perspectives. Being in France has given me a chance to sit with God with those beliefs and perspectives and let Him realign them to His own.