How many churches in one morning?

Day three began as promised. We’re heading to see 7 churches and the Goreme Open Air Museum. I know I’m a pastor and should love each place of worship but seeing seven churches is a lot of churches! I also couldn’t see the significance of so many in Cappadocia but I had to be open to new experiences and learning opportunities (If only I had learned that lesson while I was still in high school I think my parents would have had a whole lot less stress!). We started out from the hotel and within minutes we were there. Where were the spires, the structures, and the parking lots? There didn’t seem to be any churches in the area. I quickly read a sign and found out that we were at the Open Air Museum but I thought we were going to the churches first…it was at that moment that I realized there are times when I have an air block in my brain…I say that because our guide was talking about seven churches that had been around in the 1st and 2nd century in which the Christians who literally lived in the caves they dug out of the cliffs around this area used for worship. So of course there would be no church, as I knew church, but rather church as it was in the early years, less than 100 years after the death of Christ. Our guide said there were possibly 6,000 of these churches and once I went inside I understood why. We aren’t talking about something the size of the current Belfast UMC or even the old Belfast UMC on Miller Street but rather a space about 12x12 with no comfortable seats and the remains of other Christians buried below the ground! And each of them had been carved out of stone! It was amazing though to think of the folks who would have gathered without the benefit of an organ or hymnals or a projector and screen but rather to listen to preaching about Christ’s redeeming grace and then to respond as God led them. How powerful to listen to the voices from years and centuries past of people who gathered at the risk of their lives to worship in small groups all around these cave settlements for that was very important to their daily lives. What voices will people hear when they enter places where we worship? Will they be joyful? Will they be complaining? Will they offer hope and strength or empathy and discouragement? I myself found great strength as I gave thanks for the great cloud of witnesses who went before me…
There were paintings in some of the churches from the 6th century while others also contained pictures from the 10th – 12th century…imagine the people who had worshipped there over the years. Sometimes in fear of their lives but strong in their faith. I’ve included a couple of websites that can give better descriptions of what we saw…I’ve also attached a picture from one of the cave churches. In closing it should be noted that people continued to live in some of the caves until the 1950’s and 1960’s when the government moved them out and into apartments within the community. Later I’ll show you some pictures of such a house that remains decorated as a remembrance of days gone by…

Goreme Open Air Museum http://www.goreme.com/goreme-open-air-museum.php

Frommer's review of the GOAM http://www.frommers.com/destinations/goreme/A31172.html