A Church Without Walls

May 25, 2025 homily on Acts 16:9-15 and Revelation 21:10, 22-22:5 by Pastor Galen

“On the Sabbath day we went outside the gate by the river, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had gathered there.” – Acts 16:13

Last summer, our family took a road trip to Québec, the beautiful French-speaking province of Canada. Since no one in our family speaks French, when Sunday arrived, we searched for a church that had an English-speaking worship service. We were delighted to find a charming little church nestled in the heart of Old Québec, where we were warmly welcomed by a congregation about the same size as ours. The pastor was away that week, so a lay leader delivered the sermon. After the service, we were invited downstairs to the fellowship hall for tea and cookies, which was a beautiful gesture of hospitality that left a lasting impression on our hearts.

Down by the River

When we are looking to gather with other believers for worship, we typically look for a church building. In Paul’s time, he and his companions looked for synagogues—central places of worship and teaching for the Jewish community. So on the Sabbath day, shortly after arriving in Philippi, they went down to the river, thinking they might find a synagogue there. 

Fresh water was essential for Jewish purification ceremonies, so a river was a natural place to search for a synagogue. However, it seems that Philippi did not have the ten Jewish men that were required in order to establish a synagogue. So instead of a synagogue, Paul and his companions found a group of women faithfully gathered by the river for prayer. 

Among them was Lydia, a businesswoman and a Gentile worshiper of God. Paul and his companions joined the women in prayer, and as they prayed and fellowshiped together, the Lord opened Lydia’s heart to receive the Gospel. Lydia and her whole household were baptized, and Lydia invited Paul and his companions to stay at her home, and thus the church at Philippi was born.

A Church Without Walls: Lessons from Philippi

As I reflect on Lydia and the other women who gathered by the river for prayer on that Sabbath day, two qualities stick out: 

1. Faithfulness. Even though they were few in number, and even though they didn’t have a formal building to meet in, they were committed to worshiping God. They gathered faithfully, and they prayed.

2. Openness. Their hearts were open—to the Spirit, to one another, and even to welcome strangers into their midst. They welcomed Paul and his companions, and their hearts were open to receive the Good News about Jesus Christ.

In many ways, this congregation of women was what we might call “a church without walls.” And I mean that both literally and figuratively! Not only did they worship outside (rather than inside the walls of a church building), but they were also open to new people joining them. They even allowed the newcomers to participate, and to even help shape the way they worshipped God together!

This story is a reminder to me that true worship isn’t limited by our location. And it’s not dependent on large numbers, or an abundance of resources. Rather, it’s about faithfulness. It’s about intentionality. It’s about welcoming others with warmth, and being receptive to the Spirit’s leading.

In a world that often measures success by size or numbers, or resources, the women who founded the church in Philippi offer something different — a model of faithfulness, and hospitality, and openness to God’s presence—wherever it may be found.

The River and the City: A Glimpse of What’s to Come

In many ways, Lydia and her friends’ prayer meeting by the river points forward to John’s vision of the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21 and 22. In those chapters, John describes a river of the water of life flowing through the city and a tree with twelve kinds of fruit, whose leaves are for the healing of the nations.

What’s most remarkable, though, is what isn’t there. John tells us there is no temple, because “its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb” (Rev. 21:22). In other words, God’s presence is not confined to a single building or location. And there’s no need for the sun or moon, because “the glory of God is its light” (Rev. 21:23). In the new creation, God’s presence will dwell fully with us—everywhere, always. In the beautiful heavenly city, we will bask in the glorious light of God’s love for all eternity. 

Open Hearts, Open Spaces

So this morning, may the example of Lydia and her companions—and John’s vision of the New Jerusalem—remind us that the true worship happens wherever hearts are open. It happens whenever strangers are welcomed. And it happens wherever God’s Spirit is free to move. Whether we gather for worship in a sanctuary, a park, or a nursing home; whether we gather for fellowship in a church basement, a coffee shop, or by a river for prayer — God is with us. Worship can take place wherever God is, and wherever God’s people are gathered.

So may we be people who gather faithfully and welcome others extravagantly. And may God open our hearts to God’s presence and to the people God may bring to journey with us, whoever they may be.

Amen!

Questions for Personal Reflection Based on Today’s Sermon:

1. When have I experienced God’s presence in a place outside of a traditional church setting?
2. Like Lydia and her companions, am I committed to worship and prayer even when resources are limited?
3. How might John’s vision of God’s eternal presence change the way I view worship today?
4. What does “faithfulness” in my spiritual life look like right now?
5. How open am I to welcoming strangers or newcomers into my faith community?