by J. Michael Shannon | Preaching Magazine, 2026-Winter
In Indonesia, there is a church commonly known as “Chicken Church.” The name was not given because the congregation lacked courage. Daniel Almsjha felt called to build a Christian house of worship. He decided to construct the building in the shape of a dove. However, after it was completed, people said it looked more like a chicken than a dove.
For a time, the church was abandoned. As the years passed, however, people began to visit simply to see the unusual structure. Eventually, it became a tourist attraction. Some couples chose to hold their weddings there, and the number of visitors coming to take photographs steadily increased. Today, a café and a souvenir shop operate inside the building. Visitors climb to the top to enjoy the surrounding scenery.
There is a lesson to be learned here. We all want our mistakes to be forgiven. Yet God sometimes uses even our mistakes to accomplish good results through them.
