Re: Church Buildings -- Qohelet Web Ministry

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Date Posted: 10:03:04 07/22/02 Mon
Author: David
Subject: Re: Church Buildings
In reply to: Jay Dee 's message, "Re: Church Buildings" on 18:35:43 07/20/02 Sat

Well, you all had some interesting comments about church buildings. Consider these things.

First of all, a church does not need a building to be "legitimate." The early church, unlike other religions of the day, did not have temples, but met in houses, yet they still grew by leaps and bounds. They didn't define themselves in terms of a building, but in terms of discipleship. Their intense commitment to Christ and to each other is what made them "legitimate." So, don't you think that this is what people will stand up and take notice of? A "legitimate" church is one that takes Christ's commands seriously

Second, if the church goes too far in meeting worldly expectations, they will lose their distinct identity as the "people" of God. The world typically defines a church in terms of a building. When you say church, people think building.

Third, to much time is spent maintaining a building and not enough time doing real ministry to people. Once a church builds a building, it is not unusual for them to spend a major portion of their money, time, and talents to keep the building going. That is housekeeping, but is not servanthood. Jesus said we should wash feet, not mop church building floors.

Fourth, church buildings are extremely limiting. Think about all the money that goes into a church with pews bolted to the floor. You cannot use that room for anything but a worship service, and that arrangement is poorly suited for worship and edification anyway. All that money into a room that can only be used three times a week for one purpose, and not for anything else. What a waste of the Lord's resources! What about if you outgrow the facility? Owning a building can be very limiting. The church attached to a building is not a church on the move, but a church in the prison.

My conclusion is that we should do our best to start fresh. Look at what God wants us to do, and put out of our mind all of the traditional ways we have done it, because many of those ways simply are very, very poor and inneffective ways of doing it, especially the church building. Look at what the Bible tells us to do, then determine the BEST way to do it that brings glory to God.

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Replies:

Re: Church Buildings -- Richard, 21:09:56 10/11/02 Fri