When I was in Sunset (around 1975) a church in our fellowship was hailed as the first one to give one million dollars in a single contribution. That took a lot of sacrifice on the part of many in the congregation but it was for their building. It wasn't for evangelism (although I'm sure that they thought evangelism would be done as a result of their new building), it wasn't to feed or help the poor, it wasn't for overseas mission work, it wasn't for a children's home, it wasn't for a ministry, it was for a building.
Our preacher's group in North Jersey read an article from back in 1920s about a church in Nashville that built a new church building for $100,000.00 (back then apparently that was a lot of money - still is but in a different way). They hired a preacher that would help them raise the money. They were severely criticized because of their extravagance. A lot of the criticisms is that the money could have been spent on evangelism or benevolence.
A Christian friend told me of a big congregation that was building a new building. They were arguing about whether or not to put marble in a certain part. An elder stated during that discussion that nothing but the best should go in the church building. Nothing but the best for the church.
A friend of mine left the mainstream churches of Christ years ago and joined with the non-institutional group. I happened upon his email not too long ago and we corresponded for a while. Since he was in a group even more concerned about doing things the first century way, I asked him about justifying using church treasury money for the building. His answer was the usual - since we are commanded to meet together it can be inferred that we must have a place. I thought about that response over the years and think I've come up with a response. I would ask, "Were they commanded to give in the first century?" Then I would ask, "Were they commanded to assemble in the first century?" Then I would conclude, "They had the command to give and to meet together (which they did), yet they never purchased a building. Seems to me that if we are to exactly like them we would do well to follow their lead and not purchase a building." But I'm probably preaching to the choir here.
An interesting theory in a book not related to church buildings is found in Shane Hipps's book on the electronic culture (it's listed on my reading list) is that form communicates a message. The church building communicates a message by itself regardless of the message we may be preaching inside. The church building becomes the church. We go to church. Buildings suggest permanence. Buildings suggest belonging. "This world is not my home" is kind of hard to sing in a building that suggests we are permanent and belong to this world.
Matt Dabbs has a good post about this issue (click here). I don't know the final conclusion to this subject. Maybe we need to educate a new generation and hope that they will continue the discussion. Well, that's my blather on the subject of church buildings.
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3 comments:
there is a huge elaborate church right off the highway in little rock. they then built a larger, more elaborate church right next store. I feel disgusted everytime I drive by. But is it that they went all out when the other churches didn't, or did they just have more money and the rest of us in % spend the same?
Don't know the answers to your questions, Trey. I remember seeing the Chrystal Cathedral in the LA area back in the 80s. It was a multi-million dollar structure. The minister was Robert Schuller, the possibility thinker. I remember thinking, "Now that is extravagant!" I guess there is always a thin line between extravagant and necessary.
I felt the same way by that building, Trey. I know they probably put that huge sign under the "evangelism" category in their budget as it advertises their activities, but still ... yuck.
This is so interesting ... I have had this very issue on my brain a lot lately. We just had a congregational meeting; we're building a new $130,000 parking lot (which we've been saving up for), we're getting new AV equipment, ... and then the buildings & grounds guy gets up & shows us pictures of areas of the building that are falling apart ... and I wonder, "why are we spending so much money on a parking lot & AV equipment?" For the record, I feel I have gotten satisfactory response from the elders in regards to my concerns, but I still have been thinking about it a lot lately. I don't know that I would prefer meeting in houses, but sometimes I wonder ...
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