I have often heard preachers say that according to the Bible "the Church is people, not buildings." Of course such a statement is perfectly true and accurate. The Church according to the New Testament is people. The word translated as "church" (ekklesia) in English bibles really means a "gathering" or "assembly" [of people]. It was applied by New Testament writers to the gathering or assembly of Christians as God's "saints" or "holy people". For this reason, William Tyndale, when he first translated the New Testament into English used the word "congregation" to accurately translate ekklesia.
However, when it came to the translation of the King James Bible in 1611, the King insisted that the word "church" be used rather than congregation or assembly because he was keen to emphasise the powerful institution of which he saw himself as the head on earth, and the tradition of using "church" in English bibles has continued to the present day.
In New Testament times there were no "church buildings". Churches met mainly in people's homes or perhaps sometimes in the open air. And so preachers are correct to point out to us modern Christians, who have grown up with at least 1500 years of a culture in which "church" has come to mean the building where a congregation gathers to worship God as well as serve other people, that when we read "church" in the Bible, we should be thinking of a "congregation" or "assembly" meaning a gathering of God's people and certainly not buildings or even institutions in the modern sense.
Thus far so good. But where problems can arise is in the implications that preachers then want to draw out from the truth. Most preachers I would say simply want to remind us that people are more important than bricks and mortar and that is fine. Who could object to that? However, some people seem to suggest that because the church is people not buildings then somehow buildings do not matter. That implication is not true. Even worse, is where we go a step further and the undertone is that if we are at all interested in our buildings we are somehow less spiritual than those who seem to have no attachment whatsoever to their place of worship. I think that view is open to serious criticism because it is inherently judgemental of others, prideful of self, and can be spiritually manipulative.
Let me clear: I agree that the Church is people and people are more important than buildings. Always. But a congregation having a church building is a good thing and is extremely useful to the work of the congregation and I will go into a few particulars as to why this is. As so often in life, if a good thing is misused, the answer is not to reject the good thing entirely, but to reform its use so that also becomes good.
Here are five reasons why it matters that a congregation has a good and useful building to call home and operate from.
1. Because we are physical beings and places matter. God has made us a unity of body and spirit and so, to put it plainly, spaces matter. We are not incorporeal spirits. We are, literally, "of the earth" (which is what Adam means in Hebrew by the way). We are grounded in physical surroundings. And so the place we inhabit, individually and corporately as a congregation is important. Now it is true that we can gather anywhere to worship God. We can gather in a school hall, in a living room, in an open field and we will still be the church. But that does not mean that it is not better to have a dedicated building for worship, teaching, outreach and service. The analogy I would make is eating a meal. I can perfectly well eat lunch at my desk at work, grab a sandwich and eat on the train, even eat a cold tin of beans sitting in the rain at a campsite. These are all ways that validly constitute eating a meal. But that is not to say that eating a meal in a lovely bistro or at my own dining table at home is not better or preferable. So the first reason why church buildings matter is because they create (or should create) a warm, comfortable, suitable place to conduct the church's activities in a better way than other ad hoc alternatives.
2. Because a church building is more conducive to worship. A building that is designed for the purpose for which it is used is much more likely to meet those needs than a building which is not. The fact that most church buildings are designed for the worship of God and for the church's other activities almost always makes them more useful than a generic, utilitarian hall. The advantages in having a church building in this regard are many. They include acoustics designed to enhance the experience of congregational singing, decor and artwork which helps create an atmosphere conducive to worship and makes use of Christian symbolism to emphasise that the building is there for Christian purposes, church furniture designed to enhance or aid the conduct of worship services, e.g. pulpit, communion table, baptismal font, etc. While I agree that none of these things are essential, this does not mean that they are useless. While it is true that a church can meet in a school hall or a disused cinema or any large room with seating, this does not mean that such places are as good as a dedicated church building.
3. Because a building is a landmark in a local area. Another advantage in having a recognised church building is that it forms a landmark for those in the local area outside of the church. A building is a physical reminder that the church is there for people in a much more tangible way than a fellowship that only meets in people's homes or in a hired hall once a week. Again, if the church has to operate in this way, there is no problem with that, but the question is whether it is not preferable and beneficial to have a dedicated building. The answer to that is very obviously, "yes." It is all too easy for a church without a building to "disappear" from the awareness of outsiders. "Where exactly does that group meet? And when? I'm not sure." It is hard enough to get outsiders to come to events without it being unclear exactly where and when meetings are held. Having a building grounds the church in a community and makes a statement that the congregation is committed to that area.
4. Because they allow a church to conduct a full range of activities. One of the most significant advantages in having a church building is that the congregation is able to decide for itself what events and meetings to hold without having to consult with anyone else. For a church using a hired hall, this is not the case. Such a church may be very restricted in what activities it can put on or host during a typical week. But a fellowship with its own building is free to have as many services, bible study groups, prayer meetings, social events, or any other meeting they feel would be beneficial.
5. Because we should not despise the good gifts God has given us. My final point is not so much regarding the usefulness of having a church building, but rather to point out the fact that every congregation with a building should see it as a good gift given to it by the Lord. As such the correct attitude is one of thankfulness and determination to be good stewards of a crucial resource, not despising the gift, or thinking it a matter of indifference whether a congregation has a place to call its own or not.
In closing, I would say the relationship between a congregation and its building is very similar to that of a family and its home. It is very true that the family is not the house where they live, and the family is infinitely more important than their house. It is also true that the family exists whether or not it even has a house. A homeless family is still a family. But it is not at all true to say that having a house is of no consequence to the family at all. Such a statement would be absurd. Almost everything that family life consists of is helped, accommodated and facilitated by having a home. A homeless family is not, all other things being equal, in as happy a position as a family that has a home to live in. I don't think the situation is all that different for God's family.
So, let us be thankful for the buildings God has given us; let us look after them and appreciate them; and let us use them for the work and witness of the church, to his glory.
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