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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Church Building or Not | Bible general Archive 1 | shortstop45us | 60102 | ||
The church I attend does not have a permanent church building..We meet in a High School...They have been meeting there for over 5 years..I feel its time to build a church facility and quit wasting money on renting facilities...I do not find much enthusiasm for building in our congregation...What are your feelings on the need for a church building and do you feel its time to move on to a church with a building rather than stay and cause discontent in my present church?....Thx | ||||||
2 | Church Building or Not | Bible general Archive 1 | prayon | 60103 | ||
Greetings, I have been to many churches that do not have a "permanent home". One instance comes to mind when the pastor wanted so badly to have a permanent home that he went ahead and put a down payment on a building. However, it wasn't Gods time and he found out that there were zoning laws and he could not move in there. I am not sure if he was able to get the money back or not. He learned a hard lesson in not trusting God and striking out on what self wanted. To this day that church still meets in a storefront. I don't believe that it truly matters to God where you praise Him as long as the church is a church based on the word and that church worships God and puts Him above all else. If your church is a church that is based on the word of God then I am sure that God will lay it on your pastor's heart when the time comes to building a church and your pastor will obey God. Also, I sincerely believe that God will not only lay it on your pastor's heart but also on other members of the church. You, yourself state that you do not find much enthusiasm for building. That tells me that the time has not come for that move. Whether to move to another church or not is a question that only prayer from you to God will answer. I don't believe that the building is a good reason to find another church, but maybe there are other issues that come into play here as well. As I said before it is not the building that is important. I say this with love; maybe God is using the building to teach you something. Ask Him. It is possible that God is letting you go through this time of questions and frustration to help you to stand firmer in adversity. Or maybe to help you to become more humnble in dealing with the leaders of the church, a difficult lesson and one that I had to go through. Or maybe He is trying to make your trust in and reliance on Him stronger. There could be many different things. Remember He is constantly putting us through trials and tribulations to make us stronger and to prepare us for His plans for us in the future. This situation could be one of your trials. Hope this help, prayon |
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3 | Church Building or Not | Bible general Archive 1 | shortstop45us | 60113 | ||
What about these concerns....Just the church building alone is a witness to the community. It lets people know that Christianity is still alive. What about the issue of stewardship: don't you think renting facitlities is just like throwing money down the drain, a poor use of the money God has blessed us with...The school we meet in only allows us limited access for church and 1 room for sunday school...We have to rent another building for a church office and yet another building for youth meetings...When we want to get together as a congregation we have to rent yet another facitlity...I realize you can worship God anywhere but I am struggling with the fact that a church would go so long without really pursuing a permanent house of worship....To be honest with you what about marraiges, funerals, baptisms...without a church building another place has to be found for these activities also...Plus it seems that as I read the Bible so many many references are made to the temple or the house of God or My Fathers house etc...It just seems to me to be the right thing to do...to build a structure dedicated to God and to worship him in...But again I do not want to be devisive in this congregation..I love the people too much...Thx again for listening.... | ||||||
4 | Church Building or Not | Bible general Archive 1 | Hank | 60123 | ||
"A building does not a church make." That's an immortal quote from my great grandfather George, the one whose most notable saying is, "Wet birds seldom fly at night." :-) ... But I really do lean toward the views prayon has expressed. And would add two other observations. [1] I've traveled rather extensively and have seen in America as well as Europe ornate cathedrals, plush and masterful handworks of the designers' art -- and vast, able to accomodate hundreds or even thousands, yet they were many of them virtually a hollow hall. Capable of being the church home of the many, they were home but to the faithful few. So it obviously takes a great deal more than bricks and mortar in order to establish and maintain a living, vibrant church. And [2) our Lord and His disciples got things going rather nicely without benefit of much else than a borrowed synagogue on occasion or a friend's house or a meadow on a hillside. Paul took the "church" with him to Mars Hill or to a dank jail cell. In deference to what you have stated about the building itself being a witness to the community, perhaps in some sense it is. But I submit that the witness of one Christian to one sinner speaks louder and clearer and nearer to the commission Christ gave us than the pealing of any church bell no matter how dulcent nor how pure the tone. --Hank | ||||||