Articles
Buildings
“For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building.” - 1 Corinthians 3:9
I have assembled and worked with congregations that had small simple buildings, rundown buildings, 150 year old buildings, brand new buildings, rented rooms, and no buildings. I have taught in a tent and in a living room in under a tree.
Over the years I have heard many comments about the meeting locations. When upon hearing that a congregation rents, they might make a statement or pity or they might expect that the congregation is brand new. When entering a nicely built building, I have heard many exclaim how beautiful and nice the building its. When talking to fellow ministers or congregations that might be looking to hire someone, they often list the building as a big part of the work. Some have stated that renovating or expanding a structure is the first part of evangelism.
Yet in scripture one of the last things that is discussed is the structure of the meeting place. No beauty or lack thereof is every mentioned concerning a meeting place. A building is never mentioned as a necessity or an asset of any New Testament church. Renovating or building is not talked about at all in terms of evangelism. Christ, his word, his strength, his opening or a door of opportunity, his headship, his people, his love, and his zeal are all emphasized but the building is not. We are God’s building.
