Bonnie at Intellectuelle asks an interesting question: where does church building maintenance and expansion fit into community stewardship? What does the state, size, and design of your church building communicate—and is that important? Obviously, church construction is a ministry in so far as it provides a place for Christians to gather and worship as a community. But does a church building have ministry or outreach value beyond its service to the congregation?
What does your church look like? How much, if at all, do you notice or think about it?
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October 12, 2006 at 11:55
I think I agree with the commenters and is summed up in what the current last commenter had to say, “Bonnie,
Loads to think about there! I think that as with many things there is a balance to be struck.
I don’t think we ought to be aiming for grand or ostentatious buildings, but it can reflect badly on the message if the builidng is cold, smells musty and looks generally uncared for.
It might give the impression that you don’t care much for the people who sit in the pews week by week, or for the community in which the building situated.”
My thoughts are that if you have the money to continue financing both outreach into the community and the upkeep of the building then you should be keeping it nice. If you don’t have said money then outreach should come first.
The church is the people – not the building.
October 18, 2006 at 22:25
Thanks for the link, Andy. Chris, appreciate your comment.