The church pictured to the right here, Community Christian Church (CCC) in Illinois, is actually quite good. I worshiped there for a while about seven years ago, and have some fond memories of the place. It just happens to look like a giant yellow box, which is what they affectionately call it.
Recently, the Aesthetic Elevator wrote about the effect that our surroundings have on us when we worship. I point CCC out because as church buildings go, this one is rather utilitarian.
“What if there’s something to people’s expressed (or unexpressed) distaste for certain aspects of a church service or building?”What if such complaints are an affirmation of the importance of beauty, of aesthetics?
Generally speaking, I don’t condone church-hopping on account of ugly carpet or even redundant praise and worship music (a pet peeve of mine)...But the fact is that our environment does influence us and music is an enigmatically powerful art. The fact also remains that different people will always own different aesthetics, and attempting to satisfy all at the same time is unrealistic.
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I’ve quoted Architect Daniel Lee before, and I’ll do it again here:“It is possible to worship God in a gymnasium or lecture hall, because if people are truly seeking him, God will meet them there. But to worship in such architecture is to suggest that our purpose is either recreational or cerebral. We should build spaces crafted specially for a human-divine encounter with God.”
How much do the aesthetics of your surroundings contribute to your worship experience? Other thoughts?
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February 12, 2008 at 12:46
Having grown up Roman Catholic, I do miss the reverence of a quiet sanctuary. Our church is also a Christian school, so our sanctuary is also the gym, auditorium, and where we host large dinners. One the one hand, I think it’s wonderful that the space is truly used, but I notice that we (congregation, students, etc.) tend to take it more for granted as a consequence.
There is nothing artistic inside, because it could be broken by basketballs. The walls are carpeted to protect the children, cut down on noise, and prevent wall damage. We stack and move chairs multiple times each week, which increases the wear and tear on the chairs, our men, and the carpet (industrial grade blue with basketball lines on it). It’s a utilitarian space.
Yet, the Holy Spirit moves among our congregation. People are saved and baptized. So while I think there is a loss of reverence, I don’t think it keeps God from working.
February 12, 2008 at 12:46
Our surroundings absolutely contribute to our worship experience – either as an asset or an obstacle. But a space “crafted specially for a human-devine encounter” can only draws on memory and experience. How else can such a wide range of buildings (and non-buildings) be considered “spiritual” spaces? Why else can spaces that traditional churchers think of as ideal spiritual spaces conjure up so much bad stuff for the folks outside the door? I think a more important question is the one that follows: “How might we use the space we have to plant in its occupants the expectation that God can be encountered here?”
February 12, 2008 at 13:30
I believe God is everywhere – regardless of what the building looks like.
But… I have seen some churches that seem to proclaim “Look at how much money we spent” rather than “How great is our God.”
We need to show Him, rather than us.
February 12, 2008 at 15:11
Architect Daniyel Lee’s comments sound wise and reasonable, but I think this represents old religious thinking. This kind of thinking has given us a continent of beautiful European Gothic churches that are empty every sunday. It is a misunderstanding of theology. We don’t go to “the House of God” on Sunday to meet with God. We ARE now the house of God.That’s because He has poured out His spirit upon all flesh. Jesus declared to the Samaritan woman, “Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem….Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks”
When Lee says, We should build spaces crafted specially for a human-divine encounter with God, it makes me think of Peter’s comment at the transfiguration about wanting to build a tabernacle. In fact if we really want to build spaces crafted especially for human-divine encounters, we should think about our houses. He says, “wherever two or three are gathered, there am I in your midst”. Some of the very best times of worship I have had are in a converted shopping mall being used for a church.
February 12, 2008 at 15:24
I wonder if this question would ever arise in third world churches, where there isn’t much of an option as to where to meet. There are many churches in Africa where they are content with a mere roof over their heads. A budget hardly exists, and so questions about the building are not an issue. To me, questions about worship building aesthetics is unique to churches in the developed regions of the world.
February 13, 2008 at 11:04
True, the style of building is less an issue in developing nations—but where ever humans have more than enough, beyond subsistence living, they want to express their esthetic creativity in their worship space. It touches the worshipper on physical level when the worship space physically and visually reminds him of God’s greatness and awesome glory. After all, isn’t God the Architect of every living thing—and non-living structure —in the universe? If we can use music to praise Him, why not architecture?
February 13, 2008 at 18:27
I guess it’s all a matter of which model you subscribe to:
Gothic Cathedral Model
God: Worship Leader
Clergy & Choir: Worship Performers
Congregation: Worship Audience
Yellow Box Model
God: Worship Audience
Clergy & Choir: Worship Leaders
Congregation: Worship Performers
It’s fascinating to notice that the only major difference between a Norman Tithing Barn and a Norman Church in England is that the church has a steeple and movable chairs. “Plain Big Box” worship has a long history.
February 14, 2008 at 11:49
God’s Word challanges us to think outside any box that tries to limit our great God. As a devoted sold out daughter of God, and an avid scuba diver, I am never closer to Him than in those moments beneath the water in an environment that I do not belong and am reminded that both there and anywhere…HE is truly the “air I breathe”. Thus the devotion to seek Him for direction all these years in developing His ministry, on a global basis to the lost and suffering through DIVE DEEP WITH A HIGHER CALLING. Interested? Let me know, divedeepwithahighercalling@yahoo.com
February 15, 2008 at 12:55
Rick is right on in this one. We sometimes fall into the trap of being selfish and expecting something out of worship, instead of simply glorifying our great Lord. ASBO Jesus sums it up quite well in these cartoons: 1 & 2
February 17, 2008 at 16:42
“we should think about our houses”
I won’t disagree with this in the least.
“the trap of being selfish and expecting something out of worship”
The real trap to me in the context of this conversation (not to deny the ever present struggle all of us have with selfishness) seems to be the idea within Christendom that “worship” is something that only happens on Sunday morning. I know that church leaders commonly suggest that worship is much more than singing and listening to preaching on Sunday morning, but they persist in using the word to describe Sunday morning services instead of worship as a way of life.
February 17, 2008 at 21:30
It’s interesting how conditioned we humans are. Just like trained animals. Some people need certain types of man made edifices to get into worship. Others can do it in the middle of a paddock. Centuries of training have forced our minds into the Sunday box where, for some, this is the only place they feel comfortable. That’s ok I guess. But for me any place any time, in the car, the shower, at work, whatever, I’m already there with Him. Did you ever notice that when we praise God our eyes are often closed anyway, at least those of us who don’t have hymn books.
February 18, 2008 at 19:16
“But… I have seen some churches that seem to proclaim “Look at how much money we spent” rather than “How great is our God.” ”
I would accept this statement if we also consider that there are perhaps even more churches that proclaim “Look how much money we didn’t spend” denying the very God that employed immeasurable creativity in making the world around us.
Our God is Great! But how do we express that? Is it only in relationships, or words or in some form of spiritually (read-no physical manifestation)?
It seems to me the discussion here should not be centered around a “worship” space only, i.e. church, but around expressing the nature of God in every aspect of life, home, church, work, leisure, etc. It involves expanding our perceptions. And should not that expression of the nature of God include the physical as well? Drawing upon His creation? That is why, to me, the comment about our houses (“we should think about our houses”) above hits the mark. If we are concerned about the “appearance” and associated “message” of our church facilities, do we apply the same criteria or critic to the places we work and especially to our homes. I am so thankful we can worship God anywhere and everywhere. That is very freeing. But at the same time, I live and work and go to church in specific spaces that embody form. Just like creation can direct and enhance my worship, so can the hand of God working through the creative efforts of others.
February 24, 2008 at 22:37
I was walking out of the Yellow Box last week and the thought occured to me. “I love this place” then I thought, “No, I love the people in this place”. I’m studying the part of Exodus where God’s temple is being built through a Beth Moore study. The place where the people went to worship back in the Old Testament was so important that God made very exact plans for his temple. I think I feel the presence of God both in the Yellow Box, the place, and through the people of the Yellow Box.
February 25, 2008 at 12:25
When I think of the “designed space” verses the “multi-use space”, I think back to the places Jesus taught. A rock, beside a well, someone’s house, etc. – all these places had multiple uses. It’s not to say that the designed place is a bad idea. I more want to put my support into a space that has multiple uses. God shows up no matter what. A previous comment reminded us of that (“Wherever two or three are gathered in My name….”).
So the multiuse site does not have grand stained glass, elegant carpeting, fine oak seats and such. God doesn’t care on the architecture. What is your heart in your place of worship? If your heart is right and true, then God is pleased whether you are standing next to a stained glass window with an image of St. Paul on it or a safety glass window with the dirt from a basketball on it.
February 28, 2008 at 17:09
I was talking about just this with my wife the other day. In Europe, there are churches that took literally over 100 years to construct. Can you imagine that? Craftsman and Artisans worked entire careers, or even lives, and didn’t get to see the finished product.
In that aspect, the fact that churches today in America are more utilitarian is a blessing. Churches today may not be as beautiful, and they use precast concrete construction etc. I don’t have a problem with it at all. They’re completed quickly, serve a purpose, and accomplish the mission of reaching the masses much sooner. All positives from my perspective.
In reality, its the church membership that accomplish the mission, the building is secondary.