Are Church Buildings Really Necessary?

This is not my work, but noteworthy enough to repost. The link to the original post is at the bottom. - Lonnie


Are Church Buildings Necessary? 
by Loren Seibold

I have a congregation that is reduced to just a handful of active members, none of them young. They’re housed in a broken-down, maintenance-long-deferred church over a hundred years old. Bricks are falling off, a whole section of the building is separating so that squirrels and raccoons squeeze in, the stained-glass windows are falling out, we have damage from termites and black mold, and leaking roofs have left rusty spots on the old tin ceilings. It stinks - literally.

They know they can’t continue on there, although thus far, we’ve not been successful in finding a buyer. But if we do sell it, what then?

There is almost a desperation in the congregation not to be without a building of their own. I’ve suggested house church, and renting a room from another church or organization. But even with such a weak congregation, having their own building seems to be their absolute minimum requirement. They’d rather continue in that horrible building, with two short pews occupied on the best Sabbath, than not have a building of their own. One of our church members discovered a little church building far, far out in the country - something that’s been for sale for a long time, for the good reason that a congregation can’t survive there - and they’ve decided to spend their capital there (provided they’re able to sell) rather than be without a church home for even a short period of time.

I’ve pastored in every sort of church building, from the embarrassingly horrible to the brand-new multi-million-dollar envy-of-the-community building. In most of them I believe we’ve spent more board meeting time talking about church buildings and the money to buy and keep them up than we have talking about ministry. Large or small, buildings dominate church life. Planning, constructing and paying for a 6 million dollar church took countless hours of planning and work. On the other hand, we recently had a lengthy discussion in one church board about fixing the flush handle on the men's urinal, to which an elder responded with a lecture on how it uses too much water anyway, and that he had placed a styrofoam cup next to the sink for men to pour a bit of water into the urinal after each use. And, he scolded, whoever's doing it, quit throwing away the cup!

That’s an hour of my life I’ll never get back.

It’s in those moments that I realize how easily we forget about the world “out there”. We exist for our building, not for our ministry. We say we'd like other people to join us in to our building. Yet the church isn’t designed to be especially hospitable for new people - like, what if they don’t know the correct usage of the urinal cup?

I confess, after all these years of being a pastor, I have become heartily sick of spending so much time and money on church buildings, building new ones or maintaining old ones. These are structures we use only a few hours in a week. Congregations seem to define themselves by their building, not by their people. Take away the building, and who are we? Even start-up congregations that begin in rented spaces dream of having their own building. Yet I think it could be argued that buildings encourage our tendency to be a private club. They create a territory that’s hard for strangers to enter. They gather us together rather than pushing us out in the world where we should be.

How important are church buildings to the work of Jesus? Vital, or a necessary evil? I don't know the answer, but I'd welcome some discussion.

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How to Make a Disciple

We are among the Eleven. Jesus has just returned to heaven and left us with the command, "Go make disciples of all nations." We know we need to baptize the new disciples. We know we need to teach them the things Jesus taught us. But how? What is the best way? It seems those first disciples never got the Disciple Making 101 class. But maybe they did. . .

There are few explicit instructions in disciple making in the Gospels, other than Jesus last words. Yet, each of those first disciples, became a disciple. Perhaps the process of becoming a disciple was more powerful instruction than any class. Perhaps that process is where we need to look.

Jesus chose twelve men to start His church. Why not a hundred? Wouldn't the church have been stronger if there were a hundred? More people to spread the Good News . . . I think the answer has to do with relationships.

If you and I are in a room together, there is just one relationship in the room. The one between you and me.

If our friend Bob walks in, suddenly there is three relationships, because Bob adds a relationship to everyone already in the room.

Now Suzy walks in and brings the number of relationships to six, by adding three (one for each person in the room).

If fact, you can figure out the number of relationships in any room by multiplying the number of people in the room by one less than the number of people in the room and divide by two. "(N*(N-1)) / 2= relationships."

Jesus disciple making group had thirteen - twelve disciples and Himself. This means there were 78 relationships (13*12/2). Just adding five people to this group would create a group with 153 relationships, which is almost double. A group of a hundred (my idea for a good number of disciples) would have 4,950 relationships.

Maybe you've been in a room with a group, a few more people walk in and suddenly it feel more lively.

The size of the group matters. Jesus knew this. The church was stronger because He had twelve disciples. It would have been weaker if He had had a hundred.

I was recently part of a church organized around the idea of smaller groups (SimpleChurchAtHome.com). For two years we met together. At first there were seven, then a few more until we had 14-16, sometimes over twenty.

A couple things happened I haven't seen in larger gatherings. People felt comfortable coming as they were. People who would never feel comfortable in a church building came and enjoyed it. Second, people got to know each other better. Rather than coming to hear a sermon we came to share life. It was natural, organic, and good.

Not every church has to be organized like this. But let's not overlook the fact that Jesus made disciples in a small group. Perhaps His example is as instructive as His words.

From the Foundation Up

It is of interest that Jesus doesn't give more instruction for how His church should be organized. There is some instruction in the letters of Paul, which are guided by the Holy Spirit (and we will look at in time). But in the Gospels themselves, we get little direction on how to make a church.

As we follow the narrative, it seems Jesus will end His ministry without giving definite instruction. Then, just at the end, while the Eleven meet with Him on the mountain, it happens.

Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:18-20)

Jesus claims supreme authority in the universe, and because He has the authority, He commands the Eleven to "Go and make disciples of all nations." Notice this is the command. It's not to baptize, although that's part of making a disciple. It's also not to teach, although that too is part of making a disciple. The supreme command from the Creator and Commander of the universe is simply, "Go and make disciples of all nations."

At first glance it may seem this doesn't add a lot to how a church should be organized. However, on closer inspection it helps us much. It becomes the litmus test, or filter by which we have to judge everything we do in a church. Each time we think about church, we can ask, "Is this the best way to make disciples?" If we only ask "Is this about making disciples?" without thinking about the "best way", we will find ourselves excusing a lot of church activity we like as disciple making. Church can become more about us, than about the future disciples, unless we keep asking, "Is this the best way to make disciples?"


In preparation for next week, let's forget church as we know it. Imagine there is no church. You and I are among the disciples gathered with Jesus and hear this command. What do we do? Where do we start? What is the best way to make a disciple?

The Reason for This Blog

Greetings,

Thank you for taking a few minutes to read my blog. The reason I'm starting it is to create a place to think about and discuss church structure. This topic may not be the most exciting to everyone, but it is to me.

In 1993, when I was eighteen, I had an experience that changed how I thought about church and God. I sold  devotional books door to door in a summer program called Seattle Youth Challenge. That summer God became real. Even though I had known Him before, actively sharing my faith changed who I was and my picture of who God is.

I decided to go into full time ministry as a pastor, because I wanted to devote my life to sharing the Good News that our Creator loves us enough to provide healing for this disease of sin we all have.

I studied, got the degree, got the job. It was a good experience. I don't regret it. However, in the twelve years I was in paid ministry, much of the time I found myself taking care of the needs of those who were part of the church, who already knew Jesus, rather than devoting my life to sharing the Good News with those who don't have a saving relationship with Jesus..

As I read, and studied, and prayed, I began to realize the way we "do church" may affect how effective we are at reaching the lost and misguided.

So the reason for this blog. I'd like to hear your comments as we go along. My goal is to post once a week, but no promises.

Thankful to Him,
Lonnie