Many of our church buildings, particularly Anglican ones, are architecturally impressive and historically significant. Apart from bringing in the tourists, those interested in genealogy and housing the congregations, it is important to ascertain as to the exact purpose of these buildings and those belonging to other congregations.
Although much has been made about the sanctity of the places of worship, it is important to note that the buildings are not the church, it is the people. There is a children’s action games which ends ‘here’s the church and here’s the people’ – an idea that is out of kilter with God’s perspective.
The buildings are not in themselves sacred. In a firing of bricks, there will be a batch that will be allocated to a church building site, whilst others in the same firing may go to building pubs, mosques, etc. (Some will recognise this idea as an extension of the picture given by Isaiah.)
Indeed, the perceived sanctity of the building can be a form of idolatry where the place can be placed higher than the purpose of God, including His commission to reach out to other people. Our frontiers should be breached so that our buildings should welcome people so that they too experience the love of God, however much those activities may be unfamiliar or uncomfortable to us. (It does not mean that we become willing doormats so that the places of worship become venues for all and sundry, so we need the discernment of the Lord as to what goes on in the buildings.)
They are useful for baptisms and marriages, together with any other occasions within the life of the church, together with the opportunities to meet as a local fellowship. However, the latter function can be undertaken in any building.
The church buildings are just like any other building. The bricks and the other materials that are involved in the construction will also be burned up with the other elements at the end of time (2 Peter 3: 10).
In the United Kingdom, we can get so used that congregations meet in buildings (with the exception of newer church fellowships who may meet in schools, theatres, etc.). We need to remember that many Christians, so as those who are persecuted, may not have the luxury of such accommodation.
It is true that there is no place where God is to be especially found. When the Samaritan woman spoke to Jesus about places to worship God, Jesus replied that people ‘will worship the Father in spirit and truth’ (John 4: 23).
There is the emphasis in the Bible that God is not restricted to buildings. Even at the dedication of the Temple in the Old Testament, Solomon prayed ‘The heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain you. How much less this temple that I have built!’ (2 Chronicles 6: 18) An example was that, when the prophet Jonah was sent to preach the good news to the people of Nineveh, it was not that they would travel to Jerusalem to worship their Saviour. Stephen reminded his fellow countrymen that ‘the Most High does not live in houses made by men’ (Acts 7: 48). In the same light, Paul informed the Athenians that ‘The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and does not live in temples built by hands’ (Acts 17: 24).
Indeed, we are told by Scripture that conversely to buildings containing God, it is in the hearts of those who love Him (1 Corinthians 3: 16 – 17, 1 Corinthians 6:19 – 20, 2 Corinthians 6: 16 - 17).
If we look to the Jewish heritage in the Temple in Jerusalem, we can observe that there was the Court of the Gentiles, where people from outside the chosen people could attend the services. Incidentally, when Jesus condemned the money changers who were trading this particular court (Matthew 21: 12 13), He was not condemning their trading but in their racketeering.
After the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus, the Early Church would utilise the Temple precincts for their own services (even using the Jewish purification baths for their own baptisms of converts) before going to meet in the houses of believers. At all these venues, Christians were encouraged to be part of and be involved with those who lived around them.
In more modern times, in the Middle Ages, the impact of the interaction with the community can be observed particularly in the English parish churches. It was not unusual for the events of the locality to be held in the body of the building, which is why the choir was separated so that the monks and nuns could continue with their worship as the market stalls were frequented on the other side of the screen. The reason why there are rails around altars in Anglican churches was originally to prevent the animals from getting close to the bread and wine.
We need to remember that the Church is a movement and not a monument. We should acknowledge the people of God who have gone before us and to build upon their heritage. However, that does not mean that we should treat the buildings they left behind as sacrosanct. There is the warning that church buildings can inhibit growth if we cannot accept that they can be adapted and can be used to reach out to our communities.
Although much has been made about the sanctity of the places of worship, it is important to note that the buildings are not the church, it is the people. There is a children’s action games which ends ‘here’s the church and here’s the people’ – an idea that is out of kilter with God’s perspective.
The buildings are not in themselves sacred. In a firing of bricks, there will be a batch that will be allocated to a church building site, whilst others in the same firing may go to building pubs, mosques, etc. (Some will recognise this idea as an extension of the picture given by Isaiah.)
Indeed, the perceived sanctity of the building can be a form of idolatry where the place can be placed higher than the purpose of God, including His commission to reach out to other people. Our frontiers should be breached so that our buildings should welcome people so that they too experience the love of God, however much those activities may be unfamiliar or uncomfortable to us. (It does not mean that we become willing doormats so that the places of worship become venues for all and sundry, so we need the discernment of the Lord as to what goes on in the buildings.)
They are useful for baptisms and marriages, together with any other occasions within the life of the church, together with the opportunities to meet as a local fellowship. However, the latter function can be undertaken in any building.
The church buildings are just like any other building. The bricks and the other materials that are involved in the construction will also be burned up with the other elements at the end of time (2 Peter 3: 10).
In the United Kingdom, we can get so used that congregations meet in buildings (with the exception of newer church fellowships who may meet in schools, theatres, etc.). We need to remember that many Christians, so as those who are persecuted, may not have the luxury of such accommodation.
It is true that there is no place where God is to be especially found. When the Samaritan woman spoke to Jesus about places to worship God, Jesus replied that people ‘will worship the Father in spirit and truth’ (John 4: 23).
There is the emphasis in the Bible that God is not restricted to buildings. Even at the dedication of the Temple in the Old Testament, Solomon prayed ‘The heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain you. How much less this temple that I have built!’ (2 Chronicles 6: 18) An example was that, when the prophet Jonah was sent to preach the good news to the people of Nineveh, it was not that they would travel to Jerusalem to worship their Saviour. Stephen reminded his fellow countrymen that ‘the Most High does not live in houses made by men’ (Acts 7: 48). In the same light, Paul informed the Athenians that ‘The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and does not live in temples built by hands’ (Acts 17: 24).
Indeed, we are told by Scripture that conversely to buildings containing God, it is in the hearts of those who love Him (1 Corinthians 3: 16 – 17, 1 Corinthians 6:19 – 20, 2 Corinthians 6: 16 - 17).
If we look to the Jewish heritage in the Temple in Jerusalem, we can observe that there was the Court of the Gentiles, where people from outside the chosen people could attend the services. Incidentally, when Jesus condemned the money changers who were trading this particular court (Matthew 21: 12 13), He was not condemning their trading but in their racketeering.
After the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus, the Early Church would utilise the Temple precincts for their own services (even using the Jewish purification baths for their own baptisms of converts) before going to meet in the houses of believers. At all these venues, Christians were encouraged to be part of and be involved with those who lived around them.
In more modern times, in the Middle Ages, the impact of the interaction with the community can be observed particularly in the English parish churches. It was not unusual for the events of the locality to be held in the body of the building, which is why the choir was separated so that the monks and nuns could continue with their worship as the market stalls were frequented on the other side of the screen. The reason why there are rails around altars in Anglican churches was originally to prevent the animals from getting close to the bread and wine.
We need to remember that the Church is a movement and not a monument. We should acknowledge the people of God who have gone before us and to build upon their heritage. However, that does not mean that we should treat the buildings they left behind as sacrosanct. There is the warning that church buildings can inhibit growth if we cannot accept that they can be adapted and can be used to reach out to our communities.
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