Church buildings

This man is giving voice to so many of my inner thoughts.
Here are some snippets from: Does your church really need a bigger building?

At Saddleback, we’re beginning to use the Internet as a tool to develop, grow and sustain our congregation. Of course, the Internet will never replace face-to-face fellowship, but it is a serious mistake to think that everything the church does – worship, discipleship, ministry, evangelism and fellowship – must be done within the four walls of a church building.

In fact, I’m convinced that church buildings are a major barrier to exponential growth and that massive building programs are often a waste of money.

Hallelujah! I coudn’t agree more!!!

History has proven over and over that future generations never fill the cavernous temples of previous generations. For instance, every time Spurgeon’s Tabernacle was rebuilt (three times) it was downsized. The list of empty great cathedrals would be quite long.

God wants to do something new in each generation. He blesses anointed people, not buildings.

We also need to remember that the period of fastest growth for Christianity was during the first 300 years – when there were no church buildings at all. And today most of the rapidly exploding church-planting movements around the world are multiplying without having physical church buildings.

Yes!

I’d rather have a building of 200 and fill it with five services than have a 1,000-seat auditorium that is filled only once a week and then left empty the rest of the week.

If you must build, I urge you to at least consider making it a multi-purpose facility. That is much better stewardship of resources.

I watched so many pastors and their styles – each one has pro’s and con’s. All the things I struggle with about a walled “church”, all the worries and concerns about the people not actually being helped and the excitement about the possibility of God actually showing up – Rick is covering most of them (although not the “God showing up” one yet) and saying “it’s ok, dive in anyway” and do you know what? I might just do that.