or more correctly: Tear Down the Church building
If some foreign army or our own government tried to demolish our church buildings, many among us would valiantly oppose that effort – and rightly so. Our church buildings, with their steeple pointing to heaven and their doors open to all, are symbols of much of what is good and right in this world.
But did you ever think, that perhaps the best thing we could do for the church would be to tear down our buildings?
When the church first began on the Day of Pentecost in Jerusalem, it had no building. The members, many of whom were no longer welcome in their former synagogues, met to worship in houses or in public spaces. Unlike temple worship, there were very few “things” that were needed for worship under the new covenant. The Gospel was preached by the apostles or those trained by them, or read from the inspired letters. Prayer and praise could be done by anyone with a voice. Communion required only some unleavened bread and some grape juice. Baptism required only water. Members were motivated, and the church grew rapidly.
Nowhere in the New Testament is there a command or example of Christians meeting in a building designated for a church. They certainly may have, and the argument can be made that it is the most expedient thing to do. But church buildings can bring problems to the church, perhaps more than they solve.
First and foremost, buildings turn our attention away from going into the world to preach the gospel and toward going to church. Rather than sharing the gospel, we focus instead on things we can do to lure people to the church building and keep them coming. Jesus said that the fields were white unto harvest. He didn’t say we should make the barn comfortable for the workers and hang out a sign which says “All Crops Welcome.” Rather than Christianity becoming part of everything we do, it becomes easy to compartmentalize Christianity as something done “at church.”
A church building also allows us to start adding “things” to the assembly. The few simple things that are needed for worship are supplemented and added to extensively. Comfortable buildings and beautiful things are very pleasant, but they beg the question, how many who attend church in such surroundings would do so if they had to meet in secret, as some early Christians did and some Christians today must do?
How would church look without a building? It would certainly require a different mindset from what many people have today. Perhaps some of those who have been in the mission field would have the best insights into churches without buildings.
Church buildings raise the question of stewardship. Is the use of our resources to have a building the best way to carry out the great commission? In some instances the answer might be yes. In others, no. It is certainly a question that should be carefully and prayerfully considered.