Should churches be preoccupied with buildings?
by IAN GREIG
Medieval thought saw a church building as a holiness enclave apart from a violent world but Jesus’ command to go and make disciples calls His followers to immerse themselves in society and transform it.
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For three centuries, the church spread like wildfire without a single dedicated building. Then, Christianity became the religion of the Roman Empire, requiring the former pagan temples to accommodate a surge of coerced worshippers. In a trice, Christian faith transitioned from a movement to a religion, something to be observed in a building, rather than shared through relationships in homes.
This brought an entirely new phenomenon — nominal believers. Unregenerate, they were unable to do more than be spectators of a form of worship that rapidly became ritualised. It even took over the familiar feast-day processions of robed magistrates in pagan temples, which became processions of robed clergy and acolytes.
An awful lot of what we consider traditional and holy is actually a denial of Jesus’ teaching. Remember how He said that the ones seeing themselves as ‘first’ would be counted last in His kingdom?
So, should a church have a building today? It’s certainly possible without, as church plants and new churches demonstrate all over the world — but hard work. Having done my share of getting to a school hall venue early on a Sunday morning to set out hundreds of chairs, a sound system and a hospitality area, I know what an army of dedicated people are needed for these unfulfilling tasks.
Medieval England saw church buildings as a statement at the centre of the community, an oasis of calm and holiness standing against the violence and corruption and inequalities of everyday life. Recent wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and now Gaza have exposed something of that medieval flavour that persists today.
The question is, should Christians and Christian communities be insulated, an architectural ’setting apart’ in distinct buildings? Or do we heed Jesus’ words of commission to go and make disciples among every kind of tribe and people?
That calls Christians to immerse themselves in the world around them and praise God for His merciful love of all people — even if the school or community hall booking has been cancelled again this week!
