As we continue to probe the question, “Who in the world are the church of Christ?,” you might think it would be obvious, and it is ... if we read our Bibles.
The question is not about a church building. I have been in many spectacular church buildings in several countries. The architecture, the paintings, the carved works, the furniture, etc., are all very beautiful and impressive to the eyes of onlookers. While these serve to give glory to the men who created and purchased them, the church of which we speak — the new creation of God — serves to give glory only to God and that is not accomplished by mere bricks and mortar, gold and silver, no matter how much or how extravagant.
The most impressive church building in which I have ever been was on top of a mountain somewhere outside of Port Antonio, Jamaica. It was a little bamboo hut. It had a window — actually, just an opening with no glass, on either side of it. There was a doorway, but no door that I recall. Inside were several crudely made benches on a hard dirt floor. A cardboard box of some sort with a hand-worked cloth draped over it served as a stand on which were placed the emblems of the Lord’s supper. No great statues, no beautiful paintings, no expensive carpet or light fixtures, no spectacular architecture. Just a simple place for worshipers of God to join together and praise God, exhort one another, and provoke one another unto love and good works.
Think of all the multi billions of dollars that have been spent over the centuries on church buildings that might have been used, rather, to accomplish God’s purpose in this world. God wants men to come to repentance—not to fancy church buildings. How can we look at ourselves in the mirror when hunger and poverty ravage the world while we spend 10 million dollars on a church building? Does that picture represent God? Is God not compassionate? Is He not full of mercy and grace? Where is the compassion and grace in what we call church? The Scriptures teach that God’s glory is seen in the spiritual stones of living souls that are brought to Him and brought to life by the message of the gospel. Those “living stones” (1Peter 2:5) are transformed by the power of God to “prove what is the good, acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:2). God’s church (people) need to seriously think about why we are here? While church buildings might be a necessary convenience, the church of Christ is so much more than a building. Come back next week as we continue to see just how much more.
Mike Underwood Pulpit Minister of Blue Ridge Church of Christ
The question is not about a church building. I have been in many spectacular church buildings in several countries. The architecture, the paintings, the carved works, the furniture, etc., are all very beautiful and impressive to the eyes of onlookers. While these serve to give glory to the men who created and purchased them, the church of which we speak — the new creation of God — serves to give glory only to God and that is not accomplished by mere bricks and mortar, gold and silver, no matter how much or how extravagant.
The most impressive church building in which I have ever been was on top of a mountain somewhere outside of Port Antonio, Jamaica. It was a little bamboo hut. It had a window — actually, just an opening with no glass, on either side of it. There was a doorway, but no door that I recall. Inside were several crudely made benches on a hard dirt floor. A cardboard box of some sort with a hand-worked cloth draped over it served as a stand on which were placed the emblems of the Lord’s supper. No great statues, no beautiful paintings, no expensive carpet or light fixtures, no spectacular architecture. Just a simple place for worshipers of God to join together and praise God, exhort one another, and provoke one another unto love and good works.
Think of all the multi billions of dollars that have been spent over the centuries on church buildings that might have been used, rather, to accomplish God’s purpose in this world. God wants men to come to repentance—not to fancy church buildings. How can we look at ourselves in the mirror when hunger and poverty ravage the world while we spend 10 million dollars on a church building? Does that picture represent God? Is God not compassionate? Is He not full of mercy and grace? Where is the compassion and grace in what we call church? The Scriptures teach that God’s glory is seen in the spiritual stones of living souls that are brought to Him and brought to life by the message of the gospel. Those “living stones” (1Peter 2:5) are transformed by the power of God to “prove what is the good, acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:2). God’s church (people) need to seriously think about why we are here? While church buildings might be a necessary convenience, the church of Christ is so much more than a building. Come back next week as we continue to see just how much more.
Mike Underwood Pulpit Minister of Blue Ridge Church of Christ
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