Many of you know that my calling is to a very specific field of ministry in the church. I am a transitional pastor. I help congregations discover God’s call for their collective of Christ followers. I met Bruce Cormier and his wife Lesia at my last transition. Together we, the collective of Christ followers called Cornerstone Christian Fellowship – Mimico and myself, set out on what ended up being an 18 month journey to understand what God was saying about the future of our church. We had a building. We had a small in-person congregation of about 30 and a similar sized online group who, in their younger years had attended in person. It took me 18 months to get to this point and Bruce managed to say it in just over 1500 words!

This little church has close to doubled in size and continues to grow under their new permanent pastor. The biggest question we needed to answer was about the building the church owned. As you read this, maybe your church needs to ask itself the same question they were asking:

Why would Anyone Buy a Church Building? (even if you don’t own a church building you can ask: why have a formalized group called a church?)

Why would anyone…

…that is a group of people, followers of Christ – buy a church building? Hold off answering that yet – first answer this question; why would anyone buy a house, presumably for a person or family?

Answer/Purpose:

to provide a shelter from the weather, warmth, dry, safety – usually tailored (standardized) rooms and utilities to provide water, heat/AC, washrooms, etc. There are also appliances, furniture, color, design (interior & exterior décor) etc.

Now – why would a group of ‘believers’ buy a church building – and how would that be different than buying a house for a family? The answer might seem obvious – but as Christians (unfortunately, I am not referring to many who call themselves Christian) Christ – His purpose, (the Gospel,) must be foremost in our mind and heart.

As believers, followers of Christ…

…much of the Answer/Purpose listed do apply, some ‘things’ are essential to a safe and functional building, other ‘things’ are a matter of taste. In regard to the matter of taste – should this be directed to personal taste (like a home) or some other kind of building – or does the purpose, function of the church inform us in regard to this? We are followers of Christ – Yes!       

Should not our taste be directed with the understanding that the church is an assembly area with a specific, all important, essential function – to point to Christ, feeding the flock and to proclaim [the]Gospel? Anything less than that ‘all important function’ becomes a ‘social club or family’ – raised above Christ and His purpose. Is not the very purpose of a church building to be [a] common (community) area, (figuratively) a platform, and staging area to present Christ and God’s plan – the Gospel? The church building might even be defined as a stage or television studio (not that we would ever be on Television.) Everything in the church needs to fall in line with the purpose of pointing to Christ, presenting Christ and the Gospel.

A painter starts with…

…an empty canvas, a writer with a blank sheet of paper. God gave us this canvas for a designated purpose. Many things can be put on that canvas that are not wrong, but end up being unhelpful, a distraction, or hindrance to the purpose of pointing to Christ. So, whether it is [the] right color or clashing colors, as well as ‘culture,’ when it comes to the purpose of the church – personal taste is something we need to set aside and keep on the shelf. God is more interested in the heart than whether we are the ‘best dressed.’ We see an example of a doctor’s office, a mechanic’s shop, a chef’s kitchen, a fitness studio, a bank – all streamlined and tailored for the purpose it was meant to serve. In regard to Christians in this building – color and taste need to reflect and fall in line with its main purpose – a platform for Christ and the Gospel.

[In] Most everything…

…in life we need to have balance – except one thing – Christ – the living waters. It is Christ that gives us strength to keep all other things in balance and the right focus. Don’t get the idea the building is holy in any way – but we are, because we are cleansed by the blood of Christ. Set aside for a holy purpose – in this place. Not a home – more like a family business – the family of God – our business. This change/reset in focus is the reason why we needed a Transitional Pastor… that those who walk into our building would see and receive the right focus, the ‘right message’ with all members supporting the work of the Gospel … Jesus … the Way, the Truth and the Life.   

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Understanding this, it should be evident that our message, our music, how we treat our building and how we function needs to be better focused! 

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This ‘all important function’…

…also applies to the worship music. Those of us who have been in this church for a long time know many songs, hymns which we have not been singing in the last year and a half. All of them are scripturally based. There is nothing ‘wrong’ with them. However, some songs are not helpful and can even end up becoming a hindrance. Why? The songs do not point directly to Christ. This is a hindrance and can even be a stumbling block to newcomers who are here because they are looking to Christ for the answers to their problems. When songs point directly at Christ – it proclaims the Gospel (or in modern terms – a soundbite of the Gospel.) Choosing songs – with words not directly pointing to Christ – one could say are fine as part of a Bible study or a part of a message, but incomplete in a song if not pointing directly to Christ – if indeed we want new believers coming into our church. “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive. No one should seek their own good, but the good of others – 1 Corinthians 10:23-24.  This scripture also responds to the question, “why can’t we keep things the way they were?”

Again, there is nothing ‘wrong’ with the old songs.   However, there is a reason why we have been growing the past year. I hope we can connect the dots. I would add to that – using modern ‘everyday language’ – avoid overusing ‘King James’ or ‘religious’ sounding words or terms if we really want people to understand. Or do we really want things to remain the same as it was?       

We must always be moving forward…

…to a clearer understanding of God’s purpose, of God’s will. Or do we think we have these things nailed down? One of our greatest strengths is that we have many years and experience in the study of the scriptures. This is also the source of one of our greatest weaknesses.  

Jesus knew this about those who…

…thought they understood God’s plan, and why he had to deal with the Jews, the   Pharisees whothought they knew how things were supposed to go – even Peter took Jesus aside to correct Him. Exposing where Peter’s thinking was – Jesus responded with “… for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.” (Matthew 16:23.)  We must always remain disciples (students,) like the Bereans. Never allow ourselves to think we have anything nailed down. God will show you yet, a higher way, ‘a more excellent way, more accurately – the Way. Like an archer, we succeed in as much as we hit the target, yet that target is also a path, which means we need to choose to keep refocusing as we move forward. Only that way (in Christ) can we move forward – with Him.

Team based – Pastor led.

[this is the church leadership model for Cornerstone and the whole GCI denomination] Jethro’s advise to Moses should have made it clear how to properly manage a larger number of people. Leaders over fifties, leaders over tens, etc. With human nature at the helm (which is our default if we allow it) the uncertainty of trusting others to lead and to serve is like a paralysis – ineffective to grow or move forward, to follow Christ – as a church. To use a team sport analogy; there is the coach and a few assistants – why are most of the players just sitting on the bench, or the sidelines. I would dare to say there is much – in regard to spiritual gifts for the healthy functioning of the church – that remains untapped, even dormant. In contrast to being on the sidelines (only observing) – that ‘all important function’ should inform us in regard to how we become one voice (whatever the part or role we participate in) we support and believe in ‘that all important function.’  Serving in the Communion, Collecting the Offering, Children’s Ministry, Greeters, Group or Personal Prayer, the Kitchen, Building Repair and Maintenance, Cleaning, Worship Music – all supports a higher purpose, that ‘all-important  focus,’ the all-important function – by which we stay on track, on target and through which members serving (through the Holy Spirit), the gifts of God can have its affect in building up the body as well as bearing the image of God (God’s Nature), which Christ demonstrated so well. Surely the Gospel can be better served with that all important focus – a healthy functioning church – a light where God can send and we receive new followers of Christ.

‘But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.’ (1 Peter 2:9)