July 5, 2012

• For AmeliaJake

   

  I just know that my friend AmeliaJake will appreciate this cartoon.  Okay, maybe I just hope she will.  lol   I find it hilarious myself, slightly irreverent and poking fun.  But then aren't all Argyle Sweater cartoons this way?

  

   

  Right now I'm finding myself a bit at odds with the church we are attending.  We aren't members and haven't felt like we should become members so that's why I keep my opinions to myself when there but sometimes I just marvel at the decision making process that they have gone through. How different their conclusions are from what I would envision.  At issue is a piece of land that they have purchased to build a church on.  The land is paid off so they are now looking at a building fund.  The land is 125 acres of beautiful farmland.  Well first off I think it's a shame they want to take it out of farmland but that's a rather moot point because if they didn't then some developer eventually would and it would be covered with tract housing.....   But I don't really agree with what they want to do with the land.  Their "plan" that they paid a land architect to draw up consists of a large church, a glass chapel that cantilevers out over a lake (that is currently on the property), a gym, a classroom and youth ministries building, and a "pod" of cabins nestled in an orchard to be used for retreats and conferences.  Now don't get me wrong, I love a beautiful church as much as the next person.  I just find building huge buildings that sit empty 80% of the week to be a waste.  The argument for such a compound is that 1) we can minister to so many people through this building and setup, reaching the world.  and 2)God loves beautiful things which is evident through his details in the decoration and design of the Temple in Jerusalem (gold, fine linens and tapestries etc).  Well....

  1) Who is going to really use this building.  While some folks may come to a big building because they are invited I find huge churches and fancy buildings to serve mostly those that are currently attending.  Those that are already in a relationship with God.  Not necessarily those that need help in finding God.  And it's been my experience that the most effective way of introducing someone to God is not through a church building, but through relationship, one on one, caring about someone, making it personal.  A building just doesn't offer that.  It is brick and mortar and not one bit more than the people that fill it.  If you have self-serving members then it will be a self-serving church.  If you have legalistic members then it will be a legalistic church.  If it is full of giving people it will be a giving church.  It's the people used by God, not the building that draw folks.  One of the most dynamic churches I know works out of a metal building that meets their physical needs for space and is nice, but not fancy.  Their focus is not on serving themselves but on reaching out to others.  Which brings me to number two.

  2) The argument that God must love beautiful churches because he wanted the Temple to be beautiful.  Yes God loves beautiful things.  He created a beautiful world full of flowers and butterflies, oceans and lakes, bears, kittens and babies.  When the Temple was built that was where God lived.  It was his home.  It was his dwelling place on earth.  He wanted a place of beauty and grandeur.  When Jesus came, died and rose from the dead the division between man and God was removed (the curtain separating the Holy of Holies where God resided and where the people could be was torn in two at Jesus' death).  God had a new dwelling place... He resides through his Spirit in His people.  So..... should we not be making people beautiful rather than a building?  We should invest in people, not brick and mortar that sits empty and only to feed an already fat congregation.

  What do I think could be done with the land?  Oh so many things.

  • Build a sufficient building with classrooms, perhaps metal to save costs.  Perhaps in the form of a gym that can double as a sanctuary with classrooms along the side.  Use this for weekly worship and other traditional church functions.
  • Build a home for unwed mothers, a place where women who want to keep their children and not abort them can go through pregnancy receiving counseling concerning keeping her child or placing it for adoption.
  • Create a real job training center (vs. the government jokes for training centers) for those needing new job skills.
  • A "light industry" type charity that could employ people with disabilities.
  • Run classes for people who need to learn to speak English.
  • Community gardens, or perhaps even 50 acres or so in a truck farm that could be used to grow food to donate to the Houston Food Bank (Houston has a huge need for food in certain parts of the city) and other food banks.  If anything just teach people how to grow their own food!
  • Build a center for the elderly where "daycare" could be provided for those who need care for their elderly parents not ready for a nursing home and needing medical care but just needing interaction and a personal touch.
  • Provide a place for youth wanting to do 4-H or FFA projects to keep their animals through the project.
  • Perhaps a stable with a few horses and trained staff to help autistic children through animal therapy.

  The list could go on and on but the focus would not be on the congregation, it would be on reaching our community.  Most of these ideas would take time to implement and the formation of legal charities (if not covered by the church directly) and training, finding of volunteers so yes, it's not an overnight thing but I just think investing in PEOPLE and not just a pretty building would be a better use of the land, and the money being spent on the "compound" as it stands.  We are talking millions of dollars for the plan they have currently in place.

  Don't get me wrong, I'm not condemning beautiful churches but where I live the focus seems to be more and more on huge big buildings and compounds and becoming the next "Lakewood" (If you don't know about Lakewood just look up Lakewood and smiley Joel Osteen, and no I am NOT a fan of his).  The current thinking is bigger is better and grander and shows the world how wonderful your ministry is.  I don't think that's always the case. If God calls a church to build big and they use it for His glory then great.  Since coming out with the plan the church has had great division, a change in leadership, and lost about 50% of their members.  But like I said, I'm not a member, don't plan on becoming one, and will wait and see what happens.  

  Is it really good?  Is it God's will?  I'm torn about it. No, I'm just typically opinionated about it.  Yup, this is just my opinion and other than sharing my thoughts with a few people in leadership who react with shock that I don't support the compound plan I've actually kept it to myself.  Amazing isn't it. 

  Okay, now that my public opinion is out there... How about that cartoon.... come on, you have to admit it's funny. 

   

   

  • 3:37 pm
  • 4 Comments