Property Development

What does it mean to build?  To build anything?  It’s significant that the Bible describes God Himself as One who builds – the designer, craftsman, and sustainer of all Creation.  He is also described as “building” salvation, building a people, building His temple (once a physical structure, now the Church), and building a heavenly city as well.  God is a builder.  And He has made us as human beings in His image, according to His likeness.  Which means, simply, that we too were made to build – to bring order and control into a world of chaos and decay.  To build is to be human.  To build is a good thing.  And we see that all the more in our Lord Jesus – the One who alone bears this image perfectly – who in His days on this earth spent time employed as a what?  A carpenter.  To build is to be human.  To build is a good thing.  And God delights in it.

But what is it to build a church?  Not in the way that the Lord alone builds the church – in adding to her numbers and depth – but with sticks and bricks.  What is it to build a structure in which His Church would meet?  We know that in the 1st century Church, believers met in private homes.  We see this in the New Testament.  Then later (as early as the 3rd century), as congregations grew, certain houses were “converted” and then exclusively devoted to such gatherings.  Not long after that, we see evidence of buildings being constructed expressly for this purpose.  So there’s a long history here.

Today, of course, constructing such facilities is quite common.  It’s the norm.  Statistics indicate that even now 64% of churches are planning some type of construction or renovation within the next several years.  Some, I’m sure, for good reasons.  Some, I’m sure, for bad.  Here’s the question:  what are our reasons?  What are ours?

Why should we build?

1. Not for our name.  Think back to the foolish pride expressed in the building of the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1-9).
2. But for the Lord’s name.  He opposes anything less.  And He is worthy of nothing less.

How should we build?

1. Not independently of the Lord.  Not with ingratitude or presumption.
2. But dependently upon the Lord.

What should it be for?

1. A place to gather for worship and yet also a place to minister during the course of the week. 
   1. A means by which to serve our community in works of kindness and compassion.
      
   2. Or, another way of putting it would be simply “a community center with space for worship.”