If you build it...

Many of us are feeling the pinch put on us by the current economic situation. I guess one area I hadn't really thought about being effected are churches. Thankfully, the fellowship I attend is not in debt and we are trying not to go into debt in order to accommodate a larger crowd. But, only time will tell if we are able to keep it that way. Recently, I was made aware of an article on the website www.onenewsnow.com regarding the crunch being put on "Megachurches" in these difficult times. The article starts out talking about the problems a large church in Maryland is enduring.

"From a group of freed slaves in Civil War-era Washington, Metropolitan Baptist had grown into a modern-day megachurch and community service powerhouse. In 2006, construction began on the congregation's dream complex in Largo, Md. - a $30 million campus with a 3,000-seat church, an education center and an 1,100-car parking lot. Last year, the congregation sold its church in Washington. Preparations began for the move to what leaders had taken to calling "God's land in Largo." But on Oct. 20, their plans were abruptly put on hold. The Rev. H. Beecher Hicks learned that financing for the project had dried up. Construction stopped. And the congregation found that it was homeless - reduced to renting space and struggling to find new financing. Add houses of worship to the list of casualties of the mortgage crisis."

To be honest with you I have little sympathy for this church's dilemma. There is nothing within the pages of scripture that gives any sort of precedence to a "megachurch." The true Church is not an organization housed within the four walls of a building, it is an organism made up of individual believers all over the world. Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father (John 14:12)." For many of these churches the emphasis is on creating a bigger and "better" sanctuary to house its members. In this case that sanctuary was nicknamed "God's land in Largo." When Jesus spoke of believers doing greater things than He did He wasn't talking about burdening ourselves with millions of dollars of debt in order to build a church. He was talking about His life indwelling each of us and then He would build His Kingdom by living His life through us.

There is no such thing as "God's land in Largo." So many Christians mistakenly believe that their church is the "house of God." The question I would ask them is, "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God (1 Corinthians 16:9)." There are millions of Christians all around the world. Each one of them is filled with the Holy Spirit. Each one of them is a temple of the Holy Spirit. Each one of them is capable of God doing great things through them. And it didn't cost any of them $30 million. Much of the error stems from a misunderstanding of Hebrews 10:25. "Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching." This verse is often used as the foundational passage commanding Christians to go to church. However, what $30 million, 3,000-seat church campus were believers attending in the first century A.D.?

The Great Commission says to "go and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19)." Where is the megachurch building in that? There isn't one. As Christians, we need to be reminded that we are the Church and that we can have "church" anywhere. We can meet together in the daycare of a YMCA, as my fellowship once did. We can encourage each other using chat rooms and Internet groups like a group of Christians and I do on a daily basis. And all of it is either free or a fraction of the cost it takes to maintain a normal church, much less a multi-million dollar megachurch. Plus, we are free from the burden of having to pay for and use a building that, in the case of Metropolitan Baptist Church, may never be completed. The silver lining in the troubles faced by Metropolitan Baptist Church, and those facing similar financial problems, is that each individual member of these churches can focus on the Lord using them to be a witness for the Gospel. Too often in a church setting the building becomes the focus and the attention grabber rather than the Gospel.

Just after Jesus cleared the temple courts the Jews demanded a sign from Him as proof of His authority to do such a thing. Jesus replied, "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days (John 2:19)." Of course, He was talking about Himself and His own body. However, His explanation went over the heads of the Jews. They replied, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days (John 2:20)?" Was the thought process of the Jews in this situation any different that that of many Christians today. We know it took forty-six years to build the temple mentioned in John 2. I wonder how much money it took to build it as well. Now, we come to 2009 and we have construction on another so-called "temple" in Maryland being halted by financial concerns. We already know the cost. Only thing we don't know is how long it will take to build it. Perhaps forty-six years. Who knows?

It is time that Christians realize that God doesn't need our lavish buildings to proclaim the Gospel. God doesn't need us to go into millions of dollars of debt in order to get His message out. What God needs is us. We are the temple of God. His life indwells us. All we need to do is allow Him to live His life in and through us. There is a popular saying that goes, "If you build it they will come." That may be true when it comes to a structure like Metropolitan Baptist Church is trying to build. Not one person in history has been saved because of the church they were a member of or happened to be visiting. Every Christian was saved by responding to the message of the Gospel whether it was presented in church or some other venue. Let us remember the words of Jesus Christ. "But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself (John 12:32)." It is Christ that we lift up not the buildings from which we preach about Him. If you preach It they will come.