The Use of the Church Building

All of the congregations I have attended have been very careful about the use of the church building. The rationale goes something like this… the church building, property, etc. was purchased with the Lord’s money and therefore can only be used for spiritual purposes. Then a distinction is made between spiritual things and social things making them mutually exclusive.

This is primarily done to prohibit eating in the building but would also include any other so-called social activity such as weddings, funerals, selling girl-scout cookies, recreation (a kid throwing a football, etc.) and such like. In fact, in many congregations announcements of a social nature… like congregational picnics or other types of get-togethers are prohibited.

Consider Ephesians 2: 10… “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God afore prepared that we should walk in them (good works)

What are these good works? Frequently in the scriptures good works would include taking care of widows and orphans, enjoying meals together, sharing possessions, various forms of hospitality and even the sewing and making of garments for each other. Make no mistake each of these scriptural examples are social and as such would be prohibited activities in many of the congregations I have attended.

What kind of sense does this make? In the church building we are to teach one another responsibilities and encourage each other to have strong social relationships and yet the performance of these activities are forbidden in the building? It makes no sense… none.

The church and all its resources, including its building, should be used to help Christians grow spiritually and we cannot grow spiritually without socially interacting with each other inside the building and outside the building.