On Highway 70, not far from here, there is a church that is going to build a new building on an empty field/lot. Right next door, there is a house that is no the market for over $600,000. There are other houses that are in the half million dollar range in the immediate vicinity.
I am all for freedom and especially for freedom of religion. However, it is pretty darn irresponsible of the church leadership to 1. spend the sort of money that they are on a new building. Church is not a building. THE Church is people. I don't care if The Church meets like bears with furniture in a cave. To saddle a congregation with debt for such a purchase and a new building program is man's plan, not necessarily God's. 2. To build a church edifice in the middle of a residential neighborhood such as this is just plain irresponsible and gives the rest of "churchianity" a bad reputation.
If I owned one of the neighboring houses, especially for the price they go for, I would be livid. My property value would go down and the resale would be very difficult. There is one house that has been for sale a few times in the last year. The asking price is, as I said, over $600,000. There have been three or four realtors representing that property over the past year. No wonder they can not sell that house. Who would want to buy that place with a construction site about to open next door? And the view being totally ruined? And heavy traffic in and out of your neighborhood, especially when the road dead ends in your driveway?
Speaking from experience, I know that congregations of the one I assume will be building there that they can be rather loud on Wednesday nights, Sunday mornings, and whenever the choir/praise team has practice.
Sorry, but this is just damn irresponsible. I don't know who the elders of this congregation are, but I hope you read this blog entry. If they do, this next part is for them:
You are irresponsible in that you are squandering the money that sheep are giving to you, and that money was given in the belief that it is "for the work of the Lord". You are fleecing the sheep for your own little kingdom. You are being incredibly irresponsible in that you are inflicting undue and very inappropriate financial harm upon your new neighbors. You are setting yourselves up for an unhappy relationship with those around you and are about to sow strife and animosity towards you, all "in the name of the Lord". Give up your plans for this abomination, find out what the Body of Christ really is, and stop stealing from your parishioners and neighbors.
2 comments:
Are you trying to say that a church never needs to build a new building on a new site in a new area. even if this is the vision that the lord has given them and the body of that church.
Tell me that you are not under the impression that the church needs to be poor to be happy. You never know this church may be one of the best in the area.
Since you posted as anonymous and did not bother to leave your name, I doubt that you will be reading my reply.
First, I have never been under the impression that the church needs to be poor to be happy. The church consists of the members of the Body of Christ. The church is not and never has been a building or a non-profit corporation. If you can not get past that concept, then anything else I say will totally be lost upon you.
I doubt very seriously and can say prophetically and with all Godly authority that building yet another building, wasting tons of money, and taking the focus off from Christ and His body is NOT a vision of God, nor even inspired by Him.
I only see occasional building programs in scripture. However, they were for building a tabernacle or temple in the Old Testament. In the New Testament, WE are the tabernacle for the abiding presence of God, not some building. When God gives a building directive, he furnishes its plans as well as its funding.
If WE are his habitation, and there is no need of Nehemiah to rebuild a city in ruins in this area, of what benefit is it to build a new building?
Why waste the money that could be used for other things such as doing good for others, especially for those that be of the household of faith, instead of milking them for cash for a structure? What is wrong with the existing building? Is it used to its fullest potential? If not, then there is poor stewardship employed by the leadership.
I have NEVER found a building program that people could not do without. Rarely have I ever seen any sort of building program that was a true vision from the Lord. Even more seldom has that same vision been given to "the body of that church". Usually it is a matter of sheeple blindly following an authority figure that they falsely believe to be ordained as the sole head of a congregation.
That topic lends itself to a discussion of the topic of "a covering", but that is another discussion all together.
If you have any further questions or wish to discuss it further, my email and telephone numbers are prominently displayed on the blog. I doubt you will, though.
Post a Comment