Every church I’ve been a part of has had a building program in one form or another. At Hope Chapel it went by the name, “Called to Grow.” We were trying to expand our facilities by purchasing the supermarket next door. I left before that issue got settled, but the church eventually obtained the grocery store and has been using it as its youth center.
At The Church on the Way, we bought the campus of First Baptist Church of Van Nuys when they moved further west in the San Fernando Valley. But we kept our existing property, so we doubled our acreage overnight!
The church I recently served at, Victory International Fellowship owns some land in Menomonee Falls and once intended to relocate there. However, it looks like the church will refurbish its Brookfield campus.
Even the little congregation I started, Sanctuary, rented a space in downtown Hartland. We renovated the interior to make it work for our worship services.
Sooner or later, every church will have to deal with the issue of a building. Should we build or rent? How big do we make the facility? What do we include? What’s a waste of money?
The answers depend on the values and goals of the congregation and its leadership. It boils down to purpose. Get clear about the purpose of your church and you’ll set yourself up to make wise decisions about property. As Jesus said, “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21).
So where is your heart and the heart of your church? Many pastors, theologians, and ministry leaders have been stressing mission as the distinguishing characteristic of the church. Called the “missional movement,” it recognizes that Christianity no longer dominates the culture of the Western world. In fact, the church finds itself pushed to the margins of society. But rather than decry such conditions, missional proponents insist that the gospel flourishes among the poor, dispossessed, and overlooked.
A few years ago, I attended a missional church conference in downtown Chicago. It was hosted in a contemporary, non-denominational church which possessed a stylish urban building.
During the event, I kept studying the layout and decor of the facility. I wanted to see how these reflected the core principles of the missional movement.
This led me to pose a question: What does a missional church building look like? I asked two speakers and neither could give me an adequate reply. I got the impression that they hadn’t considered the issue before. They mentioned factors like being accessible to non-believers, but that corresponds more to seeker-sensitivity than to a missional emphasis.
Seeker-sensitive churches craft ministries and services to make the message of Jesus intelligible to non-Christians. Some people criticize seeker-sensitivity for compromising the demands of the gospel by catering to consumerism, but interpreted positively, these churches are attempting to remove anything that would keep people from encountering Christ.
Can there be such a thing a missional church building? Attractional churches draw people into their buildings, so those congregations would be motivated to accommodate spiritual seekers. Missional Christians go out into the community; ministry takes place in coffee shops, homes, and offices more than in dedicated religious spaces. Believers are out where the people are. It’s a dispatch mentality rather than a warehouse mindset.
So is the phrase, “missional church building” oxymoronic? Or paradoxical? Not all missional churches are house (or organic) churches; many own properties. But what, if anything, distinguishes them from the facilities of typical churches?
Are they simpler? Less ornate? Do they avoid sacred items like crosses or candles? Or do they display lots of them instead (as in the liturgically-oriented ancient-future movement)?
I found a clue in an article written by marketing and psychology professor Art Markman that appears to have nothing to do with the subject of missional church structures. Discussing the psychology of business motivation, Markman describes two mindsets, thinking and doing, and how to stimulate each.
For example, he observes that “the modern workplace revolves around sitting. Most people have a primary workspace that involves a chair in front of a desk or table. This posture is great, because it allows us to work for long periods of time without causing bodily fatigue.”
“Additionally, the seated posture does not support many complex actions, so it reinforces the activation of a thinking mindset, especially thanks to years of schooling. If you need to jumpstart your doing motivation, get moving. Stand up. Walk around your workspace . . . By getting up and moving, you shift yourself from a mode of deliberation to one of selection.”
Most church buildings and the ministries that take place within them promote reflection more than action. Lots of seats facing a stage facilitate observation, even passivity. Taking in beautiful music, meaningful prayer, and sound teaching blesses believers and is valuable. But our structures should foster engagement and activity also.
What does a missional church building look like? Anything that helps Jesus’ followers form relationships, share His love, and meet the needs of the community. If your facility hinders those ministries, it’s time to make some changes! But if you can serve the Lord and people with your church property, that’s a building worth having!
“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” – Matthew 5:14-16
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