It’s unsettling for us Americans to acknowledge the center of Christianity is moving west. Yes, even west of our Pacific coast. Since the late 70’s China has exploded from approximately 3 million Catholics and Protestants to estimates as high as 130 million.
The end of the Chinese “Cultural Revolution” left a void and a search for purpose which birthed the underground Chinese church. For the first twenty-five years this anonymous group of house churches exploded into a Christian presence almost the size of the Christian community in the states. All without formal leadership or dedicated church facilities.
It’s remarkable in light of the fact we have increased our annual investment in church facilities from $3.5 billion in 1991 to over $8 billion today with a corresponding drop, yes drop in the % of Americans attending church. As a result, innovative church planting initiatives are exploding here with house churches growing from 1% of church attenders to roughly 10%. Some are calling for a new church movement without buildings or formal leadership at all.
However, a recent article in Christianity Today reveals a maturing Chinese church. The emerging Chinese church has built a fragile trust with the Chinese government by expressing God’s love for their neighbors. “Government acceptance of us depends on our community contribution”, says one pastor. The church recently invited Franklin Graham, Billy’s son, to speak to a congregation of 12,000 in China. Yes, now mega churches even in China!
The success of these new urban churches, which have never been underground, is having a rippling effect on traditional house churches. It’s all provoking the house churches, tired of hiding and ready to rise up and be seen, to strike out to become visible salt and light. As a result, church buildings are rising up like bamboo shoots in many urban areas at the same time church facilities, of any kind, are now strongly ridiculed by some here in the states.
So what can we learn from God’s work in China? One thing is clear, to be trusted we must get beyond our church walls and share God’s love and resources with the local community. Yet, regarding this facility question I’m feeling like Pilate when he asked, “What is truth.” Even in China, once the church began to selflessly share God’s love and build trust they felt it wise to build buildings. While here in the states we find a growing attitude that church facilities are unnecessary and even poor stewardship.
Do you think investing in church facilities is wise stewardship?
Ed, I think investing in church facilities absolutly a wise investment. One of the wisest invested in todays currency billions of dollors on the house of God. He would have been viciously persecuted and critisized if he spent that much time and money on a building for God and His people. Moses did the same thing. he spent years and used very specific material to build the ark according to Gods specs and no one elses. In these last days, I believe the Church will be that ark for people again. It takes courage and endurance to build for God. People will always critisize.
I believe the chinese really get the “salt and light.” Both penetrate wherever they are present. They both change the existing condition of it’s surroundings. Thats what the church should be about. That’s WWJD.
When the Church starts affecting and changing everywhere we are, then the government will take notice. I agree with the Christianity Today article. When we express Gods love to our neighbors, here and there, this will atract people. When this happens, of coarse the church would need a facility. People still want to be with and connect with people. Some like to be part of a small fellowship, and some like the large coorporate fellowship.
Either way, the love of God has to be shown. It seems that some cultures show the love then build the facility. and some build the facility to show the love, or to show the love in the facility.
Not wrong just different
Ty
Ed - our pastor, 20 young adult interns, and 70 middle - high school students from our church are in China for the summer, some for weeks, others for months. Check out http://www.shift.churchofthehighlands.com to see a few cool insights from my pastor’s journey.
MT
I was talking to a missional church planter this weekend about this very issue. I think most church planters - except for the most idealistic - admit that there is a wideness in God’s body that allows and even requires the spectrum from house church through mega church. Even your example of China showcases the need and desire for both visible buildings and more unencumbered ministry.
There is no doubt a transition happening in the North American church as the new forms of emerging worship rise up, but that doesn’t negate the work of God in the current forms and the current people. Do the faithful who have been serving and loving for all these years deserve to suddenly be cast out of the worship that feels right to them? Of course not. By the same token, would we want to pin down to brick and mortar a missional evangelist who is building relationships in the marketplace? Of course not.
I agree with Tyrone, though. Since ancient days God has inspired his people to build for him. There is that hush in the air of an empty sanctuary, the sense of holy ground purposed for God alone, that has value. Maybe it even has a greater value at this time of shifting, temporary community. The church building may outlast us all. Concrete reminders - ebenezers - are important for building culture, faith, symbolism. They serve as havens when we are beat down from our calling out there. They serve as jumping off points when we are freshly reprovisioned and ready to take up our calling again. They are the party at the end of the day. Yes, there is a purpose in church buildings. They are who we are, at a deep level. Solomon called forth the craftsmen to do their best work, and we are still calling them forth today. Balance in all things.
I have to correct myself. I said Moses, while I was thinking on Noah and the ark. I sure you knew what I meant.
I agree with Marla. The church building does act as a haven in the physical sense and the spiritual.
A question maybe we should ask is, since we are in the Kingdom of God, shouldn’t the pastor ask the King (in prayer) what He wants us to do, and how He wants us to do it? Seems like that body of believers should follow whatever direction the King tells them to go in. No matter if it’s multiple church plants in homes to infiltrate the area, a mega church to be that beacon of light and hope, or anything in between.
We have to remember that we are part of a different kingdom not this world’s kingdom or system. Our boss/King does things different than the world. He might want a Coffee cafe, a Jamba juice cafe, a Borders book store, a creation museum or even a zoo in the church. It’s all good!
Whatever the King wants should be our attitude. He directs we serve. Just be ready for the critics.