We are so familiar with the “way we do things” at Acton Faith Bible Church, we sometimes neglect to talk about why we do those things. Newer folks aren’t always clued in on what many of us take for granted.
Recently, it has come to my attention that there are questions about how we allocate money, especially with regard to church ministries and the building project. The questions, as I understand it, are about how we prioritize. I want to shed some light on our philosophy regarding these matters.
For many years, our primary principle has been People Over Property. That is, our primary interest is, and must be, the work of ministry in people’s lives. That is the biblical mandate. Physical structures come after all that. Our emphasis on expending resources will always be Gospel work, missions, and meeting human needs over having a building. Do I want a building? Oh, yes!
We have been blessed with some functional, pleasant-looking modular units (thanks to many hard church workers and some super girl scouts!). These units serve various purposes during the week, so we already see the benefit and blessing of having our own property and our own spaces. It would be so nice to have a fully functional place for all our work that is also a known place for worship in the community.
In terms of priority, however, the truth is the New Testament has nothing to say about church buildings. It does speak about the members of a church as a building:
For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.
(1 Corinthians 3:9)
So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord… (Ephesians 2:19-21)
In this metaphorical sense, the church “building” is the union of the saints whose labor for the Lord is built on the foundation of the Apostle’s message and the person of Jesus Christ. So our intention and focus is intensely focused on that building!
Financially speaking, then, our primary interest is using resources for the metaphorical building. Do we want a physical building as a base for much of that work? Yes, and again yes! I don’t think anyone wants that more than I do, and God has provided amazing resources in knowledgeable, talented, and self-sacrificing people to keep that dream moving forward. But still our first order of business day in and day out is people.
As far as giving goes, I would suggest giving first some base amount the church can count on for ministry and missions. Then, if God has blessed you, give to the building program, too. To complete the project for a church our size, it will take many people doing just that. This is my suggestion only. If you have a heart for the building and want to pour the bulk of your giving towards it, that is between you and the Lord and I would not tell you to do differently. But I do want everyone to understand our emphasis. For hundreds of years, church buildings have arisen because God’s people wanted to have a meeting place to worship and instruct. That hasn’t changed at all. We want that, too! We will not be twisting arms to give. We will rely on the Lord leading His people to act.
Yours in Christ,
Originally printed in The AFBC Pony Express. Vol. XI, No. 11, November 2018.