STAYING FOCUSED
A friend of mine who launched his church one month before we did back in '98 celebrates the opening of their first building this weekend. I know several other congregations that have reached that milestone in an even quicker time, while out own battles with the local Town Board are well chronicled.
Having bought land in the fall of 2000 (thank God we did with the way prices have skyrocketed on Long Island) it seems to have been like trying to walk through mud ever since.
So what to do? We need to continue to put everything we've got into building the church while the church building saga takes its course. Not every pastor would agree with me, but then I'm not every other pastor.
There are those who would be cutting corners everywhere they can waiting for the day when they can have a church builkding and really start to build the church. I wonder how many people they're willing to consign to hell while they do church in a half-cocked, unattractive fashion because they're getting ready to have a church building.
No newspaper ads, no promo work, no special events, everything kept basic - they're getting ready to build.
Build what? Build bricks and mortar, build a building. Do something there is no reference to or example of in the whole of the New Testament.
Now I'm not anti church buildings. I look forward to having one some day, but we won't compromise what we're all about to have a few more bucks in the pot for the time when we get the all clear. God will take care of our business on that day if we have been doing his work in the lead up to it.
The main thing is still to keep the main thing the main thing. That means building the church is our priority.
Having bought land in the fall of 2000 (thank God we did with the way prices have skyrocketed on Long Island) it seems to have been like trying to walk through mud ever since.
So what to do? We need to continue to put everything we've got into building the church while the church building saga takes its course. Not every pastor would agree with me, but then I'm not every other pastor.
There are those who would be cutting corners everywhere they can waiting for the day when they can have a church builkding and really start to build the church. I wonder how many people they're willing to consign to hell while they do church in a half-cocked, unattractive fashion because they're getting ready to have a church building.
No newspaper ads, no promo work, no special events, everything kept basic - they're getting ready to build.
Build what? Build bricks and mortar, build a building. Do something there is no reference to or example of in the whole of the New Testament.
Now I'm not anti church buildings. I look forward to having one some day, but we won't compromise what we're all about to have a few more bucks in the pot for the time when we get the all clear. God will take care of our business on that day if we have been doing his work in the lead up to it.
The main thing is still to keep the main thing the main thing. That means building the church is our priority.
posted by Roger Blackmore | 8:31 PM
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