Rant of the week! Healthy stewardship regarding church facilities.
February 27, 2008 – 6:18 pmWhat is that? Healthy stewardship regarding church facilities!!!! Well, Eric Helms posted an entry that really got me going… You can see his entry by clicking here for some context, but I went over the top. My response to his post follows:
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I guess I am of a different persuasion. I believe that a church focussed on healthy stewardship should be focussed on maximizing the building and their space for a maximum amount of time, in order to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. So, if a “church” chooses to buy a building. I would like to propose the crazy notition that that there be a business plan in place for the space during the week in a way that glorifies God and opens the doors of the church to discipleship opportunities. If a person can build a viable non-profit (like Worldvision and others), how much more can a church do proclaim the Truth of th gospel in a coffee shop or dinner or movie house or school or food bank or bowling alley or funeral home. Some ideas might be out there, but with the creative energy of the Holy Spirit why are our buildings sitting empty most of the time.
Let’s talk about typical church - let’s talk about poor stewardship! Then, instead of utilizing the open space and down time to make money and name a ministry of the church that is viable, we create these ridiculous fundraisers that consume 15 people at 8 hours to make $500, by selling things that… well you know. Stupid! Sorry, but that is worse than poor stewardship, it is stupid!
No viable cooperation (that is not called into account for it’s stewardship in the same way God calls the church to account for) would ever let the majority of their space sit empty all week. What is the going rate for business square footage? It is ridiculous how much it cost to lease space. What is the church doing by not maximizing it’s space all the time - not just once a month for a lovely flee market!
Sorry for my rant, but we talk about stewardship and don’t even begin to scratch the surface when it comes to our own space and facilities.
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Thoughts?
Tags: Conference, Education, Evangelism, Random Thoughts, Theology, Too Strange
One Response to “Rant of the week! Healthy stewardship regarding church facilities.”
Excellent point about the resource of space. I would contend that there are at least as many ministry oriented things we can do with our space that may not turn a profit as there are business opportunities, and I for one would love if those outside the community of faith saw the church as a place that used its space in foolish ways such as housing the homeless, free job skills training etc.
If you use the space for a coffee house, do you charge? Is there a Christian Theme? Is it part of our mission to make disciples, or does it pay the bills?
By Eric Helms on Feb 27, 2008