'Indy Timeline' of Upcoming Events Which Church Are We Building?
A new survey shows what pastors nationwide would do if their church received an unexpected financial windfall.The research was conducted for Facts & Trends magazine -- a publication of LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention -- and sought to clarify the overall budget and spending priorities of clergy and lay people.
According to a survey conducted by Ellison Research, 31 percent of the more than 500 Protestant pastors surveyed said they would build, expand, or update their church's buildings and facilities.
[continued at Agape Press]
[And here are some excerpts from the resulting opinion piece by Thom Rainer, Lifeway Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention.]
Which Church Are We Building?
by Thom Rainer
"Buildings are not the church."
"I sometimes wonder if we lose sight of that by how construction-driven Christians are..."
I love how Paul pictures the church:
For we are God’s co-workers. You are God’s field, God’s building.
According to God’s grace that was given to me, as a skilled master
builder I have laid a foundation, and another builds on it. But each
one must be careful how he builds on it, because no one can lay any
other foundation than what has been laid – that is, Jesus Christ.
If anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, costly stones,
wood, hay, or straw, each one’s work will become obvious, for the day
will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire; the fire will test the
quality of each one’s work.
If anyone’s work that he has built survives, he will receive a reward.
If anyone’s work is burned up, it will be lost, but he will be saved; yet
it will be like an escape through fire. Don’t you know that
you are God’s sanctuary and that the Spirit of God lives in
you?
If anyone ruins God’s sanctuary, God will ruin him;
for God’s sanctuary is holy, and that is what you are (1
Corinthians 3:9-17, HCSB).
[continued in the May/June issue of Facts & Trends]
posted by IndyChristian @ 8:56 AM
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