When God's Church became the building, it began to die. It seems the "world" became aware of this deadening trend, and started calling the building the Church. Little by little Christians in the past followed along and accepted this change ... the building in too many cases became the church.
Look at the grand and permanent Church buildings in Europe and ... America.
Christians, as a dynamic people, slowly became invisible, and disappeared in the shadow of the Cathedral. Wow!
How we Christians love our beautiful buildings, we love "our" Church.
Our buildings, called Churches; created and designed by us. They're beautiful, they're permanent, they're visible and above all they're ours!
In reality, we, as God's Church, are eternal, consequently permanent and we, as a people, are to be visible lights in the community of dark doing together what we can't do as an individual.
Today it seems that what goes on inside many Church buildings is secondary to the growth and maintenance of the building itself.
It's apparent that a growing number of Church members would rather put their money and time into maintaining and improving their buildings than financing the more abstract, yet eternal, ministry of their Church.
Ministry is the very purpose of the Church.
I hate to see the Dynamic of God absorbed by the brick, steel and glass of man made idols. It's happening. Aaron had his golden calf, and we Christians today have. Let's not forget who we are, who's we are and what we're for ... where we gather, and where we worship is simply incidental.
