Are our church buildings for all or are they just for the ‘paying members’?
Are we guilty of serving only those that attend regularly?
Do we think about the other people we could be serving who need our building as much, if not more than we do?
As communities, are we so worried about the possibilities of damage or mess to our church buildings that we become blinkered to the needs of the people in our surroundings?
As Christians we are called to ‘love one another’. It sometimes feels that we only ‘love one another’ if it is safe to do so and if doing so will not make us feel slightly uncomfortable. When did we last think about doing something risky and think out of the box a little?
Our church buildings should be community buildings, and not be there just for those that attend regularly on Sundays. That is not to discount the great need for keeping the property safe and fit for purpose, but this should not stand in the way of our Christian duty to serve those less fortunate than ourselves. Could we not all look at ways in which our churches could serve our local community more? Could we not all take a risk and think out of the box for a while?
Leigh Reade
