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Welcome to the house of God
Written by Peter Youngren on October 8, 2010Article for St. Catharines Standard newspaper by Peter Youngren.
Tomorrow is Sunday, and many congregants will hear the words stated in the headline. Some pastors use this greeting as they welcome people on the front steps of the church building, and some use it as an opener for the Sunday worship.
Christianity can trace its history to a Savior born in a stable, crucified on a hill just outside the city, and ascending to heaven from a mountain. For the first two hundred years apostles and preachers conducted their services in market places, on the streets, in caves, on ships, and in the homes of their converts. There was no building called “church”, or “the house of God”, such a thought was anathema to their understanding of the Good News they had received from Jesus.
What happened? How did these two words, church and building, become so intertwined that we automatically equate the two? For many being a Christian in good standing means a weekly visit to the building referred to as the church.
Now grant it, Canada’s climate doesn’t lend itself to year around worship in the outdoors. I’m filing this article from Singapore, and frankly the humidity and heat here makes me grateful for air-conditioned buildings. My point is not about buildings, but about the annoying habit of Christians, to call a building “the house of God”.
It is deeply engrained indeed! Many think they go to church to meet God, as if He hung around the building waiting for our weekly appearance. Some even dress up; you certainly want to look your best for the Almighty.
When Christianity started it was the only religion in the world that had no “sacred areas,” no “holy” buildings. Jesus and the apostles were surrounded by religions, Jewish and Greco-Roman, that all had their sacred territories; synagogues, temples, shrines and offering places. Yet, they saw no need for these. Theirs was a message for all, preached by untrained common people, in everyday places.
By the third century Christians had began conducting worship services in cemeteries, where a martyr or an especially committed believer was buried. Soon these burial places were considered sacred. Add another hundred years and now Christianity wanted the same respectability as other religions, and to have that, you needed buildings – “holy buildings” – the kind of places you approach with reverence, and once inside you speak only in a hushed tone. Once Helen, mother of the Roman emperor Constantine, returned from the “holy land”, the concept of church buildings took off. Splinters of the cross of Jesus, and bones of dead “holy people” were spread all over Europe, and each bone fragment and splinter needed a building, and it was holy in the minds of the people. Add another seventeen hundred years and today we find ourselves with many more layers of tradition.
Jesus and the apostles taught that God lives in people, not buildings; we are temples where God’s Spirit dwells. We don’t go anywhere to meet God. Why would we, since God lives in us? The meetings Christians have on Sundays are not people going to church; it is the church (the people) going to the building. The meeting place isn’t a sanctuary; it is an auditorium. We are the sanctuary. That puts a different spin to the expression “no coffee in the sanctuary”. I put at least one large cup in my sanctuary every morning.
What’s the big deal? If we think a church is synonymous with a building we stifle our understanding. Whether Jesus talked to the devoutly religious Pharisees or to a five times divorced, now living common-law woman, his message was the same; something has to happen in you. God’s life is expressed in people, not in buildings. God is in people, not in real estate.
We call that Gospel, the Good News that God, through Jesus, has come to live in people. Imagine you can be the house of God.
Elisha
~ Kisumu, Nairobi, Kenya
thanks alot ,God doesn’t dwell in a house made by human hands,but dwell in our heart,we are the church christ coming to take,not the building,love this teaching pastor youngren, it’s a revelation to make us examine our life and walk with God daily and yieding to His word,and being rigteous as He is Holy.
Many blessings
Elisha
Kim
~ Lucan, Ontario, Canada
I totally agree Peter. Christ is in us and the building has nothing to do with it. We need to stop following the ways of religion and this world’s system. Christ is coming back for one body. He’s not going to go to all the buildings that separate His body. When I have met other Christians in the past who ask what church I belong to I remind them that we are all the body of Christ if we have received Him as our Saviour and what church I attend has no bearing on it. If we have received Christ then we should be able to fellowship together without the building or religion standing in our way.
Trish
~ Cairns, Australia
I love this truth! How liberating is the way God does things: adverse to our traditions and thinking some times.
Thank you Peter for reminding me that I am the church, we don’t need to wait for people to come, we just be and GO!
Eva May
~ London, Ontario, Canada
Pastor Peter!
Actually sir, I thought it was a sheep shed.
Your are still the best! You always make me laugh and I continue to love your in-depth teaching.
I see you all the time and listen to your tapes so by now, I must know a lot that I didn’t know before - right?
This - what’s 1+1 equal to question has me puzzled and I just Know there’s another answer than the obvious - right?
“Can’t Wait Til Sunday!!!” Remember that in class not all that long ago?
I’ll try it anyway - keep smiling for Jesus - you’re beginning to look just like Him! Oh yeah Eh? I’m serious. That Is the ultimate goal - yes?
Love you! As ever,
Eva May
Charles
~ Norway
Praise the name of Jesus i agree 100% we believers are church of Christ Jesus “Do you not know that u r the temple of God and the Spirit of God lives in You” not in buildings of men.
God bless servant of God Peter Youngren and family and ministry in Jesus Name. amen.
Ryan
~ Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Great thoughts~!
We are reminded again, “Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit?”
I’m not a building, I’m a human being; I am the church, and Jesus is My chief cornerstone.
Good word, Peter.
Rosalind
~ Bridgetown, Saint Michael, Barbados
I agree 100%.
I heard the topic being discussed before, but to avoid confrontations, I never pursued it.
I always emphasize the need to have a relationship with Jesus and not religion.
Gigi
~ Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Dear, Dear, Pastor Peter!
Of course we are the church! Language is constantly changing.
My Oxford Mini Thesaurus calls a sanctuary a refuge, haven,shelter,retreat, hideout, hiding place Holy Place, church, temple, shrine…. and it continues.
I am of the senior generation and consider the building where many believers meet a special place like a sanctuary.
It is polite and a complement to honor the building where the presence of true church believers gather for worship.
However, that being said the real live church is the indwelling of God’s Holy Spirit (the third person of the trinity) in a believer!
We have been bought with a price and have reaped the glorious reward of the New Covenant!
You are on the cutting edge of Christ’s near return. It is most important to honor the Lord in one another wherever we meet!
My, my, my what a rational man!
Love and Prayers,
Gigi
Richard
~ Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Pastor Peter
You are so not religous, the Grace & Truth of Jesus Christ reigns.
Thank you for so greatly defending the Faith once dilivered to us.
- Can’t wait for Nov.4-7th here.
Johnson
~ Bangalore, India.
Dear Ps Peter
As you rightly said that the Church is not a building. We as beleivers should not focus on the buildings but we all need a fellowship, a Shepherd.
We gather in a Church building for worship, prayer and for ministry and at the same time the Church is scattered in the community.
in His service
Johnson
Saba
~ Karachi, Pakistan
Dear Pastor Peter
I and my father 100% agree with you and I tell you our about pastor we don’t go mostly church (the building) and whenever he visit our home he says “salvation is at there and if some one want to meet God and want prosperty in their lifes so he have to come in our church”
Kevin
~ Red Deer, Alberta, Canada
Very awesome, Mr. Youngren.
I have often wondered why the buildings were called churches. I could not find any one who could answer or explain it.
Thank you showing me that I am not along in that ponderation.
Sunny
~ Red Deer, Alberta, Canada
Halleleujah!!! Well said and SO true.
God bless you, Pastor Peter, and looking forward to seeing you on Nov. 3 here in Red Deer.
Safe journeys and God be with you ALL-ways!
Love in Christ,
Sunny - Happy Granny of 4 Angels
Ulla-Gitt
~ Gotenburg, Sweden
Yes - this Truth will again be preached in this Nation…...delivering people from religious slavery .....bringing them back to thankfullnes and worship to our heavenly Father for sending His only begotten Son.
In Him we are FREE! :-))))
God will (and is able HImself to) build HIs House ( us=the livings stones)
and fill it with His Glory !
Ulla-Gitt
Alizxa
~ Sivakasi, Tamil Nadu, India
Real love is the feeling of completeness and being satisfied in that. It is unbiased and unconditional, it is a knowing that .. no death, no fear, no law , no man , no god can touch this.. When you have that for yourself there is no reason there .. Many people love themselves unconditionally but others think these people are vein and narcissistic because they cannot understand how a person could love themselves for the “good” and the “bad”.. You’ll never get anywhere by searching outside of yourself and over thinking .
Abbiner
~ Hyderabad, Pakistan
I have study a lot about this on early articles published by previous people, but I primary admit that you clear proved your point here! Will exist back to read more such of your greatest selective information!
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Comments:
Stephen.
~ Bhubaneswar, Orissa, India
Thank you Peter for clarifying the meaning of ‘Church’, which is very much misunderstood in the minds of many.
Truely, church is not a building. It is with every believer, who has accepted Jesus Christ as his personal saviour.
Let the thoughts of Peter tricle down the minds of those who go through the article.
God bless