THE CPT: If Christianity is about humility and the meek, why is worship practiced in fancy expensive churches?

Question

I've seen some churches that are built as though they are mansions, and they are right next to poor neighborhoods, where people basically live in shacks. I've seen others that are so huge that the ulities alone could feed a thousand small families. Am I missing something here?

God doesn't want the best according to your beliefs, he wants people to help the unfortunate, did jesus want to be glorified and served as a king, or as a humble person?

Answer 1

No

You're seeing the truth

God sees it too! Do you think he's blind, deaf and dumb!

Answer 2

Humility is a personal attribute, humble in the sense that you don't think of yourself greater than anyone else, that you wouldn't be too prideful to realize that you need God in your life and salvation is a gift not something anyone earns with status or salary. If a church grows and more and more people join then it has to be expanded. The more people that join it shows that obviously the church is impacting the community. My church has benevolence services that pay electricity bills for people who are behind, we have foster care houses, prison ministries, homeless ministries and sent out over 10,000 gift boxes to needy children around the world. Strength comes in numbers. I admit that some churches are a little extravagant, but read the Old Testament book of Ezra and see what the Jews gave for the rebuilding of the temple for worship.

Answer 3

Excellent point. My church however is a humble, Christopher Wren type building built in the 1840s. All wood, painted white. I think you can create an elegant and spiritually nurturing space to worship without blowing the bank. However, I do have to say that at least a medieval cathedral created a place of everlasting architectural beauty, which is more than you can say for the megachurches that blight much of the US these days. And as expensive as they are, they aren't "fancy" per se. Just pretentious and ugly.

Answer 4

Nope, you're not missing anything. If you're looking for a contrast, if you go to a Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses you'll find that our places of worship are simple yet nice. We don't build mega-churches, but instead keep them small so that the congregation's members can be well taken care of spiritually. Each congregation sets aside "work days" to care for building and grounds maintenance. Each week one Bible-study group is assigned to clean the Kingdom Hall before the Sunday discourse. Everything is done by volunteers in the congregation. In fact, when a Kingdom Hall is built, its built by the congregation. I was fortunate enough to have a share in the building of the Kingdom Hall for a congregation where I used to live. It was wonderful to see everyone working side by side and its amaizing to see how smoothly things go when you have God's backing. Even those who don't have a skill or trade can have a part. Both men and women share in the work, and even children who are mature enough to carry out the tasks they are assigned.

Answer 5

You're right, I'm sure God would rather people worship him in the middle of a forest then in a man made building. We all know organized religion is just about power and money anyways, most have forgotten about God.

Answer 6

your point is a good one.

the use of the resources we have is the biggest test of true humility. not all church's are in poor neighborhoods, but it concerns me also when a mutli-million dollar church facility springs up in the area of a needy area, and that church doesn't feel the need to reach out to them.

whether or not churches are huge is not the problem. sometimes, in order for a large congregation to function greatly, large facilities are needed. but the Christians at this church also need to be Christ-like force of compassion and mercy within the local community.

Answer 7

I have also seen Churches that are nothing more than trailers or little buildings with tin roofs. The building is not God's Church, it is His People.

Answer 8

Good question, Jesus was poor, he did not chase money or richess, like 90% of pastors do today.
Every knee shall bow

Answer 9

Same can be said about some of those super fancy mosques in the middle east, hypocrites is all I can think of.

Answer 10

the answer is hypocrisy and religion is full of it. keep searching and you will discover a million more examples throughout every religion. this is because religion was created by people, and people are never perfect. unfortunate but true.

Answer 11

Fish said it best so far. It is about devotion and giving their deity the best.