Church Planting and Church Buildings

On a number of occasions, after telling people that I am a minister within a church, they have responded with this question: "Where is your church?" I've often wanted to respond by saying, "Our church is scattered throughout Anderson County." Of course, such a response would likely be met with a look of confusion because such an answer is theological in nature. The questioner wants to know about location--where our building is--not theology.

The first definition given for "church" at dictionary.com is "a building for public Christian worship." For many people, the first thing that comes to mind about a "church" is a building, not the body of believers. In some ways, church planting can help believers remember that the primary definition of the church is theological--the Church consists of Christians, not physical buildings or a location. For those involved in church planting (or Christian ministry as a whole), we cannot allow buildings to be our primary means of "advertisement" to our communities. Instead, the church--the people--must be primary. Let us live as a distinctive, gospel-driven community. Let our lives be our apologetic.