We're There! 2 Timothy 3:14-4:5
Delivered Sunday, October 17, 2010 at Smith Chapel UMC.
Part One
Part Two
What I Didn't Say
Buildings--I preached this sermon on the occasion of the dedication of a Sunday School room in our fellowship hall. It's interesting that our chapel was named after a man (Jesse Smith). He was the builder who apparently designed and built the church building one hundred and twenty years ago. I can only assume he was still around when it was named. Maybe he named it. I'll have to check on that.
In addition, a few years ago, we named our fellowship hall after one of our members who had dedicated hours upon hours taking care of the church buildings and grounds. He was still living at the time, but his health was failing. His name was Vernon Lambert and we now have a social hall named "Lambert Hall."
On October 17, 2010, we named the Sunday School room after a faithful member of Smith Chapel (Edith Sullivan) and her son (Danny Sullivan). Edith was a Sunday School teacher who died long before I came on the scene. Danny, however, was around for several years after I came to Smith Chapel. He was a special saint of the church, and I'll never forget him. Now others will remember him...or at least his name.
I've always had somewhat of a problem with church buildings. We spend a lot of time and resources on them. The question always comes up, "Could that time and money be spent in better ways?" That can be argued several ways. But worse than that, our buildings often become sources of irritation and unnecessary controversy...should the carpet be blue or red?
At that point, the buildings become a distraction or worse. And at some point, they always seem to get in the way of ministry. They're too small, or too old, or too hard to heat, or too inflexible. We can't meet the budget because we can't fit in enough people to grow enough to have bigger offerings to serve more people. I'm sure you've heard it all before. In thirty years of ministry, I know I've heard it all...at least it seems like it.
Our buildings become a detriment to ministry instead of an asset. Of course, the real problem is not the building at all. The real problem is us. We're really the ones that aren't flexible. We're the ones who can't expand and grow. We're the ones who are the sources of irritation and controversy. The building is just there. Unfortunately, we too are often "just there."
If we were active and outgoing as a church...if we were seeking to serve in a positive way...if we were a winsome and credible force for the gospel, the building problems would be secondary. It's when we become like the buildings (sedentary, immovable, and set in stone) that the real problems begin.
I guess that's why we name a lot of our buildings after the saints...Saint Timothy, Saint Francis, Saint Peter (Saint Jesse, Saint Vernon, Saint Edith and Saint Danny). They were all people who didn't allow buildings to stand in the way. They were all people who we're alive in the Lord. They were all people who made a difference. None of them were sedentary, immovable, or set in stone.
Come to think of it, maybe we do them a disservice by naming stationary, lifeless objects after them. Hmmm...
