Bishop Wills’ Life Journal for October 8, 2007 – “Not the buildings but the hearts of people is what has eternal significance”

Not The Buildings, But The Hearts of People Is What Has Eternal Significance.

S: Luke 21: 5-6
One day people were standing around talking about the Temple, remarking how beautiful it was, the splendor of its stonework and memorial gifts. Jesus said, “All this you are admiring so much – the time is coming when every stone in that building will end up in a heap of ruble. (The Message)

O: Every church one day will die and the building will no longer be a church.

A: It is important that we take good care of our churches. How our church looks says something important about how much we honor God. It seems to me to be a matter of stewardship. We must take very good care of God’s buildings and make sure the lawn is mowed and the buildings are kept in good order.

With that said, it is important for us to remember no a single New Testament church is alive and vital today. Take good care of the buildings, but do not worship them. Just be good stewards of the buildings the Lord has given us. It is good, if we remember we do not worship the buildings. They are something to be used for matters of faith.

Remember, 500 years from now our local church will not be around. It will be something else, but not a vital congregation. This was such an important lesson for me to learn. So, if our church buildings and property will not last, then what do we have to cling to? What will last?

For me, it has been important to remember that the only thing which lasts forever is what God does in the hearts of people. This will have eternal significance. Do not worship church buildings. Worship the living Lord and what God does in the hearts of people. This is the only things which will last for eternity. In the mean time, let’s take good care of our church buildings, but just don’t end up worshipping the buildings. Worship God and use church buildings to allow the Lord to work in the hearts of people…….all kinds of people, especially those people no one else wants.

P: Father forgive me when I worship our church buildings and miss my worship of you. Help me be a good steward, but help me remember what you do in my heart and the hearts of people has eternal significance. Love, Dick

Y: I will work to share what God is doing in the hearts of people because that has eternal significance.