So great have been the technological changes of the last decades that many church buildings have had to undergo radical alterations. The result are frequently incoherent and messy.

I am always interested in the nature of church buildings. The buildings reflect something of the theology of the times in which they were built.  They tell us something about the community that built them.  Frequently they contain flags, plaques, windows and other monuments intended to remind us of people and events from previous generations.  We tend to grow comfortable with our buildings and love them just the way they are.  A recent inspection of a church site, however, made me realise that we can become complacent.  What seems comfortable and enjoyable to us may be totally unwelcoming and uncomfortable to others.  Matters such as noticeboards, lighting, furniture and sound systems require attention.
It would be really helpful for
every congregation to look carefully at their building from the point of view of the outsider.  What will a visitor see and experience? Have we so little respect for our congregation and for what we do in the building that we are prepared to let it be run- down, and gloomy or dirty, or even repellent? Another question that we should ask about our building is how well it serves the purposes to which we are putting it.

Does the building lend itself to meeting the Lord Jesus Christ in his word, by the power of his Spirit, and in fellowship with other brothers and sisters in Christ?  Does the building reflect the seriousness of that which is happening Sunday by Sunday? The sacraments instituted by the Lord Jesus are expositions of the gospel to be received by faith.  Is it clear from the way in which we order our sacramental life that serious matters are at stake?
So great have been the technological changes of the last decades that the church buildings that suited in the middle of the 20th century have to undergo fairly radical alterations.
The results are frequently incoherent and messy.  Sometimes members of the congregations are resistant to changes that need to be made, and the case for improvement needs to be sensitively and carefully made out. This is not to say that all change is good, but it is a plea for us all to be willing to consider the further development of our buildings to help them best serve the work of God, to be a blessing to his people, and to welcome the outsider.
Can I suggest that ministers and wardens in particular take some time in the next few months to have a very close examination of the buildings in which God’s people are meeting, seeking for ways in which they can be improved.