{"id":26116,"date":"2011-02-16T21:52:00","date_gmt":"2011-02-17T03:52:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/?p=26116"},"modified":"2020-09-19T21:59:40","modified_gmt":"2020-09-20T02:59:40","slug":"cant-the-building-be-used-for-things-other-than-worship","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/cant-the-building-be-used-for-things-other-than-worship\/","title":{"rendered":"Can’t the building be used for things other than worship?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\t

Question:<\/h2>\n

The church building is what it is — a building. The way we use “fellowship’ is to socialize. Every time people meet before worship they are said to fellowship with one another. Fellowship is not the same thing as the Lord’s supper; however, a type of fellowship is involved in the process. A fellowship meal is not the Lord’s supper. It is not even a part of worship. Can the building not be used for anything except worship? I find no scripture that says what we can do in the building other than how to worship. It doesn’t say we\u00a0have<\/em>\u00a0to leave the building after worship is over. No command that it remain empty six days a week and we pay the bills. If one is going to say it is wrong to eat in the same building where we worship then show me the proof. I will\u00a0not<\/em>\u00a0rely on what anyone says, only the Bible.<\/p>\n

Did God authorize air conditioning in the church? Or electricity? Let’s get our facts straight. No one is saying a meal is a part of\u00a0worship<\/em>. Give me scripture as to how we are to\u00a0use<\/em> the building. There is plenty of scripture as to how we worship, but not how we use a building. We could worship in someone’s home or in the parking lot for that matter. Were people forbidden to eat at home after they worshiped there? I don’t care what\u00a0you<\/em>\u00a0think. I want to know what the Bible says about it.<\/p>\n\t

Answer:<\/h2>\n

It is clear that you did not bother reading the prior answers to questions similar to your own because your accusations are not based on what I’ve said, but what you suppose I believe.<\/p>\n

Before directing you to the answers to your questions, let me point out how you’ve taken a classic liberal approach to the Scriptures. A liberal finds justification in an authoritative document based on what the document does not say. A liberal approach states that when something is not expressly forbidden, then it is allowed. A conservative approach is the opposite. Something that is not expressly allowed, directly or implied, is forbidden.<\/p>\n

You actually acknowledge that you have no justification for your practice when you demand proof for the use of electricity and air conditioning. You do use these, but you believe you do so without authority. The root of your argument then is that if somethings can be done without authority, other things can be done as well. That is a liberal approach.<\/p>\n

You demand that I prove points, yet you never prove your points. You claim you only follow the Bible but all you offer me is your opinions. Yet, you demand that I must meet a standard higher than the one you offer. Still, I take Peter’s command seriously: “If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen<\/em>” (I Peter 4:11). So take a look at the following:<\/p>\n