Church buildings with kitchens and fellowship halls are quite common today because the social gospel has gained acceptance in the minds of many. In fact, more and more churches of Christ are running headlong in that direction with complete apostasy being the only outcome.<\/p>\n
There is absolutely no Scriptural authority for a local church to draw funds from its treasury to construct a kitchen or fellowship hall. There is Scriptural authority to construct a building for worship services because the commands of worship require a place and facilities. A place and facilities are necessary to obey God’s commands, but kitchens and fellowship halls are not for any purpose God assigned to the church. Social and recreational endeavors are not the work of the church, and acting where God has not spoken is a serious offense (Matthew 7:21-23; 15:9; I Corinthians 4:6; II John 9).<\/p>\n
Like the prophet Elijah (I Kings 18:27), the pioneer preachers forcefully ridiculed the denominations by stating that their church kitchens were creating a new office. When they replied, “What new office?”‘ they answered, “A church cook!” Untold thousands were converted by their plain and forceful teaching. We need hundreds more like them!<\/p>\n
Some contend that the church building is not sacred and therefore can be used for eating and socializing. However, Paul ordered the eating of common food in the home and spiritual food in the church (I Corinthians 11:20-34). We understand that in I Corinthians 11 Paul was condemning a misuse of the Lord’s Supper; however, it is interesting to note how Paul corrected the problem. He did not say, “Keep your common meals separate from the Lord’s Supper”, but, “If anyone is hungry, let him eat at home<\/em>” (I Corinthians 11:34). Some have argued that their kitchens and fellowship halls are expedients to fellowship which God commanded. On the contrary, the word “fellowship” is never so used in the Scriptures. The fellowship enjoined by Christ is not social, but spiritual (see I John 1:3-7). It is a gross perversion to promote human socializing as “Christian fellowship.”<\/p>\n The entertainment projects go over big for a time, but to maintain enthusiasm, bigger and better schemes must be produced. In the final analysis, it introduces worldliness into the church. Food for the soul is replaced by food for the stomach, worship and spiritual songs by play and laughter, and prayer and meditation by fun and frolic. Worldliness is where the long road leads and is the end result of it all.<\/p>\n Years ago there was a great problem of men joining church and state and mankind, in general, suffered many bitter consequences. Today, men are joining the church and the home and the hideous results – loss of spirituality, a flood of worldliness in the church, and in the end, souls ruined, lost and damned eternally. Let us go back to the “old paths” of offering the gospel of Christ only, and free ourselves from all the unlawful schemes men have devised to win and hold members. The gospel is not “a” power of God to salvation, but “the” power of God (the only one) to salvation. (Romans 1:16). God’s Word will accomplish exactly what God intended. (Isaiah 55:10-11). It is still quick and powerful, living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword (Hebrews 4:12).<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" by David Riggs Church buildings with kitchens and fellowship halls are quite common today because the social gospel has gained acceptance in the minds of many. In fact, more and more churches of Christ are running headlong in that direction with complete apostasy being the only outcome. Unauthorized There is absolutely no Scriptural authority for…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[27],"tags":[151,593,594,152],"class_list":["post-55535","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-eating-in-the-building","tag-fellowship-hall","tag-kitchen","tag-social-activities"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":63314,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-real-issue-regarding-kitchens-and-fellowship-halls\/","url_meta":{"origin":55535,"position":0},"title":"The Real Issue Regarding Kitchens and Fellowship Halls","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 5, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Colossians 3:12-18 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Over the years Christians have experienced disagreements that have led to divisions \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0In the late 1800's it was disagreements over missionary societies and instrumental music in worship. It lead to the formation of the Christian Church and the Disciples of Christ. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0In\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":19698,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/you-shouldnt-write-against-having-kitchens-and-fellowship-halls-since-these-arent-important-to-salvation\/","url_meta":{"origin":55535,"position":1},"title":"You shouldn’t write against having kitchens and fellowship halls since these aren’t important to salvation","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 31, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I stumbled across your web site and found some very valuable information that may help me in the future. I disagree, however, with one of your beliefs. Having a kitchen or a potluck at the church building is not wrong. The church building is just that -- a building.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":30095,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/fellowship-halls\/","url_meta":{"origin":55535,"position":2},"title":"Fellowship Halls? (Dunagan)","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 10, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"by Mark Dunagan Somewhere in the past, the idea entered the Church of Christ that it would be all right to take the funds collected on the first day of the week and construct a church building which would include such things as a kitchen and a large dining room\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":68242,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/are-fellowship-halls-optional\/","url_meta":{"origin":55535,"position":3},"title":"Are fellowship halls optional?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"June 3, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Good morning, brother Jeffrey: I have had several discussions with an elder of a church of Christ. First, the issue of fellowship halls. I sent him the article entitled \"Kitchens and Fellowship Halls, What Was the Issue?\" His response was because the early church met in homes for worship\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1999,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/if-you-can-have-fellowship-with-people-who-differ-in-one-area-why-cant-you-have-fellowship-with-those-who-have-kitchens-and-fellowship-halls\/","url_meta":{"origin":55535,"position":4},"title":"If you can have fellowship with people who differ in one area, why can’t you have fellowship with those who have kitchens and fellowship halls?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 16, 2004","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Do you believe that weddings and\/or funerals may take place in the church auditorium? Do you think that you can maintain fellowship with those who differ with you on this question? Do you think that you can maintain fellowship with those who differ with you about having a kitchen\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":54072,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/in-regards-to-fellowship-halls-it-seems-you-gave-two-different-answers\/","url_meta":{"origin":55535,"position":5},"title":"In regards to fellowship halls, it seems you gave two different answers","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 31, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I was reading through some of your questions and answers regarding\u00a0fellowship halls. I'm a little confused. In\u00a0one post about the subject, someone asked if they could still worship as long as they didn't attend the meal. The answer was yes and Revelation 3:4 was cited. In\u00a0a different question, someone\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55535","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=55535"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55535\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=55535"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=55535"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=55535"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Introduces Worldliness<\/h2>\n
Joins Church and Home<\/h2>\n