If you must build, I urge you to at least consider making it a multipurpose facility. That is much better stewardship of resources. At Saddleback, as soon as our weekend services are over, the seating arrangement in our worship center is taken down and the building is used in a variety of ways every day of the week. This releases an enormous amount of space for programs and money for missions.
I can already hear the critics of this suggestion making a good point for “the grandeur and beauty of worship architecture.” Of course I believe in architectural beauty as an aid to worship too. But at what cost? Can anyone seriously give a New Testament justification for billions of dollars spent on debt for sanctuaries that are used for only a couple of hours a week—especially when so many around the world have yet to hear the Good News?
I encourage you to experiment and look for ways to reach and grow people faster and cheaper, without buildings. Don’t let traditional methodology or brick and mortar—or the lack of it—keep you from focusing on what matters most—changed lives!
