Sometimes we refer to the church with which we are affiliated as, “my church.” That’s okay as long as we understand that it really doesn’t belong to us, but is ours only in the sense that we identify with it.

If it’s not mine, whose is it? Does it belong to the total membership? Legally, I suppose an argument could be made that the property belongs to the membership, but most people, especially in Baptist circles, would agree that the whole thing belongs to the Lord.

The people who make up the membership of a local church may have paid the money so that the property could be obtained and buildings could be built, but most would agree that it was “given” to the Lord, and not a personal or corporate investment. That being true, when the time comes to renovate, sell, or build, the membership of a local church do well to pray for God’s guidance, then think from a completely different perspective than they would think if it were their own personal property. Proper perspective is to think against the backdrop of asking, “What is going to best accomplish our ministry purpose?”

We are in the people business for God, from first to last. Our challenge is always to meet people where they are and take them to where they need to go with God, with fewest number of casualties possible. Therefore, as we think about building designs, styles of worship, or new ministry endeavors, our responsibility and challenge is not to think so much about our personal preferences, but to think about what will be anointed of God to accomplish our purposes.