Practicing Open Doors

written by Pastor Adam Jones, Lead Pastor of Open Door Church

What are Buildings For?

I have often heard church buildings referred to as "the Lord's House".  I am not always sure what the intention is, but I want us to be clear on this:  God no longer dwells in buildings.  He has chosen to dwell in people.  People are where you will find Jesus if you haven't already.  So, what should be the function of our buildings? 

Buildings are simply a tool meant to help God's people love Him, love one another, and love their neighbor.  Buildings are not the substance and measure of a church.  The church is people.  No matter how many times we call a building “church”, it is not so.  But buildings are a useful tool in helping to spread the world God has in mind. 

Buildings are for spreading the kingdom, love of God, neighbor, each other. 

Therefore, Open Door opens our building up to various organizations that further the kingdom of God and serve our neighbors.  

The Golfview Estates Neighborhood Association meets once a month in our building and holds events there. 

Narcotics Anonymous helps our neighbors begin to break free from addiction.  They meet in our building every day of the week.  

City of Refuge Church is a church that brings the gospel to Congolese folks in Lexington and uses our building. 

Families from our neighborhood have used our building free of charge for weddings, memorials, birthday parties, and holiday family gatherings. 

All of these groups are not run by Open Door, but they serve our neighbors and do good.  Our building is really God's.  He wants it to be used for good, for us and our neighbors.   

Many of us live in homes or apartments. In a way, they are our buildings. And just like the church building, if we are following Jesus, they are God’s, not ours. They can be a tool to serve our neighbors and do good. Perhaps we can invite the neighbors over for dinner or open our home for a Bible study or home church. Perhaps our home can be a place where those who need a place to sleep can rest or a place to talk to be heard. Our home might be a building where someone meets Jesus over a cup of coffee or a bowl of soup. In truth, our buildings are a sacred space too and we can practice opening doors in our own home.”

So, next time you hear of a ministry or good organization looking for space to work in, we may be able to help.  Maybe we can open our doors to partner organizations of goodwill in our community.  It’s not our building anyway. May the kingdom of God spread to the ends of the earth. 

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The resources below offer more thoughts on the practice of fellowship and making room for close relationships.

Books

  • Compelling Convictions: Finding Our Future in a Modern World, edited by Terry L. Brensinger, Jennifer Lancaster, and Alan Robinson (especially the chapter “Belonging to the Community of Faith”)

  • Making Room: Recovering Hospitality as Christian Tradition by Christine Pohl

  • Saved by Faith and Hospitality by Joshua Jipp

Web Resources & Videos

For Kids & Youth

  • KIDS - The Peace Table: A Storybook Bible, pages 82-83, 200-201, 230-231, 298-299

  • YOUTH - You Need Friends by Jake Thurston, https://www.youneedfriends.com/

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