Bible verse of the day

Ethics Daily

500 Dead After Religious Violence in Nigeria
Nigerian Baptists have asked for prayer following violence between Christians and Muslims that has left an estimated 500 people dead and displaced around 18,000 others.

NASA: 2000s Was Hottest Decade on Record
A new study from NASA reports that 2009 is tied as the second warmest year since modern recording began in 1880 and that 2000-09 was the hottest decade on record.

Baptist Church Damaged in Iraq Explosion
First Baptist Church of Baghdad suffered serious damage when a bomb exploded only a third-mile away from the building. The adults and children inside the building were not physically harmed.

"Different Books, Common Word" Screening Announced for Houston, Planned for Judson and Duke Universities
EthicsDaily.com's documentary, "Different Books, Common Word," will be screened next month in Houston, which has "one of the largest populations of both Baptists and Muslims of any city in the United States."

Sermons May Be Popular But Rarely Lead to Action
Sermons are not doing enough to motivate congregations who listen to them, a survey found. Organizers concluded that sermons are "better at helping people to reflect than at challenging them to act."

Over the past couple of years, members of a church in Washington, D.C. have fought for the right to tear down their ugly church building. Since some in the city considered the building to be a historic site, the members had to plead their case before politicians and judges. Ultimately, the members prevailed and can now demolish their windowless bunker-esque concrete building. The members argued that to keep the building would violate their religious beliefs because the architecture communicated values contrary to their religious beliefs. The building makes them look secretive, closed, and even sect-like. As one of the congregation's leaders explained, "The building, through its architecture, is sending the wrong message to our community and inhibits our ability to interact with the community. We need to be a visible, welcoming presence, on a living corner. It's central to who we are. Nothing is more basic to a church than being able to express its religious exercise through its architecture."

The determination of the members to destroy their building should make us pause to consider what our own buildings might be communicating. Are we welcoming people in? Are we offering a space that enables people to worship and meet God? Whether we realize it or not, our buildings communicate to those driving by--the colors, the windows, etc. In January, I attended a meeting at a chapel in Boston where the builders struggled to make every aspect of the architecture match their historic congregational beliefs. Such efforts need not require us to completely demolish our buildings or embark on some new building project. Rather, such a recognition should at least make us pause to consider the various ways we are presenting ourselves to our neighbors--not just in architecture, but in all that we do. Are we welcoming? Are we living out our theology? These are important questions that warrant our consideration as we seek to live out the Great Commission.