Hi. In reading some material from a brother today, it seems that adding fellowship halls, kitchens, gyms, etc. to church buildings are condemned, and that the church funds shouldn’t be used for this. We have added a new addition to our building (with a fellowship hall and a kitchen). There are pledges every year (though one is not obligated to pledge) to further pay off the addition. The fellowship hall was used for a baby shower and for Vacation Bible School lunch, and a wedding reception. Would you comment on this? Though I read material on this, I want to hear other brethren’s views as well. Thank You. Anthony Grigsby, Dayton, Ohio
Following are two URL’s for articles by T. Pierce Brown that mention “fellowship halls.”
https://www.gospelgazette.com/gazette/2006/jul/page13.htm
https://www.gospelgazette.com/gazette/2007/mar/page17.htm
The emphasis for what we do as the church and for what we spend the Lord’s money needs to conform to the mission of the church discernible in the New Testament and come under Bible authority (direct statement, approved example or implication). Our church buildings fall under implication as tools to facilitate direct commands and examples especially pertaining to edification, but possibly also pertaining to evangelization and benevolence.
Often, the fellowship hall, annex or whatever we choose to call it often serves a dual purpose, namely edification (could also be for benevolence and evangelism) and social functions. Personally, I would prefer to justify the construction of an annex or fellowship hall based on its intended use for edification or another mission of the church. Yet, I neither have any personal objections for a dual use of an annex for social purposes nor am I aware of any biblical principles in the New Testament that turn any portion of the meetinghouse into a sanctuary. I might add that social interaction between Christians is a legitimate activity, implying a sufficient opportunity and site for it to occur. “And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart” (Acts 2:46). The same exercise of human judgment that provides for the erection of meetinghouses must be allowed on a local level as well for deciding whether or not to have as a part of the church property sufficient space that will lend itself also for socialization among Christians.
