 |
| St. Stephen's Cathedral, Vienna, Austria |
We recently took a Danube River cruise as a belated
celebration of our 50th anniversary (although it will be 51 years in
just a couple of weeks) It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, full of great
local foods, picturesque ancient buildings, and lots of walking excursions.
We saw so many beautiful churches and toured several ornate cathedrals. In a few, people were praying and lighting candles. In a couple, visiting was limited due to religious services starting soon. In some, photographs were taboo and there was an air of quiet respect. But for the most part, both the churches and the cathedrals seemed to be touted as tourist attractions. There was a cacophony of guides talking and people chatting, and, of course, everyone was jockeying for a place to get the best photo.
We heard lots of details about architectural design and the value of materials used. We were reminded of famous people who attended on occasion and of historically significant events that had been held at each church.
What we didn’t hear were things I was most curious about. What ministries are offered at these magnificent buildings today? Are there currently groups of faithful congregants attending regularly, growing in their relationship with Jesus? Is the Gospel preached? Is discipleship encouraged? What is going on NOW?
If reaching others with the Good News of Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins is not foremost in a church’s mission, then it is merely a finely crafted pile of brick, mortar, concrete, and wood—not unlike the White House, the Washington Monument, or the Empire State Building. And, as Jesus said about the Temple in Jerusalem, buildings can be destroyed. (Matt. 24:2)
1 Peter 2:4-6 says, “Come to Jesus, the living Cornerstone . . . Come as living stones, and let yourselves be used in building the spiritual temple.” Is Jesus the Cornerstone of your faith or is your spirituality tied to a physical building? Are you allowing God to work through you to reach others with the Good News? We want to offer people more than a mere stone structure to admire—no matter how old, ornate, or ostentatious. We want to introduce them to Jesus, the Rock on which our salvation is build. (1 Cor. 10:4)
Be encouraged!
©2025 Pamela D. Williams