Fruit of the Rooms
John 14:31-15:10
Sunday, January 21, 2007

Can you believe it? After years of dreaming and planning, after countless contributions and gifts, after an immeasurable number of meetings, after a tremendous outpouring of time and talent… We are here, gathered 'round the Table for the dedication service of this sanctuary and facilities at Beargrass Christian Church. And I have a confession to make. Many of you know that I am a pun-lover from way back-I love great groaners… But I confess that I have borrowed the title for my message from one of my pun-loving colleagues, Rev. David Spain, who is now serving as the Senior Minister in Norman, Oklahoma. David and I were on staff together in Waco, and we used to have great fun trying to out-"pun"-ish each other with plays on words. He came up with the title as his congregation was heading into a capital campaign-he was trying to help his congregation envision the potential ministry and mission that would be the result of their efforts.

We are on the other end of the process-and we have actually come through two excellent capital campaigns. And yet, the God-inspired question, the challenge, the invitation remains… Now that God has given us these gifts, can you imagine, can you dream, can you become a part of the Fruit of the Rooms? The phrase works well, too, because it helps us think about the vine and branches imagery in our new stained-glass window, which was inspired by the text from the Gospel of John. You'll find more details about the beautiful window on pages 10-11 in your program.

But one of the primary messages within the "vine/branches" is the emphasis on the importance of our connections-to God and to each other. Today we are so blessed to have so many guests and representatives from so many places beyond these walls-the vines and branches represented here extend far and wide. We praise God for the fruit that continues to manifest itself from our connectedness to other ministries and outreach organizations, and the local and global community.

BUT AS WE GATHER HERE TODAY, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU. It is not a new question. It is a question that has been around for a long, long time. Other organizations wrestle with any number of variations of the question. For instance, the Mayor and leaders of the City of Louisville have been hearing questions like these: Does Louisville really need another bridge? Does the city really need another place to play basketball, another arena? Or think about the City of St. Matthews. The leaders and members of the community around us have had to deal with similar questions. Do we really need another car dealership? Do we really need another medical facility or hospital? Do we really need another restaurant? Do we really need another bank? Think about our own neighborhood-we have several banks just down the street to the east. There is one directly across the street to the north. And the west bank is thriving-they are wrapping up another building project of their own! Is there really that much money floating around this town?

Hmmm…the question. It is not one that we really want to think about on a day like this. We are supposed to be celebrating, dedicating, rejoicing. But somewhere in the back of our brains or in the depth of our hearts, somebody, perhaps more than a few are wondering: "Does God really need another building?"

Many of you are aware that my wife, Ellen, and I, were given an incredibly generous gift to help us celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. Some dear family members made it possible for us to spend ten days in Rome. Neither of us had ever been to Europe-it was the trip of a lifetime. While we were there, we visited the Vatican-the Pope sends his blessings, by the way. We gasped in awe as we entered the Sistine Chapel. We were blown away by the sights in St. Peter's Basilica. As we wandered the streets of Rome, it seemed that there was a church on every corner. Some were fairly small-and yet, many were massive. Some were so grand that you could fit the entire physical plant of our church inside, probably several times over.

We visited Florence and walked and climbed and crawled and gasped our way up the 414 steps of the bell tower of the gigantic Duomo Cathedral. Everywhere we turned, everywhere we looked-there were churches and religious works of art. Many of the pieces of art are valued at more than the entire expense of our construction project! Some of the church buildings were still operating. But some of them had become little more than museums. Some of them were boarded up. As we listened to tour guides and wandered around Italy, we heard story after story about the Church at its best-and the Church at its worst. One of the major criticisms of the Church worldwide is that it has become one of the largest owners of property, real estate, art and artifacts of any organization of the world-stuff worth billions and billions of dollars. And, of course, you don't have to travel to Europe to see boarded-up church buildings-there are plenty within our own city limits of Louisville.

Hmmm…the question. Does God really need another building? But, we think, this one has some new and innovative features to help us reach out to new people. Again, our visit to Italy provided the opportunity to put some of my perspectives in their rightful place. Hey, we have this new shape and design, sloped floors, better acoustics. Then Ellen and I wandered around the ruins of Ostia Antica and happened upon the theater-probably built over 2000 years ago-same shape as this, slanted floors-they had their own Tinseltowns.
Doric columns, symbols of strength-Rome. Marble to add dignity-Rome. Skylights-Rome. Religious symbols, circles, keystones-Rome.

But, we think, this one has gadgets with shades where we can control the amount of sunlight getting in. Then Ellen and I wandered around the Coliseum. We discovered from our tour guide that even in that place that could seat 50,000 spectators, they had the means for a "domed" arena, shades that could block out the sun.

But what about these neat screens and the ability to project words to songs? That's all new-isn't it? We didn't have to go to Rome for that one-just over to Shelbyville. Dr. Fred Craddock was reflecting on some of the innovations of contemporary worship. At a luncheon a couple of months ago, he reminded us about a form of entertainment that some of you will remember. How many of you were around when you went to the local movie theaters and sang songs, following the bouncing ball as it jumped from word to word on the screen?

HMMMM…THE QUESTION. DOES GOD REALLY NEED ANOTHER BUILDING? I suppose it depends on what happens inside and outside of the walls of the building-and our stewardship of this gift from God? An illustration from my days as a biology teacher comes to mind. When we talk about different types of organisms, one of the ways we categorize them is based on what holds them together. Some organisms-like us, human beings-are supported by endoskeletons-bones on the inside. Other organisms such as insects-are supported by exoskeletons-a tough, sturdy shell on the outside which holds everything together on the inside. And we are aware that all organisms, whether they have endoskeletons or exoskeletons-they all have a life cycle-a beginning and an end.

Church buildings are like that too-they have a life cycle. There is a time when they experience new birth-and there will be a time when they are boarded up. From one perspective, the walls of a church building are like an exoskeleton. They provide a way to hold a group of faithful people together on the inside. And they provide a place from which the faithful can reach out in mission beyond the walls.

On Christmas Eve, during the first services of worship in this place, it was as if the Spirit of the Living God enfolded this place. God helped to bring this new creation into the world and breathed life into it. The Light and Presence of Christ filled and transformed these bricks and mortar into a place of blessing and mission.

Does God really need another building? We may have questions about that question-but we do know this. God needs places for people of all ages-young and old-to gather where they can become new people! God needs places where people of faith can place their lives in the creative hands of God and submit themselves to spiritual construction! God needs places for people to come to be fed, so they can go out and feed others! God needs places for people to come to be transformed, by Water and the Word, so that they can go out and transform the world! God needs buildings for people to gather, so they can work on building meaningful relationships-both inside and outside of the walls! God needs a place where people who are burned out, bummed out, thrown out, left out, dropped out-can come to be set free and empowered by the Holy Spirit! God needs places where the leaves and the vines and the branches can get reconnected… To the One who is the source of our strength… The One who provides our sustenance… The One Jesus describes as the Vinegrower, the Vinekeeper… The One who makes all growth possible! When those kinds of connections happen… When the Spirit of the Living God flows in and through the people of God… When lives are transformed by the gifts and graces of God… Then you will see the fruit of the rooms, the fruit of faithfulness, the fruit of the Spirit-love, joy, peace, justice and righteousness. And when the construction is completed, when the projects end, when the harvest comes, when new hopes and dreams and visions arise like the morning sun, when the fruit is overflowing…

In all of these things… To God be the glory!