During this continuing journey I've had to face a number personal hangups about things (big and small) that I have had to decide if they were real issues or just another step towards that "bigger world". Things like "do you have to be baptized to participate in the Lord's Supper?" and other much more trivial things...
When I first started attending my new Church (Pinedale Christian Church) I was confronted with a term that I was very familiar with being used in a new way - for me. When people at Pinedale referred to the "auditorium" they often called it the "Sanctuary"...my first thought was..."how odd". I mean here is what is basically an "Instrumental-Progressive-Church of Christ-that changed their name", a Church that under the stuff that gave many of my former "pew-mates" the willies was the same - but calling thier auditorium a SANCTUARY?!? I was confused...
Why would such a little thing as a word make such a big deal to me? Well, first of all, it wasn't that big of a deal, just...confusing... Wikipedia states that a Sanctuary is "the consecrated area of a church or temple around its tabernacle or altar" - which is exactly how I understood the term. Some of you may be scratching your head right now and asking yourself what the problem is...well it's simple. All of my life, including this moment, I stongly believe that a Church building is just that...a building that a body of believers has decided to use for God's work, to promote community and regularly worship in. That building could just as easily be an old warehouse, a tent, a home, a theater or town's square. Putting any holy designation at all to the building is giving it a higher designation that it does not deserve.
When Christ came, died and rose again he brought with Him a new covenant:
For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. And if what was fading away came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts! 2 Corinthians 3:10,11
This new covenant discarded the old covenant that had God at a distance from us and brought Him to our homes, our streets, workplaces, parks and yes, our Church buildings, but none of these places are more holy than another. The "alter" we refer to when coming forward during our time of public worship is a place between God and His child - it can happen anywhere!
So, yes, I give a Church auditorium no special, holy distinction because it has none.
However...
An alternate definition of "sanctuary" is "place of refuge" or "a reserved area in which birds and other animals, especially wild animals, are protected from hunting or molestation". When I think of my Church being a "sanctuary", this is what I think of..."my safe place". As a teenager and young adult, my Church family saved my life...they looked after me, loved me for me, cared for me and protected me...so, my "sanctuary" IS the Church and when I am with my brothers and sisters, especially in the building we worship in, I feel safe, protected and loved. It's the place where the rest of the world vanishes for a time and I can feel safe and closer to God.
That is MY SANCTUARY...
