Building Fund Offering

Definition and Meaning

A building fund offering is an offering that a church collects separately to cover the cost of constructing, purchasing, expanding, or repairing buildings such as a sanctuary, an education building, or a retreat center. It is a type of designated offering, meaning its use is fixed in advance, and it is often kept as a separate account within church finances. A common method is the pledge offering, in which members commit to a specific amount in advance and pay it in installments over several months or years.

Biblical and Historical Background

The passages most often cited in support of building fund offerings are the Old Testament accounts of the construction of the tabernacle and the temple. In Exodus 25:1-8, God directs that offerings for the tabernacle be taken "of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart." Exodus 36:5-7 records that the people brought "much more than enough," so that they "were restrained from bringing." 1 Chronicles 29 describes how David and the people offered willingly for the building of the temple.

By contrast, the early church of the New Testament had no dedicated buildings and met in homes (Romans 16:5). Paul taught that giving should be done "not grudgingly, or of necessity" (2 Corinthians 9:7). On this basis, some caution against equating present-day church buildings with the Old Testament temple.

In Korea, early missionaries are said to have encouraged believers to build their own places of worship in keeping with the self-support principle of the Nevius Mission Plan. During the period of rapid church growth in Korea, when membership rose sharply, sanctuary construction flourished, and building fund offerings became a major undertaking for many Korean churches.

Practice in Korean Churches

In Korean Protestant churches, once a building plan is adopted, the church usually forms a building committee and collects pledges from its members. Special prayer meetings or consecration services for the project are also often held. It is customary to hold a dedication service only after construction is complete and all debt has been paid off.

Decision-making procedures vary according to the form of church government.

• Presbyterian: The session usually prepares the proposal, which is then approved by a congregational meeting of the entire membership.
• Baptist: Baptist churches, which follow congregational polity, decide the matter at a business meeting open to the entire membership.
• Other denominations: Decisions go through the bodies designated in the denomination's constitution and the church bylaws. Some denominations require church property to be registered in the name of a property-holding foundation of the denomination or presbytery.

Building fund offerings have also drawn criticism. The press has reported cases in which churches took out large loans to build, then struggled with interest payments or declining membership, and eventually lost their buildings at auction. Critics have also argued that publicizing pledge amounts or pressing members to give places an undue burden on congregants.

Opinions on the practice are divided. Some churches see a building project as an opportunity for the congregation to commit itself together. Others, holding that funds should go to missions and relief rather than to buildings, have chosen to rent schools or public facilities for worship.