How many have seen charity booths and causes taken up in the foyer of churches? I know that I have and where the they are for good (at least it seems so) I cannot help but wonder if them being there is “right” as God’s House is to be a House of Prayer and not a convention hall.

Now, before you scold me on the churches responsibility to care for others and these charities and causes are an extension of the churches reach, I am not implying that there should be an abandonment of those charities and causes. I am simply asking the question as to there being in the venue of the church.

I believe that we have to be careful as to the purpose of the church and how that fits with the marketing of the charities and causes that are presented. If we are not careful, I see the church building becoming a convention hall taking advantage of soft/guilty/needy hearts in the moment.

“¹²And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. ¹³He said to them, ‘It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.’” – Matthew 21:12-13 (ESV)

Jesus saw the way the temple was being used as a marketplace and as such, He took action to drive them out to restore the temple to the House of Prayer. He was making sure that those coming to the temple were not being taken advantage of in their time of vulnerability and they had the chance to focus on their relationship with God.

Charities and causes need a voice and I want to say, I do believe the church should be involved in those charities and causes and should be bringing those to the congregation in response to the need that expressed. The only thing I have is that there has to be care taken as to the timing and the venue to which those items are communicated and shared. Maybe a charity/cause day or night that is sponsored and communicated through the church would be a solution. I am only cautious as to the when and where.

God’s House is a House of Prayer and it should held in regard as such. It is easy to wander away to other things in the interest of the good for others. We have to be careful to maintain God’s House as a House of Prayer and the opportunity to commune, worship, and praise Him.

What have you seen as goings on in your church? Do you find yourself distracted by the charities and causes? What if God’s House was maintained as a House of Prayer and the charities and causes left to another time and place?