Jesus, Menno Simons And The Great Omission

From 1965-1988 I was blessed to pastor a wonderful
congregation that met in this simple and stately structure. 

"Go into all the world and establish churches in all nations, training pastors and church leaders who can preach good sermons, lead inspiring worship services, raise large sums of money for church programs and facilities, and still have funds left over for other mission and relief efforts. And lo, all of these things shall be with you to the end of the age." 

- Matthew 28:19-20  (Reversed Standard Version)

Ever feel like some helpful instructions like these should have been included in the Bible, but are nowhere to be found? 

Why didn't someone like Mathias, for example, the apostle appointed to replace Jesus's treasurer, write up a set of church bylaws, some sample congregational budgets, a suggested pay and benefits scale for pastors and members of the church staff, and some blueprints of the kinds of accommodations necessary for a viable congregation?

Regrettably, we have nothing of the kind. Instead, we have statements like "silver and gold have I none," "where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am with them," "God does not live in buildings built with human hands" and "believers broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts."

What kind of real "church" would that be?

Then there are later church leaders like Menno Simons, a 16th century Anabaptist leader who wrote extensively about church-related subjects but didn't include any practical instructions about church buildings and organization in any of the over 1000 pages we have of his writings.

I did find two passing references to church buildings by Menno, as follows:

"I therefore let you judge whether they (members of the state-sponsored church in which Menno had been an ordained priest) believe from the heart (that)... Christ is the atoning sacrifice for their sin, who nevertheless seek and follow all kinds of idolatry...golden, silver and wooden saints... (and) stone churches..."  (Complete Writings of Menno Simons, p. 39)

And of fellow Protestant reformers who defended infant baptism Menno wrote:

"...our opponents have no more command to baptize children than Israel had to circumcise females, or to build churches, altars and places of worship on hills or in valleys..."   (CW p. 713)

What kind of radical church leader would say things like that?

Having said that, while I have been a member of a small house church congregation for over three decades, I am not opposed to congregations having meeting houses. I would, however, love to see them designed in such a way that, like other buildings in the community, they would be used for a variety of life giving purposes throughout the week.

Historically Anabaptists and other members of free churches, thousands of whom were persecuted, tortured and executed in Protestant and Catholic jurisdictions alike, met secretly in caves, barns or in each other's homes until they were later allowed to build simple meeting houses of their own. And in the second century some of the persecuted "followers of the Way" also began to adapt or construct special buildings as they were permitted to do so. 

I post this hoping to generate some some good conversation on church real estate.

Note: Here's some interesting history of how the Christian church developed what some called its "edifice complex." 

https://harvyoder.blogspot.com/2018/06/from-mere-meeting-places-to-holy-spaces.html