Summer 2009 - Brethren in Christ Church

TO OUR COREexploring the central values of the bic churchwhen formfollows faithHow the architecture of oneBIC meeting house revealsan historic commitment ofthe Churchby E. Morris SiderFor the first 100 years of Brethren inChrist history, members met ineach other’s homes as testimony totheir commitment to simplicity andfamily-like community. Then, inthe 1870s, to accommodate theirgrowing numbers, our BIC ancestorsbegan gathering in meeting houses—buildings constructed specifically forworship. In these new settings, the valuesof community and accountabilitythat come with family life at its bestremained strong, and the meetinghouses’ architecture was an extensionof those theological commitments.Looking at the Ringgold MeetingHouse, which was built in Marylandin 1871 and is one of the oldest stillin existence, we can see how theseearly BIC lived out the call to accountabilityin various areas of faith.Accountability to living simply:The simple structure, bare walls andceiling, and plain, unpadded pewsof the Ringgold Meeting Houseillustrate the unadorned constructionand décor of early BIC church buildings.This austerity reminded attendeesof the worthlessness of earthlywealth and the call to modest living.≥ We value integrity in relationships and mutual accountabilityin an atmosphere of grace, love, and acceptance.Accountability to purity: Typical ofall early meeting houses, the RinggoldMeeting House has two separateentrances, one for men and one forwomen and children. It also had apartition running between the twosides of the room. Both of these measuressought to separate members ofthe opposite sex and thus eliminatedistractions so that full attentioncould be given to the Word.Accountability to God and eachother: Unlike most churches today,the Ringgold Meeting House featuresa floor-level pulpit table. Thissymbolized the idea of the fellowshipof believers and suggested thatministers were not elevated abovethe congregants, either in terms oftheir access to God’s truth or theirfreedom from sin and weaknesses.It was a visual demonstration thatcongregants were responsible to holdthe ministers accountable, just as theministers were to guide the flock andhold its members accountable.Accountability to humility: Theoffering box, which was located atthe meeting house’s entrance, harkensback to a time when Brethrenin Christ did not “lift” offerings bymeans of offering plates, as they donow. Rather, offerings were depositedin the offering box quietly andin private. This helped congregantsremain humble in their giving toGod and His kingdom.BIC church buildings today comein all shapes and sizes, and most lookvery different from the RinggoldMeeting House. I wonder what ourdescendants 100 years from now willsurmise about our theology by lookingat our meeting spaces.Adapted from “The Ringgold Meeting House as Symbol” byE. Morris Sider in the December 1995 issue of Brethren inChrist History and Life.E. Morris Sider is the editor of the BICHistorical Society and has penned anumber of books and articles on BIClife. He is professor emeritus of historyand English literature at MessiahCollege (Grantham, Pa.). He and his wife, Leone, arelongtime members of the Grantham BIC congregation.summer 2009