Church Buildings Fund 00-637

In some parts of the West, the Church is in decline and Christians have more buildings than they know what to do with. But there are many places in the world where the Church is growing, and fellowships and congregations need more space to meet, not only for Sunday worship but also for discipleship classes, children’s ministry, and all the other activities of a thriving part of the Body of Christ. Many kinds of persecution focus on church buildings, as those who oppose Christians understand how important it is for them to have a building to meet in. This opposition includes burning of churches, forced closure of churches, and all kinds of legal pretexts to refuse permission to build, extend or repair.

Barnabas Aid receives many requests for help with the costs of buying, renovating, equipping or constructing buildings for church use. Some of these requests come from countries where Christian activity is severely restricted and persecution is commonplace, yet the Church is growing. The work needed varies from repairs and improvements to extensions, conversions or complete new buildings. This fund helps to meet such needs.

Recent grants to Central Asia include  £2,000 (US$3,300) to complete a church building, £1,300 (US$2,200) for materials to construct Sunday School rooms, and £760 (US$1,200) for repairs to an existing church building.