Beauty in the Modern Church-part 1

As many of you already know, right now is Term Paper season in Torrey.  This quarter for my term paper, I've decided to write on the use of beauty within church buildings, and how we ought to make our sanctuaries more beautiful to reflect the glory of God and inspire men to worship Him.  To better write this term paper, I have and will be visiting several churches, both modern and ancient, to compare what I consider to be beautiful, and not beautiful (and also as proof that the type of church I write about in my paper really does exist).  Yesterday afternoon, I had the privilege of visiting Cornerstone Church in Anaheim, touring the campus and taking pictures.  So below is what I wrote after seeing the campus, as well as a few of the about 40 pictures I took ;)

Cornerstone, a perfect picture of a contemporary church building.  Once a warehouse used to house a computer company, it now houses a congregation fo vibrant and active believers.  The main sanctuary especially is a reflection of the modern, functional style seen throughout the rest of the vast building.

Painted a neutral beige, the concrete wall stretch up to a silver lined sky.  Wooden beams and lighting wires criss-cross the insulation covered ceiling in an intricate pattern of shapes and angles.  Spotlights and speakers hang dow from the ceiling, making no attempt to conceal themselves. Rather, the various technical tools flaunt themselves as if they were proud of their purpose without pulchritude.

The entire sanctuary, laid out in a simple square, seems to be al angles, hard walls, and vast open spaces, and does nothing to hide its former purpose.  It is as if they (who is they?) are proud of their modern functionality and practicality, but could there be more?  Could beautifully designed sanctuaries, soaring stained glass windows, and ornately gilded molding be more than merely superficial ornaments?

This use of beauty in worship spaces is not only more appealing, it is downright essential.  The church, the actual building, is the place where the body of Christ gathers in worship, and the one place more than any other where God is present on earth.  If one’s church is the home of the God Most High, does the church not owe to God the very best home that they can give Him?  Do they not owe to Him a home that is worthy of His majesty and reflects His glory?  

And pictures will be coming in the next post :)