I. The Foundation of Church Dedication: The Cornerstone of Jesus Christ
The fundamental reason we dedicate churches and establish places of worship in various locations is to place our faith and hope on the solid foundation of Jesus Christ. As the Apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 3:10–11:
“By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. … For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.”
All church dedications begin by grounding ourselves in the gospel of Jesus Christ. This must not be shaken. Even if people spend great sums of money to construct a magnificent building, if the gospel of Jesus Christ is absent there, what meaning does it have? No matter how large a building or congregation may be, if it is built on any value other than the foundation of Jesus Christ, it will eventually collapse when storms and trials come.
How firmly our building and community stand depends on where we lay our foundation. After presenting the Golden Rule (Matthew 7:12), Jesus tells a parable: the wise man who built his house on the rock and the foolish man who built his house on sand. People often look at the exterior of a house and say, “It’s splendid” or “It’s sturdy,” but from the outside, it can be difficult to tell whether it’s built on a rock. Only when the rain pours down, the floods rise, and the winds blow do we see clearly which house is built on the rock and which is built on sand.
It is the same today. When we see churches being dedicated or expanded into other regions, we must above all ask, “Is this church truly built on the foundation of Jesus Christ?” We must continually examine whether the community is deeply rooted in the gospel of Christ, rather than in money, honor, or ecclesiastical authority. Throughout the early church era and the Reformation, there were long disputes and trials over where the true church was founded. Looking back on history, it was never merely institutional frameworks or massive buildings that ensured a community’s survival and growth, but rather whether the foundation of Christ was truly present.
Pastor David Jang has always emphasized “only Jesus Christ” as the foundational value whenever a new church is established. Whether at a church dedication service, the opening of a new church overseas, or the proclamation of the Word, the same message is repeated: “It’s not the building, the region, or the organization’s name that matters, but whether we are truly grounded in the salvation and Word of Jesus.” A church without salvation, a church in which the gospel has grown dim, can never stand before God as a true church.
When people build something, what do they do first? They level the ground and seek solid bedrock to lay the foundation. Some people seem to think the visible structure must be built quickly, neglecting foundation work. But if you visit an actual construction site, you’ll see that foundation work is often the most time-consuming phase—sometimes taking half or more of the entire construction period. Even if it’s not visibly apparent, if the foundation is laid properly, the structure will be able to withstand the challenges of time.
Likewise, church dedication is not about the external appearance of the sanctuary or its decorations, but about taking Jesus as our cornerstone and making His Word our bedrock. We can decorate a church or use flowery language, but if we are separated from Jesus, the building and community will lose their light and life, becoming mere shells.
In 1 Corinthians 3:12 and the following verses, Paul mentions the materials used in constructing the church:
“If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is…”
We use various “materials” to build the church. Some may use valuable materials like gold, silver, and precious stones. Others may use wood, hay, or straw, which are more readily available but burn easily. The choice of material depends on our devotion, faith, and motives.
The main point Paul makes is this: Be careful how you build the church. We must each ask, “What kind of material am I using to build this church?” If we build with pride, greed, or the desire to exalt ourselves, it will one day burn up and vanish. But if we build with humility, obedience, sacrifice, and love, it will be refined like gold or silver, shining more purely.
When we face the test of fire, our work will either be burned up or shine more brightly. The church faces tests from the world: tests of money, love, honor, and various other temptations and hardships. The same is true for the lives of believers in the church. However, if the foundation of Jesus Christ is clearly laid, it cannot collapse under trial. This is because our foundation is not people, finances, or organizational strength, but the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
Recall the temptations Jesus faced. Satan tempted Him with money (bread), honor (the splendor of all the kingdoms of the world), and love (attempting to create doubt in God and provoking Jesus to test God’s salvation). Jesus overcame these temptations with the Word. Today, as churches grow, these temptations reemerge. Running a church can lead to financial challenges; as a congregation grows, there may be a craving for honor; with increased public attention, pride can arise under the guise of love or popularity. Whenever these temptations appear, we must become a community that asks, “What would Jesus do?” and “Is this truly the way of the gospel?”
The primary purpose of founding a church is to worship God, help even one more soul be saved, and create a holy place where prayers are lifted to God and answered. The church is meant to be a house of prayer for all nations (Isaiah 56:7; Mark 11:17) and an ark of salvation. The story of how the temple in Jerusalem became a “den of robbers” under the religious leaders in Jesus’ time warns us that our church, too, can become corrupt. When money, vested interests, power struggles, and church politics begin to dominate, the glory of Jesus departs, and a church can become a den of robbers.
How, then, can a church become “a house of prayer for all nations”? First, all workers in the church, including the congregation, must continuously examine themselves before God in humility, allow the Word to consume what is sinful (as in a burnt offering), and seek the illumination of the Holy Spirit. Without such a process—if we merely say, “We hold services and have dedicated this building”—we can easily drift away from the essence.
We must keep this mindset even during the process of constructing a church. We should pray, “Lord, may this building be used entirely for Your glory and the spread of the gospel. When we offer our money and talents for Your church, may it be a pure burnt offering to You, free from vanity or pride.” A church built with such prayer may not be ostentatious, but it will be filled with the presence and grace of God.
Think about why the Israelites gathered around the Jerusalem Temple. Beyond it simply being a place to offer sacrifices, it symbolized the holy presence of God. They believed the temple was the identity and source of blessing for the community, and all their festivals and worship centered on it. Today, dedicating a church has a similar meaning, but in the New Testament era of the Holy Spirit’s indwelling, not only physical church buildings but also each believer is a “temple” (see 1 Corinthians 3:16).
Therefore, while it is important to establish and dedicate churches, we must also examine how we are building our own “spiritual temple” within. No matter how grand a church structure may be, if the believers who enter do not sanctify themselves with the Word and prayer, the church can quickly become an empty shell. On the other hand, even if a church looks small and humble, if the congregation is steadfast in loving and serving one another, firmly upholding the foundation of Jesus, that church will shine like salt and light in the world.
The recent establishment of multiple churches in the Tri-State area (New York, New Jersey, Connecticut) follows this line of thought. The goal is to place churches in these densely populated metropolitan areas so that people of various ethnicities and generations can gather to worship and pray to God, and proclaim the gospel of salvation. Churches known as New York Immanuel, New Jersey Immanuel, Connecticut Immanuel, and so on, each have different local contexts, but share one common purpose: to glorify the name of Jesus Christ, bring even one more soul to salvation, and become a house of prayer for all nations.
These churches have typically been set up by acquiring buildings previously owned by Methodist, Catholic, or Baptist congregations, then dedicating them anew. Some may question, “Why buy existing buildings from old denominations? Why not purchase new land and build from scratch?” But the core issue is not the building’s previous denomination or its facade, but rather “Is a new community truly being born on the foundation of Jesus Christ in this place?” Looking back at Esau, who traded his birthright to Jacob because he couldn’t endure his hunger, we see how foolish it is to forfeit what is precious. We must be more careful not to lose the value and blessing of a God-given church for frivolous reasons.
Indeed, Pastor David Jang has repeatedly stressed, whenever planting and dedicating churches in various regions, “Never sell this church building for secular reasons.” Since God’s church is as precious as a “birthright,” we must never foolishly give it up for personal profit or transient benefit. We must always remember Deuteronomy 8:18: “Remember the Lord your God”, especially as the church prospers, staying humble and clinging to the Word.
Ultimately, dedicating a church is about establishing an “institution of blessing.” Wherever a church is established, people’s souls are healed, families are restored, and sometimes entire local communities turn back to God. Even if immediate visible fruit is small, no one can deny that dedicating a church gradually expands the kingdom of God. Just as the Apostle Paul devoted his whole being to preaching the gospel and establishing churches, we too can found and dedicate churches according to our gifts and callings.
But we must never forget that all such dedication is built on the foundation of “Jesus Christ”. That is why, during any church dedication or ceremony, the first thing proclaimed is “the saving work of Christ,” along with a clear statement of the church’s purpose. A dedication apart from Christ is merely the dedication of a building, not a church.
To summarize the foundation of church dedication:
- The gospel of Jesus Christ must be central.
- The church must be a house of prayer for all nations, which requires that prayer and the Word remain at the heart of church life.
- The foremost goal in establishing a church is to help save as many souls as possible.
- When trials and temptations arise, the church must stand firmly on the foundation of Jesus Christ, never wavering.
Pastor David Jang has consistently highlighted the same points, saying, “Church dedication is never just a one-time event; it is an ongoing process in which the church continually checks and reaffirms its standing on the gospel of Christ. If we fail to reinforce our foundation in the Word every day, no matter how beautiful our sanctuary is, it will eventually be shaken.” We, as we dedicate churches, must remember that this teaching remains true in every era.
II. Our Identity and Calling: Living as Fishers of Men
The reason we establish and dedicate churches—its ultimate purpose—is to lead even one more soul to salvation. Therefore, we must ask ourselves, “Who are we? What is our identity, and what are we living for?” When Jesus called Peter and Andrew, as well as James and John, He said, “I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19). This reveals the common identity given to all disciples. The so-called “Great Commission” also aligns with this.
Right before His ascension, Jesus commanded His disciples in Matthew 28:19 and onward:
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations… baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”
Establishing churches, preaching the gospel, baptizing people, and making disciples—these are the final instructions Jesus gave on this earth. Bringing people to salvation, turning them back to God—this is the church’s essential mission and our identity.
We erect multiple church buildings because we want to catch men. The town name Bethsaida means “house of fishermen”—it was where Peter and Andrew lived, and the scene of the miracle of the five loaves and two fish. As the name suggests, a church must be “the house of those who catch life.” If a church loses this identity and settles for merely comfortable fellowship or solely social activities, then it has lost its original calling.
Let’s recall the Apostle Paul’s words. In 1 Corinthians 9, he explains that he became like a Jew to win the Jews, like a person under the law to win those under the law, and like a Gentile to win the Gentiles (1 Corinthians 9:20–21). Why did he do this? Because, as he states, it was “to save some at any cost” (1 Corinthians 9:22). Such is the attitude of a “fisher of men.”
Pastor David Jang likewise reiterates this fundamental identity: “Before we are people who build churches, we are people devoted to bringing others to the Lord for salvation. The reason for dedicating churches is ultimately to embrace souls and lead them to Jesus.” According to this, some might view the church as a structural program, a decorative building, or a large auditorium, but the true glory of the church is found in “one soul returning to the Lord.”
Indeed, Paul declares in 1 Corinthians 9:26, “I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air.” He had a clear goal—to evangelize and save as many souls as possible. Likewise, a church community should not run aimlessly by merely holding programs and events, but should continually ask, “How can we lead lost souls to the Lord?” That is our calling.
We can employ various methods to evangelize. Sometimes we might engage in elevated theological discourse; other times, we may engage in humble acts of service to reach people’s hearts. Reflecting on history, we see that the church did not always actively pursue worldwide missions. For instance, before William Carey, early Protestantism did not enthusiastically engage in global missions. This shows that churches can easily become insular, failing to fulfill their calling.
Yet Jesus has commanded us to “Go and make disciples of all nations,” saying, “I will make you fishers of men.” This identity and duty are inescapable for Christians. When we dedicate a church, we must not be content merely because we have constructed a grand sanctuary. We must keep asking how that church can capture souls and lead them to Christ—how it can disciple and nurture them.
Consider the Parable of the Fig Tree (Luke 13:6–9). When the owner of the vineyard wanted to cut down a fruitless fig tree, the caretaker pleaded, “Leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.” This teaches us about fruitless seasons. If a church has been dedicated for a year, two years, or three years but no souls have been saved, and no one has been led to the Lord, what is the result? Jesus cursed a barren fig tree, and He was always firm about the worthlessness of unfruitful endeavors.
People often forget God when they become well-off and financially secure. Deuteronomy 8:13–14, 18 warns, “When your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God… But remember the Lord your God…” God grants blessings, but He also warns us not to forget Him in our prosperity. The same goes for churches. As a church grows and gains financial resources and social recognition, spiritual vigilance becomes more challenging. Thus, we must constantly remind ourselves: “We are fishers of men. Our mission is to preach the gospel and bring souls to salvation.”
We might also ask, “Who is the true star?” The world is full of celebrities—those who sing well, act well, or excel in business. But Daniel 12:3 says:
“Those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever.”
A worldly star may fade over time, but those who lead people to the Lord will shine eternally.
This is the purpose behind our church dedications. It is about saving souls, urging them to pray to God, hear the Word, and grow in faith. Some churches focus on scholarships, charity, or social welfare. But if such efforts are disconnected from the ultimate aim of leading people to salvation, then we risk reversing means and ends. No matter what good works the church does, the primary goal must always be proclaiming the gospel and carrying out God’s saving work.
We named our Tri-State area churches “Immanuel” to emphasize the message “God is with us.” Where God is present, people return and are restored, and salvation unfolds. In such a church, prayer naturally flourishes, and a holy life centered on the Word takes root.
A church is not merely “a place where we hold a weekly service,” but “a house of prayer for all nations,” and an “outpost” for restoring and training believers in their God-given identity. There, we worship God, meditate on the Word, love and serve one another, and from there we are sent into the world to fulfill the mission of catching more souls.
But if a church discards this mission and says, “We’re fine just gathering among ourselves,” it will become barren like the cursed fig tree. God commands us to go out into the world. Just as He told Jeremiah in Jeremiah 1:5, “I appointed you as a prophet to the nations,” He tells us to “make disciples of all nations.”
A crucial point is that we each fulfill this calling in different ways, in different places. Some approach it like Paul, adapting wisely to various settings. Others use their unique talents: one might reach out with praise and worship, another with media ministry, another through teaching or mentoring. But the key question is, “Does this genuinely lead souls to Christ?” We must tirelessly pursue that fruit. Such diligence marks a true “fisher of men.”
Dedicating a church, therefore, is also a process of reaffirming our identity and calling: “We are here to worship God, pray, and bring people to the Lord.” Helping one more person be saved is our reason for existing, and the church’s reason for existing. Some see the church merely as a “religious facility” or “social service institution,” yet the Bible portrays it as “the body of Christ,” “a community of disciples spreading the gospel,” and “God’s house of prayer for all nations.”
Pastor David Jang has repeatedly taught the same point through sermons, letters, and lectures: “We are people of the Great Commission, fishers of men. Every act—whether dedicating churches or preaching the gospel—ultimately converges on that one goal: saving souls and turning them to God.”
In conclusion, the reason we erect churches, dedicate them beautifully, and hold fervent worship services is solely to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. This gospel has the power to save sinners and to reconcile humanity with God. We must remain firmly committed to this gospel, reclaim the church’s identity as a “house of prayer for all nations,” and strive to guide every possible soul to the Lord.
This is not an easy task. The larger the church becomes and the more churches are established, the more diverse problems and tests will arise: financial hurdles, organizational challenges, interpersonal conflicts, and social misunderstandings. But if we consistently cling to “the foundation of Jesus Christ” and “living as fishers of men,” we will not be shaken even in such trials.
Furthermore, if a church goes long without bearing fruit, God may rebuke it or even close its doors. We must remember the Parable of the Fig Tree. “Sir, leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it…” is like a final chance. If the church fails to bear fruit, it merely exhausts the land.
On the other hand, if we truly strive to fulfill our calling as “fishers of men,” God will surely anoint and guide us. Regardless of whether a church is large or small, if everyone, from children to adults, keeps asking and praying, “How can we share the gospel with our neighbors? How can we save even one soul?”—the Holy Spirit will answer, and the church will grow.
Concrete examples of such faith can be seen on overseas mission fields. For instance, in Zambia, we have seen pictures of missionaries and local believers trampling mud to make bricks and erecting a humble church while serving souls around them. In such an image, we realize that church is more than a building—it is truly “a place to carry out our calling.”Even without a splendid building, if they teach God’s Word, pray for souls, and care for people’s real needs, that community demonstrates the essence of the church—challenging us to reflect on our own faith.
It is also crucial to “record our history.” Carefully documenting the church’s establishment process, the stories of evangelism and salvation, and the moments of dedication services becomes an enormous legacy for future believers. No matter how difficult the journey was, leaving a record of how God worked and how He answered certain prayers will strengthen our sense of identity as a community: “God walked with us. We have run for the sake of the gospel, and we will continue on that path.” This account renews our courage to live again as fishers of men.
The purpose of church dedication and the life of a “fisher of men” are inseparable. The church building is merely a means; the ultimate goal is to save souls, glorify God, and expand His kingdom. Thus, wherever we build a church, we must remain firmly grounded on the foundation of Jesus Christ, preaching the gospel, praying, and focusing on bringing people to the Lord.
When we do so, we can endure even the trial by fire. The “fire test” reveals the true quality of a church’s construction. A church built with love, sacrifice, humility, and truth will only grow stronger and purer through trials. But if it is built with pride, jealousy, division, and greed, it will collapse in the face of fiery tests.
“They themselves will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames” (1 Corinthians 3:15)
is a stern warning yet also holds a glimmer of hope. Ultimately, we are saved in Christ, but if we have built nothing lasting in the church, all our work will go up in flames. Therefore, we must build on what will not burn—symbolized as gold, silver, and precious stones—standing on love, devotion, truth, and the Word.
While dedicating a church is something we do only in our lifetime, the fruit of soul-winning, the prayers and worship offered there, and the acts of Christlike love will carry eternal value. So every time we dedicate a church, we must renew our commitment: “We stand on the foundation of Jesus Christ alone and will live as fishers of men.”
As Pastor David Jang often emphasizes, church growth is indeed a precious blessing but also entails greater responsibility. “All these blessings will come on you if you obey the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 28:2) reminds us to remain humble and devoted to the gospel, especially when the church grows in size and influence. If we neglect our identity as fishers of men, we risk the fate of the barren fig tree.
The foundation of church dedication and our identity are not separate but one. Building the church on Jesus Christ is, in effect, expressing our resolve to live as fishers of men. If we do not stray from this path, no hardship or trial will topple the church. Instead, it will bear abundant fruit that pleases God and serve as a conduit of His power, drawing our neighbors to the Lord.
God will use the churches being established and dedicated in the Tri-State area and around the world to call more people to salvation, and help us build houses of prayer and worship for all nations. May we never lose our identity and calling, meditating on the Word day and night and devoting ourselves to prayer. In so doing, may we produce works that cannot be burned, and gather a harvest of souls that will shine like stars forever. Let us become churches and believers who, through faith, reap everlasting fruit in this world. Amen.