Boast in the Lord

This is a phrase that's been going around Elevation a lot recently. I think it's most commonly brought up in defense of the church's actions of what some might consider showing off. Many have this sense that a church should be hidden in a corner somewhere and not step on anyone's toes or boast.

My soul will boast in the LORD; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. - Psalm 34:2

I agree it would be wrong for a church to boast about how great their pastor is, or how cool the music is, or how many people they have... if they gave credit to these accomplishments to anyone but God. You don't put a lamp under a bed, you put it on a lamp stand in the middle of the house so it fills the house with light, not because of how cool the lamp is, but because of what the lamp contains. There are also people that say churches should be more low key. They should scrimp and save in every way to give the money to the poor. Some may be turned off by large extravagant churches, but if the church is solidly grounded in the fact that it's not their doing, but the Lords, then it stands as a monument to the Lords ability.

Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, "Why wasn't this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year's wages." - John 12:3-5

The church is the body of Christ. There is nothing wrong with anointing it for the purpose of God's glory.