I think you'll find that the Church never became a place. We Orthodox build very grand edificies in which to hold our Liturgies, but the hut which St. Herman of Alaska made into a temple by blessing it, setting up a few Holy Icons, and laying a cloth blessed by his bishop on a rude wooden table (or for that matter the intermittently existing temple which the Mission I serve sets up and takes down in rented space for each Liturgy) are quite suitable, and when the faithful gather are the Church in that place.
OK, I will try this ONE MORE TIME. I will stick to small words so that my thoughts may not cause your head to hurt. When the church went from an out of the mainstream (oooops two syllables, bear with me) MOVEMENT AND LIFESTYLE, something that people of faith did, despite being being turned into lion chow for it, into what HAD to be done for wealth, status, power, and privledge, it polluted the spiritual with the worldly.
Not a hard point to grasp is it?
Church = People of faith, on edge of society = What Jesus Did.
Church = All kinds of people, even those putting on a show for status = What Jesus Preached AGAINST.
Sorry if I seem rude, but after two posts I expect people on this forum to grasp fairly simple concepts. Of course, in any age, a remnant exists. If you are ever in LA, look me up. I'll take you to some wonderful worship and first class preacing in a building which began as a BOWLING ALLEY.