If that happened 100 years ago, those building would not be standing today. For inspecting many 100 year old churches, foundations were 8 inches to 24 inches. Today, most churches have only a 6 inch foundation pads for churches under 1000 seating. From what I have observed, churches that are less than 40 years old cost more to maintain than older church, but that another story. The better building has a life of 100 year or more.
Lets get one thing straight.
A church building has two costs. The initial cost of the building, and then there is the hidden cost of people who don't come to the church to because they can't hear of people who refuse to share their talents because the church sound system or acoustics would degrade their performance. In term of money that can cost a church thousand of dollars every year. Church sound and church acoustics don't have to be expensive, it just has to be done. Church acoustics are unique.