A church’s mission doesn’t change but the vision for ministry will change with time, and a church design based on that vision should change as well. We are telling the story of how one church, Grove City Church of the Nazarene, has worked with The McKnight Group for more than 50 years, having its church building grow, shift, and take on new life with each passing decade. Our previous post detailed how the church grew in early years. Now, we look at more recent changes.
Reaching a Younger Generation Required a New Look
y the early 2010s, the large foyer built in the 90s, when megachurches were popular, was showing its age, and not just in terms of aesthetics. The congregation that had relocated to this new campus and experienced remarkable growth was now 30 years older. Leadership had a new vision that would require more than a fresh coat of paint. It would require rethinking how the church building communicated welcome and relevance to younger families.
We worked with the church’s leaders to reimagine that foyer to reflect a warmer, more contemporary feel. Updating this central gathering space was a direct statement of the church’s commitment to its evolving mission.
Spaces to Reflect Modern Times
The church chose to update other spaces as well. In the 1990s, a hospitality center was considered a forward-thinking feature for a growing church. By the early 2020s, the need had shifted toward something warmer and less formal. The family room concept, with its comfortable furnishings and casual atmosphere, had become the standard for churches serious about creating authentic community. We converted the dated hospitality center into a space that felt less like a hotel lobby and more like a living room.
The church bookstore underwent an equally noteworthy transformation. Bookstores were a staple of large churches throughout the 90s, but as online retail changed purchasing habits, the in-church bookstore became harder to justify as a dedicated space. Rather than leaving it underutilized, we created a design to repurpose the room into a gathering spot for fifth and sixth grade students, a practical and ministry-focused solution that gave young people a place of their own within the church building.
One other space underwent a transformation. The choir room, once a large, dedicated space with a single purpose, was converted into a flexible, multi-use area supporting music training, community dinners, and other ministry functions.
A Preschool Building Designed to Welcome Whole Families
The preschool building in the church’s master plan was also constructed in the early 2000s. The vision behind this structure was to reach young families, not just to provide a place to drop off children. That distinction shaped each church design decision in the building.
At the preschool’s heart is a “commons” area where families can share lunch during the week, linger after pickup, and build genuine relationships with one another. A redesigned playland, visible from the road, serves as an attraction for passing families and gives children a reason to look forward to coming. For parents picking up preschool, daycare, or kindergarten students, the commons area creates an unhurried space to connect.
A 2022 Master Plan to Carries the Vision Forward
After implementing these changes and a few others, leadership recognized that their church facilities had largely accomplished the goals set by the original master plan developed in the 80s. In 2022, we completed a new master plan that reflected an updated vision.
The new plan reflects the church’s continued commitment to Christian education, community engagement, and athletics as tools for ministry outreach. Everything built to date appears on the plan, with multiple phases completed over multiple years. The expanded vision stretches beyond the original plan footprint, with new facilities designed to carry the congregation’s mission into the decades ahead.
Among the current priorities is an addition to the school building, designed to push enrollment beyond the 1,000-student mark. A future fieldhouse is also in the plan, reflecting the recognition that athletics play a significant role in how this congregation connects with its broader community. Much of what this church does extends beyond its physical campus, but the fieldhouse will give those ministry efforts a dedicated home.
To make way for the new school and fieldhouse, significant site work has already been completed, including the relocation of the baseball field and the construction of a brand new playground for the elementary school. The road and utilities behind the campus were also rerouted. The church also built a new shelter house, a flexible gathering space that serves the church, the school, and the wider community as a rentable facility for events.
These are not small undertakings. They reflect the sustained commitment of a church community that has never treated its church design as a finished product.
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