A church’s vision is important, not just for ministry and outreach, but to determine how the church building can best serve that vision. In recent posts, we’ve talked about what a church vision is and why it’s important to have a clear one, and what to do if you, as a church leader, are struggling with finding one. Here are some ways to apply a clear vision, and ultimately create a church design for a building that works.

Getting People on Board

First, a clear vision lets people know where the church is going. It gets people on board and makes them feel a part of something bigger than themselves. This excitement unifies people and bands them together to help fulfill the vision.

It also allows for feedback, and this will uncover those who are not in unity with the vision. The goal of getting feedback is to answer questions like these:

  • Do we have the support we need?
  • Do we need to answer questions we didn’t think of?
  • Are we willing to let people who don’t agree go?

Ultimately, the answers will help unify church members behind the vision.

Making Choices About Your Building

A clear vision also helps with making choices about what facilities a church building needs. Sometimes, for example, a church will have a vision to reach the unchurched, but the building they create is only for the current members and their needs. Non-members end up feeling uncomfortable or unwelcomed. A compelling vision with a unified membership behind it will help create a church design that fulfils the church’s vision.

Another consideration is cost. Facilities aren’t inexpensive, and churches typically don’t have a budget to do everything. So, choices need to be made. A clear vision allows you to understand which areas to put your time, resources, and dollars into.

Practicing Your Vision Statement

To do all these things, a church vision must be easy to communicate. Visionary leaders understand that their vision must be clear and compelling for their message to resonate. Most leaders don’t have a problem telling people about their vision, but they sometimes take too long communicating it. Like any good “elevator pitch,” communicating a church vision should only take 15 to 30 seconds.

Things in today’s world often move at a fast pace. To keep up, hone your message by practicing it. Once it’s clear and compelling in a short amount of time, you will either hook the person you’re talking to, so you can tell them more, or you can move on, because they’re not interested.

To learn more about creating a church vision and to discuss the latest topics in church building and design, join us for our free 2023 i3 webinar series. Visit here for a list of the 2023 webinar dates and topics and to sign up for our first webinar on January 19.