This time of year, Hollywood rolls out the red carpet. Awards like the Golden Globes, Oscars, and Emmys celebrate creativity and originality in the entertainment world. But when it comes to church design, chasing accolades should not be the goal. Church buildings are not monuments to architectural trends or personal expression. They are tools for ministry. The true measure of a church is not whether it turns heads, but whether it helps people encounter Christ. Designing for function, not awards, is not only wiser, but essential.
Our Mission
At The McKnight Group, this philosophy is embedded in everything that we do. Our mission statement is simple and clear: to enable ministries with buildings that work. A church building should actively support the vision of its church leaders. It should remove barriers, not create them. If a design looks impressive yet limits ministry effectiveness, it has missed the mark.
Fixing Designs from the Past
In past decades, some churches were designed as unique architectural statements: bold, symbolic, and visually striking. At the time, these designs may have felt inspired and forward-thinking but today they make modern ministry difficult to achieve and are expensive to maintain. We are not against unique and impressive designs, but we favor function first, and balance the other items with wise stewardship of resources.
We work regularly with church leaders struggling to adapt older facilities that were never designed with flexibility in mind. Common challenges include confusing entry points, poor wayfinding, lack of handicap accessibility, and rigid room layouts that cannot support new ministry programs. These buildings reflect an era when appearance often outweighed practicality, and the churches are now paying the price.
Here’s a photo of a church that we didn’t design, but which illustrates the point perfectly. While visually interesting, the building’s form raises an important question: What could this space realistically be used for today? As congregations grow and ministries evolve, spaces must be able to change with them. Imagine trying to transform this church building’s sanctuary into a children’s ministry area or youth room. The cost, complexity, and limitations would be overwhelming. This is why it’s important for church leaders to consider creating flexible church designs that can accommodate future growth and changing ministry needs.
Don’t Be a Copycat
Another common pitfall is copying someone else’s design. Just as copied ministries don’t always work, copied buildings often fall short. What works beautifully for one church in a specific community may not translate to another. Church buildings must reflect the unique demographics, vision, calling, and ministry goals of the congregations that they serve. Budgets, site conditions, utilities, zoning requirements, and long-term plans all matter. A functional church building will be a tailored solution, not a replica.
If you want to learn more about the various elements of church design, we invite you to join us for our upcoming i3 webinars. These free sessions are conceived to help church leaders think strategically about church building and church design, with practical insights that you can apply to your church project. New webinar topics for 2026 are now listed on our website, so be sure to sign up soon.