When you’re ready for a new or remodeled church building, it’s important that the church design serves your ministry and vision. What happens when growth is part of that vision, but membership is still smaller than your vision? This is the challenge church leaders faced at a church in Beavercreek, Ohio.
With creative church design, The McKnight Group was able to strike the perfect balance between their needs at the time and goals for the future, giving them a building that grew with their church community.
Planning and Designing for Growth
Be Hope Church was built in the 1990s. The church was named Beavercreek Church of The Nazarene then and averaged about 400 attendees when they came to The McKnight Group for help. Their dream was to have and fill a 1,000-seat sanctuary, but since their membership at the time was still smaller, they were concerned that people would feel lost in such a large space.
The McKnight Group worked closely with church leaders to create a master plan that considered the future and creatively incorporated growth needs into the building design.
The sanctuary they built included a traditional sloped floor, with fixed seating for 600. Behind these seats, at the rear of the sanctuary, was enough room to expand when the time came, and that space was hidden behind temporary walls. The space wasn’t wasted, however. Behind these temporary walls were classrooms and offices that were put to use during the week.
Putting the Plan into Action
After ten years of steady growth, church leaders ready to act on their master plan. Since the building was designed to accommodate a larger membership in the future, taking out the walls and adding seats were simple steps during a quick and seamless transition. Just like that, Be Hope Church had the 1,000-seat sanctuary of their dreams.
Achieve Your Vision
Church leaders benefit greatly when they approach building projects with an open mind and a willingness to let go of traditional approaches. Creative design allows them to check all the boxes with their new church, meeting both their current needs and including features in the master plan that will make growth possible in the future.
You don’t have to wait until your church community grows to build your dream church. The McKnight Group has been able to provide Be Hope Church, and many other churches in similar situations, with a church building designed for expansion down the road.
Learn more about how you can plan for the future with creative church design by attending one of our free i3 webinars. These live sessions offer valuable insights, inspiration, and an opportunity to have your questions answered by experts.