Over the past several weeks, we explored a few of the church building transformations we’ve been a part of, in the hopes of providing a sense of what is possible. We talked about how to modernize your church building to meet current ministry needs, and how to think about your church design when you have buildings that need updating. We talked about planning for change and shared ideas for when your ministry needs to change. We also provided some examples for creating flexibility and planning upgrades.
We hope this series has inspired and energized you to consider your own church design and whether it’s meeting your needs. Whatever your current church building configuration, we can help—but you and your church must be ready. So here are some questions to help you prepare for a church design transformation of your own.
Is Your Church Vision Clear?
Before you begin any church design transformation, you need to have a clear vision for your ministry. If you’re going to undertake a major remodel of your facility, you must know, ministry-wise, where your church is going and what you need to get there.
And it’s not just you who needs to know. All your church leaders and staff should be on board, as well as everyone else—from the volunteers down to the people in the seats. All should be on board with the direction your church is taking for the future. That way support for what will be a major undertaking, one that will likely cause some change in the way your church functions, will be there at all times.
Do You Know What Your Active Ministries Need?
Usually your ministry leaders have a pretty good idea of what each of them needs to grow their active ministries. They might come and tell you that they’re cramped by the style or the shape of the church building, or that the church design makes their ministry hard to find or prevents them from reaching more people.
In order to create better-functioning spaces, you need to meet with each of these leaders and encourage them to dream big about what they need to help their ministries function more effectively.
Have You Investigated Options for a Transformed Church Design?
Of course, people, time, and money are the main resources that you need for a church design transformation. None of these are unlimited, so it’s important to investigate all of your options.
Quick fixes might be great to address immediate needs, but if you act too quickly, you can miss a lot of opportunities. You also don’t want to start ripping into things and then have, say, a fire inspector come through and report code violations, opening a can of worms that costs more money and time.
Do You Have Unity on the Need for a New Church Design?
Finally, if you have unity in your church, you can do a lot more things. People who are aligned with your vision, who understand where the church is going and why you’re ministering the way you are to reach the people in your community, will be better able to handle the necessary changes that come with a church building transformation. They will also be ready to provide the financial resources to make it happen.
This means that understanding your church’s vision is really the key for them to accept the need for change.
Are You Ready to Act?
If you’ve got everyone on board and the vision is clear, contact us today to begin discussing your new church design. And if you want to learn more about preparing for a successful church design transformation, we have other resources available as well. Visit our website today and you can sign up for one or all of our upcoming free i3 webinars.