Sometimes it’s good to think beyond the expected when exploring possibilities for a new church building. In a recent post, we highlighted some ways commercial structures can be converted into churches. Some locations are obvious candidates for such a conversion. Others are not. Here’s one example of church leaders who looked past the usual and worked with us to convert a car dealership into their new church building.
A New Church Building for Fearless Church in Centerville, Ohio
Centerville is a suburb of Dayton and Fearless Church was looking for a church building in that area. They found a closed car dealership, and we helped them see how it could have potential to be a great church design. In these before-and-after photos (before-top, after-bottom), you can see that there were plenty of windows in the front of the existing building letting in good light. There was also already plenty of parking! Adding a new entrance, signage, modifying the colors, and adding landscaping made for a truly eye-catching church building.
In this second set of photos, you can see the original line that led into the service area. It was easily transformed into a broad, bright, contemporary room for people to gather. In the after photo, see the seating alongside the windows, allowing guests to mingle with attendees and get to know more about the church and its ministries.
Converting Sales Space into a Stunning Foyer
As you can see in this set of before-and- after photos, the main sales showroom was converted into a bright, warm foyer area, also with lots of light. Some sales room offices were transformed into the church offices too. To the right of the after photo you can see where new families can check in to learn more about this expansive, open church building.
Transforming Car Service into God Service
In this final set of photos, you can see that the car service bays have been completely transformed into a modern, spacious sanctuary for worship, complete with lighting and video components. There’s a nod to the building’s industrial history in the visible duct work for the upgraded HVAC system. The central platform has plenty of room for worship and music leaders. This church design includes maximum flexibility with the use of movable chairs and industrial grade carpeting.
These photos demonstrate that church leaders don’t have to limit themselves to either searching for an affordable older church building or constructing a new church building from scratch. There are unexpected opportunities available in the many types of commercial structures that are standing vacant. If you’re searching for a new church building, thinking beyond the everyday options can bring unexpected possibilities.
Thinking beyond the expected is also why we offer our free i3 webinars on a regular basis. These webinars help you think beyond the everyday possibilities in addressing your church design needs and church building visions. Look at our upcoming church design webinars here and sign up today.