There are many reasons why you might need to update, remodel, or transform aspects of your church building. In this series of posts, we are walking church leaders through some of these reasons. Let’s consider this one: ministry needs have changed.
After all, time changes just about everything, and if your church design is hindering your ministry, it’s important to consider the ways that transformations to existing church building structures can equip them to meet your needs today.
Converting an Existing Church Design for New Needs
The most straightforward example of why a church building needs transformation is when there are new ministry needs. This could be because the demographics of the neighborhood have changed. What used to be an aging and traditionalist population might shift to younger adults who are just starting. Ministry needs also could change because young children grow older and the youth center in the church building is geared toward youngsters of twenty years ago or more.
One place we often see a need for transformation is at the front of the worship center itself. We’ve worked with church leaders to do things like replace permanent poured-concrete choir risers with removable risers to increase platform space and flexibility for different worship needs. We’ve replaced old incandescent lighting with modern, remotely controlled LED lighting that uses less energy and allows for more flexibility with productions. We’ve installed video screens in front of church organs in order keep them functional without having to appear so overwhelming or front-and-center.
Understanding the Importance of Technology in Meeting Ministry Needs
Another reason for transformation is to update technology that supports so much of modern ministry. Sometimes to keep up, churches installed makeshift tech counters on the edge of a balcony or tucked into an out-of-the-way corner, leaving wires snaking through the church in an effort to get their various cameras and other technology up and running. This has been especially prevalent during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now that there’s a chance to breathe and prayerfully examine what the future of worship might look like, it’s a good time to consider safely installing good quality technology that fits into the overall church building design.
Keeping the Next Generation of Youth in Your Church Building
One important consideration for many church leaders contemplating transformations to their church building is a need to keep the next generation engaged with the church. However, if young people come and see a token youth center that’s filled with leftover furnishings from the 1970s, they’re likely to look elsewhere for a cool place to hang out. Once you talk with youth to find out what they are looking for, we can help you craft small transformations that make a big difference in keeping the youth in your community coming back to your church building.
As you can see, there are many reasons why it’s a good idea to periodically revisit the question of how your church building is meeting your ministry needs. We’re here to help, which is why we offer our free i3 webinars that also give you the chance to ask questions about your particular church design issues.