Facillities

So I’ve been thinking about something lately. Does the style of a church’s building effect its effectiveness in reaching their community? And does the upkeep and cleanliness of it make any difference in the effectiveness as well?
Let me start with the
second question. I think it is easy. If a church building, regardless of
its style, is unkept and dirty (outside or inside) that is a direct reflection on the people who gather as the Church and also gives testament to their view of God. God is a god of excellence and order and our buildings should not reflect anything less- to the best of our God enabled abillity. And before finishing that thought, it’s important for me to note that excellence and order are not equivocal with elaborance or elegance. A building doesn’t need to be ‘fancy’ in order to reflect well on God (something TBN needs to learn), but it does need to be clean, upkept, and in order.
Let’s move on to the second question: Does the style of a church’s building effect its effectiveness in reaching their community?
There are many style of buildings when it comes to churches:
There are classical buildings made of brick, stained glass, and steeples. These buildings are generally large and may or may not have statues lining their courtyards and entryways. Long wooden pews, candles, and an enormous unapprotiable pulpit usually fill the sanctuary.
There are traditional buildings made reflecting the craftsmanship of the first half of the twentieth century- usually made with wood siding, glazed windows, tall pitched roofs, small steeples, and large crosses on the front side of the building. These buildings tend to be small or medium in size. Trendy colors from their last remodel in the mid nineteen-seventy’s usually abound within these buildings, along with pews, small wooden pulpits with crosses, and an occasional Thomas Kinkade-style painting.
Then there are the contemporary, or modern buildings. These building are usually adorned with synthetic siding, concrete, or stucco. They are usually tall and boxlike in structure with very few windows. They sit like an island in the middle of large parking lots and are lined with trees and sometimes a fountain or two. These buildings, or
campuses, tend to be large and may house a few other satelite buildings on their property for things like youth and children’s ministry. Don’t be surprised if there are also basketball courts, sand volleyball courts, or outdoor ampitheaters on these campuses.
The interior is usually very school-like, while the sanctuary is fillled with cushioned connecting chairs, modern sound and lighting equipment, and vinyl banners advertising the church’s many ministries.
And then their are the progressive or emerging- usually unconventional-buildings. These have no mold to be put into and are often used by newer-very-fast-growing congregations. These buildings tend to be converted stores or warehouses, rented school gyms, movie theaters, dance clubs, or ex-shopping malls.
When these faclitiies are owned by the church they usually retain the external structure and astetics of their previous tenants. Their interiors tend to be kept very dark with ambient mood lighting. Floors outside of the sanctuary are often left concrete or have possiy been covered with tile. And if there is any decoration that has been done, it is usually abstract paintings dine by local artists.
If the building is rented, a few dimable lamps or candles might be thrown here or there but are usually left the same.
You may actually still find pews in some of these converted buildings, but usually their will be chairs, all be it not usually as comfortable as those found in the modern buildings. The smell of coffee usually permeates these buildings as well.
So what if you are a Christian that is new to town or is in the process of changing churches, is the style of building considered in your decision making process?
What if you are a pastor and looking for a new position, is the style of the church’s building a deciding factor for you?
And then most importantly, and the subject if this entire blog, if you are an unbeliever and considering checking out church, or have been invited to one by an acquaintance, does the style of building impact your decision?
If it does or does not, why? Does your age, background, or position in life cause you to be drawn towards one type of building over another? Why or why not?