Before You Rent Out Church Space, Answer These 7 Questions

Churches sit empty 90% of the week. Renting space out is a great way to activate those spaces Monday through Saturday so that your building supports your ministry and not the other way around.

But how do you know who to put in those spaces? Who should you rent church space to? If you’re unsure, here are seven questions you should ask before offering your space as a rental to another organization or group.

1. Does this space fund ministry or does ministry fund this space?

This is ground zero when you’re making the decision to rent. Before you decide to rent, start by considering how a space serves your ministry right now.

Is the space actively supporting ministry activity? Is it underutilized? If you rent it, are there things you need to keep in place so it maintains its ministry impact (which is the priority) week to week?

2. Are you creating larger impact or just balancing the budget?

There’s nothing wrong with balancing the budget. On the contrary, financial stewardship is a big part of what we endorse at Ministry Solutions Group.

But it’s good to understand how the finances factor into building activation. Is a rental a pure budget play (we need to pay the mortgage, so let’s rent the building)? Or is it also targeting community impact? Often there are simple ways you can address both at the same time, helping you cover costs and stay on mission.

3. Will renting help us reach our preferred future or just fix a short‑term problem?

Again, a holistic mindset is key here. Renting can help you address a budget issue. But are you thinking big picture when you start looking for candidates to use the space?

The last question was about community impact. Can you rent to meet a need surrounding your church? Now flip the perspective.

How can renting your church not just pay the bills but help you reach mission milestones and long-term growth and impact? Just as important, if you rent, can you maintain control of your property and its primary functions? Or are you surrendering that for short-term financial gains?

4. Is strategy defining opportunity?

This is a classic question we ask all of our Ministry Solutions church partners. Are you building, moving, or, in this case, renting because you saw an opportunity and you’re trying to get your strategy to align with it?

If that’s the case, step back and assess things as a team. Opportunity should never drive strategy. Instead, look at your strategy and see if and how the current rental potential of your building fits into your plans.

5. Will a renter make our building feel like part of the community?

This is another easy-to-miss angle. Expecting the community to come to your church on their own is no longer an effective form of outreach. Instead, churches need to engage with their communities.

There are lots of ways to do this, including offering space for community needs. As you assess rental opportunities, where are the options that don’t just pay your bills but also meet community needs, putting your church on the radar of local people in the process?

6. How can you protect purpose and eliminate guesswork and risk?

Again, ministry has to come first when activating spaces. If renting adds a little income but opens up a can of worms in the form of complex logistics and administrative headaches, that isn’t helping. If anything, it can hold you back as you work on your main purpose.

Make sure you have clarity about how renting a space serves the larger purpose of your church. It’s also wise to research and work with third-party counsel that can help you create a Clear Path Forward when it comes to understanding alignment and risk management.

7. If this rental ended tomorrow, would we be glad we did it?

Finally, put it all together. How will a rental impact your ministry, your community, your budget, and so on? Look at the big picture and ask yourself one question: is this overall a good move for our ministry?

The easy litmus test is to consider the alternative. If everything stopped tomorrow or a potential renter didn’t say yes, would you be disappointed? Why? It’s a powerful question that can help you get that extra edge of clarity as you make each decision around your activated spaces.

Understanding the Church Facility Rental Process

These questions are just a handful of the big-picture factors you should have in mind when considering renting as part of your church building use. There are other factors to think about, too, like what is an investment versus a cost and setting up a church space rental policy.

If you’re getting ready to rent a part of your church, first off, congratulations. Too many church leaders let their spaces sit idle with untapped potential. We love to see leaders taking the initiative.

However, if you truly want to activate your unused spaces to help your church get from your current reality to your preferred future, it’s important to get someone in your corner who has the experience and knowledge to do things well. Our team has helped over 250 ministries manage over $1.4 billion in church projects. We’ve seen it all. Reach out for a Free Analysis, and together, we can create a Clear Path Forward to activate your church’s spaces.