Church buildings are iconic symbols of Sunday morning worship, but they function beyond a single day of the week. As the role of digital church expands, attendance evolves, and expenses increase, church leaders must be ready to shift from single-purpose spaces to multi-purpose ones. They must break away from a Sunday-only functional model to one that considers the role of their buildings every day of the week.
They must also remember that the old approach of having community come to the church is no longer an effective form of outreach. Churches need to create programs and initiatives that actively meet real community needs and foster outward-facing engagement with the people around them.
This starts with redefining how we approach our churches’ physical spaces. Rather than assigning a specific function to each room, leaders must adopt a flexible understanding of their spaces and how to use them.
Churches are evolving. The core reason we gather is still the same. We are honoring and glorifying God, but the buildings we do this in are distinctly different than they were 50 years ago — or even 10 years ago. As the needs of people shift, most church leaders have adjusted their approach to Sunday services and related spiritual growth activities.
That said, when it comes to anything outside of that spiritual realm, many hesitate. They might be cool with changing room sizes to set up intimate spaces or integrating more online church functions as a reaction to the Zoom Town movement. But if someone suggests using a Sunday school wing for a weekly childcare program or opening a coffee shop or cowork Monday through Friday, the proposition is often met with skeptical reactions and even eye rolls.
Nevertheless, the reality of church real estate is that the cost of operating a building only goes up over time — even if the way you use it shifts. This financial and administrative reality means as spaces change, you want to make the most of your dollars — and one of the best ways to do that with your existing building is to use the same square footage more.
Activating your building's spaces for multipurpose use makes it possible to meet local community needs and stabilize financial expenses — and the first step in that process is delineating your church’s physical areas from dedicated spaces to flexible ones.
If you want your church to have a powerful impact on your community and keep its own doors open and bills paid, start by seeing every space in your church through a multi-functional lens. Understand that it’s possible to use a space for spiritual growth on Sunday and meet a community need on Monday. In fact, it isn’t just possible. It’s encouraged, and there are many churches that are already successfully repurposing spaces during the week to generate income and minister to community members.
If your ministry struggles to maintain a flexible space mindset, here are three ways the team at Ministry Solutions Group has found are effective in helping to break out of that dedicated space mindset.
Rather than stopping at your church’s real estate as something you can use within your ministry, consider what others need, as well. Create surveys, attend town hall meetings, talk with community leaders, and canvass your congregation to see what the people around you need the most.
The answer can vary from childcare programs to pickleball courts. Regardless, having this knowledge can help you expand your vision of what is possible in your church buildings. It can also help you target multi-functional initiatives to meet real community needs (and attract community members to your church in the process).
This may sound obvious, but embracing creativity is essential to unlocking your church space. You have to understand that it’s okay to explore what you can do with your space. You can field ideas and consider out-of-the-box scenarios.
That doesn’t mean you have to seriously consider everything. While it’s okay to hear all ideas and perspectives, it’s equally true that some are better than others. However, if someone suggests using a nursery space for a mother’s day out or renting a fellowship hall as an event center, don’t dismiss it out of hand because you can’t see the immediate value. Let your imagination run wild for a minute before you answer the question.
Church leadership sets the tone. If your leaders aren’t open to a flexible use of your space, others won’t be either.
As a leader, look for ways to invest in a church culture that is accepting of unique ideas and clever initiatives. Encourage and invite suggestions and make it clear to everyone that you are interested in seeing the potential in your multi-functional spaces, even if every idea isn’t going to get green-lit.
Churches have enormous amounts of physical real estate that lie empty and unused for over 90% of each week. You can unlock this untapped potential by consciously shifting away from the traditional “dedicated space” approach to church buildings.
If your church struggles with the idea of a flexible multi-functional model, sometimes the biggest step you can take is seeing what is possible. That’s why we designed our Clear Path Forward approach. At Ministry Solutions Group, we can come alongside you to help you see what is possible with your spaces. Set up a call with our team, and together, we can help you delineate from dedicated to flexible spaces in your church.