How Activated Spaces Can Offset Operational Costs (Without Selling Out)

When Jesus arrives at the Temple in Matthew 21, he flips tables in anger and shouts, “It is written [...] ‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’” This is a big moment in Jesus’ ministry, where he confronts the greed of the world with the holiness of his Father’s house.

The scene in the Temple can also make it challenging to figure out how to utilize untapped Church spaces effectively. 

Ethical and Moral Considerations Behind Activating Spaces

The Ministry Solutions Group team loves to talk about activated spaces. 

There are times when full-blown expansions and multi-site growth are important. But often, a church that is thinking of tackling an expensive building project really should be focused on getting the most out of its existing space first.

As we like to say, the easiest way to get more square footage is to use the same square footage more.

This was our mindset when we helped NorthPoint Church in Johnston, Iowa, activate and expand a huge part of their existing building. Activating your church’s unused or minimally used spaces has multiple benefits:

• It helps with financial stability (your building helps pay for your ministry, not the other way around)
• It meets community needs (drawing in potential churchgoers by meeting them where they are)
• It improves outreach (by building your church’s reputation around genuine community impact)

This is all great. But is there a point where you’ve crossed over the line? If you’re focused on generating income and community impact from your physical spaces, at what point are you just another moneychanger in the Temple?

It’s an easy question with a complicated answer. The best way to make sure you’re activating spaces without selling out on God-given mission is to check that your head, your heart, and your entire team are aligned with God’s will for your ministry. 

Here are a few questions to ask your team to make sure you’re offsetting operational costs as a way to empower your ministry, not lead it astray.

Why are you trying to activate your church real estate?

Start here. This is it. The million-dollar question. It’s simple. It might sound obvious, but that’s okay. Vocalize it.

What is the motivation behind your activation efforts? Ask everyone involved. Are you driven by efficiency? Untapped potential? Outreach opportunity? An overstretched budget? 

There are so many answers here. Be honest, give everyone a chance to reply in their own way, and let that shape the rest of your answers.

What are you hoping to accomplish through building activation?

Again, specifics and honesty are key here. What do you want to see out of building activation? 

Are your finances overstretched, and you need to take the pressure off? If so, by how much?

Are you feeling the need to connect with your community? If so, watch out for felt needs. What are the real needs you can and hope to meet? Where is the statistical or testimonial proof to back that up?

Be specific. Be genuine. You can learn a lot about motivation and heart desire with this one.

How do your hopes and vision for activation align with your mission?

God’s calling and your good works can be separate. If you’re called to impact local families and you open a coffee shop, you might be able to get a good cuppa 20 feet from your office, but are you aligned with your ministry’s calling?

This is where things get real. You can get through the first two questions and feel like you’re doing a really great thing. But you’re a church, not a business. You’re not even a secular non-profit. 

Mission and faith are at the heart of your organization’s existence. Where has God called you as a ministry? Does your activated space strategy align with that calling or does it take you somewhere else?

Have you prayed both individually and as a team?

As your vision for activated spaces shapes up, take it to God in prayer at every step. It’s the constant refrain for all church activities because it’s important.

Keep God at the center of your strategy, plans, and actions, and you can make every decision with the confidence that you aren’t setting up money tables in the Temple. You’re empowering your church to have a God-sized impact in the right areas.

Don’t Sell Out on Your Mission. Ignite it.

Money isn’t the root of all evil. The love of it is. 

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. 1 Timothy 6:10

The money changers weren’t kicked out of the Temple for their wealth or business transactions. It is because they were “a den of robbers.” They were severely off mission.

Keep the example of the moneychangers in mind as you plan out your activated spaces strategy. Be honest about your motivations, your goals, and how they align with your mission. 

If you need help, Ministry Solutions Group is here. Our team has helped with over $1.4 billion in activated church projects with many of the largest and fastest-growing churches in America. We understand what it takes to improve finances and amplify impact without selling out on your ministry’s calling.

Let’s start a conversation. We can help you chart a Clear Path Forward that uses your building to help you reach the goals God has set for your church.