HD (high definition) Church Design
by Jim Couchenour
Church leaders have an incredible opportunity to go “high def” (HD) in their church designs because ministry space now operates on two dimensions: the physical and the virtual. While we are most familiar with physical space (i.e. buildings), Ray Kurzweil is convinced that by 2030, nanobot technology will make it possible for anyone to enter any virtual reality and not know the difference between real and virtual. You will no longer visit a website; you will “enter a full-immersion virtual-reality environment”. The details of his compelling case are beyond the scope of this article, but they have profound implications when it comes to designing HD ministry space.
Expanding your church facility is no longer just about buildings. Any church that has an interactive, media-rich website knows that incredible ministry is taking place beyond their bricks and mortar facility. As Ray Kurzweil suggests, this space will increasingly become more accessible, interactive and influential.
In addition, many growing churches continue to build new buildings, even as their virtual presence grows. They are finding that it is not a zero-sum situation, as many in the world of commerce have discovered. The internet was not the demise of walk-in store traffic. And so it is with church ministry.
In a church setting, we recognize that there is a transforming work that only God can do. To facilitate that, there are two functions we can improve through high definition church design: 1) information transfer and 2) relationship building. Virtual ministry space excels at information transfer, and physical space (gathering together) promotes relationship building. Each of these can compliment the other as they are blended together for ministry.
So, as you consider your new facility, also consider the following thoughts on getting higher definition in your new ministry space.
Don’t think buildings, think ministry space.
Before defaulting to a larger building, consider all of the options available today for increasing space for ministry. Many growing churches are finding that additional space can be gained through multiple services or by adding additional worship venues - both on and off-site. This growing trend toward a “virtual” teaching presence through video venues is allowing churches to grow into the thousands with facilities that seat no more than four hundred fifty. Other churches are starting a new church in a surrounding community as a way to increase ministry space at another location. In addition, research by the Barna Group reveals that unchurched people actually prefer smaller, more intimate gatherings. This has huge implications for kingdom-building ministry.
Obviously, these strategies differ from the traditional single space/large crowd approach, and have very different implications for staffing, volunteers, etc. What’s exciting is that God is using many different kinds of expansion to expand His kingdom. There are certainly more options available now more than ever. The key is to find out which one fits your ministry style and calling.
If you do build, create a sense of place.
Dr. Ray Oldenburg’s “third place” concept has not only affected Starbuck’s strategy, it has now begun to influence church design. Many churches are developing places where community and connection can take place in a casual, comfortable atmosphere. From our research at Cornerstone Knowledge Network (CKN), we have found that roughly 1 out of every 5 churches is utilizing some kind of third place facility to enhance their ministry. Some are very intentional about making the connection with the unchurched.
At Christian Community Church in Naperville, IL, their coffee shop is open from early morning to late evening. It caters to car poolers from the community who use their parking lot every day and to parents who bring their kids to music lessons at the church after school. These kinds of spaces can be integrated into lobby and foyer areas and can be separated from the rest of the facility through the week. Typically, they have lower ceilings, rich colors and furniture that invites interaction and conversation.
There are other types of space that can have the common elements of third place (i.e. casual, informal, safe and accessible). One church has gone beyond the coffee shop concept, and installed a laundry mat for college students who attend the local university.
One of the most prominent changes in building design today is the emphasis on “experience design”. Environments are being created to take occupants to a place even before the event begins. This is especially true in children’s themed areas, but is filtering into adult spaces as well.
Office complexes are even taking a cue from this trend toward informal, connective style of interior design. A look at the headquarters of Google reveals rooms with colorful walls, open meeting places and hallway white boards for spontaneous interaction and collaboration.
This type of connection space is the physical manifestation of virtual communities such as www.myspace.com that are so popular now. The lines between the virtual and the physical are becoming increasingly blurred. People are much more comfortable moving from virtual community to real life community, and a building with a sense of place is very conducive to this. Creativity and imagination are now on equal footing with traditional disciplines such as engineering.
Plan to re-invent your space.
In his book, Millennium Matrix, Rex Miller defines periods of time that have had profound changes on church ministry and methods. These have eventually played out in diverse expressions of church design. As time goes on, each of these periods of change in history have become smaller and smaller, meaning change is happening faster and faster. This requires us to design buildings using more open, flexible spaces so building can continue to adapt through the years.
One of the best ways to re-invent space in the future is to design electrical and mechanical systems so they remain fairly constant as the building grows. If you expect to add future additions to the building, be sure to size systems to meet the needs of the future, and not just today.
In contrast, maximum flexibility should be designed into interior spaces. Walls should be kept to a minimum through longer structural spans and stronger supporting elements. Electronic display boards and kiosks are effective communication tools and can be relocated easily, especially when the information is transferred wirelessly. This allows you to instantly re-direct people through a single computer with wireless technology. Materials such as plastics, polymers and decorative-grade lumber can provide “experience environment” without the cost of major construction and subsequent remodeling.
So, with the addition of virtual ministry space, is the role of the physical building diminished? Not when you consider recent research by CKN that reveals a distinct and important role that buildings have in church ministry. While effective ministry can certainly take place in inferior spaces, we found that there is actually a quantifiable improvement when building design is intimately linked to ministry strategy.
If you are planning to increase space for your ministry, remember to consider HD virtual space as well as physical space. And be sure they enhance your ministry both now and in the exciting years to come.
About the author…
Since 1983, Jim Couchenour has partnered with hundreds of churches to design and build new facilities through his work with Cogun, Inc. He is developing ways to help building churches connect with their community through research with Cornerstone Knowledge Network. You can reach him at 800-258-5540. Email: jrc@cogun.com.