Have you ever taken a chance on a Yelp recommendation only to walk into the restaurant and be instantly turned away by the condition of their space? Torn carpet, old paint, a little bit too good a view into the kitchen.
No matter how good the food is, they've missed the chance at a strong first impression, and the odds of overcoming that are not good.
For the first-time guest, the musty lobby and aged exterior are a roadblock.
Now take a moment and look around your church client's building. People become so accustomed to all of the minor flaws in their space that sometimes they even think that those are what make their space special—a sense of uniqueness in a world of bland "big box" buildings. But for the first-time guest, the musty lobby and aged exterior are a roadblock to them not just connecting with, but even hearing your client's mission and vision.
So what happens when church leaders and staff find themselves in the hopeless place of having a building that is actively working against their mission—distracting families from hearing their vision and connecting with their community?
Well ...
Things are not as hopeless as they seem. With only a few minor changes, perhaps your client's space can become an asset and an ally in their work. Here's how:
1: Activate Your People
Sometimes the first step is the easiest. Whether you call it spring cleaning or heart for the home, I'm positive your client's people would love to spend a few weekends a year cleaning and doing minor fixes. It's just like when we have company coming over for dinner—we clean, fix up, and make sure we are putting our best foot forward.
2: Find a Local Handyman
Somebody knows somebody. There is always a friend of a friend or even someone in your own community that can take on the bigger jobs. Even in the cleanest spaces, there are projects to be done--the honey-do list that no one on the staff owns. From updating that 1980s paint to fixing that hole in the wall from that last youth event, I'm sure we could all rattle off a list of small tasks that would add up to a massive difference with a small investment and a little bit of time.
3: Have a Vision For What's Next
At the risk of making too many assumptions, I would guess that a lack of a specific vision for a client's space may be what brought us here in the first place. Think of it this way. Pretend you are a race car driver. You have a mission: to win the race. But your vision for how to win is to have the best team with the best driver and the catchiest slogan with amazing commercials. I'm pretty sure you'll come in last because you forgot your car.
It's only when we know their heart for their ministry that we can help them translate vision into reality.
For your clients, their space is their race car. They have to care for it, work on it, update it and, when necessary, rebuild it to make sure they have a ride that is going to help them (not hurt them) when it comes to achieving their mission.
Almost every time church designers have a conversation with a new church client, one of the first things we ask isn't their budget, how many people they have, or even about their building at all. Instead, we want to hear their vision. To understand their mission. Because it's only when we know their heart for their ministry that we can help them translate vision into reality in ways they may have never even thought possible.
