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Photo courtesy of The Naz, Grove City, Ohio
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Photo courtesy of Blue Ridge Community Church, Lynchburg, Virginia
Creating worship spaces that meets the needs of an ever-changing culture has always been a challenge for churches. In all reality, since we can worship God anywhere: school, work, home, the grocery store; we as Christians don't have to have a specialized space for worship. However, our job as Christians is to share Christ with the lost. In a world of constant change and technology bombardment, our need for creative spaces and design elements that assist with and enhance the message have become greater than ever before. Doing anything we can to help people connect to the message of Christ's love is crucial. It needs to be at the center of all we create.
In the past, many churches saw stage design as a “nice to have” or an after-thought. But in the current emerging culture, they're beginning to see the great need for it. This presents a new challenge for these churches, but definitely not an impossible one. This area of ministry sometimes causes churches to design just for the sake of designing because they feel a sense of urgency to put something out there. Having a fresh look is very important and a key component of having a creative space, but the design should enhance the overall message you want your audience to receive, not detract from it.
Consider the need for stage design as a new area of ministry. There are so many creative people in the church looking for a place to connect. You may be surprised just how many are currently in your congregation just waiting for an opportunity to use their creativity in this fashion. This is a great option for them, especially if they can't be involved in ministry on the weekends. It also creates a core group of people who's sole responsibility is to come up with fresh and creative new ways of approaching the message through the design of the stage. Be as collaborative as possible and learn from each other.
A frequent question I get about stage designing, is “Where do I start?” Start with prayer. The only way the design is going to connect with the message of God is if it inspired by the creator Himself. But once your inspiration comes, it sometimes can be very overwhelming depending on the scope of the project. This is the point some designers play it safe and create something that may not connect as well with the message as much as the initial idea might have. When times like this happen, change your “I don't know” or “I can't” thinking to “What if”. God gives us creative inspiration for a reason, to enhance His message. Don't fear it, welcome it and use it. As you begin designing the space, ask yourself these questions: 1) Who is my audience? 2) Does the design enhance or detract from the message? 3) Is the design forced?
Consider the culture. What speaks to them? All great presenters consider who they are speaking to and tailor their presentation to that audience for more effectiveness. This same approach can be used for stage design. If your audience is made up of a younger more progressive culture, a white wall just isn't going to cut it. Know your audience and what will enhance the message for them.
Brand management is very important across all aspects of the production, including the stage. Today's culture is distracted very easily by things that “don't work together” or are “out of place”. When everything flows together, it creates a cohesive and well-thought-out experience for everyone, which in turn is less distracting and assists more in “driving home” the message. Remember the details. People will notice them --- the good and the bad.
Forcing the design is an easy thing to do. Creative people love throwing everything they have at something, sometimes to the detriment of the design itself. Start simple. Take a step back and ask yourself, “If I were someone attending church for the first time, is this going to distract me from hearing what God wants to speak to me about?” Simplicity can speak volumes. Don't over-complicate it. But when designing a complex design, be aware that there are often many more opportunities to force elements into the design that don't have to be there.
It's so easy to get caught up in how good the design looks, that we lose focus on why we designed it in the first place, and where the inspiration for the design came from. Consider your audience and design in ways that speak to them. We have a powerful message to tell the world and everything we create should connect with that message and enhance it.
“Call to me and I will answer you. I'll tell you marvelous and wondrous things that you could never figure out on your own.” -Jeremiah 33:3
