FUN FOR ME

I spend a few hours with a pastor friend today and had the opportunity to do something I really enjoy. I think I had forgotten how much fun it was for me to do a visual review of a church to see if we can find an economical way to enhance curb appeal and interior sanctuary appearance.

We schedule the meeting for today a week ago so I took several photos of the streets around the church and the entrance the Sunday before. I attend a very small, but inclusive church that is growing. They have a very significant ministry to people with addictions. I love this about the church. They are the first evangelical church I have ever visited with a container for smokers out the front door.

They have asked their church leaders to park away from the church so visitors can park close. The theory is good for larger churches, but when a small church does that it has a dramatically different affect. If you are out looking to eat at a new restaurant what do you look for first? A full parking lot, right! We interpret that to mean the food is good. Well, when a visitor pulls up to our church it looks like no one is home. There is not a single car parked near enough to even assume they are at the church. Park close and have every home bring every car they have. Jam the streets. It will look like it is on the inside. The way the streets look now, the church looks closed.

The next concern really is curb appeal. What do you want people to think or see when they drive past? It’s the same with our homes. We want them to look attractive and inviting. The paint on the church is nice. The small lawn is well cared for and shrubbery is neatly trimmed. The sidewalks are smooth and there is a concrete ramp for wheelchairs. But the front still looks dull. The entrance is small and set bank in an alcove about 24’ deep with no light above the door. While the rest of the church is bright, the dark purple doors are foreboding.

But with the magic of Photoshop showed how a lighter color on the door would enhance the entrance and added flower boxes on the top rails could provide very nice color. In regard to parking I added cars to the street on a Google World view of the church area so he could see the difference. The pictures sold him on all these things. Wish I had this technology 30 years ago when I was doing this.

This type of evaluation is best done with medium to small churches that are older. Our building only holds 110 people. Two services are on Sunday morning and one Saturday night. At the moment we are only crowed in the third service. So we went inside and figured out how to add another 19-20 chairs. This may seem small, but it adds 20% more searing. There is a children’s church beginning when they arrive and the band that has played for all three churches on a weekend so leave after the music set of the second morning service. This combination takes about 25 people out of the sanctuary. I assume this is boring to most, but I have always been fascinated with how one can make cheap changes for appearance. Like I always used to tell pastors. This will do nothing to improve the ministry of your church, but it may seem less threatening to enter.

Along the lines of eliminating threat we are hosting a Christmas Craft Fair with the primary intent of helping the vendors make money. Not very spiritual is it? But the church is beautiful at Christmas, the music will be live and the baked goods will fill your nostrils with such temptation you may even have to take something home. The side benefit is that it may eliminate some fear of entering a church. If not, I sure hope I make some money. I did last year.