Suprising Discoveries About Facilities for the Unchurched

What if I told you that the average unchurched person would be more likely to walk into a cathedral than any contemporary facility when looking for a church?  It's true!  When unchurched people were shown four pics that included two contemporary church designs, a church with a steeple and a cathedral the unchurched said they preferred the look of a cathedral by 2:1 over any other option.  So, what is your reaction?

I have agreed to be a thought leader for the Cornerstone Knowledge Network and they are partnering with Community on some key initiatives for the future. So on Monday I was in Indianapolis to do a workshop and a main sessionCKN.  While I was there I spent as much time as I could with Ed Bahler who is a driving force behind CKN and one of the leading thinkers in the country on facilities and the future of the church. for the (Ed also has a good article in Ministry Today titled, Starting From Scratch)  We were discussing some of CKN's latest research regarding what kind of facilities that are most appealing to the unchurched.  The most fascinating discovery is that when they showed unchurched people four photos that included two contemporary church designs, a church with a steeple and a cathedral the unchurched said they preferred the look of a cathedral by 2:1 over any other option.  Joe Myer was also in on this conversation and Joe jumped in and said, "but if you put people in any of those pictures, people would choose the facility with people in it." I have a hunch he is right.  This led into an extended conversation about the 3200 churches that will close in the United States in the coming year.  Most of those churches (although not cathedrals) are more traditional looking.  And if we could "resurrect" and bring back to life those church facilities with new church bodies through multi-site or church planting we might have not only a great combination for reaching the unchurched but also a great use of old facilities.  What do you think? Ed has some more thoughts on this topic in this post Church Planting & Multi-Site.

Here were some more of the questions and top answers that CKN got while surveying unchurched people in regards to facilities.  The answers do not equal 100% because I only listed the top answers and the survey allowed the respondents to give multiple answers:

• In what setting other than a home would you be most likely to interact with a friend?
  • 47% - "Sit-down" restaurant
  • 15% - Bar or night club
  • 13% - Coffee shop
• In what settings do you feel close to God?
  • 41% - "no where"
  • 40% - References to nature
  • 14% - Anywhere, everywhere
  • 10% - Church, cathedral, synagogue
• If you were to design and build a church building, what adjectives would best describe it?
  • 43% - Open
  • 38% - Beautiful
  • 36% - Bright
  • 35% - Simple
  • 24% - Reverent

Comments

[Carter M.]

That's interesting stuff, thanks for sharing. I always wondered whether the traditional-style of Montgomery Campus kept drive-bys from stopping in, because it doesn't look from the outside like the kind of church we are on the inside. I've even thought about adding a "contemporary design" to the front of it. But maybe it does attract people after all.

I'd be curious what people mean by "open"--nice word, but what does that translate to in architecture? Any theories?

[Tony Whittaker]

Interesting. But I'd like to know more research on how many unchurched people ever actually attend any type or design of church, totally cold. Ie. on their own initiative, without a friend inviting them. And then, how many have started to make contact with a church, initially through their website, and then progressed on to face-to-face contact. Of course, so few websites are actually designed to be user-friendly to unchurched outsiders - which is what our church design tool (InternetEvangelismDay.com/design
and golf parable:
InternetEvangelismDay.com/golf
try to communicate.

Blessings

Tony

[Christine]

Hi Dave,
Just after ccc was built, I brought an unchurched neighbor to a service. After visiting the box, she enjoyed the service but wanted to know WHY it looked like a box instead of church. I went into a dissertation about the best use of space. She joined a small group I led at the time but started attending a denominational church of her childhood. The shape of the building made her think it wasn't a "real" church.

I had a lengthy coaching conversation last night with a friend. Part of this process is to describe an object of beauty. My object is an angled building with illuminating lights and a fountain inside with plants all around. This is actually a backyard retreat, now torn down. I had that I called my "sanctuary." My coach gave me the assignment to build a bigger and better one. Hmmm...

Christine

[Christine C.]

P.S.
What an exciting idea! With real estate prices as they are - and with so many church buildings available, near and far, in town centers and in places of natural beauty - why delay?

The church and the steeple poem, remember that? Here's the church, here's the steeple, open it up and see all the people...

Let the people come to a sanctuary of hope, refreshment, and connection - with God and each other.

Christne

[Jesse Phillips]

Dave - I LOVE your blog!

Which church do you like the look of? I REALLY don't think, just b/c they like the look, that they would be more likely to walk into that church.

There's a huge difference between liking the look and attending.

I like all the facades of the restaurants and bars downtown, but I'll rarely go inside - I don't have the money and I don't like bars.

I think we need to focus more on changing the negative perceptions of Christianity, than trying to get a better looking building - architecture is not keeping people from Christ (as much), but our unChristian actions are (more so).

[Dave Ferguson]

Jesse, you are absolutely correct. The biggest issue is not facilities. It may not even be in the top 10! We have nine sites and seven of them meet in rented facilities; so I don't think facilities are the biggest barrier. However, I do find it interesting that this is their bias based on facilities alone. I also agree with Joe Myer that if you put people in those pictures they would pic the picture with people.

[Adam Lehman]

Dave,

I attend a church (http://www.exit59church.com/) that started as a new body meeting in an old church building (lutheran). The old congregation was depleting and the church dispersed. However, a new congregation bought the building. Did a few minor renovations on the inside.
The people are the difference. A church's DNA determines its life.

[Scott]

Interesting survey, but I think Jesse is right.

Just getting someone inside the building isn't the goal. It's to keep them coming back - and then getting them outside the walls of the building, discipling others.

[jeff pessina]

When a person looks at a picture and says, "I would be most likely to walk into THAT one," it could be based on feelings that keep him away from Church in the first place... fear of human interaction or vulnerability. There's a lot of psychology in the "why" that picture looks more appealing -- or is it stronger? Safer? Less threatening? Whatever the case, I wonder if keeping up with the changing trends in social psychology as it relates to perception of buildings is even possible... especially in today's world where culture itself is changing at a pace never seen before in history. By the time we figure it out, perceptions may already be changing again. Figures are clear that most people who get connected to any Church and become Christ followers do so through the relationship of a friend or a relative. My view is that the venue fades in significance in direct proportion to the life of Christ emanating from the real Church... it's people.

[Dave Ferguson]

Just for the record: "I always agree with Jeff Pessina!" Well said, Jeff.

[Dave Lewis]

Dave,

We inherited an old, 10,000 sq.ft., debt free, Baptist church building. For us it was a no-brainer. Planting a church in a depressed inner-city neighborhood is challenging enough, let alone trying to find adequate space that is affordable and not falling apart. I don't think we need to completely abandon these large, older church buildings.They are already tax exempt properties, so there's no need to hire an attorney and go through legal proceedings to get a commercial property off the tax rolls when there are so many empty church buildings for sale or otherwise being under-utilized. This may not be the best choice for some new church plants, but for planters who are starting new congregations in inner-city areas where adequate meeting space is either scarce or too expensive, using these old sacred spaces may just be the right fit.

[Desiree Guzman]

Hey Dave,

This is really interesting. It makes me think even more about what our building in East Aurora should look like -- especially in a community with such a strong Catholic heritage. It seems like we need something solid, historical and tradition to connect with the community. Hmmm. I wonder where we could find a building like that? : )

[Lee Hoy]

I would seriously consider if "preferring the look" and choosing to go there for church are the same question? I suspect that it is like comparing which "art" is preferred versus where people are actually experiencing community. Starbucks where a great deal of community occurs, has virtually nothing in common with historical chapels.

Having used surveys a ton as a former Transportation Planner I can tell you the way a question is asked is VERY important.

Lee