Church Design

Aspen Group Blog

Knowledge to navigate the intersection of church culture, leadership, ministry, and facilities.

Marian V. Liautaud

Marian served as Aspen's Director of Marketing from 2014 to 2021, sharing stories about how Aspen designs, builds, and furnishes space for ministry impact.

Blog Feature

Church Design | interior design | signage

5 Things Every Church Needs to Know About Signage

By: Marian V. Liautaud
April 13, 2021

Proper signage and branding are critical to a positive experience at church, especially for newcomers or first-time visitors. Think about it. How could we possibly navigate a large airport or hospital without relying completely on the signs around us? It would be a terrible experience. With churches opening their doors again for in-person worship, your first-time or newer guests may need to re-learn how to navigate your building. Now is the time to look at your church's signage and wayfinding with fresh eyes! When we brought focus groups to the various churches as part of the Making Space for Millennials study, they said that when they entered each space, they instinctively wondered, Where am I? What am I supposed to do next? What’s expected of me? They were seeking visual clarity.

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church facilities | Ministry | Relaunch Church

Questions to Ask Before You Relaunch 4 Key Ministries in Your Church

By: Marian V. Liautaud
April 07, 2021

Most churches have learned how to use digital tools to continue to share the gospel and help people find an anchor in this storm. Week by week throughout the pandemic, churches have become more adept at producing online worship services and conducting small groups and children’s ministry via social media and video platforms.  Now, the urgency of trying to figure out how to shepherd congregations virtually is giving way to a new question—what shape will ministry programs take in light of all we’ve learned during the pandemic?

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Making Space for Millennials Executive Summary

Making Space for Millennials Executive Summary

Discover the impact Millennials' values, allegiances, and assumptions will have on your church.

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Church Design | interior design | Design Week

Can Good Church Design Help Lower Anxiety?

By: Marian V. Liautaud
March 09, 2021

The prevalence of mental and emotional health issues is growing. According to Barna, people are experiencing extreme anxiety, and there is an epidemic of loneliness in our country, cutting across every age group. Nearly 60 percent of adults say at least one relational or emotional health issue affects their most important relationships. One-third indicated that loneliness impacts their closest relationships. We know people are struggling and the Church is a source of ever-present hope. At Aspen Group, we believe good design can create culture and solve problems, including providing places for respite and personal connection. Aspen Architectural Designer Andrea Burks shares creative tips on how churches can work toward creating environments that support emotional and mental wellbeing.

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Leadership | church facilities | Relaunch Church

How to Facilitate a “Relaunch Church” Meeting with Your Leadership Team

By: Marian V. Liautaud
February 23, 2021

When COVID-19 hit the U.S., church leaders faced the unexpected and overwhelming challenge of closing their doors. You may have had to quickly figure out how to stream services and move ministry activities online. Now, you’re likely grappling with the daunting details of how to reopen your facilities for in-person worship and other ministries. You and your church leadership team are wrestling myriad questions and concerns about how to relaunch church in COVID-safe ways. At the same time, as a leader, you need to lift your eyes, look out at the horizon, and ask, “What have we learned about our church in this crisis that can help us prepare for a new season of ministry?”  

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Church Design | Project Profiles | Church Construction

Built to Be a Beacon: How One Urban Church Offers Hope—and a Home—to Its Community

By: Marian V. Liautaud
February 10, 2021

St. Timothy Community Church in Gary, Indiana, stands at the corner of 25th and Grant, a beacon of hope and light in a neighborhood that’s marred by economic hardship and gang violence. Though the church’s exterior design and location creates an inviting presence in the community, church leaders wanted the building’s interior to convey this same sense of welcome for all ages—especially for youth.

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Church Culture | Community Impact | Relaunch Church

Relaunching Church in a COVID World

By: Marian V. Liautaud
February 01, 2021

The Coronavirus pandemic has stretched every church to find new ways to fulfill its mission to be the Body of Christ. The church never was the building. It is and always has been people who make up the church. During this season of social distancing, congregations are learning anew what it means to be the Church.

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Church Design | Church Culture

How One Church Redesigned with Men in Mind

By: Marian V. Liautaud
January 28, 2021

Brookville Road Community Church in New Palestine, Indiana, exists to inspire people to become wholehearted followers of Jesus. They place a special emphasis on reaching men because they've found that when husbands and fathers feel more comfortable in the space, they are more likely to return to church and bring their family. The leaders at Brookville Road have cued into a reality that Barna uncovered in a recent study on men in America titled, Five Essentials to Engage Today’s Men. The study, in partnership with BetterMan, a resource for men’s ministries, was conducted to find out how both churchgoing Christians and men overall are navigating 21st-century waters.

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Church Design | church facilities | Relaunch Church

4 Ways to Reimagine Large Gathering Spaces for Smaller Groups

By: Marian V. Liautaud
January 26, 2021

Since COVID-19 hit and churches were forced to leave their buildings, Aspen Group has been working to help churches prepare to relaunch. "Some of the key church spaces Aspen focuses on, like worship and gathering spaces, have been empty as Americans have stayed safe at home," says Aspen Group Project Architect Craig Dobyns. "My design attention shifted from how we gather and fellowship as a church body in our buildings, to how our buildings can serve the community that is staying at home. Our buildings are still ministry tools, and churches are in a unique position to reimagine their space, even if temporarily."  

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church facilities | Relaunch Church | Rapid Relaunch | Design Week

3 Urgent Issues Facing the Church, and Design Solutions to Address Them

By: Marian V. Liautaud
January 12, 2021

Even as the new year starts, churches across America are facing ongoing challenges brought on by the pandemic. Added to the effects of COVID are tectonic shifts in culture that are changing the way churches will reach people with the hope of the gospel. Aspen has been partnering for years with Barna to explore how to leverage data and design to build a better future for the Church.

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church facilities | Relaunch Church | Rapid Relaunch

Our Top 10 Resources to Relaunch Church in 2021

By: Marian V. Liautaud
December 18, 2020

When COVID hit and churches had to lockdown earlier this year, pastors everywhere wondered what to do about their empty buildings and how to maximize their facilities once they're ready to regather in person. We worked hard to help guide you through uncertain times. As the pandemic continues, here are our most-read articles and resources to help you prepare for a strong start in 2021.

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