Design Ideas to Future-Proof Your Church (VIDEO)
Is the Church You're in Today Built to Reach People Tomorrow?
Now, more than ever, churches need to invest in well-designed facilities to help create space for people to connect with God and others. But the way that people experience God and community is changing. In this video, Aspen architect Derek DeGroot looks at key shifts in culture that affect the way pastors and church leaders need to be thinking about church design and facility use. Here are four examples taken from his talk, "Is the Church You're in Today Built to Reach People in the Future":Offer Spaces Just to Be
Do we offer restful spaces? At Aspen, we call these spaces "respites." The key characteristics of respites include:- It’s off the beaten path
- It connects people to God
- It offers personal and individual space
- It contains positive distractions
An example is a rooftop garden at a hospital. People at a hospital may be suffering, and they can come to this space to connect to God. The church needs to create more of these types of spaces, spaces designed for people just to be, if we're going to reach the next generation. While your church may have respite spaces, one of the things you may be missing is an obvious invitation for people to use them. Be sure you let everyone know—including those in the church and those passing by—about the quiet spaces available in or outside of your church property.