Church leaders around the globe have all been wondering one major question this past year: Will people come back to church after the pandemic?
The good news is… in places that are opening up, a surprising number of people are coming back to church. But… that leaves us with a new question: What can we do to prepare for more people to come back to church?
The answer: Take this summer to pray and refresh your church building for a powerful new ministry season.
Why This Summer’s the Perfect Time for a Refresh
For the past year, many churches around the country have been closed or have had limited indoor gatherings. Now that things are opening back up, people are more willing to come back to church. But is your building ready?
Think through your lobby, worship center, bathrooms, gathering rooms, and children’s ministry spaces. Think through your in-person guest experience. Do you need clearer signage for guests? Do your rooms need a fresh coat of paint or a fun and exciting set? Have the decorations on the walls been there a little too long? Do your bulletins need an updated look? This summer is a great opportunity for you to refresh your look and get ready for more guests.
School is out. Families are traveling. Summer attendance may be hit-or-miss. And, you may have some student volunteers willing to help freshen things up! Summer is the time to ramp up for the new ministry year, and this summer is more important than ever because people are returning after a long time of being away.
What to Look For
Take a few volunteers or staff members on a quick walk-through of your building. Pray through each piece of your in-person guest experience, as you look for places where guests might be confused, uncomfortable, or a bit unattracted. What can you do to fix those?
Do you need better directional signage for your guests?
Do you need better cleaning processes?
Do you need updated banners to designate places, spaces, and ministries?
Do you need to station more greeters/pastors/volunteers in key places to connect with guests?
Do you need to repair or repaint any damaged walls or corners?
Do you need more lively bulletins?
Do you need better air-flow in your cry rooms?
Do your walls need fresh artwork?
Do you need help making your set on stage look good?
Does your children’s ministry area need a little more personality on the walls?
Once you’ve looked through your in-person guest experience, gather some volunteers, order what you need for a fresh look, and jump in! So many of the updates you’re hoping to make this summer are simple, easy, and super impactful!
At Outreach, we have seen how a simple walk-through of your building and a quick phone call with one of our staff members can really help bring your space to life. Our two favorite ways to make a huge impact on the look of your interior spaces are: 1) DesignSuites and 2) KidMin Stick-Ups.
DesignSuites are designs of banners, bulletins, on-stage sets that are coordinated to go together to give your church a cohesive and professional look. Our most popular ones are Geometric Bold, Aurora Lights, and Dark Smoke. Check out all of our DesignSuites here.
KidMin Stick-Ups are adhesive shapes, characters, or wall-sized murals that are an inexpensive (and removable!) way to update young children’s classrooms. These fun and quality decals are designed to make families feel at home in your church. Check out all of our KidMin products here.
Why Fresh Spaces Matter
One very practical way we can show hospitality to our guests is to create spaces where they feel comfortable relaxing, checking in their children, and listening to the word of God. Though our buildings are not the ultimate means of communicating the gospel, they are an avenue through which we can make guests feel comfortable, linger long enough to make connections, and relax enough to hear the Good News of Jesus. Buildings are just buildings, but they can be spaces where people hear about salvation, repent of their sins, exalt the Father, and grow, or places where the confusion, distraction, or discomfort turn people off from the real reason they are there.
Refreshing your space is about removing distractions and opening doors for people of all walks of life to be comfortable and softened the work of God in your church. So this summer, walk through your space, refresh the areas that need attention, and pray for God’s presence to fill your church building. Then, start planning for an amazing fall ministry season!
