Looking into the Future: The Top 10 Changes for the American Church
10. Less Real Estate
Over the past fifty years, churches have sought to acquire more land and build more buildings as a growth strategy. For the average church, excepting office space and school space, most of the square feet within their campuses are used only a few hours a week. The cost to maintain these large campuses is significant. Any honest consideration of human resource (custodial and administrative), heating and air conditioning, maintenance, insurance, and minor updates and renovations for these vast spaces as a total figure in the annual budget and on a per capita basis per member or per worship attendee tells an interesting story of the importance of a place to call one’s spiritual home. While these annual costs are high, the true cost is higher still when capital campaigns to build the space and do major renovations are factored in on an annualized basis.
Looking into the future I see an approach that views church more as the people of God and less as land and buildings. While most churches will continue to own real estate and worship in space they own, many will look to do more with less. Real estate will be viewed as a tool for ministry, not a growth strategy.
| Past/Present | Future |
| Sacred space is single use (i.e. sanctuary) | All space is sacred and multi-purpose |
| Buy land (as much and often as possible) | Buy only what is necessary |
| Build buildings (as many and as large as possible) | Build only what is necessary and ensure it can be used throughout the week |
| Renting space is rare and often reserved for time out of the primary facility due to building/renovating | Renting space is common and not limited to worship space (education, offices, sports, etc.) |
| Largest owned space is the sanctuary, which is used for one, two or three services a week | Largest owned space (if any) is a multi-purpose space that serves many roles throughout the week |
| Change (adding or subtracting space) is costly and requires significant time | Change (adding or subtracting space) is inexpensive and facilitated quickly |
| Building and grounds budget is fixed and appreciates annually | Building and grounds budget is flexible and can be reconfigured to meet present and future needs with minimal waste |
| Building and Grounds budget is disproportionately expensive and creates a heavier burden if membership declines | Building and grounds budget can be set at a percentage that is strategic and represents the best possible stewardship regardless of membership increases or declines |
| Many talk of the church as a place and as what happens within its walls | Many know the church as the people of faith and talk of and experience its ministry beyond the walls (if any) of its campus (or campuses) |
So What?
How does your congregation view real estate?
- Are you satisfied with the percent of your annual church budget designated for its upkeep?
- Are you aware of its true cost per member or attendee?
- How many hours of week is your sanctuary or worship space used? How many hours a week are classrooms, gymnasiums, and other spaces used?
- How can your congregation be better stewards of all its owned space? Do you actively seek and welcome outside groups to use spaces your congregation can only use a few hours a week?
- Have you ever considered doing more with less? Renting program or worship space? Having multiple campuses?