When creating a new church for your beloved ministry, construction quality is paramount to ensuring your home community will be receptive and eager to join your congregation. While there’s no one size fits all for building a church, there are some general guidelines that can help you tailor your church experience to the life experience, demographic, and preferences of the people your church will serve.
Landscaping and Parking
It’s important to plan the flow of your worship services based on the experience of the guest. Everything from a well designed and balanced parking lot to the positioning of raised beds for landscaping elements like plants and trees and even statuary. An uninviting and poorly planned exterior will have people going somewhere else.
Front Door and Entryway
This is where you make your first impression and where you “welcome” to newcomers, “welcome back” to those back for a second time, and “welcome home” to longtime parishioners. This area should be defined, meticulously maintained, and lead directly into the gathering/common room.
Signage and Communication
It’s important to share your message with your neighbors, whether they are just passing by or they see your church every day. Your message needs to be clear, concise, and lets people know that you are there and what exciting things are happening inside your walls. The signage should be easily read and inviting to your guests.
Nursery
Be sure this area is well-staffed, brightly lit, attractive to children, and welcoming to parents who will entrust their children into your care. Creating a nurturing, safe space will reassure parents and make them want to come back.
Technology
We all know technology moves at a fast pace and a successful worship center takes uses technology to their advantage. Using audio and visual equipment is important in your meeting hall or chapel to make sure the message is seen as well as heard, but modern technology can take it a step further with streaming services for those who are at home and even recorded sermons to be downloaded to be experienced again or at a later date.
Classrooms
Depending on your church’s structure and whether you offer online ministry, classrooms may not be needed. However, if your ministry relies on one-on-one interactions to enhance fellowship, it’s worth considering at least one small classroom.
Traditional Symbolism
The symbols of your faith are as important to the people in your church as they are to you. Modern churches tend to employ more subtle imagery to make the experience as comfortable for the regulars as it is for the first time visitors.
Exterior Look and Feel
If the church is new construction, the exterior should match the architectural style and materials of the buildings nearby. Both new and existing (renovated) buildings should blend in with their surroundings to make the building seem familiar and soothing. It should be a natural part of the neighborhood it serves.
Gathering/Common Room
This is where most of your congregation will gather almost as often as the worship hall itself. The importance of fellowship in a church community cannot be overstated, so this centrally-located space must be designed to promote social interaction and provide access to other areas of the church.
Worship Center
It’s important to keep the size of your congregation and the potential versatility of your church in mind when planning and designing your church. It’s important to keep flexibility in mind. What other functions do you see your buildings having? Keep in mind what your primary use is, but simple design ideas can keep your options open to better serve your community.
Contact RTF Construction in Atlanta, GA
RTF Construction is a 5-star rated commercial general contractor with 25+ years of experience in retail construction projects. We have the expertise and an airtight process in place to ensure that your vision for your project comes to life. In fact, the “RTF” in our name stands for Retail Tenant Finish, so you know where we got our start! View our entire photo gallery portfolio of projects in the Atlanta area.
From conception through construction completion, we offer value engineering which maximizes functionality and cost-efficiency. We partner with our clients to bring about their vision while offering worry-free customer engagement, and partnerships are formed among the owner, architect, and contractor to achieve a common goal.
RTF Construction is a local, small business in Atlanta. We would love to help bring your vision to life and make sure you get the best possible bang for your buck. Contact us online or give us a call at 678-787-2748 for a free estimate.
