" The design of the Commons space was crucial , and HH nailed it . They designed a big , open , welcoming area with a clear front door , comfortable seating , coffee , and places for kids to play . Our people will love it , and we believe that they ’ ll invite people to join them . Our community will have a good reason to come in during the week as well .” — Josh Merriott
because of lack of actual space , or because of lack of appropriate space that is relevant to and reflects the desired vision and ministry of the church today . What we do is about realigning the facilities with the current vision . Sometimes a pastor will ask if we ’ d rather know how the church is doing ministry now , or how it wants to do ministry in the future . We always want to know the latter . Otherwise , there ’ s a risk of the facilities dictating the ministry when it should be the other way around .
Hanna : I agree , and I ’ d say that space , functionality and age are the most common key factors when considering whether to remodel a facility or build new . Churches have to take an honest look at how their current facilities are driving their ministry in terms of space and functionality for not only the current needs but the generations to come .
Josh , what were the indicators that it was time for your church to build ?
Josh Merriott : We began to feel a heightened awareness about the future and how our facilities were often a barrier to ministry . Our five different buildings didn ’ t function together strategically , and it would take more than 20 minutes for some families to complete the drop-off process on a Sunday morning . To make matters worse , our student ministry met in a building that required them to ride a shuttle or cross a busy street . Repeatedly , we saw how these challenges were holding us back . When we started , we didn ’ t know exactly what the project would look like , but we knew we had to do something if we were going to continue to be effective in reaching people .
Before approaching an architect , what key questions should a church leader ask himself or herself about the church project ’ s vision ? And how might the practical answers to these questions be realized in the design ?
Hanna : A church leader should first ask : As a church , what goals are we trying to accomplish ? Do these goals strategically align with the steps required to get to vision ? The heart of Josh ' s church — Cross City Church in Euless , Texas — is focused on reaching all people . The Generations Project : Building for the
Future is a reflection of the church ’ s preparations to create a facility that helps them reach people now and years to come . It focuses on improving guest experience and engagement . As Senior Pastor John Meador says : ‘ When God opens unusual doors of direction and provision that no one else can open , it inspires confidence to move forward .”
Ashcraft : Is our vision clear and easily understood ? Can the average person quickly grasp where we are intending to go , what is required , and ( most important ) what we are asking of them ? How will we craft our messaging to create this necessary clarity to get people invested and build momentum ? Does our project vision include both the “ what ” and “ why ” behind ? Does it include “ how ” we think we can get there ? Tennessee ' s First Baptist Cleveland is a good example . Its vision , “ Generations ,” is about the long-term purpose of making Kingdomminded believers and disciples who make disciples . It is a continuation of their initial vision cast in 2008 , expanding on their successful first phase , and it focuses on the impact across all ages that the current project will create .
Woody : What message is our current building sending to the community ? What ministry needs are not being fulfilled with current space ? What ministry needs would we like to provide that the current facility does not ? And then , how can we message that with the architectural design ? How can that message be congruent ? We use the term ‘ congruent ’ because different buildings on the same campus can send a different message , and that ’ s OK . What ’ s more important is that your overall message — from your website to your physical campus — is congruent with the church ’ s design . If not , the average visitor , guest or member will see that as a mixed message .
Josh , tell us more about Cross City Church ’ s vision for its building project .
Merriott : We envisioned a place that would help us connect with our community and with each other . The design of the Commons space was crucial , and HH nailed it . They designed a big , open , welcoming area with a clear front door , comfortable seating , coffee , and places for kids to play . Our people will love it , and we believe that they ’ ll invite people to
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