Small Space . Big Impact .
Case Study Showcase
LED wall system that meets this generation right where they are . This space now empowers leaders to fully capture the attention of students so they can pour into them the message of the Gospel and the life-changing truths of God ’ s Word . The transformation of this space was a win for the students , who now have a place of their own within the walls of the church . It was a win the leadership of the church as the vision came to life and was completed under budget . Finally , it was a win for the entire congregation , seeing this once-empty room now full of life , energy , and the next generation of leaders .
After
By Rodney C . James
While many spaces in existing churches are no longer used for their original purpose , it opens doors for reimagining how to recapture that square footage for new ministry opportunities .
Before
Such was the case at Central Baptist Church in Owasso , Okla . Church leaders engaged Master ’ s Plan Church Design and Construction to help transform a tired fellowship hall with many challenges into a vibrant space to reach students of families who are joining their growing congregation . As Senior Pastor Clayton Chism explains , the initial design — done many years ago — was no longer facilitating current ministry functions . Master ’ s Plan was introduced to the church by a staff member who had worked with the firm ’ s president and founder , Rodney James , on a previous church project . What was needed was a clear path and a long-term plan with an aim to fully refresh , repurpose and expand church facilities to provide a better tool for current ministry needs . The team at Master ’ s Plan began dreaming with the leadership of Central about how to renovate and repurpose their 20-year-old facility . It was the first building project — of any scope — for many of the staff members . Additionally , it was unlikely that funding would allow all the plan ’ s steps to be completed at once ; so , a phased approach was established . Currently , while plans are being drawn for a fully renovated worship center , gathering space , and enlarged children ’ s wing , other smaller steps are creating the momentum needed for these larger projects that are coming . Importantly , these current small projects provide dramatic improvements and short-term leadership victories by coming in under budget .
A win-win-win While Wednesday night dinners are no longer part of the church ’ s programming , the need for adequate student ministry space was pressing in — it seemed like a great chance to capture this needed square footage . Today , the newly repurposed space provides a place for students to gather and connect on Sunday mornings as well as prior to their Wednesday night experiences . The other two-thirds of the room has been fully outfitted with state-of-the-art audio , lighting , and a large video
One small step , one giant leap This small project not only paved the way for new ministry life at Central Baptist Church , but also for the bigger things on the horizon . A successful smaller project can help a congregation see the impact , the opportunities , and the dividends of investing in their older , tired , or unused facility spaces . It also can be a steppingstone for leadership to gain equity by leading successfully through a project while staying within budget . In many ways , Central Baptist Church is a testament for many churches putting off creating relevant spaces for children ’ s ministry , student ministry , small group ministry , gathering , and even worship because the “ elephant ” seems too big to eat . Our encouragement is to get a long-term plan that leads you toward an end goal of a fully renovated or expanded tool that better serves your ministry . Start somewhere , one bite at a time , eating that elephant . For Central , it started with providing better security and giving the children ’ s wing a facelift . Next was repurposing a sparsely used fellowship hall . Outdoors , a new ball field was created on church property to serve the ministries of the church as well as the community . To help fund the next stage — a major renovation of gathering space and the worship center , and expansion of children ’ s ministry — Pastor Chism says Master ’ s Plan even introduced the church to a capital campaign partner to help raise the necessary funds . Future phases will ultimately align the entire campus with current ministry needs , as well as equip the church to reach new families . These will include additional small group space , a rework of the administration wing , and — as growth continues — a new student ministry building . With these few small , successful projects under their belt and seeing the impact they have had on reaching new families , the Central Baptist Church family and leadership are excited to continue walking forward in the vision God has given . Step by step , they are seeing the transformation of their facilities into a place that facilitates ministry in a new , refreshing and powerful way . It ’ s something Pastor Chism has experienced firsthand . “ Walk with a trusted partner who first learns and understands your ministries , then evaluates your facilities based on your ministry needs ,” he advises . “ This can provide your church with a phased approach that leads you to a revitalized tool to empower reach more people for the Kingdom !”
32 CHURCH EXECUTIVE | NOV / DEC 2022