A few days ago, I wrote of three things that are very important to a churches’ success, but usually overlooked by the pastor and people. Those three dealt with externals. They were the direction signs, parking, and parking lot greeters. Every pastor should consider these, and then ask himself of their church could improve in these areas.
Once we move inside the build, there are far more matters to consider, but they are just as vital.
One of these is the seating arrangement and procedures. A major mistake, I have witnessed, is having the pews to close together. In a soul winning church where you give an invitation for people to come forward, it is sometimes easier to jump over the pews than to get past others.
Another problem I see is having a center aisle. The exception would be if the building is small and there is room for only one aisle. Those who want center aisles, are usually following tradition, or think the church exists for weddings. The church does not exist for weddings. It exists for the preaching of the gospel. A pastor should not be preaching to an empty aisle, but the people in front of him.
If the building looks empty, space the seating and place some greenery around in the building. Constantly work at getting your members to sit forward. That way your guest aren’t marched up the aisle and put on the front row. Don’t underestimate the importance of properly arranged seating. Many churches at replacing their old pews with chairs, I think this would be a smart move for some churches.
A second vital in church is the lighting. I believe there should be lots of light in a church. It should be evenly balanced so there are no dark areas, such as under, or in balconies. Make the building so bright it will be difficult for people to sleep. Make sure you don’t have spotlights that blind people. If you need to, have a lighting coordinator come in and make suggestions.
A third area that is a constant problem, and must be monitored is the heating. There is nothing worse than for people to show up, and someone forgot to set the heat at a right setting.
The heat should be under the control of one person and that person under the control of the pastor. If this is not done, whoever is in charge, will give in to his wife, and her command will be his orders. No church can survive this kind of confusion. No matter who is in charge, the blame will always come back to the pastor. Therefore, he should see that it is done right, and stays that way.
It is better for a building to slightly cooler than slightly too warm. The building tempura will rise as it fills with people. Also, it is more difficult to sleep in a cold building. When the tempura goes up, people go to sleep. There will always be some dear ladies who are too warm and will use the bulletin as a fan. Remember, most of these ladies would be fanning if they were sitting on an iceberg.
None of these are not a joke. They are very serious to the health of your church. Pay attention to these little things, and the bigger things will take care of themselves.
Pastor Ken Blue was born in Boswell, Ark. In 1955 he accepted Christ as his Savior. He and his wife Joyce were married in 1955. They have 5 children. He graduated from Midwestern Baptist Bible College in 1969 and started the Open Door Baptist Church in Lynnwood, Wa. where he pastored for 39 years. Because of health issues (ALS) he was forced to resign as pastor. It is his desire to continue to be used of God to help pastors and believers through this ministry.