Recently I did a series of posts on the Top Three Growth Barriers that all churches face, regardless of size (click here to read), and from the feedback I’ve received it was helpful to many of you.

One question that I have gotten (and often get at live events about this) is about SPACE, the top growth barrier:

“Is there such thing as a ‘too much space’ barrier?”

In other words, while the lack of adequate worship space is an obvious limiting factor, is it possible that having too large of a space for too few people can limit your church’s growth as well?

And the answer is Yes, but…

Yes, too much space can hinder growth, but only in relatively extreme cases.  Keep in mind that most people feel most comfortable in a room that’s 40-50% full.

However, when you are facing this situation (let’s say: 100 people meeting in an 800-seat school auditorium):

1) People get so spread out that they feel awkward (and lose the “corporate worship” feeling)

2) The room loses “energy” – even a Big Day can feel small if the room is too big

3) Your church can appear disconnected from reality

But there’s good news:

It’s much easier to make a large space feel small than it is to find or build more space.

With strategic use of pipe and drape, folding room dividers or seat covers, you can effectively “shrink the space” of an over-sized room to fit a crowd of just about any size.

One company we’ve used to help us make a large space feel smaller is:

http://www.GeorgiaExpo.com

They provide pipe and drape (like what’s used at conventions and trade shows) that works great to make a cavernous space feel more cozy.

Whatever method(s) you decide to use, be sure that they’re easily adjustable — because as your church grows, you need the flexibility to keep opening up more and more seats.

Have a great week!

P.S. To learn the nine most common growth barriers that churches of all sizes face AND the tools to break through them, check out The Breaking Growth Barriers Workshop – A live recording of my popular six-hour workshop.  It’s available for Immediate Download or as a 5-CD Set.

© Nelson Searcy. All Rights Reserved.

About Nelson Searcy

Nelson Searcy is an experienced church growth strategist, pastor, church planter and coach, consulting with churches around the world. As founder of Church Leader Insights and the Renegade Pastors Network, he has personally trained more than 3,500 church leaders in over 45 denominations through live events, seminars and monthly coaching. Nelson is also the Founding and Lead Pastor of The Journey Church, with locations across New York City and in Boca Raton, FL. Nelson and his church routinely appear on lists such as “The 50 Most Influential Churches” and “The 25 Most Innovative Leaders.” He is the author of over 100 church growth resources and 18+ books, including The Renegade Pastor: Abandoning Average in Your Life, Ministry and The Difference Maker: Using Your Everyday Life for Eternal Impact, and At the Cross with the People Who Were There. He and his wife, Kelley, have one son, Alexander.