What are the Top 3 Barriers to Church Growth? #1 - Space

I’m in Jacksonville this morning – in the middle of the “Top 3 Growth Barriers Tour.”

I’ve been traveling the country doing a series of “Senior Pastors Only” training events on the Top 3 Growth Barriers that every church faces, regardless of size. I will be out on the West Coast next week – click here for more info.

But I realize that, no matter how many events I can squeeze into these few weeks, some of you won’t be able to make it – so I’m going to give you a sneak peek at the Top 3 Growth Barriers over the next week right here on the blog.

The first, most common Growth Barrier that every church faces is….

SPACE

I can hear some of you right now… Space? Is it really that simple?

Think about it – If you don’t have enough space for new people in your church’s worship center, then it’s going to be tough to keep growing.

The question becomes, how full is “too full?”

Well, in coaching over 800 pastors in all sorts of states, styles and settings, I’ve found that when a room is 70% full, it’s full!

A room that is 70% full feels full – think about the last time you visited a movie theater…

And when it comes to your church, when the room is full people:

Stop inviting friends
Stop talking to guests
Stop attending regularly

So, is space a barrier to your church’s growth?

What is 70% of your maximum seating capacity?

Here are a couple of questions to think about when it comes to the Space barrier:

What if twice as many people showed up to your church on Sunday?
What would you have to do to accommodate twice as many people?

P.S. To learn more about all 9 of the most common growth barriers that all churches face, regardless of size, check out The Breaking Growth Barriers Workshop.

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.