burning issues (part 2)

So what does any of this have to do with church architecture?

Well, as Kevin G. Ford of TAG points out in Transforming Church, your ministry's building is a symbolic expression of the code, or the heart/identity, of your church - whether you're aware of it or not. The core of who your church is will naturally flow out from leadership to the congregation (via values, mission, strategy etc.), and from the congregation to the world outside (via traditions, marketing designs, and architecture).

In Breakout Churches, Thom Rainer locates this code at the "vision intersection profile" or VIP. The VIP is where the passions of the pastor, the passions of the congregation, and the needs of the community all overlap. The vast majority of churches that break out of the mold of "boom, plateau, erode" found their calling at this vision intersection.

If the passions of the generation that is currently breaking into local churches is in social justice, you know where to start. What social justice need is there in your community, and which of those really speaks to the heart of key leadership at your church? That is where you find the code of your ministry, and that is what you build for.

If unemployment is up in your neighborhood, maybe you need an adult learning center where tutors can set up meetings and people can do job searches online. If homelessness is a problem in your community, maybe you need a commercial kitchen and a multipurpose space that can be secured from the rest of the building for soup kitchens and over-night shelters. If violence is plaguing your schools, maybe you need attractive youth space, a basketball court, or a skate park.

Designing a facility with your call in mind will help your ministry answer that call to the best of your ability. It will also reflect your passions to your community and attract a younger generation who wants to make a difference in their world.