Deciding When to Expand Your Church [Guide]

Whether or not your church needs to expand is an important decision. However, it’s just as important to prepare for anticipated growth as it is not to expand prematurely.

Although every church’s details and specific goals are unique, there are certain “signals” to watch for to help decipher whether or not your church needs to expand… or wait until the time is right. There is no one-size-fits-all solution here. You must know your community, understand your church’s goals, and have an unbiased view of how your church is functioning and growing.

Should you Expand?

Considering whether it’s time to expand your church, as you know, is a big decision. But how do you know if it’s time to expand? Luckily, there are signs to be aware of to know it may be time for you to take the first steps in expanding your church ministry.

Growth Signs to Look For

Services are Maxed Out

Having enough space in your services is very important for both your consistent attendees as well as visitors. It sends the message, “Come in! There is a place for you!”. If your worship area always feels maxed out, people hesitate to return. This certainly isn’t the message your church wants to give. If you offer more than one service and are still at 80% or greater capacity in the sanctuary, it’s time to consider expanding. Whether “expanding” means building a new building or becoming a multi-site church, it’s a clear signal to expand when your services are consistently full.

The Children’s Department is Full

Your children’s department is also a good indicator of whether you’re outgrowing your building. Pay attention if this area feels uncomfortably full or has no “wiggle room” to add other programs or expand. Have open conversations with your volunteers, department leads, and staff. Ask for their insight and experience on how the kid’s department flows, functions, and operates. Don’t be afraid to ask about the good, bad, and everything in between. They can offer valuable and honest “insider” information that will aid you in deciding your children’s department’s next best steps!

Parking is Unmanageable 

One way to detour visitors from coming back is your parking situation. If parking spots are maxed out, the flow isn’t smooth, or you have jams in the parking lot, it can also indicate that it’s time to expand! A chaotic parking lot is not just an annoyance but can detour people from coming into your church at all. Just like your worship area gives the message of “there’s space for you here” or “we’re maxed out,” your parking lot does the same. 

Community areas, bathrooms, and walkways are always congested

An essential element sometimes overlooked is the flow and openness of “common areas.” Connection happens when people can slow down or linger and have a conversation in one spot. Building community can be significantly hindered if people feel closed in or rushed to move out of the way. In addition, if bathrooms have lines wrapping around the corner or walkways are a tight squeeze, this could mean it’s time to consider expansion.

Financially Able and Ready

Being financially ready is a huge factor if you’re considering expanding. Having your congregation’s emotional and financial support will help in many ways during the dreaming, planning, building, and transition stages. If your church has decided it’s ready to expand, it’s time to choose your full-service church architect and get the ball rolling! 

As a side note, “expanding” can mean more than one thing. For example, it can mean building from the ground up, or becoming a multi-site church, or even converting a big-box store. There is more than one option, so research which one is the best fit for your church’s ministry goals.

Should You Wait to Expand?

Just as important as it is to know when it’s time to expand is knowing when it’s time to wait. Waiting is not a negative thing. It can be a necessary time to sustain, grow, and plan for your church’s future. There are also “signals of waiting” you can be aware of to help give you direction.  

Indicators That it May be Time to Wait

You have not utilized all available service times

If you are maxed out with one service but have yet to try adding an additional service, try adding at least one to see if that relieves overcrowding. You can also live stream the service to an “overflow” area to give everyone more breathing room while maintaining uniformity in the message and unity with the congregants.

You have not utilized all available space

It might be time to rethink and rework your layout if you have enough square footage but certain ministry areas or services feel congested. Thinking creatively can help solve space and flow problems without adding additional square footage. If there are areas that can swap functions to accommodate the capacity needs, that may help solve the problem without needing the build or move.

You aren’t seeing consistent growth

Experiencing steady attendance doesn’t mean there’s a need to expand. Therefore, understanding the pain points can give you insight into other areas hindering growth. Not only will it help you improve your current building, but it can help you find solutions that will assist your church into the future — until expansion is necessary.

In debt or financially unstable

Expanding a church brings its own set of natural stressors, but financial debt shouldn’t be one of them. If your ministry is in debt or simply not ready to move forward financially in expanding, this needs to be the first line of business. Formulating a financial plan will help ease the stress, process, and hesitation of you and your church family.

A common misconception 

New building = guaranteed growth

Moving into a new building is not a guarantee or even an effective strategy for growth. If you are hoping a new church building will cause an explosion in attendance, it’s time to regroup and rethink a growth strategy. It’s important to identify why your church isn’t growing and not rely on a new building to fix those issues.

Whether your church is in a time of expansion or in a time of waiting, it is an important one. Understanding your church’s current season will help you gain a clear perspective and determine an effective strategy for ongoing health in your church — now into the future!