Sacred Spaces Innovative Places- Reimagining Church Property and Facilities as Assets

Description

This article, Sacred Spaces-Innovative Places, from the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, shares seven examples of how congregations have creatively used their facilities and property. Each of the churches profiled faced challenges along the way, but the churches studied have rediscovered purpose or generated extra revenue or leaned into the resulting opportunities to walk deeper into already-existing ministries. Recognizing the need for honest and courageous conversations, and the beneficial discoveries that can come from them, the authors provide examples of the church as a secondary tenant, creative use of land, the sale of church property, the use of parking lots, innovative preschool programs, and the leasing of space to nonprofits and other congregations,

Features

Case studies
Questions for reflection
Financial Considerations
List of related resources

Practical Applications

Meet with a group of your congregational leaders and review this article together in conjunction with an asset mapping exercise that reviews your congregation's physical assets. Together, hold a brainstorming session, asking yourselves if there are ideas to help your congregation reach deeper into your ministry, or find opportunities for extra revenue.
Pilot a small experiment with your congregation, walking a step further into one idea for creative use of your space. Plan to reevaluate this new venture at an agreed-upon milestone, to see the impact it has had on your congregation.