Hickory Creek Church, in Frankfort, Illinois (above), created a versatile fireside room, which connects to an indoor-outdoor space, offering more options and opportunities for connection and relationship building.
4. Generosity Zones
Many churches are considering alternatives for tithing—opting not to pass an offering plate in a service. So what are some good ways to bring the concept of generosity front and center into the lobby and reinforce giving to the congregation and the neighboring community? During nicer weather, you could coordinate a drive through food pantry for your community right at your front door. Modeling generosity in this way communicates to your congregation, neighbors, and the larger community that you’re a church of radical generosity.
Another option is to create drop boxes for donations located at highly visible and convenient locations in your lobby, where food or clothing donations could be made. Tithing kiosks could also be conveniently located at key spots in the lobby. These units give people a non-threatening way to donate, especially making it easy for newcomers and first-time givers.
Chapelstreet Church, in North Aurora, Illinois, (above) intentionally added a drop box for their Shepherd’s Heart Care Center in a visible location in their cafe. Now, when visitors and the congregation use the space, they’re able to learn about the food pantry ministry, have a convenient place to donate, and get motivated to get involved.
Action centers are a great way to remind people of ongoing ministry opportunities and to give them a place to take their faith a step further. Making these zones front and center brings importance to the concept of generosity, and lets everyone know they can be a part of building a culture of giving.
Do you want more ideas on how to build a culture of hospitality and generosity at your church? Don’t forget to tap the people in your church for ideas. Your own congregation understands your church’s mission and vision and are most likely waiting for the opportunity to share their thoughts with you.
This article originally appeared here.
