At our annual Alignment Conference this past October, I was asked an interesting question in my session on designing spaces in our churches that connect, inspire and equip people.
The question: “I walk into a church building and I feel like I’m entering private property. When I enter into a library, I feel like I’m on public property. What can be done in a space that helps get beyond that barrier that says, ‘Members Only’?”
It’s true, isn’t it? Some spaces just exude an open-invitation feeling. The minute you walk in, you get the sense that you’re welcome here. And other spaces just feel like you need to know the secret code to be on the grounds.
Fortunately, there are a few ways to move the needle from private to public.
1. Maintaining Clarity
Increasing that welcome factor in your visitors’ minds can actually start long before they even enter your space. It starts on your website—where most people begin their church search these days. Your logo, colors and messaging need to be intentional and intriguing to your visitors. And then from there, it needs to carry through to your street signage, your building façade and finally to what they see when walking through your front door.
Vale Community Church does this well. Their front entryway and parking lot looks similar to their website and the Google ads they use to attract local millennials—so there’s instant clarity. And they make the practical things clearly obvious, like restroom locations and where to drop off your kids. These cues subtly say, “We care about you … our guest.” It’s when these prompts aren’t readily available that it feels like secret society. (Read even more about Vale’s approach.)
2. Choosing Colors
Certain colors and textures also impact whether or not we make people feel like outsiders. Warmer colors—like reds, yellows, oranges, earth tones and natural textures—tend to draw people toward them, and let them know they’re welcome. And by contrast, cool, vibrant colors—like brighter whites, blues and purples—tend to make people put up their guard, provoking thought and causing them to pause and reflect. They won’t dive right in because they’re not sure they trust you yet.
3. Creating Separation
Think about an airport terminal for a moment. How often do you find yourself just stopping to look around and take things in? Not much, I’d guess. That’s because airport terminals are designed to move people forward and not keep them sedentary. Welcoming spaces, though, allow people to stop for a moment, get comfortable with their surroundings and then determine their next step. To accomplish this, we include barriers in our designs that keep the space open yet intimate, such as open grids that define small gathering areas. They form psychological barriers where people feel free to converse right next to each other, even though it’s open-air space. In a sense, the barriers separate space without actually separating it visibly.
Your church creates either a public or a private feeling. Next Sunday, try to be a visitor for a week and see how it feels to you. Or better yet, ask your visitors what they think of your space and how welcome they feel in it.
