Things They Never Taught You About Church Buildings (But Probably Should Have)

Kenneth Padley offers some thoughts on turning church buildings into mission tools.
Help! They didn’t teach me about buildings at theological college.
I hear this all too often. Many ministers would list estates management among the expectations laid upon them by their congregations. These can feel like a burden and a distraction from what they believe God has called them to do.
But what if we turn the problem on its head and make the challenge into an opportunity? The Church has always been people before buildings. But a church with buildings that are fit for purpose will be more effective in God’s witness and service. Good buildings management might just create the welcoming space which your congregation needs to grow. And maybe an imaginative building project would take your church’s mission to the next level… Kingdom Buildings chapter 1 offers some ideas.
Where to start?
The Kingdom is God’s, so Christian ministry depends on grace. Nonetheless, the scale and complexity of building issues can appear daunting. Can we break down the elephant so as to eat one mouthful at a time?
Understanding the framework for planning and delivering a project (including finance and permissions) is important to remaining on track and realizing the end goal. I discuss this in Kingdom Buildings chapter 2.
But we have too many ideas!
There are always more possibilities than time or money can deliver. Too many ideas on the drawing board can only be tidied through a return to vision. Which adaptations and improvements will best align with your community’s understanding of its identity and purpose under God?
Whether it is a community café, a more welcoming entrance, or just another cupboard for the toddler group, strategic thinking enables us to do the right things in the right order.
Kingdom Buildings will not have all the answers for your church. What it does offer is a mix of principles, energy and anecdotes to help your team prayerfully discern what might be right in your context.
But we have no money!
Whatever the size of your congregation, the state of your church buildings, and the health of your finances, it is usually possible to make a marginal difference.
Small changes, sometimes free, can start the ball rolling and generate momentum for more significant change. Kingdom Buildings chapters 3 and 4 offer real-world examples from British churches: rural and urban, rich and poor, big and small.
What about the green agenda?
For people of faith, environmental sustainability is not just a strapline. It should be part of our DNA. This is because reducing carbon consumption is about justice for the most vulnerable peoples on earth and the long-term care of God’s amazing planet.
The antiquity of many holy places can pose problems of heritage conservation and thermal inefficiency. But what are the creative possibilities around heating, lighting, solar panels and electric vehicle charging which could turn our ancient churches into beacons of God’s eternity? There are some ideas in Kingdom Buildings chapter 5.
Anything else?!
Absolutely: the principles in this book can be applied to any physical space owned by your church or where you may be able to exercise soft influence. Parish halls and churchyards are obviously in play, but local schools and other community spaces may offer opportunities too. There's some thoughts on this in Kingdom Buildings chapters 6 and 7.
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Kenneth Padley has 20 years’ experience of involvement in large and small projects at local and diocesan levels which have sought to make churches, grounds and ancillary buildings fit for contemporary use. He is Canon Treasurer at Salisbury Cathedral with oversight of the architecture and artefacts of one of England’s most iconic buildings.
Kingdom Buildings: Your Church and Community as Assets for Mission is available now