DALLAS—When maintaining a sanctuary with a long history, congregations must look long into the future, according to Keith Crouch, Baptist General Convention of Texas church architecture director.
Spencer Elliott
Calvary Baptist Church, New York City
Decisions about maintaining a historic sanctuary need to be made with the long haul in mind, Crouch said. If a congregation wants to remain in the sanctuary and can support it financially, the church should use licensed technicians when doing repairs. Maintenance must be done properly to ensure a safe facility.
Stained glass window at Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas
If a congregation does not want to remain in the sanctuary or cannot financially support it, a move may be needed, Crouch said. That would enable another congregation to use the facilities for ministry, opening the doors for possible kingdom growth.
“The church really needs to look at its mission and its vision,” he said. “That's what's going to drive what to do about the facilities.”
If a church cannot afford its facilities, they typically become dilapidated in time, Crouch said. Minor maintenance either is not performed or performed cheaply, leading to other issues.
Ultimately, the building is closed down a section at a time until the church dies. Crouch would prefer to see churches looking ahead to ways to revitalize ministries.
“We're not about saving buildings for buildings' sake,” he said. “We're about saving buildings for new ministries' and congregations' sake.”
Trained church architecture planning experts can help congregations make decisions about their facilities and understand their remodeling, rebuilding and relocating options.
“Our advice is based on the life cycle of the church and the ministries in which they are involved,” Crouch said.
Stained glass window at Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas