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You may be proud of the historic building you worship in. But what that ancient facade may be saying to passersby is that your congregation is too old to have a great youth group.

Likewise, your congregation may be meeting in a shopping mall to improve access to the community. But the location may suggest to some people that your congregation is too unconventional for their tastes.

The point is, the exterior of your church can influence a community's perception of what is inside—not always in the way you intend. That's an important issue, according to Davis Byrd, director of church architecture for the Sunday School Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. "Inevitably, the question is whether it communicates the message accurately or not," Byrd says.

Architectural Signals
A church's exterior can signal a congregation's denominational affiliation. "Stained-glass windows, icons, crosses, and cathedral elements suggest liturgical denominations," says Jerry Maxfield, business administrator of Johnson Ferry Baptist Church in Marietta, Georgia. Maxfield, who has a degree in architecture, notes that while the buildings of liturgical and nonliturgical churches both serve the purpose of worship, nonliturgical church exteriors exhibit a "more marketplace approach."

Buildings can send mixed messages. For example, a church built like a stone fortress can suggest a place of security and shelter from the world. "It is a solid, stable place in a time of flux, suggesting the church will be there for a long time," Byrd says. However, the rocklike front can also communicate that the church isn't very receptive to visitors, he says.

In fast-growing metro areas, some churches meet in strip malls. The location is good, and the rent is reasonable. The meeting place suggests that the congregation consists of unpretentious people with limited means and a deep conviction to meet people where they are. However, the storefront can also communicate that what this church offers is of no greater value than anything else in the shopping center. In one stop, you can get your hair cut, buy groceries, and get religion.

If your congregation isn't getting as many visitors as you'd like, perhaps you ought to take a closer look at your church. Are you meeting in an old A-frame building or in another gimmicky design leftover from the 1950s? "It might be communicating a message that is antithetical to what your church really is," says Brewster Ward, an architect in Waynesville, North Carolina.

What a Church Should Look Like
A church should fit within its community yet look distinctly different from a residence or business establishment. "A church plays a significant role in the social fabric; it needs to have a distinctive identity," says Byrd.

The appearance of your building should also reinforce what's going on inside. For example, if you have a very open, visitor-friendly congregation, that's the kind of look your building should have.

Before constructing a new building or changing the exterior of your existing structure, though, Byrd suggests spending time with an architect, talking about your congregation, its purpose for being, its style of worship, and the community in which it is located. The architect can then incorporate those ideas into a design.

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