In virtually all Protestant churches, the pulpit is the focal point of the sanctuary. It is the main point of the service, where preaching and teaching take place. As important as the pulpit is in Christian churches, its use actually predates Christianity. In many ancient pagan temples, the priest would move about on a walkway, frequently surrounded by a banister, making announcements to onlookers. This walkway was called the ambo, from the Latin "ambon," meaning a scaffold or platform. The first Christian church buildings followed this tradition, putting an ambo inside the building, high upon a column.

The pulpit is mentioned in the Scripture only once, in Nehemiah chapter 8, where "Ezra the scribe stood on a high wooden platform built for the occasion" of reading the Law of Moses to the people. This central use of the pulpit has continued throughout the ages.

Style-Driven Designs
Church furniture makers produce pulpits in a wide variety of styles and materials—from traditional to modern, and from modest to extravagant. The design and function of pulpits is limited only by imagination and budget.

In most cases, pulpit makers begin their designs with a look at the church. Does the look and feel of the proposed pulpit design and materials fit the aesthetics of the church? Equally important in pulpit design is preaching style. Many churches go so far as to change pulpits when a new minister arrives, to match his style of preaching.

Robert Jackson, president of Prestige Glass, in Elliot Lake, Ontario, Canada, breaks his clientele down into three groups: those who know exactly what they want; those who have a rough idea of what they want; and those who know only that they want a pulpit.

To meet the needs of the first group, it's common for pulpit manufacturers to custom-build products, in addition to having a catalog of standard pulpit designs. Reflecting this is Acrylic Podiums, of Los Angeles, California. "I think I have been asked for just about everything," says Joshua Munoz, president of the company. "We offer a wide selection of … standard designs, but we also have the ability to custom-make a pulpit. And although acrylic is our specialty, we can make a pulpit in any of our designs out of wood as well." In fact, Acrylic Podiums can produce pulpits in virtually any combination of wood and acrylic upon a customer's request.

An example of a customer in the first group is Kenneth Copeland Ministries. They went to Contemporary Design in Abilene, Texas. According to Monica Brown, marketing manager of the firm, "They knew what they wanted, and thanks to good computer graphics capabilities, we were able to fill their needs." When a customer approaches with a specific and detailed design, Jackson says, "Our job is to reproduce that design, down to the most intricate logo."

The second group has only a rough idea of what they want. "They need our assistance in bringing their ideas to fruition," says Jackson. "Thanks largely to computer graphics capabilities, we can easily take an idea, no matter how rough it is, and turn it into a beautiful design."

The third group has no idea what kind of pulpit they want. Obviously, this group needs the most help, but it's often not a lot of work to make them happy. "We will work with them to determine what they want and help them get it," says Jackson.

According to Brown, "It all begins and ends with the customer's desire. Take the look and feel of the church, combine that with the style of the minister and the message he wishes to convey, and you often have a very appropriate design for a pulpit."

Material Choices
All pulpit makers agree that utility should precede materials. Decide what you want in function of the pulpit, and then pick the material. "For some [ministers], a pulpit is their home while they are preaching," says Brown. "Others like having a pulpit, but they barely ever use it in the course of a sermon. They often have very nice pulpits that do little more than hold their notes and a Bible."

Some ministers prefer to minimize any sense of separation between themselves and their flock, and choose a pulpit of glass or acrylic materials, which gives the congregation minimal obstruction in their view of the speaker.

Under these conditions, Brown recommends a Plexiglas design. The pulpit is there to keep notes and other materials, but without obstructing the view from the congregation. The downside is that whatever is on or behind a Plexiglas pulpit can be seen. For this reason, she advises customers not to include a shelf with clear pulpits. When the minister stores materials on the shelf, it can end up looking pretty cluttered.

Glass and acrylic designs are often considered the most elegant of material options. According to Rick Conlin, sales director of Acrylic Fabricators, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, "An acrylic pulpit can add a powerful effect to a sanctuary." Acrylic is also versatile, and fits well with a lot of different decors. Some ministers prefer the unobstructed view and will then open up to a congregation.

Acrylic pulpits are also a mainstay of The Crystal Podium, of Alpharetta, Georgia, which produces pulpits and other church furniture made of acrylic with brass accents. According to Ray Woolard, president of the firm, another benefit of acrylic pulpits is that they are heavy enough to be stable, yet light enough to move easily. The Crystal Podium has worked with churches nationwide, providing them with pulpits fitting the church's décor and serving the needs of the minister.

While some see a popular trend towards the use of glass and acrylic in pulpits, many makers continue the tradition of wood designs, from richly ornate to stylishly contemporary. "We make wood, that's all," says Stephen Smith, president of Imperial Woodworks, of Waco, Texas. "If a church would like to incorporate glass into their pulpit, we can do that, but our stock in trade is wood—from gothic designs to contemporary."

Another popular maker of wood pulpits is Royal Seating, Ltd./L.L. Sams, Inc., of Cameron, Texas. "We offer the quality and custom flexibility that many churches are looking for at a reasonable price," says Bill Nabers, business development manager for the company. L.L. Sams offers several standard pulpit models with variations in trim and stain. The company is also able to create custom pulpits or customer-designed pulpits from their state-of-the-art woodworking shop. Nabers points out how technology has aided the ability to design and create custom pulpits. "With all of the different computer-based presentation equipment, a custom pulpit becomes very appropriate."

Time Savers
Many congregations take their pulpit buying dilemmas to resellers, such as Church Plaza, of Sarasota, Florida, and Adirondack Direct, of Long Island City, New York. Because of their relationships with pulpit manufacturers, and the number of churches they work with, these organizations are prepared to ease the burden of pulpit buying decisions.

"We can save them time and money," says Dan Berg, manager of the church products division of Church Plaza. By working with several pulpit manufacturers, Church Plaza can provide the exact product a church is looking for. The church saves time by not needing to check with many different manufacturers to find their pulpit.

Walter Pollack, production manager at Adirondack Direct, gives selection and convenience as the main advantages of dealing with his company. "After 78 years of doing business, we offer a wider variety of options than most manufacturers or distributors can give churches," he says. "Churches who come to us often don't know what they want—we don't mind this problem, because we can solve it with selections from different manufacturers."

Another problem Pollack sees is that churches often bring a very tight delivery deadline. Despite its prominence, a pulpit is frequently one of the last things purchased for a new or remodeled sanctuary. "As a result, they need a new pulpit quickly," he says. "Fortunately, we can often ship within 48 hours of a purchase."

"The pulpit should be created for a church with great care," says Munoz of Acrylic Podiums. Regardless of the style or materials of the pulpit chosen, the pulpit is the centerpiece of the sanctuary, giving appropriate attention to the preaching of God's word. In Munoz's opinion, "Anything that does something other than that is just furniture."

Michael W. Michelsen, Jr., is a freelance writer specializing in business and technology subjects. He lives in Riverside, California with his wife and daughters. He can be reached at mmichelsen@charter.net.