Outreach-minded evangelicals have often argued that church buildings need to be less “churchy” to draw in would-be seekers. But that might not actually be true, according to recent research from Barna Group and Aspen Group asking a representative sample of 2,000 Americans questions about the architecture of sacred spaces.
When Americans close their eyes, they can picture a church. Even if they rarely or never attend one, they have an idea of what a church should look and feel like—and a preference. That preference is quite traditional.
Nearly 90 percent of Americans say a church should be “easily identifiable,” and 8 of 10 say they want the building to “reflect the beauty of God.” There are some, to be sure, who prefer that churches feel modern (38%) and trendy (28%), but most Americans want religious spaces that feel more timeless and transcendent.
This article appeared in the March/April 2025 issue of Christianity Today as "The Ideal Church ... Building".
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