Starting Your Own Church: From Idea to Reality

Location

It is common for people to associate churches with a specific type of structure with a spire or a steeple. Over the decades, the style of building used for churches has changed. Some churches accommodate a range of services, such as a daycare, preschool, or soup kitchen. Some emphasize the space and facilities needed to host weddings and other events. Churches do not strictly meet in designated church buildings, though. There are congregations with and without pastors that meet in homes or rent facilities at a community center. Some churches rent rooms in the church buildings of other congregations.

Whether you decide to build, buy, rent, or start your church in your own home, you must ensure that your location is accessible. Congregants will need to be able to reach the location by car or public transit. People who drive will need to be able to park close by.

Building Essentials

Your congregation will need a designated meeting room for services. You will also need to consider other events that you may be hosting. You may need another room to serve as a nursery and space for your children’s Sunday school program to be hosted in. You will need restrooms to accommodate your congregants. Other features you will need include storage space and comfortable seating. You will also need to ensure the meeting place is accessible for people with disabilities or mobility issues so that you can accommodate all family members.

It’s essential that you ensure you have a Welland Power diesel generator as a regular or backup power source for your facility. Power outages can cause safety issues if they occur when people are meeting. For example, if your church is held in your basement or in a room that does not have many external windows, you may have limited light if you lose power. A generator with a diesel engine can be installed to ensure your congregation always has a warm, safe meeting environment.

Resources

Your congregation will need Bibles to refer to during worship services and other church meetings. You will want to review the New King James Version, English Standard Version, and other versions of the Bible, such as the New International Version (NIV), to determine which translation you feel is best suited to your congregation’s needs. You may also want to have a study Bible accessible for individuals leading Sunday school classes for adults or Bible study groups.

You may need hymn books or a projector that can display the lyrics to worship songs. You may also require robes or other formal attire for leading worship services. These specific needs may depend upon your denomination and its practices. You can also opt to provide audio versions of the Bible for congregants who are visually impaired.

Doctrine and Exposure

You will need members in order to effectively launch your church. Before you begin promoting your church, you will need to determine the intended denomination and statement of beliefs. Many churches have split over contentious issues, such as LGBTQ+ rights. Establishing a doctrinal statement before you open can ensure that you build a congregation with like-minded people who share the same values you do and will be more likely to stay with your church.

Once you have your doctrinal statement you can begin promoting your church. You can post flyers on bulletin boards to reach people in the community. You can also use Facebook and other social media sites to promote your new church through community groups. You will need to have a location, contact name, phone number and some general information about your church to be ready to promote effectively. You should also have a website that posts information about your church and its doctrinal statement.