Fixing the “Too Empty or ‘Too Full’ Problem in a Church

Podcast Episode #207

Discussion about the issues surrounding a church feeling too empty or too full and how to combat those issues.

Some highlights from today’s episode include:

• Your church worship facility will feel full to attendees when it’s above 80% capacity.
• From a conceptual point of view, it’s easier to deal with the “too full” problem than the “too empty” problem.
• Churches that are often most effective with reaching new people with the gospel are new churches or new multi-site venues.
• Alleviating a “too full” feeling in a worship service can often result in a “too empty” problem.
• Sometimes pews become a problem when a church service is too empty because they can’t be moved.
• Church mergers are becoming a greater option for churches that are shrinking.
• In a church merger, leadership and DNA needs to come from the healthy church, not the dying one.

The ways we discuss solving the too full and too empty problems are:

• Solving the Too Full Problem
  1. Multi-service
  2. Multi-venue
  3. Multi-site
  4. Plant a new church
• Solving the Too Empty Problem
  1. Use false walls or portable walls
  2. Set up fewer seats
  3. Move to another venue
  4. Consider a building program
  5. Possible church mergers

Episode Sponsors

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Feedback

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Resources Mentioned in Today’s Podcast

• Autopsy of a Deceased Church
• Cosco Church Design