I’ve written in the past about common problems in church foyers (see here and here). Here’s why this place in your church matters more than you might think.
1. That’s often the first interior place a guest sees. Whether we like it or not, people will form a first impression about the church based on what they first see. If the foyer is old and cluttered, that’s what they’ll first think about the church. That assessment may be inaccurate, but that’s irrelevant when people form first impressions.
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2. That’s a primary place where people will connect with others. Decades ago when people lived near the church and developed relationships across their fences and in the neighborhood, the foyer mattered less. In fact, they were often quite small. Today, though, foyers can be a place where believers catch up on life with each other.
3. Traffic flow in the foyer matters. If the foyer is crowded and uncomfortable, even entering and leaving a church building can become less than inviting. People are less inclined to invite others when the church begins to feel like a crowded mall at Christmastime.
4. The entryway of a church helps set the atmosphere of the church. A small, dated, and dark foyer says something much different than a larger, modern, bright foyer does. Those of us who walk through that small foyer for years, though, don’t always recognize the difference. We see right past the foyer into the next place we’re headed in the building.
5. Ministry takes place there. Imagine a well-designed, welcoming foyer with happy, smiling, recognizable greeters who say without pretense to a nervous guest, “We’re really glad you’re here today.” Or, think about a greeter who recognizes a hurting church member and says, “I just want you to know we’re praying for you.” Those immediate impressions about people in a warm atmosphere can be lasting.
What reasons would you add to this list?
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was originally published by chucklawless.com.
