This Fourth of July, churches across America will be celebrating and praying for the nation. It’s great to live in a free country, isn’t it? Well, did you know that your church can also enjoy greater freedom? Yes, that’s right! Portability can set your church free in more than one way.
FREE from debt:
Everywhere you look building costs are exponentially high. Moving into a permanent church building comes at a high price – literally! The cost of construction shackles so many churches with debt. As Rich Birch says, “Often it costs between three to ten times more to host the same number of guests in a permanent church facility than in a rented location.”
Launching in a portable venue means that your church can enjoy the same space and facilities, without worrying about taking on long term costs. All you need to do is pay a rent check. Embrace portability, and go debt-free!
FREE from ongoing expenses and hidden costs:
Considering a permanent building for your church means more added and sometimes hidden costs. You’ll be paying for utilities, roof, and air-conditioning repairs, and burglar and fire alarms, and more, all the things that come with owning a building. Let’s not forget the monthly salary of the janitor and security guards. In fact, you will be paying for any and all maintenance and repair work needed, big or small.
Or, your church could avoid breaking its bank on these hidden and ongoing costs. Affordability is one of the biggest advantages of a mobile church. Pay the rent on time. Let the landlord take care of the rest.
FREE to use your church funds for ministry and outreach:
If your church is free from the burden of debt and other costs, it has more resources for what really counts – ministry! Do you know that building, maintenance, and repair costs can comprise almost one-third of a church’s budget? Why let a church building swallow up such a big chunk of your resources? The money you save can instead be channeled towards outreach events, mission trips, and other ministry efforts.
FREE to move around:
A permanent venue locks your church down to a fixed location and space. In other words, you don’t have much room to upsize or downsize to keep up with the changing needs of your church.
You might find that the seating space is no longer adequate. Or, you might want to try a different space for the youth group. Portability lets you change things around as you need to. If a location no longer works for your mobile church, it’s easy to try somewhere else. You can even rent a space on a trial basis for a few months to see if it works for you.
FREE your church’s vision:
Often the church building and vision can get entangled. A lot of churches find that their building dictates what they can and cannot do, how many people they can accommodate, and what events they can host. Not just that, precious time and resources are spent on a permanent church building and its upkeep. In fact, the church building often becomes the vision of the church!
FREE to experiment:
Did you ever think that a church service could take place in a zoo, casino or a fire station? Well, a portable church gives you and your volunteers the creative license to transform any place under the sun – and have tons of fun while you’re at it!
You serve a creative God. Surely, shouldn’t some of that creativity reflect in your weekend services?
FREE to invite and engage:
According to Lifeway research, new churches that meet in public places experience 42-49% greater attendance than others. It’s no surprise that the unchurched are more comfortable attending gatherings in movie theaters, gyms, and schools, than in traditional church setups. Also, moving into such everyday spaces helps your church plug into the community and make an impact. A portable church offers the unique advantage of going to where the people are already gathered.
This Independence Day, you can help your church enjoy greater freedom! The decision to move into a mobile venue versus a permanent building might be the best one you’ve taken in a while.
We have been helping churches successfully launch in all kinds of venues for the last 25 years and would love to talk more about how portability might be the right direction for your church. Give us a call today at 800.939.7722 to talk to an expert.
