The Unstuck Church Podcast with Amy Anderson How to Make Good Decisions About Space and Service Times - Episode 421
Nov 5, 2025
Leadership in a growing church can be complex. Discover the signs your church might be outgrowing its space, such as parking issues and kids' room limits. Learn why delaying capacity additions can harm growth and volunteer retention. Explore how to project future attendance and plan strategically with spreadsheets. Evaluate service times by considering critical mass and seating strategies. Hear practical examples of churches that successfully adjusted their service schedules. Gain insights into proactive planning with a mission-focused mindset.
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Capacity Limits Predict Growth Problems
- Regularly hitting ~80% capacity signals you're outgrowing your space and will impact guest experience.
- Parking, kid-space limits, and families not sitting together are clear capacity lids to watch.
Project Future Attendance Early
- Project attendance out 3–5 years using a simple spreadsheet to spot future lids early.
- Use those projections to buy time for planning and budgeting before you must act.
Move People Before Adding Services
- Before adding services, try intentionally shifting attendees with ushers, incentives, and clear messaging.
- Aim for a critical mass (roughly a third of seats) in new times so rooms feel energetic and inviting.