Gimme Some Space!

Today, I want to address the first of three factors that cause a group to be "closed". Today's factor: SPACE!

Twenty Years ago, Dr. Kenneth Hemphill wrote about barriers to church growth in a book entitled, "The Bonsai Theory of Church Growth" (A twentieth anniversary edition now available).

Hemphill drew conclusions on church growth by using the analogy of various methods used to keep bonsai plants small and the artificial barriers that inhibit churches from growing.

One of the prime assertions of the bonsai theory is that there are factors that can intentionally inhibit the growth of a bonsai tree. Space is one of those factors. Cramped pot size limits the tree's growth... In the case of a bonsai tree, this is intentional.

However, the same can be said for Sunday School classes. Cramped spaces limit the growth of a class. When a class reaches a certain point (some have said 80% seating capacity) then growth stops.

When a guest walks into a room that is full...then they feel unwelcomed! Without saying a word it says to guests... we are content with those who are already here.

Interestingly... the converse is also true. If a room is set up for 30 and there are only 6 in it, then guests might have a tendency to look and say, "something's wrong here!"

Recommendations:

• Make sure that you are maximizing the space in your Sunday School classroom! Set the room to be conducive to new people. As a general rule of thumb, it is recommended that a class has 20-25% "overage" in empty seats... Simply put - a class of 10-12 should have 12-15 chairs. This lets a guest know that there is a place for them!
  
  
• Change up the arrangement of the room on occasion! Experiment with optimal room design.
  
  
• Take away the excess! If you have a smaller class that has lots of extra chairs. Take some of them up! Fold them and stack them neatly in the corner. Establish the fact that you are aware of the needs of your class and are prepared for them!

Tomorrow, we'll talk about subject content and the danger of closing your group simply by the topic of study!