The Weird Places Some Churches Congregate

My husband has been starting new churches and non-profit organizations for over 30 years. Most groups that start a new church or ministry don't have the luxury of being able to meet in a nice church building. Usually funds are limited or nonexistent, so finding a place to meet is often difficult.

Over the years we have had to become creative in finding locations for our churches. Many of our friends who are church planters have had the same problem. Most non-profit organizations, regardless or their cause, have to deal with this issue as well.

In the last few years it has become somewhat "hip" for churches to meet in non-traditional church settings. When we started doing it (out of necessity) it was not popular. In fact, people have actually been afraid to walk through the doors of some of our churches because of the place we were meeting in at the time.

I personally believe the day of the huge crystal cathedral is quickly coming to an end. Our society has become more and more casual, and as a result many people find the pomp of these ornate structures to be somewhat intimidating. There will always be a place for the beautiful grand church buildings in our lives, but I believe God's desire for the church is to not put so much emphasis on the building, and to become more aware of what is going on outside in the world.

Here are a few of the strange places either we or our friends have used as a church:

The American Legion

This was an interesting place because on Saturday night there was always a party in the building. On Sunday morning we would have to pick up the beer bottles and various other gross things in the parking lot before starting the service.

A Former Escort Service

When we leased the space the owner told us that it had been a furniture store. All of the walls in the place were painted dark blue. There were cameras and mirrors mounted in every room. Couches were also in each room. We found several pairs of black spandex pants, two pairs of spiked heel shoes, hair dryers, and other miscellaneous stuff.

One day I was washing windows outside of the building when a car full of guys drove by. They asked if we were still doing business. I told them we were, and that I could escort them someplace, but it was probably not the kind of place they had in mind. After a few minutes of listening to me tell them about Jesus they got the point!

A Bar

We know of several churches that currently meet in a bar or club. They start their service Thursday evenings around 4:00 or 5:00. They have church while the happy hour crowd comes in. They are obviously reaching a unique group and it is really working well for them.

A Winery

Our current church plant is located in an area that has a wonderful local winery. We usually have an "after church meeting" in the winery at least once a month. The people who run the winery love us and appreciate that we don't judge them. Some of our best times of ministry have occurred in that winery. We have been praying about having an actual church service in the winery in the near future.

Various Hotels

We have met in many hotels over the years. The Holiday Inn, Ramada, you name it. It's always interesting because the guests can usually hear our service and will often come join us. Surprisingly, we have never had any complaints about noise, etc. We still stay in touch with some of the people who have visited us in the hotels while they were on vacation.

The Upper Floor of a Warehouse

This space was the most difficult to remodel. We had to tear down several walls (we did all of the work ourselves) which was a huge mess. It was infested with bats and several different types of bugs. It was on the upper floor and had a very steep, narrow stairway. There were no elevators or ramps so we had to make alternate accommodations for handicapped folks. For some reason being upstairs was a little weird for a few people. We didn't stay in this space for very long.

An Old School House

One of our friends had the pleasure of renting an old abandoned school house. It was full of bats, rats, and roaches. He had a lot of fun working on that one! It took them a very long time to finish the renovation, but it turned out very nice in the end.

A Retirement Home

We met in the lobby of a retirement community for quite a while. It was fun because the residents would all come out for the service. The biggest challenge was to keep the volume of the music down because it interfered with their hearing aids!

An Old Red Barn

Our newest church plant meets in a big red barn in Nashville, Indiana. It is very rustic and has no heating or cooling. It is really a unique place. It was used for years as a theater and it still has the old wooden type theater seats and a big stage. Of all the different places we have used as a church it is my favorite by far. We are really excited about what God has planned for that old barn.

I could go on and on about the various places we have met over the years. Houses, tents, garages, and even on the street. On occasion we have met in regular church buildings and I can honestly say that it was not as much fun as meeting in the unusual places. Don't be afraid to visit a church that meets in a non-traditional setting. Some of the most anointed services I have ever attended were the ones that were being held in the weirdest places.