Location! Location! Location! It’s not everything, the GOSPEL is, but the location can make a huge difference for the growth of a new church. Here’s some questions to ask as you look for the right location for your church plant:

1. Do we have room to grow?

Grace Point Church in Destrehan meets in a community center with plenty of room for future growth. They use pipe and drape to make the room smaller for now.

Better to have more space that you can section off in the beginning than too little space for future growth. And if you’re signing a three-year lease, it had better be a place that you can grow toward sustainability over that period.

2. Do we have the proper government approval to have church here?

Never sign a lease until you’ve gotten complete assurance from local and state government, fire marshal, etc., that a church can meet there. We’ve had a few churches in Louisiana find out after binding agreements have been signed, that it would cost big money to bring the building up to code.

3. Is this a visible, familiar location?

If you save $300 per month on a poor location, but have to spend $500 per month on advertising, it’s not a great deal. A sign out front can cost less than $200. And having a location near a major intersection or community landmark can be a huge money saver as well.

4. What will it take to transform this space into a place of worship each week?

Can you leave equipment or will you have to store it off site? How early will we have to start each Sunday? Do I have the volunteers available to pull this off 52 times a year?

5. Where will we put the kids?

One of our church plants hit a growth barrier because we ran out of capacity for kids very quickly. Most church planters tend to under value the importance of adequate kids space. Assess the capacity – i.e. how many babies, preschoolers, elementary kids can we get into this space? What about the noise? Will the kids areas be affected or affect the worship service?

6. What about ambiance?

Does the facility match what you want people to remember about your church? I like off the wall places. My church plants have met in apartment complex offices, fire stations, parks, gyms, and homes. Our vision has always been simple, outward focused, relational, so decor wasn’t a make or break. Does an off the wall, less than appealing location match the vision your sharing with the community?  Or do you need to make sure the facility communicates excellence, beauty, style, etc.?

What other questions are appropriate to ask as new churches approach potential locations for gatherings?