When people gather in church on Sundays, they hope that they will hear a sermon that will leave them feeling encouraged and give them the opportunity to socialize with other like-minded individuals in their community. However, old seating arrangements can be counterproductive to this purpose, adversely affecting the participation of your congregation and their engagement with the speakers.
Believe it or not, a church's seating arrangement affects the way that people feel about attending. You don't want a church filled with a passive congregation of bench warmers who do not interact with each other or, worse still, find it difficult to concentrate on the sermon because the seating is uncomfortable.
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Although pews are what instantly come to mind when most people think about church, pews actually discourage engagement. They are rigid in structure and reduce the number of seating arrangements that you can implement in your church space. As we all know, not all churches are arranged the same way, and many people do not understand the importance of facility design as well as the impact that seating has on a congregation.
There are three main methods of organizing church seating, each with its own impact on the congregation's involvement.
Traditional: In this type of seating arrangement, the chairs are arranged facing the pulpit horizontally with an aisle in the middle. This arrangement generally causes the congregation to be very passive, as those seated near the back or far ends of the rows will feel less connected to the speaker. There will only be a handful of active members, and they are likely to occupy the first few rows closest to the pulpit.
Contemporary: This seating arrangement is similar to the traditional one, the main difference being that the seats along the wings are arranged diagonally to give a V-Shaped appearance. Seated in this arrangement, the congregation is typically more engaged in the service than those who sit in a traditionally arranged church.
Alternative: In some modern churches, the seats are organized in an oval shape with the pulpit in the narrow part of the oval. This arrangement encourages a greater level of interaction during church services.
To get the most out of your church's seating, it is a good idea to invest in multi-purpose church chairs. Church chairs allow for more flexible seating options. They are more comfortable and easy to move, stack, and rearrange.
Say goodbye to those fixed seating arrangements in your church and get ready to try out a more dynamic arrangement that will encourage engagement and participation. Invest in quality church chairs today and begin to see positive changes in your congregation.