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Study Shows Millennials Turned Off by Trendy Church Buildings, Prefer a Classic Sanctuary
The Christian Post ^ | 11/14/14 | Stephanie Samuel

Posted on 11/17/2014 6:23:50 AM PST by marshmallow

Millennials gravitate toward classic, quiet church spaces that feel authentic and provide a break from the busyness of a fast-paced, technological world, revealed a study commissioned by church architectural firms.

Online surveys administered to 843 young adults ages 18 to 29 by Christian research firm Barna Group and Cornerstone Knowledge Network, the market research organization created by church design firms Aspen Group and Cogun, found 67 percent chose the word "classic" to describe their ideal church. By contrast, 33 percent prefer a trendy church as their ideal.

"They don't want something created artificially for them; they don't want a bait and switch. What they want is something deeper and more authentic," Aspen Group AIA Architect Derek Degroot said of the survey results.

That search for authenticity translates into the look and sound Millennials prefer for their ideal church.

When asked to choose their preference between a church sanctuary and a church auditorium, 77 percent chose sanctuary. When shown four different kinds of church windows ranging from modern and least "churchy" to traditionally ornate, over a third of all respondents chose the most ornate stain glass window common to chapels. When shown four styles of church altars, the study showed that a majority of respondents chose altars that "are unambiguously Christian and are more traditional."

"Millennials are a very visual group," explained Barna Vice President of Publishing Roxanne Stone. "If they go into your church and they don't know where to go or it's ambiguous or they don't understand what something is for, they will move on."

Additionally, 78 percent of millennial respondents selected a quiet church as the ideal over a loud church.

(Excerpt) Read more at christianpost.com ...


TOPICS: Worship
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To: SoFloFreeper
Cathedral of Christ the Light

Oakland California's Cathedral of Christ the Light...Not really ugly imo, just different.

The inside looks like Noah's ark:

Cathedral of Christ the Light

But the place where the priest sits is pretty ugly...RCR says it looks like where the Politburo would sit....

Cathedral of Christ the Light

21 posted on 11/17/2014 7:33:03 AM PST by SoFloFreeper
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To: SoFloFreeper

Ew. It’s as if old Soviet concrete crap was crossed with religion....


22 posted on 11/17/2014 7:33:48 AM PST by Hegewisch Dupa
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To: SoFloFreeper
Portage, Michigan gives you the Cathedral of Christ the KING...

Cathedral of Christ the King

Not my cup o'tea. Looks like gallows.

23 posted on 11/17/2014 7:34:32 AM PST by SoFloFreeper
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To: SoFloFreeper
Also in Portage, Michigan is the mall-esque Valley Family Church...looks like in the pic it is next door to the Catholic church...

Valley Family Church

Not terribly attractive.

24 posted on 11/17/2014 7:35:43 AM PST by SoFloFreeper
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To: SoFloFreeper
St. Gregorius Church

St. Gregorius church in Aachen Germany. Achin' Germany. Giant and gray...How lovely.

25 posted on 11/17/2014 7:36:42 AM PST by SoFloFreeper
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To: SoFloFreeper
San Paolo parish in Perugia Italy. Really, really, bad.

San Paolo Parish

26 posted on 11/17/2014 7:37:53 AM PST by SoFloFreeper
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To: SoFloFreeper
"The Father's House" in Vacaville, California.

RCR says it looks like Wal-Mart.

The Father's House

Again, not ugly...but not beautiful.

Just....mall-like.

27 posted on 11/17/2014 7:39:06 AM PST by SoFloFreeper
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To: SoFloFreeper
Mariakirken in Våler, Norway...Roman Catholic.

I don't think this is too bad...it is unique and looks like it fits the environment.

RCR says it looks like hippies designed it.

Mariakirken

Mariakirken

Mariakirken

Mariakirken

28 posted on 11/17/2014 7:41:19 AM PST by SoFloFreeper
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To: SoFloFreeper
Liverpool England, Catholic Church....looks very "Crown" like...

Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King

29 posted on 11/17/2014 7:42:13 AM PST by SoFloFreeper
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To: SoFloFreeper
Grace Fellowship Baptist Church

Grace Fellowship Baptist church in Detroit.

Squashed.

30 posted on 11/17/2014 7:43:09 AM PST by SoFloFreeper
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To: SoFloFreeper
Catedral Metropolitana Nossa Senhora Aparecida

Catedral Metropolitana Nossa Senhora Aparecida in Brasília, Brazil

Roman Catholic

Screenshot from a bad '70s alien flick?

31 posted on 11/17/2014 7:44:06 AM PST by SoFloFreeper
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To: SoFloFreeper
Iglesia de la Consolación in Córdoba, Spain

Roman Catholic

Iglesia de la Consolacion

Iglesia de la Consolacion

Look at the ceiling....shadows of people....a bit creepy, eh?

32 posted on 11/17/2014 7:45:27 AM PST by SoFloFreeper
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To: SoFloFreeper

That reminds me of a hippopotamus.


33 posted on 11/17/2014 7:46:27 AM PST by Fresh Wind (The last remnants of the Old Republic have been swept away)
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To: SoFloFreeper
Holy Cross Parish

Holy Cross Parish in Durham, North Carolina...I don't see why this is considered bad....just old-fashioned looking.....

34 posted on 11/17/2014 7:46:32 AM PST by SoFloFreeper
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To: Fresh Wind
Chapel of St. Lawrence in Vantaa, Finland

Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland

Chapel of St. Lawrence

Chapel of St. Lawrence

35 posted on 11/17/2014 7:47:37 AM PST by SoFloFreeper
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To: SoFloFreeper
Harajuku Church

Harajuku Church

Harajuku Church in Tokyo, Japan, non-denominational Christian church....

36 posted on 11/17/2014 7:48:56 AM PST by SoFloFreeper
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To: SoFloFreeper
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Créteil in Créteil, France

Cathedrale Notre-Dame de Creteil

37 posted on 11/17/2014 7:49:35 AM PST by SoFloFreeper
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To: Albion Wilde

Ha ha!


38 posted on 11/17/2014 7:50:00 AM PST by 9YearLurker
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To: SoFloFreeper
Church of Santa Monica

Catholic church in Rivas-Vaciamadrid, Spain. Ugly.

39 posted on 11/17/2014 7:50:23 AM PST by SoFloFreeper
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To: marshmallow
Not just churches. This is the Beth Shalom Synagogue in Elkins Park, PA, a Frank Lloyd Wright design.


40 posted on 11/17/2014 7:50:42 AM PST by Fresh Wind (The last remnants of the Old Republic have been swept away)
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