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 ...
After seeing all the weird angles and slopes I have the strong desire to go ride my mountain bike, I dunno why!
very well said!
Pretty hard to hear the whisper of the voice of God as Elijah heard Him when you are being deafened by noise. I have often had to cover my ears. Bad for the little ones in the pews, too.
There is a time for praise within legal decibals and a time for quiet contemplation.
One thing every person needs to learn is how to study the Bible. I’m doing a study on the reign of Jesus. Really eye-opening in the Old Testament. Sorry, getting excited.
Went to their site (want to go back to NC soon) and on their about page at the bottom they have a stain glass window of the Acacia tree. In my study this morning of Isaiah 41 Jesus has trees grow in the wilderness (now desert) and the Acacia is one of the species. That was the tree used to make the Arc of the Covenant. I personally prefer natural or God made materials.
https://sites.google.com/a/holycrossdurham.org/holy-cross-catholic-church/about-us
“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.”
Never mind the kind of theology being practised there, just concentrate on the architecture. /sarcasm
Oddly enough, I find this church to be innocent and charming. Its design is in harmony with the ethnic fishing boats and the naive art. Inside, it’s not so bad. Perhaps it is the lack of the pretentiousness which is so prevalent in modern church architecture.
At first glance though, it does look a little silly to our eyes.
I’ll do one one better.
I have two millennials and they detest praise and worship music and fluffy theology.
The youngest sings in a garage band that does some of the bitter rock heard on the radio. But in church she wants hymns.
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