Turning Empty Rooms Into Kingdom Assets: A Guide to Leasing Church Space Wisely

At Ministry Solutions Group, we work with a lot of churches to make the most of the spaces they already have. We call this creating “activated spaces,” where you’re using as much of your church building as possible (both in physical space as well as throughout the week) before you start thinking about expansions and additions. (Efficiency is the name of the game when it comes to church real estate!)

Today, I wanted to share a bit about one way to activate your spaces: leasing. 

This is a great way to use space that is vacant throughout the week. It’s also an option if you have that parish or wing that used to be used regularly and now stands empty most of the time.

Just to be clear up front, this isn’t a comprehensive take on activating spaces. That is a complex concept that requires time, thought, and above all, strategy. That’s why we have our Clear Path Forward process, which is entirely separate from actual building activation projects and focuses on assessing and strategizing. You want to put the work in first to understand before you attempt to generate income, especially in an area like leasing.

That said, if you’re going to get the most out of your church’s real estate assets, you have to start somewhere. Here are the first steps to get you thinking and to help you gauge if activating your spaces is the right move for your church right now.

Understand Your Space’s Potential

A healthy leasing situation should never start with considering offers or signing contracts. You need to begin by understanding what you have to lease in the first place. 

Let me ask you a question. Do you know how you use every part of your building on Sunday?

Okay, quick follow-up. Same question, but this time for Monday through Friday. 

I’m guessing the second answer isn’t as good as the first one. Most church buildings stand open for 90% of the week.

Start the leasing conversation with a simple audit. Look at what you have, in detail. Do you have unused classrooms? Underused fellowship halls? Empty offices? Does your layout appeal to certain uses, such as an office space, childcare setup, or event?

Remember, not all spaces are equal. 

Which areas have the highest potential for use? Churches most often lease to a certain subset of tenants, like preschools, coffee shops, nonprofit teams, or offices for counselors or tutors. 

Look at your space through the leasing lens (ideally with a few different people to get different perspectives). How does your space stack up? What do you have to offer?

Ask the Right Questions

Once you have a good idea of what a renter might use your church for, it’s time to ask some questions. Here are a few prompts to get you thinking about what kind of situations leasing could create and how that could impact your church and ministry, both in positive and negative ways:

• What kind of tenant would fit with your outreach, mission, and vision? Every church has its own rhythms. If you have a young, vibrant energy, a childcare center might make sense. An older congregation could make an office setting more appropriate. You get the idea.
• How will weekday activity impact your church operations? Will you need to consider things like extra security? What about parking? Scheduling weekday ministries?
• What will it cost to get up and running? Leased space needs to meet and maintain a certain standard. What additional things, like cleaning or utilities, do you need? What’s missing right now? You probably need to consider adding to your insurance policy, too. What is the total cost of readiness for each leaseable space?
  

Leasing doesn’t have to be at odds with your ministry. My team regularly sees ways it can unobtrusively contribute to offsetting costs and, in some cases, like a coffee shop or childcare center, even complement and enhance church activities. 

If you want leasing to genuinely help your church, though, make sure you ask the right questions first.

Use Leasing to Think Beyond Rent Checks

I touched on this already, but I want to drive the point home. Leasing has an obvious benefit: your bottom line. As a church, you have expenses. All ministries do, especially if they have land and real estate. 

Leasing helps offset the costs of building maintenance. That’s a big win, but it’s not the only one.

Leasing also gives you the chance to align your resources with your mission. If you’re struggling to get young families in the doors, a childcare center can help your local image as a safe and nurturing space. 

If you have a college campus nearby, a trendy coffee shop can attract curious students. If someone struggling with depression and anxiety comes in for a counseling session on Wednesday, there’s a better chance they’ll come back on Sunday, too.

Do you see what I’m getting at? Leasing has the potential to both help you cover your bills and serve as a bridge for local outreach. It also gives you more options for ways to care for the people already attending. 

This makes it worthwhile to create long-term vision for your leasing strategy. Look for potential partners who can rent your spaces and become major impact players in your church’s mission.

Finding a New Lease on (Church) Life

Your church exists for a reason. God called you to a specific work. Your building is a critical tool in that process. Don’t let it get in the way.

Leasing is a great way to keep your church’s building working for your ministry (and not the other way around). 

Look for areas where you aren’t activating your spaces. Then, use things like leasing to turn those dormant areas of potential into tools that help you stay focused on your God-given mission.

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