Then watch the Lord bless. By Once you've developed a ministry plan, you should heed some basic rules about growth. The 80-percent rule . When a sanctuary is 80 percent full, it's full as far as Americans are concerned since Americans tend to prize a large personal space separating them from others. Get closer, or wedge in together, or put chairs in an aisle, and visitors will think there's no room for them.
Church growth can stall.
The sanctuary-last rule . Schaller says that typically the sanctuary is the most expensive construction element in a plan. It's also the most difficult part of a church complex to alter later, even in preengineered buildings. It's better to expand or build the sanctuary once other pieces are in place and when more members are committed to support the building program. Build your sanctuary last, he advises.