A recreation center or sports complex can be a great investment to your community or organization. For churches and other faith-based organizations, a recreation center creates more room for both your congregation and the surrounding community to have access to different activities and events throughout the year.
Room for Additional Events
Most churches do more than offer religious services once or twice a week. If your church hosts harvest parties, potluck lunches, or other events outside of the regular services, a recreation center is a great facility to use.
Having one on your church campus reduces the need to find another location for events and provides an automatic backup plan in case of inclement weather for an event that was originally planned outside.
The extra room from a recreation center is also beneficial for the community. Many churches use that extra space and rent it out for other events. Birthday parties and family reunions can be easily hosted in a rec center.
Some local governments may even utilize the space for town hall meetings and conferences if no other location is available. Renting out your church’s rec center can generate revenue to help pay for the facility, as well.
Improved Congregation Health
A church or other faith-based organization is typically focused on the spiritual health of their members. A recreation center provides a way for your congregation to improve their physical health, as well. A rec center is an excellent place for exercise classes and other workout opportunities.
There are plenty of sports leagues that are offered through different denominations that can involve the children in your congregation, as well. Parents will appreciate the opportunity for their children to play and be active in a safe and familiar environment out of the elements.
Other Benefits
* Another way that a recreation center for sports ministry can help your church is that it will draw in outsiders. Having a center where you can play basketball, baseball, football, soccer, or any other sport is a comfortable and inviting place for a lot of people. People are familiar with attending football games and cheering on the players. It is a very alluring way to introduce people to your community. Having a recreation center also encourages diversity and you may get people from all different walks of life come into your center.
* Recreation centers also allow churches to be more well-known. If your church has a recreation center, then more people will know about your church, who you are, and what you do.
* Another way that a recreation center can help your church is by allowing you to have your voice heard in a way that is non-aggressive. You are able to have seminars or discuss your faith with other individuals as well as build faith-based relationships.
* Recreation centers for churches also allow your members to learn and grow. When you are playing a sport with your members and the game ends, you are then able to sit down and tie in that sport in with your faith. You can answer questions, give feedback, and teach Scripture.
* Last, a recreation center can help with building relationships and trust. A sport is a great team-building activity. People learn to work together, build leadership skills, learn about each other, and learn to put trust into each other’s hands. Your members will be able to connect and learn in a way that they have not been able to before.
This article is courtesy of Sports Facilities Companies, which has produced high-performing sports and recreation facilities throughout the United States since 2003, www.sportsfacilities.com.
