Church-goers are not usually motivated to choose a church home by the comfort of seating or the aesthetics of a sanctuary, but somewhere in the subconscious, these factors will play a role in their decision. According to a survey conducted by the National Association of Evangelicals, people look at friendliness, children’s ministry, sermons, and worship music when looking for a church to attend https://www.nae.net/what-people-look-for-in-churches/. In fact, comfort and aesthetics don’t make the list at all when it comes to most research in this area. But common sense tells us that if church-seekers find two equally promising churches, they will ultimately choose the one that is more physically comfortable and attractive to them.

Individual tastes can vary wildly, especially among various age groups and culturally different areas,

and this should be regarded when choosing furnishings for your church. But like most things, the popularity of an item might rise and fall in time – sometimes every few years, but other times over decades and even centuries. This is what we are seeing in many churches today. For decades, traditional pew seating was viewed as old and obsolete and the modern church chair has led in popularity. And although the church chair is extremely popular in churches today, we are seeing a great increase in the popularity of pews in many churches. Pews can be heavily padded in the seat area as well as the back area, and in many instances are reportedly more comfortable than church chairs with several inches of padding.

Interestingly, although pews have gained in popularity in recent years, the popularity of church chairs has not declined. Does this mean that more churches are starting or existing churches are growing in America? Recent research does not yet verify this, but it certainly makes sense that this is the case.

There are numerous types and styles of church chairs that exist on the market, from the extravagant to the simple. Chairs are available with arms, thick foam padding, under seat book racks with or without built-in communion cup holders, card pockets, pouches, and much more. Different churches look for different features in chairs, depending on their needs.

One factor to consider in seating trends for churches is the need for portability. Will there be events held that would warrant moving the seating around? In this case, chairs would likely be the better choice. But what type of chairs?

Chairs for churches are available in a multitude of shapes, sizes and styles from various manufacturers around the world, including theater seating for some larger, auditorium-style sanctuaries. Virtually any pattern and color is available if you are willing to pay the price.

There’s no doubt that chairs imported from China have been popular for several decades, but more and more churches are choosing to support American-made chairs to help keep business here. Church Furniture Store, a leading distributor of church chairs and manufacturer of church furniture, has announced that they will no longer stock imported chairs and will instead concentrate on offering chairs that are manufactured in America.

Whether your church chooses pews, chairs, or theater seating for your congregation, make sure to put your church’s needs first. If you can meet your church’s needs plus offer comfort while creating a great atmosphere for members and visitors, you have made the best choice for church seating.

A mix of contemporary and traditional is very popular in decorating around the world, so it’s no surprise that the combination is a favorite among church-goers. Although many traditional churches prefer the look of time-honored furnishings, a rising number of new churches and churches that are undergoing remodeling projects prefer to mingle both looks. That’s why the Exhorter set from Church Furniture Store is so popular among customers.

The Exhorter series is a sleek combination of solid oak wood and acrylic in a bold, yet simple style. Thick, straight legs connect to a large, tilted bible rest. Between the large, rectangular legs, a stately sheet of arched acrylic displays your personalized logo or an elegant image of three crosses. The base outlines the legs in a wider capacity and connects to the other side for superior stability.

The Exhorter Pulpit is available in three sizes. The 777, the smallest

of the three, measures 36 inches wide, 19 inches deep, 44 inches high and weighs 74 pounds. This model does not have side wings, as the two larger versions do, and is perfect for smaller pulpit areas or even classrooms and lecture halls. The 778 is the medium-sized Exhorter Pulpit and is 58 inches wide, 19 inches deep and 44 inches tall. The largest of the series, the 779, is an astonishing 7 feet wide, or 84 inches. Like the 777 and 778, it measures 19 inches deep and 44 inches high. This model weighs 167 pounds. All three versions are available in your choice of clear or smoked acrylic, including the side panels.

To complement your stylish Exhorter Pulpit, two sizes of communion tables are available. The 781

Exhorter Communion Table exhibits the phrase “Do In Remembrance of Me” on the acrylic center piece. This smaller model of the two measures 50 inches long, 18 inches deep and 32 inches tall. It weighs 79 pounds. The larger of the two communion tables is the 780, which is 70 inches long, 20 inches deep and 32 inches high. The 780 displays the inscription, “This Do In Remembrance of Me”, just as Jesus had instructed the disciples to join in communion. This model weighs 110 pounds.

Custom sizes are also available for all pieces in the Exhorter collection. For example, if you need a communion table that is larger than the 781 but smaller than the 780, a custom size can be created, such as a version that is 60 inches long. Additional shelves for more storage space, drawers, casters for easy mobility and custom shapes are possible. In addition to being customizable, the Exhorter series can be stained in any color available in the Minwax family of stains to ensure a great match with existing church furniture.

The pulpit is one of the most recognizable and identifiable pieces of church furniture within a sanctuary. The prominent reason for this association is its long history as the primary focus of the common church service. When most hear the word pulpit, a stand or lectern comes to mind that a pastor or speaker position themselves behind to deliver a message. A piece of furniture that allows a speaker to comfortably and efficiently read from their prepared notes and materials. At its earliest

origins the concept of a pulpit was simply a raised platform that an individual would stand on and speak to a congregation from. Without the ability of vocal amplification, an elevated platform was necessary to speak to large groups of people so everyone in attendance could hear.

Pulpit, lectern, and podium are often used to reference the same thing and can sometimes cause confusion in what they are representing. A podium and a traditional pulpit are nearly the same thing; the primary difference being that a pulpit is specific to the Christian church. The podium and the original pulpit are what we would consider to be a stage in modern terms. An elevated platform with a step or multiple steps leading up to it for better audio and visual connection with a gathering of people. In earlier forms, and still practiced among certain denominations within Christianity today, the pulpit was reserved for clergy only. While a podium was simply a stage for a speaker, a pulpit was a stage for clergy to speak or read Scripture from. In contrast with the pulpit and podium, the lectern is a stand specifically designed for reading from. The word “lectern” finds its origins in the same Latin root words as “lecture” does, revealing the purpose of the stand. Lecterns are most commonly associated with academia.

The rise in Protestantism marked the evolution of the pulpit into the piece of church furniture we visualize it to be today. Some of the earliest Protestant churches developed pulpit tiers, varying heights of platform that represented the level of importance of the message being delivered from them. The lowest tier might be used for announcements while the highest tier for delivering the

sermon or for Scripture reading. The pulpit developed into a furniture piece that not only served a practical purpose in delivering public messages, but also became a representation of the importance of the messages being delivered.

The modern pulpit is a blend of a lectern and a podium; a stand for teaching that sits on a stage for better connection with a congregation. But above that, and what defines it as a pulpit, is what it represents. It represents historically, and for today, the gift of God’s Word that was given to us and the privilege we have to hear it taught and proclaimed in churches across the world on a consistent basis. Whether it is a traditionally styled wood pulpit or a contemporary acrylic pulpit with a cutting edge church logo, the pulpit should be a reminder to us of the importance of the Scripture and the proclamation of the Gospel to ever increasing congregations. 

Church Furniture Store, located in Rocky Mount, Virginia, has offered their Worship chair, Victory chair, Freedom chair and Multi chair to the public for many years. While other styles of chairs have also been available, these four chairs were the most popular due to their low cost. CFS was able to offer those chairs to the public – primarily churches – at a low price because they were imported from China, and for many churches on a budget, this moderate-quality seating suited their needs.

But when President Trump announced the tariffs that would be implemented on imported goods from China, CFS knew it was time to make the change that had been a goal for many years – to offer American-made and North American-made chairs instead of the imported chairs.

Many companies have offered products imported from China as a low-cost option for customers. But Americans have routinely requested products that are made here in America in an effort to support American industry. With the new tariffs, many Chinese products are now comparable to the cost of American-made products, so it just makes sense to offer more goods that are made in our country.

Lead times for many of the imported chairs were more than two months, but with chairs manufactured close to home, many chair orders can be delivered in as little as four weeks. Additionally, the American-made chairs, named the Worship Stacker I, II, and III, are much more customizable, with many value add-ons that were not available before. The Worship Stacker chairs have 48 stock colors to choose from at no extra charge, making it easier to match existing color schemes. Thicker cushions and a memory foam option mean that the congregation will be much more comfortable – a trait that many people look for in a church.

CFS will also be offering chairs that are assembled in Mexico, but contain all American-made components. These chairs have a slightly lower price than the chairs manufactured in America.

Church Furniture Store offers much more than chairs for churches. Founded in 1991, Church Furniture Store is known locally and nationally for the quality craftsmanship of wood furniture produced in its on-site wood shop. Seasoned wood workers hand craft both traditional and modern pieces, such as pulpit-area furniture and custom furnishings. In addition to wood furniture made on site, the company offers a complete array of necessities for churches, including seating, classroom furniture, baptisteries and baptistery heaters, carpet, stained glass, and even steeples – all manufactured in the USA or North America.