Church Seating

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.