To be a happy experience, the church building must be an expression of the whole congregation and not the vision of just one person or a small group. To accomplish this, it is necessary to involve as many people as possible in the study groups and in writing the church's building program. Design your building to reflect your church's personality, goals, age, income, beliefs, hopes, wishes, and desires. What the members of a congregation believe, and how they practice those beliefs--in worship, fellowship, education, evangelism, recreation, community involvement, etc.--really should determine the shape, size, and style of the building to be built. Being able to communicate this to your architect will help make the design of the building welcoming to both members and seekers.