From Basketball Court to Beautiful Worship Space: First Baptist Church Pontotoc’s Amazing Transformation

When First Baptist Church in Pontotoc, Mississippi reached out to Churchfront eight months ago, they had a unique challenge: their growing contemporary worship service was outgrowing their space. The solution? Transform their old basketball gymnasium into a state-of-the-art worship center that could accommodate 600 people.

The Challenge: Converting a Gymnasium

Converting a gymnasium into a church sanctuary is no small feat. The space required complete renovation including new flooring, fresh paint, and extensive acoustic treatment. But as Churchfront likes to say, “Make gymnasiums churches again” – and this project perfectly showcases what’s possible with the right vision and execution.

Acoustic Excellence with Prime Acoustic Panels

The transformation begins with sound. The team installed Prime Acoustic Broadway panels throughout the space – each panel measuring 2 feet by 4 feet and wrapped in linen-colored fabric with beveled edges. This design choice creates a clean, architectural look that feels less like a recording studio and more like a beautiful worship space.

The beveled edges have become Churchfront’s preferred choice, adding an elegant architectural touch that elevates the overall aesthetic of the room.

Innovative Lighting Solutions

House Lighting That Makes a Statement

The worship center features an innovative house lighting solution using Barbina bar lighting systems. These warm-temperature, dimmable lights come in 4-foot sections that link together, creating a sophisticated architectural element that provides both function and style.

The space also includes hex shop lights above the tech booth area, adding another design element while maintaining practical lighting needs.

Stage Lighting Design

The lighting system includes:

• 10 Ovation E-910 full color spotlights for precise front lighting
• Rogue R2X wash lights as kick lights behind the band
• 5 Chauvet Maverick spotlights interspersed on the back truss
• 2 Rogue spots on the floor for additional effects

This combination provides incredible flexibility for creating different moods and atmospheres during worship services.

Audio System: Fulcrum Acoustic Excellence

The heart of the audio system features Fulcrum Acoustic speakers that deliver exceptional clarity from front to back:

Main PA System

• Left and Right Arrays: Two arrays of FL-283T speakers (dual 8-inch cardioid speakers, 5 per side)
• Front Fills: Six RX-6 speakers for front row coverage
• Subwoofers: Existing active subwoofers integrated under the stage

The line array configuration ensures consistent sound delivery throughout the entire seating area, making mixing easier and providing an immersive experience for the congregation.

The Goblin Drum Enclosure

One standout feature is the Goblin 2.5 drum enclosure – a $5,300 investment that pays dividends in sound control. Measuring 7.5 feet wide by 6.5 feet tall, this acoustically isolated enclosure reduces drum bleed by 25-30 decibels, allowing for better mix control and lower stage volumes.

Smart Stage Design

Floor Pockets for Clean Integration

The stage features Elite Core floor pockets providing XLR, data, and audio connections. This creates an incredibly clean stage appearance while allowing flexible equipment placement.

Under-Stage Access

Perhaps one of the most impressive features is the spacious under-stage area. With plenty of room to work and excellent cable management, this space makes maintenance and adjustments a breeze – truly “the Ritz Carlton of under-stage crawlspaces.”

Instrument Integration

• Nord Grand Piano: Premium sounds right out of the box
• Custom Guitar Rig: MIDI-controlled pedal system with Gig Rig controller
• ME-1 Personal Mixers: Stereo in-ear mixes for all musicians

Advanced Technology Infrastructure

Dual Equipment Racks

The system features two main equipment racks:

Rack 1 (Network/Computing):

• Cisco switches and patch panels
• Wall Panel Pro for lighting control
• LED wall processors and NDI converters
• Three Mac Minis in a 2U chassis plus Mac Studio

Rack 2 (Audio):

• DT-168 Dante stage boxes (32 preamps, 16 outputs)
• ME-U Hub with Dante card
• AHM-32 for subwoofer processing
• Powersoft Unica 8M amplifiers
• N-PAC power sequencing system

Remote Power Control

The Lin-Tech N-PAC system allows complete remote power management. Engineers can literally turn the entire system on and off from anywhere in the world – perfect for remote troubleshooting and system management.

LED Screen Display System

The visual system includes:

• Center screen: 18 feet wide by 10 feet tall
• Four vertical strips: 1.5 feet wide by 10 feet tall
• Two side screens for additional content flexibility

This configuration allows for creative content presentation using ProPresenter, with different formatting options for each screen.

Broadcast Production Capabilities

The church features a dedicated broadcast studio with:

• TriCaster video production system
• Multiple PTZ cameras throughout the space
• Dante-based multi-track audio over network
• Flexible mixing options for broadcast and streaming

Congregation Audio Capture

Two discrete hanging Otics condenser microphones capture congregation singing and ambient room sound, essential for creating an engaging broadcast experience.

Front of House Excellence

The mixing position features an Allen & Heath SQ-6 console running on Dante, with additional tools including:

• Super Rack Performer for vocal tuning
• Wireless Workbench for remote microphone management
• Multi-track recording capabilities
• Smart SPL monitoring
• Dante AV-O Bluetooth connectivity

Client Experience

As worship pastor Zach noted, the transformation has been overwhelming in the best possible way. The congregation’s reaction has been incredible, with many amazed by the rich, immersive sound quality that remains comfortable at reasonable volumes.

The partnership with Churchfront proved invaluable, with excellent communication throughout the year-long development and construction process. Despite being a smaller church in a small town, the team received the same level of attention and care as larger projects.

The Results

This gymnasium-to-worship-center transformation showcases what’s possible when vision meets expertise. From the premium acoustic treatment to the sophisticated audio and visual systems, every element works together to create an environment where ministry can thrive.

The project demonstrates that size doesn’t limit possibility – with the right partner and thoughtful planning, any space can become an incredible worship environment that serves its community for years to come.