First Baptist Arnold

When First Baptist Church Arnold set out to renovate its 1,100-seat worship center, the goal was about more than updating finishes. Church leadership envisioned a worship environment that felt more engaging, more flexible, and more reflective of the church's ministry while creating a better experience for both the congregation and platform participants.

To bring that vision to life, First Baptist partnered with Paragon 360 for a comprehensive transformation that included interior design, custom scenic architecture, modular staging solutions, lighting upgrades, acoustical enhancements, and general construction services. Through a carefully planned renovation, the church was able to reimagine its worship environment while maximizing stewardship of both time and resources.

The result is a modern, immersive worship space that delivers greater visual impact, enhanced flexibility, and a stronger connection between the platform and congregation, all while preserving valuable platform space for ministry.

One of the primary objectives of the renovation was to transform the look and feel of the platform while creating a better long-term solution for the church's choir, orchestra, and worship teams. Church leadership also wanted to improve the flow of platform traffic and create greater flexibility for future ministry needs.

Paragon 360 completely reimagined the platform experience, combining custom scenic architecture, integrated illumination, modular staging systems, and architectural finishes into a cohesive design that feels both contemporary and timeless.

At the center of the transformation is Paragon's proprietary modular choir loft system. Unlike traditional fixed choir seating, the modular design can be expanded, reduced, reconfigured, or removed entirely to accommodate changing ministry needs. This provides the church with long-term flexibility without requiring future renovations.

To create depth, warmth, and visual interest, Paragon designed and fabricated a collection of custom scenic and architectural elements including an illuminated backdrop wall separating the choir and orchestra, frosted glass modesty walls with matching wood finishes, dimensional birch architectural panels, and a custom faux-stone baptistry surround featuring a dramatic halo-lit cross. Eight illuminated 20-foot architectural columns extend the visual experience beyond the platform and into the seating area, creating a more immersive environment throughout the room. Additional custom staging elements included band risers with illuminated frosted acrylic fronts and a custom drum enclosure designed to seamlessly integrate with the overall aesthetic.

A significant factor in the success of the project was Paragon 360's ability to design, fabricate, and construct nearly every scenic and architectural element under one roof. Rather than relying on traditional field-built construction methods, the majority of the custom scenic, architectural, and modular staging components were fabricated at Paragon's manufacturing facility in Springfield, Missouri. These completed systems were then delivered to the church and installed with exceptional efficiency.

This off-site fabrication approach dramatically reduced on-site construction activity, accelerated installation timelines, minimized disruption to church operations, and provided substantial cost savings compared to conventional construction methods. By combining design, engineering, fabrication, and installation into a single integrated process, Paragon was able to deliver a highly customized environment while helping the church maximize both its budget and schedule.

As Pastor Kenny Qualls remarked: "When it came to timelines, especially when the project was getting close to winding down, man, Paragon was spot on. And like ants on an anthill, everyone was joyful working." He went on to say, "there's really two construction projects going at once. There's one you see here in the building, and there's another one taking place in Springfield with a great team there that's fabricating it all together." 

Beyond the visual transformation, the project included several technology and acoustical upgrades designed to enhance the overall worship environment.

Paragon designed and installed a new LED house lighting system utilizing nearly 100 fixtures from Environmental Lights, providing greater control, improved illumination, and enhanced flexibility for worship services and special events. Environmental Lighting fixtures were also integrated throughout many of the custom scenic and architectural elements, creating visual depth and dimension that extends well beyond traditional stage lighting.

New acoustical treatments were also incorporated into the renovation to greatly improve the overall listening environment while additional floor pockets were integrated into the platform to provide greater flexibility for future production needs.

Together, these enhancements help create a more engaging and comfortable experience for both worship teams and congregation members.

Through its integrated family of services, Paragon 360 provided a single-source solution from concept through completion. Paragon's very own, Xperience Construction, served as the general contractor for the project, overseeing demolition of the existing choir loft and platform front, construction of the new stage configuration, framing, drywall, concrete work, flooring, painting, and extensive electrical work. By placing design, fabrication, technology, and construction under one team, First Baptist Arnold benefited from a streamlined process with clear communication and complete project alignment.

Reflecting on the completed renovation, Pastor Kenny Qualls shared: "We all know that people have body language. Well, I believe the church has a building language. Your campus speaks. The ability to bring acoustics, audio, video, lighting, design and architecture into one space that captures the DNA of a church... that's a high gift set that not a lot of people can do. And Paragon did that."

Today, First Baptist Arnold has a worship environment that not only reflects the heart of its ministry, but is positioned to serve its congregation for years to come.