L. Ron Hubbard originally set a goal for Scientologists to one day create Churches that are the physical embodiment of Scientology Technology, helping all beings attain spiritual freedom.
To meet the ever-growing worldwide demand for Dianetics and Scientology services as well as Church-sponsored social betterment programs, David Miscavige personally committed to accomplish that goal of bringing all Scientology Churches to the standard of Ideal.
Ideal Churches provide the full services of the Scientology religion to its parishioners and to the community. Utilizing technological advances of the 21st century, Mr. Miscavige has been able to greatly reduce the time needed to put those facilities in place.
“Ideal” encompasses both the physical elements and the types of services ministered to parishioners and the community. These Churches house extensive public information displays that describe all aspects of Dianetics and Scientology. They introduce visitors to Founder L. Ron Hubbard; detail his history, work and accomplishments; and outline the Church’s social betterment, humanitarian and community outreach programs.
Religious services at Ideal Churches are provided in distraction-free and aesthetically designed course rooms and spiritual counseling rooms. They include extensive libraries, bookstores, film and seminar rooms and expansive chapels for Sunday services, weddings, naming ceremonies and other congregational gatherings.
David Miscavige established the modern strategies for the acquisition, design and planning of all new Churches. Those strategies form a template that helps guide individual Scientology congregations around the world as they work with the Church to build for the future. Planning and construction of scores of new facilities are constantly under way or moving toward completion, accelerating the pace as this era of expansion continues to unfold around the world.
Since the inception of those strategies, Mr. Miscavige has supervised and participated in the opening of more than 65 Ideal Churches across the planet, including those in the world’s cultural capitals. They include the National Church of Scientology of Spain in Madrid’s Quarter of the Letters; the Church of Scientology of New York, just off Times Square; the Church of Scientology of San Francisco, California, in the original historic Transamerica Building; the Church of Scientology of London, England, located in the epicenter of the city; the Church of Scientology of Bogotá, on the city’s Calle 100; and the Church of Scientology of Kaohsiung, Taiwan, in the heart of that city and now a gateway to the Chinese-speaking world. Beyond that, new facilities now serve the vast population centers of Australia and Asia, extending across the Pacific Rim from Tokyo, Japan, to Sydney, Australia, and Auckland, New Zealand. These Ideal Churches blanketing the globe create new opportunities to reach millions more with the Scientology message of hope for a more peaceful world and spiritual fulfillment.
During this era of rapid expansion, Church premises increased from 4.5 million square feet in 2003 to over 12 million today—more than doubling the Church’s footprint around the world. Over 2.5 million square feet of renovations were completed in the past five years.
L. Ron Hubbard directed that Scientology facilities should also preserve and honor the heritage of the communities they serve. To meet those goals, the Church, in concert with local Scientologists for whom the facilities are built, often selects historical properties, overseeing meticulous restoration. Mr. Miscavige has directed the Church to work closely with historic preservationists in each city where its spiritual facilities are located, to better integrate them within their local communities while restoring and maintaining the unique beauty of these structures. The process has generated interfaith and governmental cooperation, initiating a new era of collaboration and support for spiritual freedom in countries throughout the world.
But the process of expansion has required much more than finding and renovating historic facilities to become Churches of Scientology. It includes the creation of systems through which each facility is equipped to meet the needs of parishioners. Be it audio systems, signage, lighting or the meticulous crafting of facilities conducive to the pursuit of spiritual enlightenment, all work is carefully designed by Mr. Miscavige to keep pace with the rigors of rapid expansion.
As the ecclesiastical leader of the Scientology religion, David Miscavige has coordinated this worldwide expansion so that policies and procedures set down by L. Ron Hubbard, to reach the goals of the religion, exactly as he envisioned them, are now followed precisely. The vision of Scientology’s Founder has become the mission of David Miscavige, and together their philosophies and dedication have transformed lives for an ever-larger international congregation.
At the helm of this process, Mr. Miscavige has navigated not only the world of spirituality, but also that of international cooperation. Within that process, the Church has also expanded its footprint of National Affairs Offices—most recently in Ireland—which are dedicated to coordinating outreach that promotes respect for religious freedoms and the rights of worship for all.
