There has been quite a hiatus in blog posts to The Ministry Café. (If you subscribe to the RSS feed, you probably have wondered what’s happened.) We’ve gone through a challenging season - along with most other businesses - and getting through it has taken priority over new posts. But as a new year often brings with it reflections, I’ll share some of mine here.
2009 was a year of set-backs and scale-down for survival. The architectural service sector was among the hardest hit in the economy, with up to 60% unemployed. For a company like ours that works exclusively with Christian ministries, it was no less challenging, as pastors and leaders did not have the heart to ask their people to give to a new building program when many in the congregation have lost jobs and perhaps houses as well.
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Posted in Bookstore, Inspirations, Random Thoughts, Worship Center | 1 Comment »
As I noted in my previous post, I wanted to share a bit about one of our partner churches, Calvary Baptist Church in Bethlehem, PA, who recently broke ground on a new campus. (To see photos and news of their recent groundbreaking event go to: http://thecalvaryconnection.org/?cat=4 ) They purchased 27 acres in a prime location at the intersection of Routes 22 & 33. The new facility will be seen by thousands of daily commuters along the Route 22 corridor, which extends to New York City. Their new property is in the fastest growing region in Pennsylvania.
From the day the Church settled on the land, they began holding Church / community-outreach events on the property, including bonfires and hayrides. During one Saturday night event, Continue Reading »
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These are interesting times to live in. Last week at The Leadership Summit hosted by Willow Creek, Bill Hybels entitled his opening address “Leading in a New Reality”. He likened the economic turmoil to a rogue wave that has turned businesses and churches upside. To me, this “rogue wave” also seems like a tsunami that has crashed on the shore, permanently altering lives and landscapes. Few believe it will ever return to “the way it was”. However, I am not alone in believing that the same forces that have destroyed wealth and work and confidence have also provided a significant opportunities for the church. When the things that people have built their lives on and trusted in (especially in America) prove unreliable, it is an opportunity for them to find true wealth and security in Jesus. Many churches have experienced significant gains in attendance since last fall. Despite lost jobs and income, the drop in giving at these churches has been relatively small. At the same time, they are seeing the need to reallocate funds to help people that have lost jobs and houses. This is a new reality for all of us who lead – whether in church or business or in our families.
For our ministry-business, reality has certainly changed significantly. For years, we have attempted to keep the churches we work with from building more than they can afford. When all seemed well with the economy, Continue Reading »
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“Planning is bringing the future into the present so that you can do something about it now.” Though this statement by Alan Lakein refers to personal time management, it also explains what we do with many of our clients who expect to expand their facilities in phases. We rely on years of experience in church architecture and the guidance of God to help us impart wise counsel on the best strategies to use to plan for the future.
We help our partner churches develop strategies for bringing the future into the present; strategies with economic benefits that will be realized both now and later. As part of our initial analysis of a church’s needs, we look at their history to determine the ministry spaces that will be needed and incorporate them into the plans. A church may be projecting a large increase in the size of their congregation ten years down the road, but that does not mean that they should build for that now as it would overwhelm the people using it. In fact, too many empty seats makes people feel uncomfortable, giving them the impression that the church is dwindling rather than thriving, contributing to a reduction in the number of people who attend services. On the contrary, if a church builds for only their current needs without intentional planning for future phases within the current construction, later expansions will be more costly and intrusive. Continue Reading »
Tags: 80% rule, expandable
Posted in Classroom, Designs, Growth Planning, Newsletters, Stewardship, Summer 2009 | No Comments »
