When we start to work with a church to develop a Master Plan, the first question we ask is, “What is the vision that God has given to this church for ministry?” Without a clear idea of God’s specific calling for the church, it is premature to begin planning a building. Many churches make the mistake of starting an expansion or new project simply based on the current known needs for space and the current shape of their ministry. This may be fine if the shape of your ministry fully reflects God’s vision for the church. In most instances, however, this is not the case. 

There is an expression that says, “We shape our buildings, and then our buildings shape us.” The ministry of the church may be constrained by the present facilities. Furthermore this constraint may blur the church’s vision for the future. In the sections that follow, we will look at various areas of a building program that pertain to specific ministry areas. We will offer suggestions and point out things to consider in each of these ministry areas that are primarily vision related. It is this vision that should determine how facilities are ultimately shaped. 

We suggest that churches prayerfully consider the shape a ministry should take in the next 5, 10, and 15 years in order to fulfill the vision to which God has called them. If your church is lacking a clear vision, we suggest that the leadership go through Rick Warren’s book, “The Purpose Driven Church.” This will assist you in formulating a biblical vision, which vision can then serve as a foundation for the facility planning that follows.  

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