Abitibi Consolidated is the global leader in manufacturing and recycling newsprint, but more significantly it is an industry leader as a company that offers a free program to non-profit organizations, such as churches and schools, through its division called Abitibi Paper Retriever. They provide a 7-cubic-yard recycling bin for your group to recycle all kinds of paper products.  Abitibi empties the bin at no charge, weighs how many pounds of paper have been recycled and cuts a check each month to the organization for every pound of paper they’ve recycled - no strings attached. Continue Reading »

Some ideas seem to be constantly regurgitated, like phony e-mails about the FCC taking all religious broadcasters off the air, or a state enacting a month of speed traps to increase revenues. People forward this information on without really considering the validity of what’s being reported, accepting and spreading inaccurate conclusions. Information similarly spread – which keeps coming to me from various sources has to do with “preferred architectural styles of the unchurched”.  A pastor-friend forwarded to me again this past week, having viewed it on-line in Leadership Journal. This ‘study’ was commissioned by the Cornerstone Knowledge Network and conducted by LifeWay Research. The ‘Cornerstone Knowledge Network’ is a design-build contractor’s organization, that puts on workshops for church leaders about church construction that is geared to selling their services. While I do not think the design-build approach is the best approach for most churches, the purpose of this entry is not to argue this point, but to take issue with the research and conclusions. Reportedly, the researchers showed pictures of four different styles of church buildings to unchurched adults. The styles included a gothic cathedral, a traditional American white-steepled  building and two more contemporary looking buildings. The unchurched were reported to prefer the gothic cathedral by a two to one margin over the other styles, with the two contemporary buildings coming in last. The conclusion? If you want to attract the unchurched, then build gothic?? I see a problem with such a conclusion, but more so the approach. It is like asking someone who is not interested in baseball what style of stadium they prefer; a historic one like Yankees Stadium, or a dome or a new one like Citizen’s Bank Park. They can give you an opinion based on appearance, but that does not mean it would make a difference such that they would then go to a baseball game. The question in the study would have been more beneficial to suggest architectural style if it was posed as: “if you were looking for a church to attend, would you feel more compelled to go to one of these based on appearance?”  As it is, I don’t think there is any more value in the study than asking a someone who doesn’t eat fish “what’s the best sushi restaurant in town?”

I’m back from vacation now (at least my body is), and I find myself pre-occupied with the book I finished while away; unChristian: What a New Generation Thinks About Christianity….and Why it Matters, by David Kinnaman (Barna Research Group president) and Gabe Lyons. This should be required reading for every American church leader that cares about reaching the next generation. I won’t try to write a review here (there are many good review posts on other sites / see Thinking Christian for one), but I do hope to interest a few others enough to read it too. This book has confirmed many things that I have felt for a few years now; how we “Evangelicals” have failed, becoming in many ways like the Pharisees Jesus rebuked. This work is incriminating of the American church in general and of me in particular.

I have long embraced Bill Hybel’s declaration: “the local church is the hope of the world”. Younger generations, however, view us as those who stand in judgment of the world. Instead of grace-givers and friends-of-sinners, we are viewed as moralistic and hypocritical. Continue Reading »

It’s been a really busy summer, and I’m really looking forward to vacation next week in NC. It has been a summer of advancement for us at WPH as well. We have launched a new planning tool, thanks to Strategic Dimensions. They have put together a product which allows us to assess a church’s growth and corresponding facility needs coupled with their financial capacity over time. When I saw their beta-version a while back, I was really impressed and wondered how we could move our planning tools to this level. In June, we worked together on a Charette (an intensive on-site design exercise) with New Covenant Community Church in Somers Point, NJ, and I had a chance to see the power and versatility of their program. No doubt that much of the value is gained by the operator of the tool, Jeff Otero, and his ability to develop out-of-the-box scenarios. But the basic tool can easily test the assumptions we use to help a church plan for the future.

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In our previous issue, we discussed the importance of using an interior designer, their role in the design process, and how they can help transform the interior of the church. Now we will talk about the role of the client and what they can do to help facilitate a smooth and successful project.

When embarking on a renovation or new construction project, the church often appoints several individuals to a building committee to oversee the overall project. Though not necessary, a separate “interiors committee” may also be formed. It is important that this group get involved early in the process. Selecting the appropriate individuals to participate is as crucial as selecting the right designer for the project. Our experience has shown that the smaller the interiors committee, the more effective and efficient the design process. Churches, especially, seem to have difficulty narrowing down their selection due to the number of ministries they may have. They may feel it necessary to have a representative from each ministry which, in some cases, could be upwards of ten people! Ten people with ten differing opinions will only result in a long and exhausting process, which is often detrimental to the project. Continue Reading »