The building committee will be essential in guiding the church through the often complex process of architectural design and construction. As such, it’s absolutely vital to make sure that you follow the right process and select the right people for the job, to avoid a dysfunctional group that squabbles, can’t come to agreements, isn’t committed, and doesn’t accurately represent the needs of your congregation as a whole.
Beginning church construction is a major step in your ministry that requires careful and thoughtful planning in order to be a success. At BGW, we exist to provide innovative services, including design, construction services, financial planning, and more, so that your church building is focused on good stewardship and intentional ministry to your community.
When Brookhaven Church first began to plan the construction of their new worship facility in McKinney, TX, a unique vision started to emerge among ministry leadership. “We didn’t want to build a facility we would just use for a couple of hours on Sunday”, said Senior Pastor Glenn Meredith, “We wanted to build something that would be a service and a blessing for the community to use all week.”
Now more than ever before, it is crucial for church leaders to be able to clarify and communicate to their congregation a realistic scope of future facility needs that aligns with the ministry’s mission and vision. As an architecture firm that has worked with nearly 1,000 ministry organizations nationally, we have seen first hand how challenging it can be for ministry leaders to plan for the future without real data and expert guidance.
With 129 faith-based projects currently in active design or construction stages, we have walked along this path of uncertainty with many church leaders over the past year, offering our best counsel on how to move forward with sound stewardship. Coming out of these challenging times, we are seeing 2 opportunities emerge for churches to expand or remodel in affordable and financially sustainable ways.
There has been a cultural shift taking place in America for decades that has had a direct impact on churches, but the disruptions of 2020 have accelerated those trends even further. From changing perceptions about faith and religion to declines in attendance and giving, ministries are being challenged like never before to adapt to new realities and develop new strategies for doing church.
The historic Ritz Theatre in downtown Escondido, California was in need of a major facelift, and New Vintage Church planned for a 21,018-square-foot remodel and addition of the two-story landmark. Known as “The Grand,” the 83-year-old theater, which had been vacant since 2005, was converted into a dual-purpose church sanctuary and theater that will be made available to the public. In addition to being the new home for the church, the remodeled theater includes a mixed-use center for the musical and performing arts and a single-screen movie theater.
As a result of the economic impact from the pandemic, the number of retail store closures in the U.S. is projected to increase to as many as 15,000 in 2020. Some analysts are estimating that up to 100,000 retail store locations could close down by 2025. These retail closures represent potentially hundreds of millions of square feet of commercial space coming onto the market over the next 5 years, offering opportunities for many growing churches that are looking for more affordable expansion solutions.
The COVID-19 Crisis has challenged us to rethink how we go about our every day lives and how we will gather together into the future. Learn about 3 key areas of consideration for your church building that can help you address the needs and concerns of the most vulnerable in your congregation and your surrounding community.
