Building God’s Way (BGW Architects) is excited to announce the recent completion of its 1,000th ministry-based facility design. An industry leader in faith-based architecture, BGW has worked almost exclusively with churches and Christian schools nationally since 1998.
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.
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.