If your church is planning a building or remodel project, one of the most crucial first steps is choosing the right project delivery method. Each method has its characteristic advantages and disadvantages and it’s important to choose a delivery method that best meets the specific needs of your organization. Learn about the pros and cons of the two most common construction delivery methods, and discover a unique hybrid of both models called the Trinity Partnership.
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.
Design choices early on can have a significant impact on the sustainability of your building, property and resources in the future. Although many non-profits cannot justify the high expenses associated with LEED Certification, there are a number of environmentally sustainable design strategies that can reduce life cycle costs and lower the impact on the environment, which allows us to glorify God through our careful stewardship of His creation.
August 2020 – Building God’s Way announced a milestone this week as the company recently began design work on its 900th ministry-based project. Since 1997, BGW has helped ministry organizations across 47 U.S. states and 3 foreign countries to realize their God-given vision through innovative, stewardship-driven design.
Southwest Christian High School in Chaska, MN was selected for publication in the American School & University® 2019 Architectural Portfolio. The project is featured in the November/December 2019 edition of the magazine and also online at www.SchoolDesigns.com. An annual competition honoring education design excellence, the Architectural Portfolio spotlights projects representing today’s most effective learning environments.
As an architect who has worked with hundreds of churches over several decades, I’ve been on the front lines of this massive conceptual shift — especially over the last decade — in the way churches are designed and constructed. From the continued evolution of “third place” gathering areas that foster organic community and have become the new focal point in the church floor plan, to worship spaces that incorporate technology in new and innovative ways, today’s churches are definitely “not your parents’ church”.
While it is not unusual for a church to rent out its social hall, it is unusual for a church to do what Believers did: Plan, erect and dedicate more than 28,000 square feet of space for all kinds of paying events. “My message to the congregation has been that the church is not a building – we are the church. That message reinforces the concept of HUB 757,” said Jamey Stuart, senior pastor at the church. “Our primary purpose is to have our space become a hub of the community as it engages around events like meetings and receptions. We want to be engaging.”
Back in 2013, Brookhaven Church relocated its church to McKinney, Texas, bought some land and started contemplating how new facilities could best represent the community. “We didn’t want to build a facility we would just use for a couple of hours; we wanted to build something that would be a service and a blessing for the community to use all week,” says Glenn Meredith, senior pastor of the church. “We wanted people to look at us and see our church as a place they wanted to come.”
Finances often dictate the pace at which a church’s vision can be carried out. Although hope and passion may abound, a prolonged lack of resources and clear steps toward reaching the community for Christ can result in great discourage-ment among ministries. But what if the key to moving forward is not totally dependent on the amount of money you have in the bank? Perhaps the best place to start is by assessing the assets your church already has, then evaluating the untapped potential they have to generate additional income.
