Planning is a huge part of my job. I just left a planning meeting with key stakeholders I am working on for the company who employs me. I said that, “I would rather spend the time now to get it right than to spend more time trying to fix it later.” The other people in the meeting laughed and said they felt the same way.
Chances are there will still be something we will need to fix later. There always is. Not even the wisest among us can see all ends, and the most patient among us still longs to move forward. Planning is important, but it does not get the project done.
We have spent years planning a facility for our church. We began planning before we ever purchased the property. We continued planning after we closed the real estate deal. We deal with a department of the city government called the “planning” department. We even have our own planner assigned to this project. Sometimes it seems like all we do is plan. We do want to spend the time now to get it right. We don’t want to have to fix it later. However; even the most patient among us wants to move it forward.
That time is coming. So is Jesus. Some days I wonder which one will get here first. Most days I believe the we will. Although I’m pretty sure it would be OK if I were wrong.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
More planning…
Any successful endeavor involves some degree of planning. I had no idea how much would go into trying to build a church.
Several years ago, my family was involved in starting a church in Lancaster PA. After a couple of years of portable existence our move to permanence took the form of a remodeling project. A former light industrial/warehouse building was transformed into a small church facility. We gutted the building down to the floor, walls and roof and started over. It all seems kind of spontaneous now looking back. We had one appearance in front of the municipal council to get permission. We submitting building plans to get a permit and we were good to go. We tackled a lot of issues on the fly, including raising money to cover expenses. Five months later we were holding services in the building (and rapidly outgrowing it).
The scope of this project is exponentially larger. We have site planning that needs to be done. We have neighborhood and city planning meetings to attend. We will stand before city council at least two more times before we will be able to submit drawings to get building permits. We have already planned and executed one capital campaign, and are preparing for a second.
Christians often speak of the activity of God in terms of planning. We reference a “plan of salvation” and casually comment on God’s “plan for his Kingdom.” On a more personal level we evaluate God’s “plan for our lives”. If the planning we do is directly related to how much we care about a project’s outcome, how much does this planning by God say about his concern for this planet, His Kingdom and our lives?
The exciting part of all of this is getting to plan for our growth as a church. Careful planning can help Discovery maximize the opportunities that will come as a result of a permanent location. Thoughtful planning will help the church retain its identity, vision and values when it changes locations. Prayerful planning now will help us be in alignment with God’s plan.
That is a reassuring thought.
Several years ago, my family was involved in starting a church in Lancaster PA. After a couple of years of portable existence our move to permanence took the form of a remodeling project. A former light industrial/warehouse building was transformed into a small church facility. We gutted the building down to the floor, walls and roof and started over. It all seems kind of spontaneous now looking back. We had one appearance in front of the municipal council to get permission. We submitting building plans to get a permit and we were good to go. We tackled a lot of issues on the fly, including raising money to cover expenses. Five months later we were holding services in the building (and rapidly outgrowing it).
The scope of this project is exponentially larger. We have site planning that needs to be done. We have neighborhood and city planning meetings to attend. We will stand before city council at least two more times before we will be able to submit drawings to get building permits. We have already planned and executed one capital campaign, and are preparing for a second.
Christians often speak of the activity of God in terms of planning. We reference a “plan of salvation” and casually comment on God’s “plan for his Kingdom.” On a more personal level we evaluate God’s “plan for our lives”. If the planning we do is directly related to how much we care about a project’s outcome, how much does this planning by God say about his concern for this planet, His Kingdom and our lives?
The exciting part of all of this is getting to plan for our growth as a church. Careful planning can help Discovery maximize the opportunities that will come as a result of a permanent location. Thoughtful planning will help the church retain its identity, vision and values when it changes locations. Prayerful planning now will help us be in alignment with God’s plan.
That is a reassuring thought.
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
More background…
We started over five years ago. After no one could find the 50 acres with the lake, someone decided it would be a good idea to get a real estate professional working with us on this project. By that time, it had become my responsibility to lead the team who was looking into our permanence. Lots of people have contributed to this effort over the years. All of them have been talented, passionate and have left their mark on this process. I have been fortunate enough to remain engaged for a long time. Others have as well.
One of these others was our real estate professional. We’ll call her Liz. The first time I met with Liz I was a little apprehensive. I wasn’t sure that we were ready for this step. It meant that we were really serious about finding a piece of property – not just dreaming stuff up in meetings. Liz immediately reassured me with her friendliness and her interest in our situation. Not just the real estate stuff, but our whole situation. We spent a lot of time just talking about church and family. We still do. Liz also reassured me that her services would not cost me anything. This was particularly welcome news since I did not even know if I had a budget at that point. This was uncharted territory for me and the church.
This turned out to be one of the best decisions we have made in our quest for permanence. Liz has proved to be capable, flexible, determined and encouraging. Together, with the help of many other people, we did broker a real estate deal that closed in 2005, and has been a source of amazement to me ever since. We have continued to work together to find the right people to work with us in developing this property. We continue to talk about important things like spirituality and family.
I hope we always will.
One of these others was our real estate professional. We’ll call her Liz. The first time I met with Liz I was a little apprehensive. I wasn’t sure that we were ready for this step. It meant that we were really serious about finding a piece of property – not just dreaming stuff up in meetings. Liz immediately reassured me with her friendliness and her interest in our situation. Not just the real estate stuff, but our whole situation. We spent a lot of time just talking about church and family. We still do. Liz also reassured me that her services would not cost me anything. This was particularly welcome news since I did not even know if I had a budget at that point. This was uncharted territory for me and the church.
This turned out to be one of the best decisions we have made in our quest for permanence. Liz has proved to be capable, flexible, determined and encouraging. Together, with the help of many other people, we did broker a real estate deal that closed in 2005, and has been a source of amazement to me ever since. We have continued to work together to find the right people to work with us in developing this property. We continue to talk about important things like spirituality and family.
I hope we always will.
False starts…
I still can’t believe the opportunity that we have as a church to utilize this exceptional piece of property. It is ideally suited for us in many ways. Finding it was no accident. It is the result of Divine guidance, good advice, hard work and a little bit of luck. We weren’t always so fortunate.
Discovery began meeting in the spring of 1999. We were meeting at Centarus High School in Lafayette. In the summer of 2000, a group was formed to begin exploring real-estate possibilities for a permanent location for the church. The search criteria were somewhat vague and the geographic parameters were loose. At some point this group began to define their own profile of an acceptable property. It was 50 acres with a lake on it.
I’m sure it was beautiful – but no one ever found it.
Discovery began meeting in the spring of 1999. We were meeting at Centarus High School in Lafayette. In the summer of 2000, a group was formed to begin exploring real-estate possibilities for a permanent location for the church. The search criteria were somewhat vague and the geographic parameters were loose. At some point this group began to define their own profile of an acceptable property. It was 50 acres with a lake on it.
I’m sure it was beautiful – but no one ever found it.
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Why bother?
The reasons for permanant vs. portable are many. There is the sociological perspective that until a church is located in a physical address of their own it is "unstable" or worse, "unsuccessful". There is a stigma attached to portability, fair or otherwise that churches experience. The nomadic life was great for our spiritual ancestors like Abraham, Issac and Jacob - but God's promise to them was one of occupation, ownership and permanance. The desire for permanance is part of our spiritual heritage.
There is a financial rationale to consider. It could be argued that a church could save itself the time, energy and financial resources that are consumed by facility mortgages and maintenance costs. However, like the family that rents a home rather than buying one - the costs of living are still there. Rent is money that provides a fixed benefit for a church. You pay the landlord and get a place to meet - most commonly a few hours on a Sunday morning. You are also constrained by the limitations of the facility being rented. It was probably not designed for the things a church is trying to accomplish (even if you rent another church). Even the church fortunate enough to find a facility that can be rented for full-time use, will often find themselves constrained by zoning regulations, covenants, or architectural design from being truly at home in a rental environment.
Do not misunderstand me here - I have nothing but the greatest respect for the unsung heros of faith who set it up and tear it down every week for the sake of the Kingdom!!! These nomads have blazed trails for countless souls who have found the local school, movie theater, strip mall or warehouse as their point of entry into God's grace and peace. We need more trailblazers - not less.
All that being said, I think the most compelling reason for me to pursue the permanant has little to do with sociology or the church's balance sheet. For many churches the move to a place of their own is a journey of faith that opens us up to the possibility of the supernatural occuring in the suburbs. This is often the place where the numbers don't add up, and the forces of society seem to be insurmountable - but we look for God to show up in the loan application and the neighborhood meetings and the zoning process - and He does!
The realtor who has worked with us on our project for 5 years now has used a phrase to sign off her emails. “Stop telling God how big the storm is. Instead, tell the storm how big God is.”
I think that phrase captures it pretty well...
There is a financial rationale to consider. It could be argued that a church could save itself the time, energy and financial resources that are consumed by facility mortgages and maintenance costs. However, like the family that rents a home rather than buying one - the costs of living are still there. Rent is money that provides a fixed benefit for a church. You pay the landlord and get a place to meet - most commonly a few hours on a Sunday morning. You are also constrained by the limitations of the facility being rented. It was probably not designed for the things a church is trying to accomplish (even if you rent another church). Even the church fortunate enough to find a facility that can be rented for full-time use, will often find themselves constrained by zoning regulations, covenants, or architectural design from being truly at home in a rental environment.
Do not misunderstand me here - I have nothing but the greatest respect for the unsung heros of faith who set it up and tear it down every week for the sake of the Kingdom!!! These nomads have blazed trails for countless souls who have found the local school, movie theater, strip mall or warehouse as their point of entry into God's grace and peace. We need more trailblazers - not less.
All that being said, I think the most compelling reason for me to pursue the permanant has little to do with sociology or the church's balance sheet. For many churches the move to a place of their own is a journey of faith that opens us up to the possibility of the supernatural occuring in the suburbs. This is often the place where the numbers don't add up, and the forces of society seem to be insurmountable - but we look for God to show up in the loan application and the neighborhood meetings and the zoning process - and He does!
The realtor who has worked with us on our project for 5 years now has used a phrase to sign off her emails. “Stop telling God how big the storm is. Instead, tell the storm how big God is.”
I think that phrase captures it pretty well...
Friday, June 15, 2007
Getting started
Creating a blog about this project has been a lot like the project itself... a really cool idea, but easy to get bogged down in the details.
Now that we are up and running with the blog there is so much to tell about trying to build a church. I'll try to keep the tone light and the details relevant. It really is a journey of faith, bolstered by the help of exceptional people, fueled by a passion to be a part of something significant, timeless and different at the same time.
It all started over 5 years ago...
Now that we are up and running with the blog there is so much to tell about trying to build a church. I'll try to keep the tone light and the details relevant. It really is a journey of faith, bolstered by the help of exceptional people, fueled by a passion to be a part of something significant, timeless and different at the same time.
It all started over 5 years ago...
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