Tag Archive - Church Renovation
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Church Construction – When should you build?

May 2, 2011 in Church Construction, Leadership, Money with 0 Comments

How do you know when its time for your church to build?  Here are four things to think about when you’re thinking about building.

1. Finances – obviously money matters when you’re building a new facility.  Here is blog I wrote specifically on Church Construction and Money.

2. Max Facility Use - Do you have a document that outlines how your facility is currently being used for ministry?  The least expensive ministry space you’ll ever have is what you have right now.  Before you think about building or renovating a thing, you want to make sure you’ve thought through every square foot of the current facility.  How many services are you in right now?  Could you add another one?  Could you do a video venue?   My church uses the same space on Sunday Mornings for middle school and Sunday afternoon for high school.  Do you really need all that Sunday school space or could it be repurposed for a more effective use?  (Touchy subject I know)

3. R U Ready? – This is the one thing most pastors I work with fail to realize.  This process will take more of your energy than you think.  It will take more of your time than you think.  It takes longer than you think and it will require you to spend more of your influence than you think.

Being ready means  you’ve got your hands wrapped tightly around the vision God has given you, hold on to it.   You’ll constantly need that vision to recenter you when the difficulty arises.   It means you don’t have secrets.  (I trust you know what I’m talking about).  Secrets often find a way not to be so secretive when you are trying to make a big impact for the kingdom.  Being ready means you’ve weighed the cost and you are personally ready to pay it.

IF THE LEADER ISN’T READY….THE CHURCH ISN’T READY!

4.  The “Great Deal” -  Stumbling on great deal for land, or a building does not mean it’s time for you church to build.  I met with a church a couple years back that bought 11 acres for their church because the price had dropped so much. Now they are trying to sell 11 acres in a down market because they realized, because of location, they would benefit more by renovating a building than from building a new one.  ’There is a difference between a “great deal” and a “great deal for your church”.

Facilities must move you in the direction of the vision.

 

So, are you ready?

 

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10 Reasons Building A Church Isn’t Like Buying a Car

April 4, 2011 in Uncategorized with 1 Comment

10 reasons building a church isn’t like buying a car or anything else for that matter.

  1. A car can make you cool.  Church made Steven Furtick cool, but not Perry Noble, so you can’t always count on church to make you cool.
  2. Churches gets better gas mileage – they’re wind powered.
  3. All cars play traditional and contemporary music.

  4. Cars change regularly to attract new people.
  5. Cars don’t wish they were other cars and talk about why the other cars are so popular because they aren’t true to the manufacturer. (Gotta think on this one)
  6. Cars don’t believe in Hell, some churches do. (Sorry Rob, that was a cheap shot)
  7. We buy cars to get us somewhere.  When we get to church…we think we’re already there.
  8. Your ministry can survive if you spend too much on a car...
  9. There’s no base model church - you don’t come in and pick the red one and have us throw in some spinners.
  10. While driving too fast can make you see Jesus, He doesn’t use cars to get people into heaven.

Here is where the analogy breaks down.

If you decide to by a corvette, and you go to four different dealers and get prices and the lowest price for the same awesomeness is $65,000, do you buy it?

It depends right?  It depends on what you can afford.

Too many people are getting awesome deals on cars they can’t afford.  Affordability IS the dealmaker.  (I’m thinking about getting a forehead tattoo with that on it).   “Understand what you can afford and then go out and make the deal with someone you can trust.” (Sidebar – did you know when you trade a car in; the sales guy gets paid a percentage of the difference between the real value of what you car is worth and what he can get you to take for it?  If you trade them in, have the KBB value printed and in you hand)

Back to affordability

There’s a lot of work that determines what you can “really” afford to spend on a car.  If you’re building a church, that process is magnified.  You have to know how much cash you can raise, what the bank will loan, what the payments on the debt will be to make sure you construction budget doesn’t have an affair with your operating budget and run away with her.

How will inflation affect you affordability?  Are there major, one time, expenses coming your way that will impact operating income and limit your borrowing?

Are you scared yet?  Good….fear is good for making you think before you act.  Heading into a car dealership, or a church expansion project without a grasp of affordability is like rolling the dice at the craps table, you may win from time to time, but when you lose it’s really gonna bite. (not a great analogy for a pastor but it’s better than the one I was working on about planning for the spirit to move instead of preparing a sermon)

If you church is growing fast, sooner or later you have to build or renovate.  Have a plan, get the right people around you from the start before you spend a dime.

If I can help I’d love to be part of the journey with you. I’m passionate about serving churches and would love an opportunity to talk with you about joining you staff to walk you through the process of clarifying exactly what you need and balancing it with what you can afford so you can CRUSH IT FOR JESUS in your city.

Email me and lets set up a time to get to know each other over the phone.

rwchancy@cogun.com

706.830.3782

 

 

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Elevation Church Renovation of a Furniture Warehouse

March 3, 2011 in Uncategorized with 0 Comments

This was the Elevation Church renovation we completed last year.  Elevation, where Steven Furtick is the lead pastor has been one of the fastest growing churches in America over the last several years.   

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TOP 10 REASONS TO RE-PURPOSE BUILDINGS FOR MINISTRY

February 25, 2011 in Uncategorized with 0 Comments

Guest Blog – Bill Couchenour

More and more churches are finding that purchasing and repurposing existing buildings can be an effective way for developing the right ministry space. We asked the Cogun Project Consultants that are working directly with churches about what is driving this trend. Here are their Top Ten reasons why re-purposing buildings for ministry can be a good idea:

1. UNUSUAL MARKET CONDITIONS - More suitable buildings are empty and open in many areas. Commercial property is at unprecedented low prices.

2. DEVELOPED SITE – The parking lot, site lighting, and other site work is usually in place, so site approvals are usually significantly shorter. Site development fees are also minimal or non-existent.

3. TAX BENEFITS FOR SELLER - Many sellers can sell to churches cheaper since they may qualify for a tax break (discounted sale to non-profit).

4. REDEMPTION METAPHOR - “Redeeming” a decaying building is a powerful image to the community. The story of redemption can be told in renovation … renovation is restoration.

5. ADDITIONAL FUNDING POTENTIAL - Because renovation may be less costly than new construction, it has potential to allow more funds for Audio/Visual elements, thematic design, added staff, etc.

6. SPEED TO MINISTRY – Design and construction timelines are typically shorter giving more opportunity for ministry in the new facility.

7. LOCAL FAVOR - Local government agencies want to see these empty eyesores filled and are generally favorable to re-purposing existing buildings in the community.

8. FAMILIARITY – People in the area know about the building because it’s a recognizable location.

9. IT’S GREEN – Re-purposing existing buildings already have a footprint developed so there’s minimal added environmental impact.

10. CONTEXTUAL – Moving to an existing building potentially serves a population that otherwise would not have access to your ministry. It engages people where they are and in their context.

Before you go, check out our renovation progress on Athens Church (A North Point Community Church Strategic Partner)

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Church Renovation – Redeeming Space

February 22, 2011 in Uncategorized with 1 Comment

I got a couple email about the video yesterday so here is a little more info about Rock Bridge Community Church.

Guest Blogger – Bill Couchenour

A number of the projects we’ve been doing for churches have involved big box build outs. Essentially, that means taking a former warehouse or retail store and converting it into ministry space. It can be an attractive option for a church if the building is in the right location and they can get it for the right price. There certainly seems to be an abundance of these opportunities.

We got this comment recently on our YouTube page regarding one of our big box build outs:

“I worked in this warehouse. A place I hated to come to is now the greatest place. I want to come back every weekend. I love my church.”

I like that. We got a chance to partner with his church to take a place of drudgery and simple commerce and redeem it into a place of peace and joy. It’s kind of a metaphor for the powerful, mysterious redemptive process God does in our own lives.

The truth is we can transform a building from one look and use to another but the redemption of the space can only take place by the changes in activities. It’s not the arrangement of the space or the furniture or lighting or sound system that redeems the space. The space is redeemed by the activities that take place within the space. When we connect with the spiritual through prayer or song or scripture or service we redeem the space, wherever we are. Space becomes sacred not through physical geography but through spiritual proximity.

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Can You Renovate a 100 Year Old Building?

February 21, 2011 in Uncategorized with 1 Comment

This is Stage 1.2.3. at Rock Bridge Community Church where Matt Evans is the Lead Pastor.  This building is more than 100 years old and was origianlly a Ford Dealership.

Click Here to see the Walmart we’re renovating now for North Point Strategic Partner Athens Church.

BTW – If you want to see how a real leader walks through the valley follow Matt’s Blog.

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Church Construction – Existing Debt vs Funding

February 18, 2011 in Uncategorized with 2 Comments

Here is a quick video about how banks view your existing debt when you are looking to secure funding for new construction or renovation.

Post a comment if you have any questions.

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CHURCH CONSTRUCTION – DESIGN YOU FIRST

February 11, 2011 in Leadership, Uncategorized with 2 Comments

D-E-S-I-G-N: Who Am I? Part 2

This is some great stuff for you to think about over the weekend from my good friend and mentor John Woodall who is the Pastor of  Care at North Point Community Church. If you didn’t see part 1 of the series Click Here and get caught up. 

Last time we looked at the first 10 areas that make all of us unique. Here are some additional areas.

11. Our Natural Gifts: Am I an artistic, athletic, academic?  

12. Our Spiritual Gifts: Romans 12:6-8 We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. [7] If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; [8] if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

13. Our education

14. Our experiences: This is our LifeMap. It is important to remember that God has been with us and leading all the time.

Deut. 8:2-3 Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. [3] He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.

15. Our spiritual pathway: There are many different ways to draw near to God. Some are intellectual, relational, worship, nature, contemplative, serving, and activist. (See Gary Thomas, Sacred Pathways)

Spiritual Pathways

http://www.faithbasedblog.com/2006/05/ortberg_outtakes_spiritual_pat.html

Spiritual Pathway Tool

http://www.fcogpunxsy.com/spiritual_pathway_assessment_tool.htm

16.     Our style of leadership: There are many different styles of leadership: Visionary, entrepreneurial, strategic, motivational, shepherding, role model and managerial

Finding Your Leadership Style

http://www.christianitytoday.com/bcl/areas/leadership/articles/le-8l1-8l1084.html

17.     Our style of ministry: Someone has suggested that there are different styles of ministry based on the offices of Christ.

a.    Prophetic disruptions

b.    Kingly leadership

c.    Priestly connection

18.    Our passion for ministry

19.    Our genius, highest and best use or our core competencies

20.    Our weaknesses

I believe that when we take the time to see how fearfully and wonderfully we are made, we come alive. We experience a peace and joy that is so fulfilling. Our hearts are at rest and we fulfill the purposes of God for our lives in our generation. How well do you know who you are and who you aren’t? Take some time to discover.

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FYI – Valentine’s Day is Monday.
Also, don’t forget about my Orange Conference CD giveaway. Click Here for Details.
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Church Construction and Money

February 7, 2011 in Church Construction with 1 Comment

Church Construction Quick Start Guide – Build a long runway

Having a long runway means you have a great idea of where you’re going and how you’re going to get there long before you actually need to arrive.  I’m often with churches that need their new space yesterday.  They’ve come to what they believe is the right time to build in the life of their ministry only to find out the conversation they had yesterday, when they pushed the “start” button, should’ve happened 18 months ago.  Starting early is one of the best ways to leverage your resources well during expansion.  So here are a couple of things to consider while you’re building your runway. 

Money – When I’m considering working with a client here are a couple of metrics I like to see in place.

  1. Debt to income ratio – I like to see a church at no more than 35 – 40% debt to annual income ratio.  If you have an annual income of $1 million, that means no more than $400,000 should be debt.  When you apply for funding the bank is not going to be interested in taking a second position behind your current debt.  Therefore, the new funding will have to cover the amount needed for the new project as well as the existing debt.   If that ratio is off balance your chances of funding drop significantly.
  2. Cash On Hand – No matter what size the project, a minimum of $200,000 is going to be needed in a designated building fund to get the ball rolling.  A design team, contractor, and civil engineer are just of few of the professionals that will need to be hired prior to the project being fully funded.  Part of building a long runway is waiting until you have enough money to navigate the first season of the project financially.
  3. Margin – I could go into a rant regarding how you need to maintain margin in your life through this process, but I’ll save that for a later blog in this series.  Having margin means there is a reasonable gap between cash in and cash out through the ministry.  Margin is one of the most commonly underestimated elements for churches that are seeking funding.  Today, banks are much more concerned with this number than annual income or Capital Campaign pledges.

If you’re church needs a financial check up I’d highly recommend you connect with Casey Graham over at The Change Group.  I feel like I get smarter every time I hear his name.  He has a new book out “Funded and Free” and has made the first three chapters available for download  free.  Click Here to download it…I dare you!

Click Here to Comment ….I double dog dare you!!

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Catalyst Conference 2004 DVD Give Away

January 20, 2011 in Giveaway with 2 Comments

In my many years with Catalyst Conference, Giant Impact, and the Chick Fil A Leadercast (all the same company), I’ve been fortunate enough to accumulate quite a collection of leadership resources.  I’ve collected a plethora of books, as well as audio and video lessons.  Unfortunately, what I don’t have is the space to keep all of these amazing materials.  My pain can be your gain.   I initially began to pitch the stuff, but later thought… “Hey, maybe I can share these resources with the kind people who read my blog. “

So… giveaway number one is the 2004 Catalyst Conference speaker sessions 1-8 DVDs (I believe that is the entire conference).   It contains sessions from Andy Stanley, John Eldridge, Ted Dekker, Rob Bell Jr., Chuck Colson and many more.

It’s simple to win… just re-tweet me or tweet this link and hash tag http://ow.ly/3H9ts #rcfreebie .  By the end of the day next Wednesday (sorry I’m traveling), I will randomly select a winner from the re-tweets and hash tags and contact you via direct message for your shipping info.  Enter as many times as you like!

When you’re done, make sure you check out The Catalyst Conference near you!

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