When it comes to building a business, guiding a family, or expanding a church, it’s important to have vision. Those in charge must establish a vision for how an organization will proceed and visualize what it will look like in the future.

Unlike a business, a church doesn’t have one boss who can mold and direct the organization. In a church, the vision must be owned, developed and implemented by members of the congregation. While church leaders influence the vision, they must be careful so as not to alienate members by encouraging initiatives that may be perceived as inappropriate.

Numerous churches have fallen apart with what would appear to be minor changes, such as eliminating traditional services in favor of contemporary services. The potential for this situation is magnified when it comes to building a new church or expanding existing facilities.

Not about bricks and mortar

Congregations must realize that expansion is not just about bricks and mortar. It should be about a vision recognizing the need to expand the ministry and how construction fits into that vision.

How stressful is this? One study indicates that 65 to 70 percent of pastors resign within five years of completing a new building. Some churches even split following the arduous process.

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Where does vision come from? It comes from church members and leadership, but ultimately it comes from God.

This was apparent when Nehemiah prayed for guidance after the destruction of Jerusalem in 587 B.C. Nehemiah prayed for favor and submitted his request to the king. Nehemiah presented the vision to the people who would do the work to repair the city. He shared his vision, reaching out to those with a stake in the project. The distribution of work enabled these workers to take ownership in the building process.

As with building projects today, Nehemiah was faced with opposition, but his ability to get the church community involved was key to the success. Every church today needs a “Nehemiah” to spearhead the vision and the process.

In establishing a vision, it is important for a church to first acknowledge that any kind of expansion must be pursued as a way to glorify Christ.

Why do we need to expand our church facility? Some common answers include:

• We don’t have enough room for our current members
• We’re anticipating growth in numbers and ministry diversity
• We need a youth building as a way to reach out to the youth in our community
• Our school enrollment is increasing, so we must add classrooms
  

These are all valid reasons, but the leadership of the church must make sure that the reasons are accurate.

Once that is done, all the talents of the leadership should be brought together in a unified vision, one that reflects the consensus of a diverse congregation and how to pursue it.

Talents of the leadership

There are many examples of how improved facilities can build, enhance or diversify a ministry. A number of years ago, we built a multi-purpose room for a small church in central Florida. The building includes a large kitchen and a gymnasium used for sports, concerts and lectures. The church realized that the community needed a place for teenagers to go during the evenings and weekends. It proved to be successful.

In 2005 Hurricane Wilma tore through Florida. This facility was one of the few left standing in town. Hundreds of people slept there and were fed.

What started as a way to build a teen ministry actually grew into becoming a ministry for people who lived and ate there for months after the hurricane. This is an example of a successful building program that met and exceeded the expectations and vision of the church community. But this project also illustrates how the church leaders brought the congregation together with a unified vision of building a youth ministry.

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Through the visioning process, leaders must ask:  Is God a settler or a pioneer? Scripture clearly teaches that churches should spread the Gospel through a variety of strategies, and building can be one of them.

Avoid having one person in charge: We believe that there should be a committee of people involved in all aspects of the process that liaison with the builder/architect, fundraising, construction ministry and communications.

Membership must be in agreement that it is time to grow: If that’s the decision, members must want to bring new people in and reach out. But even if there are some who are tenuous, the pastor should disciple them and not avoid them.

There will be changes and hardships: With this new focus/vision come hardships. Members will have to make sacrifices in terms of time and funds. They will have to deal with a construction site for years. They will be asked to take on tasks that are associated with a growing congregation.

The economics: A major part of the visioning process in finance. Is giving increasing or decreasing? What percentage of the congregation is giving? What can the church afford in terms of debt service? Is the population in the area large enough to sustain and support growth? Is their ministry relevant to the demographics of their area?

In following the vision, it’s important to have architect, builder and church on the same page so that budgets and timetables are kept.

Lee Walker is president of Walker Design & Construction Co., Boca Raton, FL, which has a strategic alliance with Building God’s Way, Ogden, UT. [walkerdesignco.com] [bgwservices.com]