Church Solutions posted an article recently on moving forward with a building project in a down economy.
“Tough economic times can put a real strain on contributions to your church’s building funds. However, the same economic climate can increase attendance, as families find comfort through spirituality and faith support groups.”
The paradox of more people and less money creates tension for facilities and leadership. The article, “Maximizing Building Efforts in a Bad Economy” suggests easing the facilities tension by starting with a master plan. This involves,
- Reviewing your current facility needs
- Planning for future growth
An experienced architect can walk you and your building team through the master planning process. Other suggestions from the article include:
- Choose durable materials for the building structure. It will be more costly in the long term to choose less expensive materials now, and have to replace them in a few years.
- Use value engineering strategies to incorporate systems that will save on utilities over time. Again, these may cost a little more up-front, but will save money in the long run.
- As you look at cutting costs on the interior, consider which items are more costly to replace. One suggestion is using high-end sound cables from the beginning so you can more efficiently upgrade your system over the years.
For the entire article, click here.
The other challenge ministry leaders face in times such as these, the challenge that the Church Solutions article does not address, is leading people in Truth and inspiring hope. Our friends at Aspen want to help you with this.
If you’re in the Chicago land area, plan to join them on Thursday, May 21, for a free lunch at Maggiano’s in Naperville. Ed Bahler will facilitate a discussion on “how some leaders are cutting through the noise of their confusing world and guiding their people.” For more information, or to register, email Kristin at kruther@aspengroup.com.