Should You Choose A Building Committee In The Church Building Process?

Your ministry is an oasis for your parishioners and the visitors who come there. You need the right building to meet the needs of the people who attend your church and to meet your ministry in the community that you want to be involved in to serve God in the best possible way.nnWhen you start thinking about the kind of church building that you want to have, you need to have a vision for what your community needs and how to best meet those needs. nnIt's also vital to have the support of the congregation as much as possible, though it's rare to have complete and total support. People often don't like change, or they may be worried about the financial aspects of the church building process. nnOne way that you can involve the congregation in the church design process is to set up a building committee with whom you can share your ideas and vision for your church design project. nnWhen those people are on board you will better be able to spread the word to other people in the church community and help expand support for the project. nnIt's a good idea to start this committee as early as possible in the church design process so that people within the church community are invested in what you are trying to do for the church. The committee should be made up of any people with experience in building and development, such as contractors, lawyers and designers, as well as people within the church leadership who intimately know the needs of the church and the limitations of the current church building. nnYou might want to include different people on the committee depending on the structure of your church, but this group can include any deacons or lay ministers, youth group leaders, the child care director, or anyone else with a unique perspective on what the church offers to its congregation and to the community at large.nnNo one single person is or should be responsible for charting the vision of your church. The church does not belong to the minister, it belongs to the whole community and to God. Take the time to get input and support from as many people in the church community as possible as you consider a new church building so that you can work to meet everyone's needs and better serve God.