A tale of two church cafés
Today, churches are offering a lot more than a cup of joe in a Styrofoam cup. With beverages and atmospheres that rival secular franchises, their champions have learned a lot in the process.
Read More >FACILITIES Archives - Page 51 of 69 - Church Executive
When a church MOVES, will its people FOLLOW?
Churches relocate more than you think. In fact, your own church might be moving. Or, maybe you’re wondering how to relocate successfully sometime in the future. In either scenario, you’ll face some primary challenges:
• Communicating the church move to your members and regular attendees
(the congregation)
• Communicating the church move to your neighbors (the community)
That’s why you need a communications strategy before you make the move.
Read More >PASTOR-FRIENDLY VIDEO — Case study: Saddleback Church
Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, CA, hosts more than 20,000 people in weekly attendance. Throughout the week, this globally recognized church offers five services and a number of different events, including concerts, workshops and other studies and seminars. The church was looking to upgrade its facility as part of its “Decade of Destiny” campaign — a 10-year vision to help members in the areas of physical, financial, relational, emotional, mental, vocational and spiritual health.
Read More >Religious institution financing truths—regardless of the lending climate
As the business administrator of a religious institution, you don’t need to be an experienced commercial developer to get a construction loan — you just need an expert ministry bank.
Read More >Understanding loudspeaker systems — what’s right for your church?
Though your church’s audio system is comprised of a lot of different components, loudspeakers are arguably the most significant. As the final link between the message and the listener, the right loudspeaker system can make the difference between indifference and inspiration.
Read More >Effective student spaces: 3 tried-and-true design elements
Many student worship spaces use design elements that promote ministry and embody many of the same elements we find in all worship spaces. However, student worship spaces typically take it to a different level. While the ultimate goal is to worship Jesus, there’s also a practical goal: to maintain a connection with the student, who’s bombarded with all the trappings of today’s culture and crowd. To be successful on both fronts, the architecture and the design of the space must uniquely “speak” to the student population.
Read More >4 reasons why connecting spaces trump cattle chutes
When I started my career in church facility development in 19XX (you venture a guess), the foyer/lobby/narthex (for my liturgical friends) was generally sized to be 1- to 2-square-feet per seat in the main worship space. In those days, this space was intended to be used as a place to funnel people from the worship space to the outside or down a series of narrow corridors that led to the education, administration or fellowship areas. There was often a small table for giving / tithing envelopes or general information, along with one or two uncomfortable high-back chairs … usually not ones you would enjoy sitting in for any length of time, nor were they arranged in a manner to encourage conversation or community.
For all practicality, the foyer was nothing more than a well-appointed cattle chute. (MOO)
Not any more.
Read More >5 critical questions to ask your (potential) agent
In the insurance world, agents — or brokers, in some instances — are oftentimes viewed as the “expert” when it comes to all things regarding liability, protection and coverage. As individuals, protecting things like personal vehicles and homes is thought of as a “no-brainer.”
What isn’t always top-of-mind is protecting the church.
As a ministry, there are innumerable assets and coverage options that should be considered when purchasing insurance. That’s where an insurance agent comes in to help.
Performance bonds: beneficial or a waste of money?
For most of my professional career, I have been anti-performance and payment bond-oriented. To me, they seem like such a waste of money. In short, they’re just an insurance policy (although the Surety industry would say they are not “insurance” but rather a “guarantee” — semantics!) in the unlikely event the general contractor on a job is unable to complete the project (usually due to a bankruptcy or other major catastrophe related to the contractor). In theory, that sounds great. It almost feels like the proverbial “Get Out Of Jail” card. But is it really?
Read More >How to choose the right insurance for your church
The one constant when purchasing insurance is uncertainty. A few days of unexpected rain can carry in its wake a flood of unwelcome expenses and stress. Thankfully, insurance minimizes the havoc that can occur from such an event.
Read More >