As an architecture firm that works almost exclusively with churches and Christian schools, we must confess to allowing our collective joy to slip away every now and again during this rollercoaster ride of 2020. With 129 faith-based projects in active design or construction stages, we have walked along this path of uncertainty with many church […]
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(above) Living Water Bible Fellowship in Alamosa, Colo. When considering the church facility construction outlook in 2021 and beyond, I believe it boils down to these two words. On a flight recently, I happened to be seated next to a project manager from a commercial construction company with projects across the United States. Naturally, I […]
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No one was — or could have been — prepared for what was coming with COVID-19. But, for better or worse, there’s no substitute for experience. In this spirit, we asked several church executives who have graced our cover in the past few years to reflect on leading during disruption. How have they and their […]
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By Molly Matthews The global pandemic has brought about immense change, and many have unfortunately felt negative effects. However, not everything that has come out of this is doom and gloom: some churches have seen positive impacts from pivoting their business strategies. Primarily, ministries were forced to turn to digital solutions to maintain connection with […]
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By Amy Manderscheid Before she started working for StartCHURCH, Angela worked in various accounting jobs. Now, she is one of our dedicated bookkeepers. One day, while reconciling accounts for one of the churches she works with, she noticed something off in the numbers. She quickly discovered the church was being charged $600 a month for […]
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With preparation, persistence and wise collaboration, Bridgeway is saving $450,000+ in yearly interest — even amid a pandemic By RaeAnn Slaybaugh Heidi Coughran has spent most of her career in church operations. She says it’s “exactly my wheelhouse.” So, when the opportunity arose in 2015 to join the staff at her beloved home church — […]
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By James R. Cook, CFP®, RICP® Before you devise an investment strategy, define your goal. Are you saving for retirement, to purchase a home, to fund your child(ren)’s education or something else? In this article, we will focus on saving for retirement. Risk tolerance and risk capacity When investing for retirement, consider your risk tolerance […]
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Flexibility — and familiarity — in financing ensure one church’s buy/renovate/build expansion project is a smooth operation By RaeAnn Slaybaugh Recently, Northridge Church in Rochester, NY, found itself in a unique position. To accommodate growth, it would need to buy, renovate and build. It was a different project than the church’s 2008 sanctuary build-out — […]
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Compensation is always a challenging subject for church leaders, but even more so right now as they and their congregations struggle through the pandemic. Here’s some great advice from MMBB Financial Services (New York, NY), financial experts and pastors alike on how to approach the compensation equation (and discussion) right now. When we talk about […]
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Amid coronavirus, churches are (literally) reimagining their worship spaces. Portable equipment — platforms, risers, barricades and more — can make your space work, if you know how to maximize them. As you work with church leaders right now, what are their biggest questions about post-COVID operations? Cindy Albrecht: Church leaders come to us seeking solutions […]
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