Bringing in the chairs

I spent time this week helping Aldersgate set up the rows of chairs that will soon hold hundreds of people each weekend. There was a certain quiet sense of joy I felt as I carried stacks of chairs and calculated row spacings. Chris Tomlin and other Christian music played in the background as the finishing touches were being made on the new sound system. I cannot begin to describe the satisfaction I felt to see everything come together as I watched the volunteers and workers busy themselves amongst the sea of chairs. I was proud to be a part of it and I was humbled to know that God has used me in the ministry of this church. I made a resolution in that moment that I would bring in the chairs at every church project that I design. Because it is more than just the work...it is the mission I am on to help churches through their growth, and it is a small gesture of my worship and service to God. I look forward to the first service at Aldersgate this Sunday. I'll be in one of those chairs wondering if the person next to me knows Jesus a little more because of God's work through me. It is what drives me forward.

When is the best time to build?

If you had asked me this question a month ago, I would have said, "the Spring of course". Everything is turning green and there is plenty of time to get a building closed in before the cold of winter hits. At least in Southwest Missouri, winter is not something you want to mess with (remember back to the ice storms of 2007?). Summer has many benefits, but everyone else has the same idea and so the construction workload can sometimes get saturated (there's irony to that you'll read about later) which can have an effect on construction pricing.

In the case of one church client, they wanted to be in their new worship center by Christmas, and so Spring seemed to be the perfect time to begin construction...or so we thought.

Unfortunately, even in all its luster, Spring can be a very wet time of the year. I guess the phrase "April showers bring May flowers" has a very direct message that should be cautioned. I suppose beginning construction on April 1 should have been a sign that flirting with Spring was a dangerous thing. And perhaps construction was saturated after all and we spent nearly six weeks figuring that out.

So when is the best time to build? I guess my answer is, "when God is moving". Just as God never promised us that the Christ-filled life would be free from struggle, other efforts in the Christian ministry are not met without challenges. I am sure Satan is working very hard to see to it that ministry is met with many challenges. When God moves in your church, I say respond with earnest and trust that He will handle all of the details, "for tomorrow will bring its own worries".

R.E.M. and B.I.M.

"It's the end of the world as we know it..."
In the late 1980's, the rock band R.E.M. brought us this popular tune. So what does R.E.M. have in common with B.I.M. (building information modeling)? Not much really...other than the vision to realize that things change. In the last decade, B.I.M. has emerged in CAD (computer-aided design) software as the leading tool for architects and engineers. When I opened my own architectural practice, I purposefully chose ArchiCAD by Graphisoft for my business software. Even though the daunting task of retraining my mind how to work in my new environment, where time didn't seem to be a luxury, was almost too much to handle, I was committed to providing my clients with leading design. Gone are the days when draftmen assemble buildings through a series of drawings made up of 2-dimentional lines and arcs. Today, architects are able to construct virtual buildings before a single brick is laid, and do it with little effort. The beauty of this software is that while the design and the model are coming to life, the computer is helping to generate the 2-dimentional sheets needed to build from. The result - more time can be spent on the design. An added bonus is the tool that is available for architects to communicate the design to the client. Here is a sample image I presented to my client recently for a new worship center. Even though there is still much detail to be worked out, the client is able to visualize the design before thousands of dollars are spent. The possibilities are endless and there is much left to be realized. Change is good. It really is the end of the world as we know it.

copyright - BK Architects, LLC, 2008

Out of the box

When it comes to churches, there is no such thing as "out of the box". In other words, every church has its own ministry, its own style, its own location, its own demographics, and its own personality. Have you ever purchased a new software for your business? Many of them come with built-in features and templates that are straight "out of the box". While we have the option to customize and make it our own, often times we find ourselves using it out of the box because it's faster, takes less effort, and it's what we know. That can work with computer software, but at the risk of being like everyone else, a church should consider carefully what it takes "out of the box".
Over the years I have seen common threads in church culture, but without exception, each one has proven to be unique. When the time comes for you to consider a new building or building addition, ask yourself the question, "What sets us apart from everyone else?" I believe at the heart of your answer you will find the essence of what your building project is all about. I tell all my clients that buildings are tools that are used for the ministries of the church. Too often I see churches that are trying to fit their ministries in their buildings rather than making their buildings fit their ministries.
So when you build, don't just take it "out of the box"...rather, think outside of the box.