Successful church construction projects require solid groundwork, particularly in their planning stages. Pastors and church boards need to clarify and identify the overall vision and mission of the church building, as well as work together with church architects and construction professionals throughout the planning stage and building process.
While some pastors prefer to be the sole representative of the church and work directly with architects and construction professionals, other churches choose key people to make up the church building committee — and together, they conquer the myriad of decisions essential to completing a church building project successfully.
The ingredients of a successful church building committee
Who makes up a church’s building (or sometimes called steering) committee, and how do they contribute to the success of a church building project? The building committee members typically include these positions and responsibilities:
Chairman
The chairman sees the overall vision, leads and guides the committee in its organization, and willingly delegates detail work to others.
Secretary
The secretary attends to the details and keeps accurate records of meetings and decisions.
Design subcommittee
This group may coordinate with a finance subcommittee to balance the building program with the budget. Subgroups under this committee may include:
- Sanctuary
- Administrative offices
- Education classrooms
- Music and media offices
- Parking lot and landscape
- Interior design and furniture
- Kitchen
- Construction subcommittee
The leader of this committee may act as the point of contact between the steering committee, the architect, and the church building contractor. They may need to meet on the job site during construction and should have a solid working knowledge of construction and all that pertains to it.
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Finance subcommittee
If a loan is part of the financial plan for church construction, this committee will help select a lender and arrange the loan’s terms. The finance committee members should be well versed in banking, finance, and accounting. They need to have the skills necessary to look at loan products and accurately evaluate the best fit for the church’s long-term needs. Fundraising may also be a duty of this committee.
Interior Design
This group of individuals are responsible for color choices and finish selections as well as custom design features such as seating, furniture for the platform, artwork, and accessories throughout the building. They need extensive knowledge and experience in interior design.
Property Acquisition
From finding the right property to checking land-use and zoning issues, this group resolves issues about the building location prior to the property purchase.
Communication throughout the building process
Simplify communication throughout the building process by creating a single point of contact so communication from team to team is clear and focused. Keep in mind that communication is not simply what is said, but also what the listener perceives was said.
Key elements to successful church construction projects
1. Begin with the end in mind and keep the vision before you.
Write your vision and make it plain so you can run with it. Remember the purpose of the building, so if things get challenging, you’ll quickly recall the purpose of the building — helping people.
2. Check the reviews and references of your preferred construction team.
Ask the hard questions before choosing your construction team. Find out if previous clients would use the firm again if they needed additional buildings.
3. Understand the fee structure for each phase of construction.
Design, engineering, construction, fixtures, and furnishings are some of the primary costs of building construction. Verify you understand their fees prior to incurring the cost.
Reduce Stress On Your Church Building Committee
The church design and construction specialists at Churches by Daniels help alleviate the stress and lower the cost of building your church facility by managing your project:
1. The design build process
Architects and contractors work together as a team, and communicate with the pastor or the head of the church building committee streamlining the decision-making process. This also allows the builder to assign actual costs to the drawings, throughout the design process, providing the building committee with more accurate project costs.
2. Church architects
We develop original designs that balance form and function while staying true to your church mission and values. Our designs range from large sanctuaries and coffee shops to custom student ministries facilities.
3. Budget and finances
We partner with churches to guide you in capital campaigns, church loans, and the ability to build and stick to a building budget. We help simplify the financing process.
Connect Your Committee With a Church Builder
Churches by Daniels, Inc. has built churches since 1980. We have served pastors from coast to coast, focusing on quality craftsmanship and customer satisfaction. Our commitment to excellence and integrity is displayed not just in our projects, but also in our ongoing relationships with the pastors and leaders we serve. We invite you to call Churches by Daniels today at (918) 872-6006 and learn how we can help make your church construction vision or church remodeling vision a reality.
