By Matt Robertson, Scott Long Construction
I have been asked this question by dozens of churches as they assess the development of their new campus. This is a very exciting time for a new church that so often is in transition from years of meeting in a school gymnasium, theater, or some other temporary space to their new home. Anyone who has experienced the joy and elation of moving into a new home can relate. The answer as to what to build first can be a tough question and one that should be handled with great care and discernment.
Should we build the sanctuary first? Or a multipurpose space? A community outreach building? Or what? Here are a series of questions that can help in solving this dilemma?
Who is God calling us to reach in our community and why? In what ways are our target audience most receptive? Where have we been meeting and has the space helped us or hurt us? How do we plan to use the facility for our ministry? How can we leverage this new building “tool” to maximize our influence on the community we feel called to reach? How would we want the new facility to speak to the community and reflect our DNA as a church? What can we afford?
As you consider some of the questions above, remember that form follows function. Why build a gymnasium if you currently have no current sports ministry and no formal plan or ministry strategy to use sports as a venue for reaching people and growing your church? I am not knocking building a gym, after all, bang for the dollar in regards to cost per seat can be quite cost effective. In 2013 we built a 15,000 square foot church with an 8000 square foot gymnasium that comfortably seats 500 people on the floor and another 150 in the bleachers with a total cost for the new building at $2,300,000. However, maybe a large multi-purpose room that could be converted in the future to a foyer and cafe or a gathering and dining space could serve as your worship space until you have the dollars available to build a sanctuary or auditorium.
As we have worked with churches over the past decade, the big question typically revolves around money and what can be afforded? The International Code Council publishes average construction costs at http://www.iccsafe.org/cs/Pages/BVD.aspx every six months with an average for the entire USA, so actual costs will vary depending on your area of the country. The data varies depending on the type of construction, the lower cost is a wood frame structure and the higher costs are for a building with a sprinkler system that is constructed of non-combustable materials such as steel and concrete. February 2020 data showed the following:
Churches $171 – $230
Theater/Auditorium with a stage $189-$248
General Assembly (ie Gymnasiums, Community Center) $133- $193
Along with answering the questions above, weigh out the pros and cons of each option. Set a deadline for making the decision, but prior to the deadline, take the time with your building team to have a healthy dialogue around each of the options. I also recommend that the building team pray over a seven day period prior to the decision deadline for God’s guidance in the decision. I have witnessed building teams have great success by doing so.
We look forward to meeting you and discussing your future facility at Building On Purpose 2020.